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Pennsylvania Town Switches To Volunteers; Chief, Career Staff To Be Laid Off
Tribune-Review
Uniontown has notified its entire paid fire department that all six members and the chief will be out of jobs by the end of the year, with volunteers to take their place.
In a letter sent Wednesday to the International Association of Firefighters Local 955, Councilman Gary Gearing notified firefighters the layoffs will be complete by Dec. 31, when the next contract expires.
City council voted Tuesday to notify the fire department of the intended layoffs. Mayor Ed Fike said the move is intended to save money.
Fike said although the fire department recently landed a $632,835 federal grant to bring the force back to its full complement of 11, council is uncertain it can legally accept the funds.
Fike said city officials have questions about how to replace those funds when the grant runs out.
Joshua Bloom, a Pittsburgh attorney who represents the firefighters, said today the union plans to fight the layoffs.
Copyright 2010 Tribune Review Publishing Company
All Rights Reserved
August 26, 2010
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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Nurses have gone on strike as well....but we had to have personnel on hand for emergencies...once the emergency was over we went back on the picket line......I think Firefighters would have to do the same....I find it hard to say it is ethical for anyone to not render aid to another in a time of need when you have taken an oath to protect life and property.....
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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once the emergency was over we went back on the picket line......I think Firefighters would have to do the same....
It was because of those strikes mentioned by Greg, that public safety depts can not strike here in the states. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, there are many depts that have been without a contract for years. The real only recourse such depts can go to is arbitration where an outside third party looks at the union's offer and the employer's offer and decides which one to accept, and really becomes a 50/50 shot.
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Just remember not all states have the same type of laws. Negotiations do matter and should be looked at, but in many cases, work comp issues are when the person's responds. Because the volunteer may be considered an unpaid employee still doesn't mean the governing body can make demands as far as responses go etc.
Taking such a stance as saying you won't respond can have negative effects, for sure, but it also does raise the issue to get attention of the decision makers. Trust can definately be lost and so forth, but this wouldn't be the first incident where volunteers walked off because of snap decisions or in a show of solidarity. On the other side, there have been cases of firehouses being locked because FF's didn't bend to the demands of the elected officials....not a good way of garnering trust their either.
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Greg...How do you respond if there is a structure fire and you refuse to go....then someone (maybe a child) dies in it....? Do you tell the parents..."We are on strike"...? Public safety must be maintained....regardless.......Work it out....together....or it will be a lose...lose situation
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The biggest negative effect is public perception of your dept
Of which can also be spun to show the decisions have been forced by the decision of the elected officials. It can show that because of the council's decision, this is the hand that was forced.
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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
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Sure it would be a lose/lose, that is why because of this type of labor history it is against the law for FF to strike in many states. Washington being one of them, the right to strike was replaced with a mandatory, compulsive collective bargaining law. I do not know if Pennsylvania has that. On the other side the city/fire department management is responsible for the situation as well, workers are not going to strike unless they have no other option. I would tell them call the mayor and the chief and tell them they failed in their duty to provide fire service.
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If the union plays their political cards correctly the biggest negative effect will be on the mayors re-election campaign. He will be gone.
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And in this case Greg, it may also be the volunteers helping with such a campaign against the politicians. Neg publicity can goes both ways, especially if showing the dept as a cervice that is cut, yet taxes would remain.
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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"If you don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed, that's the American way!"
H. Simpson
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Permalink Reply by Bekks on
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Even if they wanted to volunteer, and get paid elsewhere, the IAFF would likely charge them with violating THEIR rules, wouldn't they?
Not really wanting to bring up the whole "two hatter" mess.
Or does that issue not exist in the U.S.? It occassionally pops up here in Canada.
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We reciently had a rural town dismantle their all VOLUNTEER F.D. to save money! Sold off their trucks and everything.
They have the two neighbouring town's Fire Departments share coverage half-and-half.
Man, would I hate to be a resident of that community! (extended response time, higher fire insurance rates, drain on resources for the FD's that have to provide the coverage, etc.)
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