Hialeah Firefighters Receive 17% Salary Increase: New Pay Rates After Union Agreement

The city of Hialeah and the firefighters' union, IAFF Local 1102, have finalized a two-year collective bargaining agreement that boosts salaries by 17%, as reported by Telemundo 51.

This agreement, effective from October 2026 to September 2028, gained approval from 93% of the union members in a vote conducted in mid-October.

To break it down, a firefighter who previously earned around $61,000 annually will see their salary rise to approximately $75,000. Meanwhile, a paramedic's pay will increase from about $71,000 to nearly $89,000.

The salary hike is implemented in two stages: an 8% raise took effect on October 1, and the remaining 7% will be applied in the fiscal year 2028. Additionally, paramedic-certified officers receive an extra 2% specialty pay from the same date. With roughly 87% of the staff holding this certification, most of the workforce benefits from this additional bonus.

Mayor Bryan Calvo described the agreement as a "historic increase in the pay for these firefighters… something accomplished without raising taxes or costs for residents."

However, this statement requires some clarification: while the property tax rate remains steady at 6.3018 mills—unchanged since 2013—the taxable value of properties has risen by 6.1%, resulting in an additional $8 million in revenue for the current fiscal year, as indicated by the city's $514.4 million budget approved in September.

The union president, Eric Johnson, expressed gratitude for the outcome: "Thanks to the city of Hialeah for working with the firefighters for a better future."

In tandem with the salary announcement, Fire Chief Humfredo Pérez introduced eight new lieutenants and announced the recruitment of 25 new cadets to the municipal academy, along with the acquisition of new rescue vehicles, high-risk equipment, and oxygen systems.

"This agreement helps us retain the experienced personnel we have, which is crucial, and it aids in bringing new staff to the city for the future," Pérez emphasized.

Mayor Calvo, the youngest in Hialeah's history at 27 years old, has been involved in two controversies documented by the Miami Herald: the city paid over $16,000 to his campaign consultant's firm for sending mass text messages promoting the mayor's events without the council's knowledge, and more than $59,100 in overtime was accumulated for the three officers in his personal security detail between January and July 2026.

The salary agreement comes at a critical juncture for the department, which handles over 31,000 emergencies annually—about 90% of which are medical—with staffing reduced from around 300 firefighters two decades ago to approximately 226 currently, with 22 budgeted positions unfilled.

The staffing shortage compelled the city to spend nearly $7 million on firefighter overtime in 2025, and since negotiations began last July, the department lost five more members while another 14 are preparing to leave.