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The union representing Fort Worth firefighters has declared an impasse with the city over \u201ccritical safety concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peter Matthews<\/p>\n
Fort Worth Fire Department<\/p>\n
On July 16, after nine months and 15 bargaining sessions, the union representing Fort Worth firefighters announced an impasse with the city over \u201ccritical safety issues\u201d and a failure to negotiate in good faith.<\/p>\n
The city, according to a press release, offered the Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association a contract with $40 million in new investments that included a 20% salary increase over four years and changes to the department\u2019s staffing and benefits.<\/p>\n
That proposal, said firefighters association president Zac Shaffer, would save the city money \u2014 at the expense of public safety.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s proposal would lower the number of firefighters on a truck from four to three for 10 hours per day, which is below the number recommended by the National Fire Protection Association.<\/p>\n
\u201cEffective extinguishment and rescue are 100% incumbent on having the right number of people on scene,\u201d Shaffer said.<\/p>\n
According to the city, the union has proposed an approximately $152 million contract with requests for additional staffing and benefits that would \u201csignificantly increase costs\u201d ahead of an expected budget shortfall in 2027.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re running EMT care where we need paramedic care because we have a shortage of medics,\u201d Shaffer said. \u201cIn recruitment and retention at the paramedic level, we\u2019re struggling mightily,\u201d Shaffer said. \u201cWhat that does is lead to a reduction in the level of care for citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n Paramedics undergo significantly more training than EMTs, and can care for a wider variety of patients.<\/p>\n The city said claims that the new contract would impact public safety are \u201cnot supported by the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n The city said it has reduced some EMS response times from 11 minutes and 39 seconds to 8 minutes and 36 seconds. But, Shaffer said, the salary offerings and current conditions have prompted many employees to leave the department.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time Fort Worth loses an experienced firefighter to another department, our community loses valuable experience, and taxpayers lose the investment they made in recruiting and training that individual.\u201d Shaffer wrote in a press release. \u201cFort Worth should be a destination for professional fire fighters, not a steppingstone to another city.\u201d<\/p>\n The union\u2019s contract expires in September, Shaffer said. If the impasse does not end before then, the union will keep the current contract until 2027 \u2014 but employees would no longer receive wage increases other than those earned for additional years of service.<\/p>\n The city has requested another bargaining meeting, Shaffer told the Star-Telegram, but the union has taken the stance that more meetings would not be productive without the city offering a \u201creasonable attitude and offer in the interest of bargaining in good faith that does not jeopardize service delivery for Fort Worth Fire and EMS.\u201d<\/p>\n