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Coral Gables Professional Firefighters Association

Declares Impasse in Contract

Negotiations with City of Coral Gables

Talks headed toward arbitration after more than two years of negotiations.

CORAL GABLES, FL [January 11, 2023] - The Coral Gables Professional Firefighters
Association Local 1210 announced today that it has declared impasse in its negotiations with
the City of Coral Gables after more than two years of no progress towards reaching an
agreement. The association noted that negotiations have been underway since the height of the
pandemic in September 2020, without any tangible offers from the city that would solve for the
current or future needs of its firefighters or its residents and businesses.

“For the past two years we have negotiated in good faith with the best interests of our
bargaining unit and our citizens in mind,” said Coral Gables Firefighters Local 1210 President
David Perez. “Given the caliber of service that our firefighters provide and the proposed
expansions to our service area, it is difficult to characterize why administrators would prefer to
spend taxpayer dollars and valuable resources on impasse proceedings rather than coming to a
fair agreement that would prepare Coral Gables for the future rather than solve for the past.”
 

In addition to the 30 new buildings that are already in the pipeline for the city, which will require
recruiting an additional four dozen firefighters, there are proposals being put forth to annex
additional parts of Miami-Dade County, including Little Gables, High Pines and Ponce Davis. In
total, these new annexations would add almost 900 acres of service area, equaling to a 10%
increase in residents.

With already more than a 14% increase in call volume over the past five years, the association
is asking the city to negotiate with them on a contract that is not only proportionate to the level
of service that is already being provided, but on the services and labor force that will be needed
as the city continues to grow.

“Our firefighters make up an elite group of professionals who are highly-rated and accredited
and who exceed the national standards for service. They are representative of what Coral
Gables residents have come to expect from its first responders for almost 75 years,” added
Perez. “Negotiating in bad faith is not conducive to attracting top-tier talent, particularly at a time
when the administration is attempting to increase its service areas through proposed
annexations that do not meet the standards or ratios required for operations.”

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About Coral Gables Professional Firefighters Association Local 1210
Coral Gables Professional Firefighters Association Local 1210 is the labor bargaining unit for
firefighters in the City of Coral Gables, serving its 50,000 residents and 12,000 businesses by
enhancing public safety and preserving quality of life for its members and the community it
serves.