SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association announced Tuesday that it has broken off negotiations with the city on a new collective bargaining agreement.

• Invoked right to call for arbitration under Proposition C
• City said it offered a balanced compensation and health care proposal
• Both parties have met 19 times since February

The firefighter union decided to instead invoke its right to call for arbitration under Proposition C.

READ MORE | SA Fire Union Seeks Prop C Clarification, City Responds

The city said it will honor the confidentiality obligations of mediation and not disclose the discussions or content of proposals.

However, the city said it did offer a balanced compensation and health care proposal that would have maintained San Antonio firefighters as the best compensated in the state.

“We had hoped to reach a collective bargaining agreement through this mediation process and we greatly appreciate the tremendous efforts of our mediator, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Deborah Hankinson,” said City Attorney Andy Segovia.

The City of San Antonio’s negotiating team has met with the fire union 19 times since they agreed to come to the bargaining table in February of this year.

READ MORE | City of San Antonio Drops Lawsuit Against Fire Union

After 10 meetings, the parties agreed to mediation on April 17 to facilitate a more productive dialogue.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued the following statement:

“I am disappointed that the fire union leaders opted to pursue arbitration. Throughout this process, we have sought an agreement that is fair to taxpayers and rank-and-file firefighters. Our goal is unchanged, and I look forward to a fair resolution from the arbitrators.”