Bill > AB2129

This bill mandates that the state must negotiate in good faith with firefighters who are rank-and-file members of State Bargaining Unit 8, employed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL-FIRE), to ensure their salaries are within 15% of the average salary for comparable ranks in 20 specific California fire departments. This aims to address the challenges CAL-FIRE faces in recruiting and retaining skilled firefighters due to the demanding and dangerous nature of their work, which includes responding to all types of fires and natural disasters, and the long hours they often work. The bill requires the state and the firefighters' union to jointly conduct an annual survey to calculate these average salaries, and also mandates a specific survey by March 31, 2027, for contract renewal purposes, which will include a review of fire chief salaries in five listed departments and other comparable positions. Any salary increases resulting from these negotiations must be implemented through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), a formal agreement between the state and the union, in accordance with collective bargaining laws, with any necessary funding requiring legislative approval.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2129