Labor and Union Issues
Utah passed a bill banning collective bargaining for public sector workers after scrapping a compromise
The Fight for Firefighters Act would make approximately 3,000 seasonal firefighters into 12-month employees, increasing the number ready to respond to wildfires
The Uniformed Firefighters Association stated that the two members had served at Ground Zero
A fire official said both firefighters have been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation
The directive for the new SOP came from the city manager as a result of eight captains who were demoted to firefighters in July
One city official called the fire department’s overtime budget of $1.48 million unacceptable
The filing alleges a breach of contract for changing union police and fire employees’ plans without reopening contract negotiations
The firefighter was arrested after crashing his vehicle with his young children inside two years ago
In a controversial decision, trustees voted in April to disband the town’s department and to contract the aid of a neighboring department
The department has resorted to using outdated trucks and borrowing vehicles from other departments
The average salary for Colorado Springs firefighters falls below the actual pay at other city departments
The allegations comes a month after a female firefighter reported being intimidated and hazed by male colleagues
After the DEA looked at firefighters’ prescription drug histories, they accused two of them with stealing medication from ambulances
The former firefighter alleges the department failed to follow standard policy when firing him
Rick Fontana is no longer permitted to work the fire department command board, utilize any fireground radio channel and can’t respond to any fire scene
The chief was denied permission to take the ladder truck, but did so regardless
The city councilman stated the community as a whole has done a poor job of recruiting diverse candidates for the two departments
In response to the union president’s accusations, the fire chief said morale is a two-way street
The chief said his department follows safety training guidelines and that the number of injuries among firefighters is about the same as in prior years
The comments came after video surfaced of a firefighter being knocked out of a rescue basket that was attached to a fire department helicopter
Despite citywide budget buts, the department must have a minimum of 18 firefighters on staff
The complaint alleges Rick Fontana dispatched himself and responded to fire calls, put out fires and acted as and wore a similar uniform as fire command staff
The mayor and fire chief said they don’t want to give members a false sense of security
An investigation revealed that 27 articles of gear contained high levels of asbestos
Union officials criticized the department over the way it handled the promotion of 40 firefighters to the rank of captain
The chief would like the regulations to read that anyone looking to take the test required to be on the hiring list for the dept. already have paramedic training
Union officials disagree with the program because candidates would be handpicked; others say it will increase diversity
They don’t have the money to increase staffing and a proposed annexation fell apart because of pension liabilities
The union asserted that Houston firefighters have had to use duct tape and wooden beams to fix equipment
After speaking with female firefighters, the deputy chief reported a litany of offenses
The California Conservation Corps reopened a camp to train three crews of young civilians to do the same work as the inmates
The union president said the association is the latest target in a broad campaign against unions that have long had agreements with cities
The original proposal entails adding two paramedic vehicles and hiring 20 certified paramedics that would be added to fire stations