The City of Orange and the Orange firefighters can’t agree on a contract, but did agree not to declare an impasse for negotiations until Sept. 29. City management met Tuesday with the International Association of Firefighters Local 1432. The city is offering a 2 1/4 percent pay raise. Non-union city employees are getting a 2 percent raise. The firefighters want a 4 percent pay raise for the next three years. Firefighters’ negotiator Louis Hebert said Orange firefighters are about $4,000 behind in salary for Nederland, Port Neches and Port Arthur, even though Orange personnel pay about $100 a month less for health insurance. Hebert said when the city gives 2 percent pay raises and other cities give 3 to 4 percent raises, Orange firefighters get farther behind in their pay compared to the nearby cities. The new budget year starts Oct. 1.
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