Labor and Union Issues
Kansas City fire department officials and union members say outdated facilities and rising call volumes demand urgent upgrades, but they remain divided on how to fix it
Kansas City’s finance committee rejected a proposed $915,000 settlement for a firefighter who killed three people in a 2021 crash
Kansas City Firefighter Dominic Biscari may receive nearly $1 million to settle a grievance filed by the firefighters’ union after the city suspended him without pay
About 200 people, most wearing red shirts meant to symbolize union solidarity, gathered at City Hall to protest the city’s handling of contract negotiations
In the last two Legislature sessions, State Sen. Joan Huffman has sponsored legislation to make it harder for public worker unions to collect membership dues
Firefighters said supervisors are trying to beat them down, fund public safety by cutting their pay, and will ultimately make Kern County less safe for citizens
Mark Holland described the results of a payroll analysis that he said proved the firefighters are manipulating a legal practice of shift trading
The denial is the latest development in what has become a publicly contentious clash over the two sides’ collective bargaining efforts toward a new contract
“I think both the chief and I realize that the resolution is more important than the argument,” Pvt. Jeff Koenigseker said
Union president John Varallo said firefighters who were out on leave noticed a particular vehicle being parked in front of their houses
The union could have left the men to pay for their own representation, but agreed to put its resources behind the ex-firefighters as they seek to be reinstated
Professional Firefighters of Kokomo Local 396 requested that the existing fire contract not be terminated “until such time that the matter can be arbitrated”
The demonstration was designed as a show of force to persuade majority GOP lawmakers to stick with consensus recommendations
Orlando’s union president Ronald Glass said the department should be hiring more firefighters who can also respond to medical calls instead of 25 paramedics
The Austin Firefighters Association teamed up with Cancer Dogs, an organization that uses specially trained dogs to sniff out signs of cancer
The city council decided to establish a new policy that will not allow firefighters to be brought into work when others call in sick
Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Mahlon Mitchell announced his second statewide campaign
Emergency Medical Services Locals 2507 and 3621 are suing for information on pay history, accusing the city and fire department of withholding information
The union posted a message on Facebook, saying “there has not been transparency or community involvement”
The growing cost of overtime increases when firefighters call in sick and the city cannot afford the trend
Andrew Garcia is arguing that he wasn’t hired because of his role in negotiations to expand AFD’s jurisdiction
Battalion Chief Tucker Wiley said it’s hypocritical for the mayor to want to honor the firefighters after criticizing their union
The suit said white officers with less experience and lower written scores were promoted
Under the terms of the contract, Firefighters Association members would see a 3 percent increase in base pay
“To our community and our members out there today, please be careful,” the union posted, adding that six companies were out of service on Sunday
The state’s high court denied the borough’s appeal of a decision that declared the firefighters employees because the borough pays them an hourly wage
Hawaii Fire Fighters Association president Bobby Lee said Assistant Chief Ronald Rico should have been on the scene but chose not to go
Former firefighter Jessica Etzle is suing the department after she was allegedly told to “stay home with her young son”
The Fourth Court of Appeals ruled that the clause that keeps nearly an entire contract valid for up to a decade after it expires is not unconstitutional
Chad Cunningham was demoted from lieutenant to firefighter after failing to oversee the actions of an aerial ladder
Last year, about 31 percent of the budgeted overtime expenses were associated with firefighters calling in sick
The city said Mike Hamburger’s use of sick time cost it $14,000, which doesn’t include the cost of having firefighters fill the open posts
There is a fall deadline from Sonoma County supervisors to come up with a long-range plan streamlining the county’s nearly 40 fire agencies