After over a year of delay, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) workers on Monday that he will sign their first-ever union contract with the city. Then, on Tuesday, the firefighter union’s leadership made their budget presentation to the Atlanta City Council, asking for higher pay.
The mayor sent a May 4 letter to Atlanta’s over 900 firefighters saying he’d sign the collective bargaining agreement after their union, the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 134, sued the city on March 17 for breach of contract over Dickens’ refusal to sign.
The Atlanta City Council had unanimously approved the collective bargaining agreement almost a year earlier, in April 2025. It establishes the framework for the firefighter union to negotiate with the city over issues like pay, promotions, grievances, and training…