Greeley council advances firefighters union contract for 2027-28

The Greeley City Council voted Tuesday to introduce an ordinance ratifying and adopting the 2027-28 collective bargaining agreement between the city and Greeley Firefighters Local 888, setting a public hearing and second reading for July 7.

The agreement, listed as Item 18 on the consent agenda, would cover Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2028. Council approved the consent agenda, including the contract ordinance, on a 6-0 vote.

Before the vote, Local 888 trustee Chris Morowski told council that union members had ratified the tentative agreement over the weekend and praised this year's bargaining as "strictly interest-based from start to finish." He said talks lasted several weeks and "remained strictly interest-based from start to finish," without shifting into more traditional bargaining positions.

Morowski also thanked the city's bargaining team by name, including Nathan Mosley, Ned Chapin, Deputy Chief Chris Elmer, Chief People Officer Kimberly Southern, and human resources staff Deidre Severin and Holly Kemp. He described the process as collaborative, respectful and focused on solutions.

Morowski said the deal also fixes a dispute from the 2023 bargaining cycle involving battalion chiefs' pay. He said a prior city decision had placed the seven battalion chief positions at 40% of market value rather than the 50th percentile used for others in the bargaining unit. The tentative agreement includes a market adjustment for battalion chiefs that "restores us back to the 50th percentile," he said, calling it a step that repairs unity within the department and helps keep Greeley competitive in retaining firefighters.