Durham firefighters say the sirens are already blaring on this year's tight city budget, worried the merit raises they were promised could quietly disappear from the proposed spending plan. Union leaders warn the step-increase system that has historically boosted a firefighter's pay by roughly 5% each year may not be funded, and they are gearing up to confront the council when the manager rolls out his recommendation.
Jason Davis, president of the Professional Firefighters of Durham, told CBS17, "We don't feel that appreciation," saying the union fears the city could simply opt not to fund merit raises this year. A city spokesperson told the station it will field questions after Monday night's budget presentation.
What firefighters are asking for
Union representatives are pushing the council to sign off on a 5% base pay bump and to fully fund the merit raise system approved last year, arguing those step increases are what keep Durham salaries in the same ballpark as pay in comparable cities. City Manager Bo Ferguson is set to present his recommended budget on Monday, with the council expected to adopt a final plan in mid-June, according to The News & Observer.
How the merit system works
City budget documents show the merit program is designed to award step increases of about 5% each year for eligible firefighters until they hit the top of the pay scale. Presentations from the City of Durham note that when those merit steps are skipped, early-career employees can fall noticeably behind their peers over time.
The city first paused the merit schedule during the pandemic, and that freeze has fed into ongoing challenges with recruitment and retention, according to local reporting. In earlier coverage, WRAL reported the department had lost multiple members amid concern over stalled raises.
Budget calendar and next steps
After the manager's Monday presentation, a second public hearing is set for June 1, with council work sessions scheduled for May 27, May 28 and June 4. A formal adoption vote is slated for June 15, according to The News & Observer. That leaves a tight window for residents and city workers to weigh in through public comment and appearances at meetings.
Union leaders say they have already sat down with city staff and now plan to pack the council chambers during budget talks to press for full funding of the raises. Members told CBS17 they see honoring the merit schedule as the city simply keeping its word to firefighters. City officials have not yet indicated whether merits will appear in the recommended budget but say they will answer questions after the presentation.
What to watch next
In the coming weeks, Durham leaders will decide whether to restore the step program or scale back employee pay to cover other priorities, a call that will shape public safety hiring and retention for months to come. The tradeoffs they are weighing are laid out in the city's budget materials, which are available through the City of Durham.
