Fire Union: City is Breaking State Law by Suspending Negotiations

CORPUS CHRISTI - Things have gone from bad to worse with the city and the firefighters association.

As we reported, the city suspended all negotiations with the firefighters yesterday. It happened after union reps walked out of a meeting as a city representative read a letter claiming the association has violated the agreements that govern the contract talks.

The union is seeking higher pay and more benefits, along with more staffing and more fire stations. But that could all be in jeopardy now.

The Corpus Christi Firefighter Association's attorney sent a letter to city legal staff yesterday afternoon. In it, it says by suspending negotiations the city is breaking state law.

"Now under the state statute and state law, the city and the association have an obligation to meet for 60 days. So the city nor the association can get out of it by just walking away from the table," said Association President Carlos Torres.

But that's exactly what happened yesterday morning. After Assistant City Manager Margie Rose served the Firefighters Association with a cease and desist letter, the city suspended all negotiations that began in April, and walked away.

According to the letter from the union's attorney, that's not allowed. It says by the "refusal to engage in bargaining violates it's legal obligations." But the city says it doesn't see a problem with what they did.

"We did receive the letter from the fire union's attorney yesterday. And the letter doesn't really change anything in regard to the city response," said City Public Information Director Kim Womack.

The letter quotes Texas law reminding the city they have a legal obligation to negotiate with the fire union. But the city says it doesn't think by suspending talks it's doing anything wrong.

The city says that it doesn't plan on responding to the union's letter, and continues to demand that the fire union stop it's "Become A Hero" campaign.

"We feel like the Friday deadline is what we want as far as fair negotiating. And if they can't come to the table and be fair, then why negotiate?" said Womack.

The Association President's response is, they need to negotiate because it's state law.

According to the letter from the union's attorney, the city was supposed to return to the table and negotiate today. But the union says the city didn't show up. The union president is in talks with their lawyer to see what their next step is.

Source: KRISTV.com