At its December 19 meeting, the La Verne City Council approved a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the La Verne Firefighters’ Association (LVFA). The new MOU, which includes updated benefits for LVFA members, is a reflection of the strong partnership between the City of La Verne and the LVFA and is effective for the next four years. The agreement includes salary adjustments, classification changes, special duties compensation and education incentives.
“We are pleased to advance this new agreement between the City and LVFA, as it represents a renewed commitment to collaboration and teamwork,” said Mayor Tim Hepburn. “Not only have we been working to give our fire department the resources and support it needs to keep our community safe, but we also want to ensure LVFD continues to attract qualified candidates and remains a great place to work. I am extremely grateful to our employees and their dedication to our community.”
According to California law, the City of La Verne is required to meet with recognized employee groups, such as LVFA, to negotiate wages, benefits and working conditions. City staff and LVFA representatives have been meeting since July to negotiate new terms and modernize the agreement.
The new MOU between the City and LVFA includes a number of updates that will help ensure La Verne remains competitive with other jurisdictions in terms of salary and benefits. These updates include salary adjustments, classification and assignment changes, special duties compensation and education incentives. The salary adjustments will be supported by Measure LV revenue funds and will be adjusted to the market median for the next four years. The MOU also modifies how paramedic bonuses are distributed to better reflect the duties performed by employees.
For the first time, the MOU recognizes special assignments completed by LVFA members, similar to those provided to La Verne Police Officer Association (LVPOA) members. Additionally, there are new and enhanced considerations for educational accomplishments, which serve to benefit both the City and LVFA members by enhancing the Fire Department’s knowledge and service capabilities. These considerations are similar to those provided to law enforcement personnel through the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) program.
“This has been an eventful year for our department, with important decisions being made that will shape our organization’s future. Through it all, LVFA has remained committed to our mission of serving and protecting the community of La Verne, and we are looking forward to the positive impacts this will bring,” said La Verne Firefighters Association President Andrew Glaze.
For more information and to read the updated MOU, visit the City’s website. Learn more about LVFD by visiting their website and following them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.