SANFORD, Fla. — Sanford firefighters have been working without a contract for nine months, and their union says negotiations with the city have reached a formal impasse after more than a year at the bargaining table.
The Sanford Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 3996, say they have been negotiating with the city for 15 months and have been without a contract since October 2025.
The union says three main issues are keeping the two sides apart: longevity pay, work hours, and pensions.
Sanford firefighters are currently scheduled to work 56 hours a week. A new state law, House Bill 929, signed in June 2025, encourages fire departments to limit firefighter schedules to 42 hours a week to reduce burnout. The union wants to begin moving toward that shorter workweek.
The union also says about half of its members are on the city’s pension plan, while the other half are on state retirement, which offers greater benefits. The union wants the city pension changed so all members receive comparable retirement benefits.
Union leaders say that instead of the typical three-year agreement, the city offered a one-year deal and told them it would not respond to the union’s latest proposal with a counterproposal until after voters decide on a property tax measure in November.
“Throughout this process, the City has continually delayed negotiations, and it has offered no retroactive pay to our members for the significant time we have been working without a contract,” union president Ryan Margagliotti said in a statement released Thursday.
Margagliotti said the union has formally reached an impasse and is awaiting a hearing before the state, which has been postponed until after November.
“Our dedicated firefighters and paramedics continue to provide essential emergency services to the residents of Sanford, responding to more than 14,000 incidents each year with professionalism and commitment,” Margagliotti said.
City Manager Norton Bonaparte defended the city’s handling of the negotiations in a statement.
“The City of Sanford highly values the service of the men and women of our Fire Department. While we have been in negotiation with the Sanford Professional Firefighters union for over a year, we have not yet come to an agreement on a new contract. The City has and will continue to bargain in good faith and looks forward to coming to an agreement with the Fire union,” Bonaparte said.
The union says the next meeting between the two sides is not expected until December.
Both sides declined to speak on camera.
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