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Buffalo Firefighters Protest Over Lack of Contract
RICH NEWBERG
WIVB
Reprinted with Permission
BUFFALO, N.Y. - There was a firestorm of protests outside the Buffalo Mayor's State of the City address.
A sea of angry firefighters, police officers and other union workers pounded the pavement outside the Convention Center even before the Mayor took the podium. The unions representing Buffalo firefighters and police believe they have been shortchanged by the Brown administration. The Mayor says he must do what's right for the taxpayers.
As many as five hundred Buffalo firefighters, police officers, and some family members picketed outside the Buffalo Convention
Center before Mayor Byron Brown delivered his State of the City address. Firefighters have been without a contract since 2002.
Firefighters Local 282 President Daniel Cunningham said, "We have tried to sit down with the city and negotiate a contract for the past eleven months since I've been President with no results. They won't even answer my letters."
The city still hasn't paid for funeral expenses for two firefighters who died battling a deli fire on Genesee Street last August. Some of their loved ones took part in the demonstration.
Angie Heusinger, mother of deceased firefighter Jonathan Croom, said, "I'm here to support the firefighters. I'm here in my son's name and in his honor. I know this is where he would want me to be."
"Pretty much to let the Mayor know he's doing something wrong, and, I mean, these are people that give it their all," said Shannon McCarthy, daughter of deceased Lt. Chip McCarthy.
Mayor Brown said, "We appreciate the hard work and all the effort of the men and women of our Buffalo fire and police departments."
The Mayor did not address the union grievances during his address, but later told reporters the firefighters rank and file have rejected two contract deals that would significantly have boosted their salaries.
"Contracts that contained more than twenty percent increases, and I ask the average taxpayer, who among them wouldn't like to get more than twenty percent in salary increases?" asked Mayor Brown.
Copyright WIVB.com
WIVB
Reprinted with Permission
BUFFALO, N.Y. - There was a firestorm of protests outside the Buffalo Mayor's State of the City address.
A sea of angry firefighters, police officers and other union workers pounded the pavement outside the Convention Center even before the Mayor took the podium. The unions representing Buffalo firefighters and police believe they have been shortchanged by the Brown administration. The Mayor says he must do what's right for the taxpayers.
As many as five hundred Buffalo firefighters, police officers, and some family members picketed outside the Buffalo Convention
Center before Mayor Byron Brown delivered his State of the City address. Firefighters have been without a contract since 2002.
Firefighters Local 282 President Daniel Cunningham said, "We have tried to sit down with the city and negotiate a contract for the past eleven months since I've been President with no results. They won't even answer my letters."
The city still hasn't paid for funeral expenses for two firefighters who died battling a deli fire on Genesee Street last August. Some of their loved ones took part in the demonstration.
Angie Heusinger, mother of deceased firefighter Jonathan Croom, said, "I'm here to support the firefighters. I'm here in my son's name and in his honor. I know this is where he would want me to be."
"Pretty much to let the Mayor know he's doing something wrong, and, I mean, these are people that give it their all," said Shannon McCarthy, daughter of deceased Lt. Chip McCarthy.
Mayor Brown said, "We appreciate the hard work and all the effort of the men and women of our Buffalo fire and police departments."
The Mayor did not address the union grievances during his address, but later told reporters the firefighters rank and file have rejected two contract deals that would significantly have boosted their salaries.
"Contracts that contained more than twenty percent increases, and I ask the average taxpayer, who among them wouldn't like to get more than twenty percent in salary increases?" asked Mayor Brown.
Copyright WIVB.com
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Here's an idea...DON"T RE-ELECT HIM!!!
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Permalink Reply by Doug on
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20% increases in salary have been offered, according to the Mayor, in this economy and in that city, which was struggling way before the worldwide economic collapse? And, he says the fire and police unions were silly enough to turn it down. Somehow I find that to be very untrue and laughable.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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The mayor was elected in 2005, the firefighters have been without contract since 2002. Seems to be more to things than just "don't re-elect him". Besides public safety is a small component in the grand scheme of things and it takes more than just them to swing an election.
