Texas Border Business
McAllen’s fire union, McAllen Firefighters Association, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2602, recently approved a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the local union and management of the City of McAllen. The CBA was put to the members for a vote of approval and it recently passed by an overwhelming majority.
The union-approved agreement will go before the McAllen City Commission at tonight’s regular McAllen City Commission for final approval. An official signing ceremony will take place later this week.
“Our firefighters are very important to the McAllen City Commission,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. “They put their lives on the line protecting everyone who lives, shops, works or visits McAllen. It is important to invest in our first responders, not just with compensation, but in equipment, resources, training, and anything that helps make their job of protecting us better and easier.”
Villalobos further continued, “I want to congratulate and thank the members of our bargaining team for a job well done,” he concluded.
“Our goal is to make sure that we take care of our first responders,” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E. “Public safety and security for our entire community starts with ensuring our firefighters and police officers are well compensated for the work that they do.”
Once finalized, the new CBA between the City of McAllen and the fire union will remain in place for four years. “I’m pleased that the members of the McAllen Firefighters association have overwhelmingly passed the proposed 2021-2025 CBA by a majority of 99.16% in favor and 0.84% against,” said MFA Local 2602 General President Robert Lock. “ This October 1 will mark our twentieth anniversary for Collective Bargaining Rights since the residents voted in favor of in 1999 and the first contract took effect October 1, 2001. On behalf of the whole executive board and membership, we’re pleased with the final contract. The negotiation atmosphere remained pleasant from start to finish. I want to express our thanks to City Manager Roy Rodriguez and his team. We are ready to get to work,” concluded Lock.
