CalFire firefighters are looking at a proposal that would give them a hefty raise. The state-employed firefighters, some of the lowest-compensated in their profession in California, are preparing to vote on a contract offer that would increase their base pay by 9.29 percent to 22.55 percent over four years. Union leadership, which represents about 6,000 current and retired CalFire employees, could bring the contract to the membership by late January. Several previous offers by the state were rejected by union leadership without a membership vote. The contract would increase compensation for the job categories of Firefighter II at the bottom and Battalion Chief at the top. For instance, a Firefighter II currently making base pay of $3,872 monthly would make $4,483 in 2020 after a 17.45 percent pay raise over that span. “Right now, it’s a tentative proposal,” said Battalion Chief Scott McLean, a spokesman for CalFire’s state office.
