McAllen city commissioners and the McAllen Fire Union signed a new three-year collective bargaining agreement, according to a Wednesday news release from the city.

The agreement reinforces a strong partnership dedicated to public safety and service excellence, the news release states.

Under the agreement, McAllen firefighters are expected to see a bump in pay following seven bargaining sessions. McAllen City Manager Isaac J. Tawil said the starting pay rate for McAllen firefighters was less than other cities.

"We needed to boost pay for our entry level department employees, we were able to give firefighters at the firefighter rank a 5% pay increase each year over the next three years,” Tawil told Channel 5 News.

According to the news release, the renewed agreement reflects the city’s ongoing commitment to supporting its firefighters.

“The McAllen firefighters are some of the best professionals in the state.  The hard work from our team to be able to negotiate on behalf of the best interest of the city of McAllen and its residents shows the level of dedication that is unmatched,” McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos said.