Boston Firefighters Ratify Labor Contract With City

The Boston Firefighters Local 718 ratified their contract Thursday, voting 824-58 in favor of a deal with the city that grants firefighters an 18.8 percent pay raise over six years.

"Tonight our membership vot[ed] in overwhelming support of this contract," Rich Paris, president of the firefighters union, said in a statement Thursday night. "We said from the beginning that we wanted to come to the best agreement possible for everyone, and we worked together with mutual respect and trust to reach this deal."

Paris also thanked Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, who reciprocated the gratitude.

"I'm very pleased to hear the results from tonight's vote, and I want to thank the membership for their confidence and support," Walsh said in the statement. "I'm glad that this matter is officially resolved. In particular, I want to thank Rich Paris and the leadership of Local 718 for their commitment to this process and to protecting the best interests of the people of Boston."

It's the first time the city and firefighters reached a deal without arbitration since 2001.

The process was largely seen as a major test of Walsh's young administration and placed additional scrutiny on the mayor's skills at the negotiating table.