Pomona : Union Fights Fire Dept. Plan
An employees union is fighting a City Council plan to switch fire service from the city to the Los Angeles County Fire Department because it will cost clerical employees’ jobs.
“We plan to put political pressure on the council to keep the city Fire Department,” said Tom Ramsey of the San Bernardino Public Employees Assn. “Some city civilian employees are going to end up unemployed.”.
The Pomona Firefighters Assn., which represents firefighters but not the department’s 17 civilian employees, has strongly endorsed the change because the county has guaranteed every physically fit city firefighter a job. The county also offers better pay and benefits.
On Sept. 27, the council approved the idea of contracting with Los Angeles County for fire service and instructed city administrators to negotiate a deal. A contract is expected before the end of the year.
Fire Chief John Parker said the positions of the civilian employees must be negotiated with the county.
“More than likely they will not be absorbed by Los Angeles County Fire,” he said. Fourteen of those employees have enough seniority to bump junior counterparts in other city departments, he said. Parker’s position must also be negotiated with the county, and he said he may end up without a job.
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