NYC firefighters file legal action to halt cuts
New York City Fire Department responders leave the Israeli Bank Hapoalim on Sixth Ave after they received a greeting card January 19, 2011. According to authorities, the letter had no return address and the name of the bank officer to whom it was addressed was misspelled, raising suspicions. The 6x3-inch (15x8-cm) envelope had wires and a battery, but authorities said the envelope may contain an electronic or musical greeting card. The incident prompted the evacuation of the building. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) Credit: Getty/TIMOTHY A. CLARY
Firefighter unions are trying to reverse a cost-cutting measure that would cut staffing levels at 60 New York City firehouses starting Tuesday.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association filed an action with the city’s Office of Collective Bargaining on Friday seeking to keep staffing at the current level.
Under an agreement that expires Monday, 60 engine companies in busy areas have five-person crews. The rest of the city’s engine companies have four-person crews.
The city has indicated that it wants to cut the fifth firefighter from those crews starting Tuesday.
The two firefighter unions are warning that the staffing cuts could result in people who are trapped or unconscious in fires not being found and rescued.
