PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Firefighters in Providence will receive retroactive raises under the terms of an arbitration award.

Providence Mayor David Cicilline (sis-uh-LEEN'-ee) said Tuesday that firefighters would receive a 2.5 percent pay raise retroactive to January 2006. They're also entitled to a 3.5 percent increase effective on January 1, 2007.

Cicilline and Paul Doughty, the president of the firefighters' union, said they were still trying to resolve the remaining contract years and would not comment further until their work was done.

The Cicilline administration and firefighters union have for years been locked in a bitter contract dispute.

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