Labor and Union Issues
Wallingford fire officers said former Fire Chief Joseph Czentnar ordered a firefighter to attend two EMS training events under his name
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens appeared at a committee meeting disagreeing with the union about a pay study
California Professional Firefighters President Brian K. Rice said the former president’s ideas on public safety are dangerous
Fire union rep says the budget shortfall took them by surprise and that firefighters are not the only union with a contract that allows layoffs
Inspector General Joe Ferguson said the move would improve public safety outcomes and response time; the union disagrees
The main concern for the firefighters was that a new chief who was appointed isn’t a resident or member of the fire department
Firefighters were upset that the town manager didn’t consult with them about hiring a new chief when Jim Gould resigned Dec. 31
A memo to Jacksonville firefighters tells them to shave or they will be placed on temporary limited duty
The FDNY firefighters, including a deputy chief and three battalion chiefs, claimed they didn’t know a firefighter had gotten the tickets for free
Debts include $35,066 owed to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for unemployment compensation taxes and $18,743 owed to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue for withholding taxes
Fire Chief Luis Santiago and at least one other high-ranking fire official used smoke-detector trust fund to pay for hotel rooms, conference costs and dinners
The new partnership will improve efficiency and response times
A San Diego auditor’s report says that due to benefit reductions, it now costs about the same to add staff as it does to pay firefighters overtime
Not allowing firefighters to buy commemorative badges is a fight not worth having and distracts focus from event preparation
A review of city hiring practices led to the conclusion that the hiring process violated the municipal merit system
The Board of Public Safety took action after the fire chief purchased a fire truck without proper authorization
They claim there’s still racism within the department and that it won’t change unless Commissioner Jose Santiago leaves
Despite the council’s fight over its rebranding, the fire department is moving ahead with a new department patch
Michael Mullane, 68, was a firefighter for more than four decades; he also represented the IAFF for more than 30 years as vice president
About 100 firefighters earned enough overtime to push their total pay past or near $100,000
Sixty retired since July with 40 in December alone; the department began restocking its ranks three years ago in anticipation of the mass retirement
Crews cited frustration with the fire district that oversaw the department and the demands of training and department upkeep
Officials said Kyle Kutzke became the ringleader of impromptu frat party type shenanigans; they said his behavior could have jeopardized future funding and certification
The San Bernardino firefighters’ union lost its appeal of a previous ruling allowing the city to hire an outside fire service as part of its bankruptcy restructuring
They allegedly cheated on the final EMT exam; a firefighter who administered the test is also facing termination
Toledo’s new union president wants to resolve a long-running battle with the fire chief and move on to issues like short staffing and call volumes
The committee recommended creating three new EMS division chief positions that would not be shared with the fire department
A private company will deliver a computerized test to reduce the burden on city workers who have struggled to manage the massive pool of applicants
The firefighter, who has an Arabic-sounding name, said the image didn’t offend him and thought it was a joke; the chief thinks otherwise
Hundreds of residents signed a petition urging council members not to outsource its fire protection
The department and city were embroiled in a $230K misappropriation scandal; the city will make all nonemergency decisions for the department
Two engines and two ladders were not staffed over the weekend because there were not enough firefighters available
Three firefighters and an officer were hired to be stationed at the 45,000-square-foot facility
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