The Portsmouth Town Council approved a new, three-year contract Monday night for the Portsmouth Fire Department union, said Town Administrator John Klimm.
The discussion for collective bargaining with the firefighters' union was scheduled during executive session.
The agreement between the town and fire department is also a first in Rhode Island. The Portsmouth Fire Department is now the first fire department in Rhode Island to agree to a 401(k) pension plan, reports EastBayRI.com.
Under the new plan, for those hired after June 30, both the employee and Portsmouth will contribute eight percent of the employee's salary to a 401(k) pension plan.
The plan also eliminates an automatic three-percent increase in pension benefits annually, reports EastBayRI.com.
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