WAUSAU, Wis (WSAU) - Wausau city council members have approved a new contract with the city's fire fighter's union.

The new three year contract will include some wage freezes the first year in order to help save the city some extra money over the next few years. Alderman Romey Wagner says the department and the unions were willing to agree to those cuts despite being exempt from the changes to collective bargaining that other public unions faced.

Under the new contract, firefighters will contribute more to their retirement accounts. They'll pay 3-percent next year, or an average of $60 per paycheck. That rises to 5-percent in 2013 and up to 7-percent in 2014. The new contract also would come without any layoffs.

The change will save the city about $174,000.

The firefighters union approved the new contract last Wednesday.