The President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Firefighters Association says there is forward momentum in the contract negotiations with the City of St. John’s.

Craig Smith says while the St. John’s Regional Fire Department has had a busy six months, negotiations are going well. This follows a pushback to an announcement last year of cuts to staffing levels to minimize shortfalls in the city budget. However, those issues were ironed out between the union and the city, and staffing levels have remained the same.

While the negotiations won’t be finished overnight, Smith is confident a fair deal will be reached.

He says the union and the city are both dedicated to reaching a deal that allows them to provide the best possible service.