Omaha has reached a tentative agreement with the fire union for a new contract. The deal comes at a critical point. The contract dispute was scheduled to go before the Nebraska Court of Industrial Relations next Monday morning, August 4th.

Mayor Mike Fahey's office has not yet shared details on the new contract but Channel Six is told the deal eliminates the controversial practice of "spiking." Under the existing contract some retiring firefighters were able to leave the fire service with annual pensions of $80,000 and $90,000 a year, and those pensions are for life. By comparison, the Social Security Administration says the average worker in Nebraska and Iowa will receive $11,000 a year.

The new contract also addresses the sensitive issue of having firefighters pick up some of the cost of their health care insurance. Omaha firefighters, as well as police officers, pay nothing for their health insurance, a situation which is rare for workers in almost any other setting.