Firefighters working for citizens

By MARK GADWAY
In My Opinion

June 30, 2008 05:57 am

— This letter is a response to the Thursday, June 19, 2008, Press-Republican article on page A-3, "selfish employee gripes irk mayor." The City Firefighters Union feels compelled to respond to several allegations made by Mayor Kasprzak in that article.
First, the article gives the impression that Edmund Sanderson filed the grievances mentioned as an individual for personal financial gain. Mr. Sanderson, as the mayor briefly states, is Local 2421's grievance officer. He is also the union vice president. He has the responsibility of writing and filing all grievances for our union. He alone does not make the decision about which grievances to file. He does so at the direction of the union membership or its executive board. Simply stated, Edmund Sanderson's name is on these grievances because he is the union officer responsible for filing them.
Secondly, the implication made by Mayor Kasprzak is that these grievances spring from some dislike of Chief Paul Williams by Edmund Sanderson. Certainly there is bound to be some conflict between union leadership and Fire Department management during difficult times. However, these grievances seek to address contract violations and nothing more.
Thirdly, Mayor Kasprzak implies that these grievances were frivolously filed because we "don't care about the taxpayers." Nothing could be further from the truth. Filing the grievance mentioned protects our members' contractual rights. Costs to taxpayers increase only when the city administration stubbornly refuses to honor long-held contracts with its employees. In these contracts, probationary firefighters are paid hour for hour as laborers, not as salaried employees, like city managers.
Fourthly, Mayor Kasprzak seems to take issue with the amount of overtime that Capt. Sanderson has earned in the last three years. This is an issue controlled by the city. Overtime at the fire department is the result of short staffing. Overtime can be reduced at the fire department by the hiring of more firefighters, something that the union is seeking and would happily accept.
Finally, to refute Mayor Kasprzak: Union firefighters do care about the taxpayers. The union's leadership has the additional burden of caring for the health, safety and rights of its members in accordance with the contract. After all, we are prepared to put our lives on the line for the taxpayers every day we come to work.