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20% increase may really be small in the comparison of everything. After all the FF's have been without a contract since 2002, 8 years is a long time. There may be other factors at play here besides just a wage increase.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher J Ostrander on
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I dont know much on this but without a city contract the city aint got any fire protection right? Make that know to the public and I bet the city comes up with a contract for fire protection.
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Doesn't work that way. Without a current contract things basically resort back to the last contract that was bargained. Protective services like fire and police can't go on strike like a labor union in a mill can, this also means there doesn't have to be a current contract for them to still work. So despite issues between the city and firefighters, there is still fire protection.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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I agree with John, there is more going on here. The city "alledgedly" have still NOT paid for the funerals from the last two brothers who died in the line of duty as well. So this protest is far deeper...
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Mayor says that city offered a 20% increase in latest contract proposal.
Union counters with the funeral expenses for last year's two LODDs have not been paid.
This is where Lombardi was taken out as fire commish.
I also think that there were some pension issues with Buffalo.
Personally, I think the citizens are going to see the 20% increase, the refusal of the union to accept it and backlash the department.
I also think that public demonstrations have lost their effectiveness.
The public would rally if the firefighters were not getting paid. Not having a contract but still getting paid is no big deal to the public, because service goes on uninterrupted.
Yes; I believe that there are many "back stories" to this.
IMHO.
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Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
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8 Years is a hell of a long time to go without a contract, especially when the cost of everything else around you keeps going up. The longer the city waits the worse the back pay situation is going to be. Many cities in my province have gone without contacts or are still without a contract for up to 5 years. The City has no choice but to put away the funds for a minimum of cost of living increases (if they do not award that much, then the left over is theirs of course). They cannot use the "ability to pay" clause on those grounds, as some cities here have tried in the past. Not only that, if they are socking away this money, they are making a fortune on the interest, or simply using the money to pay for other city expenses (always seems to be suspect).
Yes, the city has protection, as mentioned, firefighters and police cannot strike. Even work to rule is not going to hurt the general public, as you are then left to follow your SOP/SOG's to the letter and nothing more. One point that most people are not aware of, the city cannot issue new SOP/SOG's or GO's and expect them to be followed. The departments have the right to run on the exact wording of the 2002 contract. If anything new has been put forth, such as changes to sick leave, or new procedures, the department can rightfully choose not to follow them.
8 years is utter nonsense. I understand Buffalo may not be the wealthiest city in the State, but you're not making things better by having a large part of the community clutching the purse strings. Any good business man will tell you, you have to put money into the company to make it work as a whole. Give the firefighters and police officers a contract with a raise (average is 3.5% per year), and the benefits they deserve so they can go back to putting their money back into the local economy.
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Personally, I think the citizens are going to see the 20% increase, the refusal of the union to accept it and backlash the department.
The problem goes to the community and what is involved there. The issue with such a story on the net is that us outsiders can only speculate. The other issue is that one can easily assume a backlash after turning down a 20% increase, but really may not be the case. After all, turning down a 20% increase basically shows it is NOT just about money, there is more to this than money.
Having visited Buffalo several years ago and seeing the condition of some of their first due rigs, coupled with the staffing and OT issues that the city encountered, there seems to be more to this than 20% wage increase and that is what I think the FD is trying to get across. Despite the condition of the current economy, there really is more to things than just money, turning down a 20% increase can demonstrate that.
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John:
I was merely pointing out that the 20% increase is what the focus will be on. The mayor will use it to put a negative light on the union.
I don't agree with it and yes; us outsiders are going to discuss it or speculate on it.
Of course, if anyone close to the situation would like to chime in, I'm all ears.
I think anyone following Buffalo for the past couple of years knows that it's not just about money.
But the mayor will make it just about the money. He's a politician. Watch him turn this toxic.
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