State employees: compensation: firefighters

The law sets a pay-comparison target intended to help recruit and retain rank-and-file CAL FIRE firefighters while preserving collective bargaining and legislative budget approval requirements.

What the law does ​

• Requires good-faith bargaining with State Bargaining Unit 8 firefighters over a competitive salary range within 15% of the agreed comparison average.
• Requires the state and the unit's exclusive representative to jointly survey estimated salaries at the 20 agreed fire departments and report the results.
• Requires salary changes to be agreed through a memorandum of understanding and does not guarantee an automatic raise.
• Makes an approved memorandum of understanding controlling if it conflicts with this law, subject to legislative and Budget Act approval when it requires spending.

Who it affects ​

• Rank-and-file Department of Forestry and Fire Protection firefighters in State Bargaining Unit 8.
• The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Human Resources, and the exclusive representative for State Bargaining Unit 8.