current events & labor firegeezer on 19 Aug 2008 09:07 am
Gary Government Goes Completely Goofy
GARY, INDIANA, IS ONE OF THOSE CITIES that has run out of money while keeping the city council well-fed. They have tried every trick imaginable to squeeze still more cash out of the citizens while continuing to decimate the city services.
Four months ago we reported HERE on their innovative move to charge all the homeowners nearly $3 a month for fire hydrant rental. Last week the police officers’ union filed a lawsuit against the city for contract violations related to reduced working hours.
Now the city is facing the threat of a similar suit from the firefighters after slashing the on-duty force by more than 50% this past weekend. The Munster Times reports:
An attorney for the firefighters union is considering filing a lawsuit similar to the police suit, union President Capt. Raynard Robinson said.
Starting Sunday, city officials began calling firefighters, up to 10 at a time, telling them not to come to work, Robinson said. The department usually staffs 71 people a day. On Monday, it was down to 32.
“It’s crazy,” Robinson said. “We were already 40 men short before this happened.”
Back in January a court decision ordered the city to staff its firetrucks with a minimum of four per unit. But the city attorney, Hamilton Carmouche sent a memo to Fire Chief Jeffrey Ward calling the union’s contract void and saying: “Therefore, you are ordered to operate the fire engines and firetrucks with a minimum of three firefighters.”
This flagrant flaunting of the court’s decision has become typical of the city attorney. Last month he proclaimed the police contract “outdated” while cutting the working hours of the officers along with a 20% pay cut.
Gary Fire Dept. WEBSITE.
on 21 Aug 2008 at 8:30 pm 1.1835wayne said …
……..Meanwhile, at City Hall, Mayor Rudy Clay’s driver parks his City leased Hummer H2 after filling it up at the city pumps……
No waste there huh Rudy??
To any who are not familiar, GFD has never gotten out of the “War Years” of the 70’s and 80’s……..
Serial arsonists, crime and corruption are the norm. I have friends in GFD and I wish they still allowed ride alongs like they did in the 90’s when I did ride with them. I would go help the jakes in a heartbeat! Maybe not, the mayor might see that as a solution to the problem!!!