City of Houston Approves Firefighter Settlement
Houston City Council in a 14-0 vote with one absence approved its historic $1.5 billion settlement and labor contract with the Houston firefighter’s union covering years of back pay owed to firefighters, ending a nearly decade-long contract stalemate between the two entities.
Part of the settlement includes $650 million in backpay to firefighters who have been working without a contract since 2016, which taxpayers will be paying off for at least the next 25 years. The City council approved bonds to pay for the settlement last week. It will also cover up to 34% in raises over the contract's duration, which is the next five years
This settlement was also one of Mayor Whitmire’s campaign promises, where he pledged to secure better working conditions and fair compensation for HFD members, and this agreement appears to fulfill that promise.
“We owe a profound debt of gratitude to Mayor Whitmire for his steadfast commitment to bringing this oredeal to a close,” HPFFA President Marty Lancton. “He made a promise, and he has fulfilled it. His support and public recognition of Houston firefighters and the job they do are bolstering morale and helping to mend years of distrust. We eagerly anticipate further collaboration as we strive to enhance firefighting and emergency services for Houstonians.”
After 8 long years, Houston firefighters finally get the pay and respect they deserve. This is a huge victory for our heroes on the front lines.
It is quite telling that Sylvester Turner would be so sour and crude about this landmark victory for our frontline workers. I can only imagine what an IRS audit of Turner’s funds would find….
Whitmire has spiked Metro and HAA with his people…now let’s “audit” Turner and send him to jail!
Whitmire appears to be heading in the right direction as far as leading Houston but on the fire fighters issue he, Sylvester Turner and Mario Gallego were major players in allowing Texas cities to bankrupt themselves back in 2003 when they got the legislature to allow huge public pensions without regard for proving the finances of same.
The legislature's hands are dirty because they gave themselves oversight they never tended to. As long as the local governments had agreements with their unionized public constituents the legislators went along with the debt that was being created. If Texas ever goes democrat all of Texas will be paying for these under funded pensions created by the cities that did this.
I give kudos to the Houston firefighters for having the foresight to actually fund their pensions adequately in lieu of voting themselves higher pay with no regard for the future but I believe Sly successfully compromised their solvency didn't he?