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Layoff Notices Expected Today for Houston Firefighters
CHRIS MORAN
Houston Chronicle
Reprinted with Permission
The head of Houston's firefighters' union expects "unprecedented" layoff notices to start going out to firefighters as early as Tuesday after attempts to broker an alternative to job cuts collapsed Friday.
Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 341 President Jeff Caynon said the city intends to issue layoff notices to 238 fire fighters. Mayor Annise Parker has asked the fire department to cut $17 million from its $449 million budget for the year that begins July 1.
The Parker administration had no immediate response to Caynon, but the mayor has scheduled a press conference at 2:30 p.m. today to talk about the negotiations.
Both the city and the union claim they have made offers that would achieve the spending cuts necessary to avoid layoffs. They met late into the afternoon on Friday. A message Caynon sent to his 4,000 members on Saturday states that "... the City inexplicably reversed course. Mayor Parker's team sought new "permanent" concessions that extended well beyond the likely period of the immediate budget 'crisis' and withdrew no-layoff guarantees...."
"I'm not sure how or why the decision was made to kind of run things off the rails Friday," Caynon said this morning.
Because the city is required to give employees 45 days' notice of layoffs, Tuesday is the deadline for sending out notices to get employees off the payroll by July 1. On Thursday, Parker plans to unveil a proposed budget that will reveal how she plans to close a $75 million budget gap for the coming fiscal year.
Caynon said the union will continue to seek a deal with the city before then to save the firefighters' jobs.
"We're not laying anybody off (yet)," Caynon said. "I'm optimistic because there's still time."
Houston has the most firefighters per capita among the nation's 10 largest cities, according to a survey last week by a Chicago news service. Caynon acknowledged the numbers make it appear the city is well staffed, but said it does not factor in the 618-square-mile service area the department has to cover, much larger than in other cities.
Related
Houston Begins Layoff of Over 200 Firefighters
Houston Chronicle
Reprinted with Permission
The head of Houston's firefighters' union expects "unprecedented" layoff notices to start going out to firefighters as early as Tuesday after attempts to broker an alternative to job cuts collapsed Friday.
Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 341 President Jeff Caynon said the city intends to issue layoff notices to 238 fire fighters. Mayor Annise Parker has asked the fire department to cut $17 million from its $449 million budget for the year that begins July 1.
The Parker administration had no immediate response to Caynon, but the mayor has scheduled a press conference at 2:30 p.m. today to talk about the negotiations.
Both the city and the union claim they have made offers that would achieve the spending cuts necessary to avoid layoffs. They met late into the afternoon on Friday. A message Caynon sent to his 4,000 members on Saturday states that "... the City inexplicably reversed course. Mayor Parker's team sought new "permanent" concessions that extended well beyond the likely period of the immediate budget 'crisis' and withdrew no-layoff guarantees...."
"I'm not sure how or why the decision was made to kind of run things off the rails Friday," Caynon said this morning.
Because the city is required to give employees 45 days' notice of layoffs, Tuesday is the deadline for sending out notices to get employees off the payroll by July 1. On Thursday, Parker plans to unveil a proposed budget that will reveal how she plans to close a $75 million budget gap for the coming fiscal year.
Caynon said the union will continue to seek a deal with the city before then to save the firefighters' jobs.
"We're not laying anybody off (yet)," Caynon said. "I'm optimistic because there's still time."
Houston has the most firefighters per capita among the nation's 10 largest cities, according to a survey last week by a Chicago news service. Caynon acknowledged the numbers make it appear the city is well staffed, but said it does not factor in the 618-square-mile service area the department has to cover, much larger than in other cities.
Related
Houston Begins Layoff of Over 200 Firefighters
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