City of Raleigh approves raises for police and firefighters
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- After months of pressure from police and firefighters, the City of Raleigh has approved a raise for both groups.
The salary increases will take effect April 1, and cost the City approximately $1.8 million in the current fiscal year.
Council approved the raises after getting an analysis of salaries from an outside consultant that showed that entry level police and firefighters are generally paid below competing markets.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER PAY REQUESTS
Here's a partial breakdown provided by the City of Raleigh:
- The starting salary for sworn police officers will increase to $40,000, nearly a 13.25% increase
- Police Officers, First Class Officers, and Master Officers will receive up to a 13.25% midyear increase
- Entry level firefighters will receive up to a 10% mid-year increase
There are nearly 1,000 positions outside of Police and Fire that will receive a mid-year salary increase between 2% and 4% based on the following criteria:
- Significant (15% or greater) misalignment with the market (more than 300 positions affected)
- Positions with unusually high turnover (nearly 400 positions effected)
- Positions that fall below the newly established Living Wage of $28,621 annually (215 positions affected)
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"The decision to provide mid-year salary increases represents an immediate and meaningful commitment to the City's workforce in the context of a broader initiative," City Manager Ruffin Hall said in a news release.
Lieutenant Chris Ferrell with the Raleigh Fire Department described Tuesday's vote as a good first step.
"This addresses our very lowest paid and they needed it the worst, they did. We have folks on public assistance. But the folks like myself, I've been here eight years, we got a six percent raise mid-year," he said.
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