After eight months of negotiations, Coronado has struck a deal with the city’s police and fire department employees on their salaries and benefits.
The Coronado Police Officers Association (CPOA) and Coronado Firefighters Association (CFA) had been talking about their potential new contract with the city since December of last year, and as of Sept. 2, finally were able to reach an agreement on labor contracts.
Under the new contracts, first responders will see raises of 6% this fiscal year – and total base pay increases of more than 17% over the next three years.
The most recent police and firefighter contracts ended on June 30, and the first responders have been working off of their last agreed-upon compensation and benefits until now.
According to CPOA president Darren Hamilton, negotiations for a new agreement took longer because the city’s original contract proposal reflected a lower level of support than what had been offered in years past.
With the new contract in place, Hamilton told The Coronado News he was happy they reached an agreement on the salary and benefits packages.
These agreements reflect our shared commitment to delivery of high-quality services to our community, supporting employees, attracting and retaining quality talent and ensuring the responsible stewardship of public resources.
City Manager Tina Friend
City Manager Tina Friend said she was pleased with the outcome. “These agreements reflect our shared commitment to delivery of high-quality services to our community, supporting employees, attracting and retaining quality talent and ensuring the responsible stewardship of public resources,” said Friend. “We extend our appreciation to the negotiating teams on all sides for their hard work, professionalism, and dedication throughout this process.”
According to a staff report outlining the police and fire department employees’ new salary packages, this new agreement keeps the city’s compensation competitive regionally to ensure that the city’s departments can attract and retain qualified employees – which was a concern of Hamilton’s when he last spoke to The Coronado News in July.
There were several changes to the police officers’ salary and benefits contract, among those a 6% base pay adjustment for fiscal year 2025-26, 5% base pay adjustment for 2026-27 and a 6% base pay adjustment for 2027-28. In addition, standby duty pay will increase from $25 to $35 a day.
The CPOA represents a total of 70 staff members and 30 volunteers. The Coronado Firefighters Association represents 27 firefighters.
The compensation increases will add $65,000 to the city’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget. For the CFA, an additional $68,000 is to be added to the 2025-26 budget.
Firefighters will receive the same base pay increase as the police officers over the next three years. Their education incentive pay will also increase from $80 to $100 per month for an associate’s degree and $160 to $200 per month for a bachelor’s degree, among other adjustments.
