City firefighters and emergency personnel in Chicago will receive a lucrative new contract with a substantial pay raise and back pay. The new contract was ratified by Chicago's Committee on Workforce Development, and will take effect at the beginning of 2015. The agreement includes an 11% raise over the next five years, along with $32 million in back pay for personnel. In addition, the city's ambulances will be upgraded from basic-life-support to advanced-life-support. Emergency personnel however, will no longer receive free health care if they retire between the ages of 55 and 65.
See "Council panel ratifies $80 million firefighters contract", Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun Times, July 22, 2014