Union Allows Firefighters To Be Laid off

From the LVRJ: "North Las Vegas began laying off firefighters Wednesday -- the same day the city's firefighters union ran a full-page Review-Journal ad touting the union's willingness to negotiate with the city to save jobs.
Eight firefighters received layoff notices that are effective June 18, the city said. An additional eight firefighters are expected to receive such notices in coming days. "They are shocked," Jeff Hurley, the union's president, said of the affected firefighters. "The city is not budging.""
Welcome to the real world, Mr. Hurley. The city is broke and they are not budging and they were not fooling around, like the union is doing.
"Councilman Richard Cherchio blasted the union for using "scare tactics" in the ad. He and the city said fire department layoffs are not targeted to a specific station or company.
And any layoffs of union firefighters are "thanks to their leadership," Cherchio said.
He and other council members have criticized the union for offering concessions only in exchange for conditions, including pay raises in future years.
The city can't guarantee such conditions given the unpredictable economy, Cherchio said.
Union leaders "did not come forward and do the right thing without any strings attached," he said."http://www.lvrj.com/news/eight-firefighters-laid-off-90902859.html#blogcomments?submitted=y
The union called the city's bluff and the union lost. Too bad, too sad.
It also sucks if you were one of those employees who are laid off. Your union threw you under the bus in favor of the more senior firefighters.
The saving grace for the community is that the area fire departments cooperate very well with each other. There are no real boundaries and dispatch center sends the closest rigs to an emergency, no matter whose jurisdictions it is in. If you are ever at a fire scene, you can find 2 or 3 fire departments at the scene. For instance, if there is a fire in our apartment complex, CCFD and NLVFD will respond. If there is a fire downtown, CCFD and LVFD will respond.
There are going to more firefighter layoffs from all the area departments, except maybe Henderson. The unions better wake up and face reality. Not only are they making enemies with elected officials with their refusal to bargain in good faith but they are also losing public support.