Irving voters will decide on a proposition that would give the city’s firefighters more of a voice in their contracts.
On Tuesday’s ballot in Irving is Proposition A, which calls for the local adoption of the state’s 1993 Fire and Police Employee Relations Act allowing for collective bargaining.
“It gives us a seat at the table with city management so we can advocate on behalf of the membership and assistance, for enhanced safety standards to improve working conditions, and for some of the professional development staff," said Brian Becker, president of the Irving Professional Fire Fighters Association.
The act has been implemented in over 30 cities throughout the state, including Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso. Fire fighters in Irving are asking that it be put into action locally.
Becker said the term “collective bargaining” can be confusing to voters.
He said both sides — firefighters and the city — would come to table and discuss things such as terms of employment, working conditions, staffing, compensation, discipline, and “basically everything that affects our lives that ultimately affects citizens’ lives,” he said. Firefighters would still be prohibited from going on strike.
If Prop A passes, Becker said all city meetings with representatives from his association and the city would be held in public for transparency and accountability. From the cities he’s talked to, no taxes have been raised as a result of this policy, he said.
In April, community members and a representative from the firefighters association requested a petition from the city manager’s office to start the process of getting the act in the Nov. 5 ballot. The Irving City Council accepted the petition with signatures in June. KERA has reached out to the city for this story.
One of the challenges fire fighters have faced is new city leaders and management every couple of years. Becker and others are hoping that if Prop A passes, it will help them capture some of the progress they’ve made and push forward, rather than start all over again.
If Prop A fails, Becker said firefighters would continue to provide quality service.
“At the end of the day, elected and appointed officials come and go, and the firefighters, we’re always going to be here,” he said. “Next year, the fire department will be in Irving for 100 years, and we're going to be here for another 100 years.”
He said there are more than 400 firefighters in the Irving Fire Department, nearly all of whom are part of the association, Becker said. He said members will be out at the polls on Tuesday wearing their yellow shirts.
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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