McKeesport OKs new contract with city firefighters

By Max Robinette
mrobinette@yourmi.com
McKeesport council agreed to a four-year contract with the city fire department Wednesday.
The new collective bargaining agreement will run Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2027, with a 2% wage increase each year.
“I think it’s a very fair contract,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said. “It did go through negotiations and for the most part things are staying the same, with a few changes in language.”
Unlike municipalities who utilize volunteer fire services, McKeesport maintains a career fire department for the city. While leaders argue supporting career firefighters adds a welcome level of professionalism to the department, it also costs the city extra money.
To reach an agreement, Cherepko said the department was able to make some concessions to work within the city’s budget.
“We originally negotiated a higher (yearly wage increase), keeping in mind inflation and everything” Cherepko said. “I do want to commend the fire department because they gave back a couple percent to allow us to provide a stipend to retirees.
“As many of our units try to reach out for COLAs – cost of living adjustments – and things within pensions, they are extremely costly for the city. To put it in perspective… giving (one firefighter) a pension is like $150 a month, which turns out to be around $1,800 a year.