Maryland: Firefighters Hott Over Removal of Collective Bargaining Rights
According to the Frederick News Post:
Members of the Career Firefighters Association of Frederick County plan to pack a Winchester Hall hearing room tonight to object to a proposed change to the county's personnel rules.
Frederick County Commissioner John L. Thompson Jr. proposed the change, which would give the commissioners the option not to engage in collective bargaining with the firefighters association.
He said he wanted to give the county the option to pull out of collective bargaining because of the lawsuits nine firefighters have brought against the county, seeking a total of $100 million in damages for alleged pay disparities and unfair promotional practices.
The county has only had authority from the state legislature to bargain with the firefighter union for one year, and firefighters association president Vern Wachter said he doesn't see why the county would reverse policy created so recently.
He plans to testify at the public hearing tonight on behalf of the organization's 275 members...click to continue.
