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The Chicago Sun-Times recently published an article (part of a series to come in the coming weeks) that delves into the complexities of the Chicago Fire Department's (CFD) union contract, which is set to expire at the end of June. The piece highlights significant increases in base salaries for firefighters and chief officers, while also revealing how additional perks contribute to much higher total compensation.
According to the Sun-Times analysis, the city of Chicago pays fire department employees over $80 million annually in extra benefits that boost their salaries by an average of more than $15,000 each. These extras, however, are not included in the online database of city worker pay created by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, which claims that fire department employees earned about $87,000 on average last year. When considering the additional payments, the actual average salary rises to approximately $104,000, according to the Sun-Times' review of city budget data.
The article explains that these hidden bonuses—such as holiday pay, specialty pay for trained personnel, and duty availability payments—are part of a long list of provisions negotiated by the firefighters’ union. This has led to growing tensions as the union attempts to negotiate a new contract with City Hall.
The current five-year contract, which expired in 2007, did not include many of these perks. However, under the current agreement, firefighters have been rushing to qualify for special training, such as hazardous materials handling or diving certification, to receive additional pay. For example, the number of certified divers in the department has nearly tripled in recent years, from 142 in 2006 to 367 today.
These changes have significantly increased the cost of specialty pay, rising from $6.4 million in 2008 to over $18.3 million last year. Additionally, holiday premium pay—double pay for working on 13 holidays—cost the city more than $19.2 million in 2011, making it the most expensive single perk.
The Emanuel administration is now proposing to eliminate some of these benefits, including "duty availability" pay, which gives every firefighter an extra $805 every three months. Union leaders have strongly opposed these proposals, vowing to fight for the gains they’ve secured under previous administrations.
The article also includes a detailed list of the top 100 highest-paid fire department employees, showing how base salaries are often supplemented by various forms of extra compensation. For instance, Dan Fabrizio, a battalion chief and political director of the firefighters’ union, had a base salary of $129,349 but received an additional $24,843 in perks, bringing his total to $154,192.94.
This comprehensive look at the financial structure of the CFD highlights the ongoing debate over transparency, fairness, and the true cost of public safety in Chicago. The full article can be found [here](#).