San Diego City Firefighters asked the City Council for higher waves, even with potential budget cuts. 

The San Diego City Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 145, showed up in a wave of red at Monday’s City Council meeting, asking for salaries to be competitive. 

The union says there’s a 20-thousand-dollar gap between starting wages in L.A. County and San Diego County.  

Union leadership highlighted how difficult it has been to recruit and retain staff, especially in-demand firefighter-paramedics. Contract negotiations have a July 1 deadline.