WPBFD History

master process was a waste of the firefighters' time and money. The union determined there was only one way to fight back - elect com- missioners who were sympathetic to the fire- fighters' cause. Firefighters set-up a picket line at City Hall and Central Fire Station to protest the commis- sion's decision. One

Negotiations be- tween the city and the union for the 1977-78 contract reached an im- passe. The union had asked for a 10% pay increase and a 52 hour work week, but the city had only offered 3% with no reduction in hours. Both sides re- mained firm in their positions. A special master was called in to settle the impasse. The hearing, held in the basement of the City Library, took two days as testimony was heard and evidence pre- sented.

truck driver, a good un- ion man, stopped to ask if he could cross the line to deliver fuel to the fire station. Not wanting to interrupt emergency ser- vices to the citizens, the driver was told he could make the delivery. The union had another option available for getting a shorter work week. With enough signatures, a special election could be held allowing voters to determine the hours. Firefighters set-up tables in busy malls and went door to door to collect the required number of signatures to get on the March 14 ballot. A stack of petitions was proudly presented to the City Clerk by Union President Wayne R. Hookey as the media recorded the event on film. The petitions were validated a few days later. The commission, relying on City Attorney James Watt's ruling, declared the question improper for the vot- ers to decide and removed it from the ballot. Hookey promptly filed suit in

Mike Slattery and Ernie Normal picket Central Fire Station

1978 The special master's report came back in January of 1978. It recommended a 5.9 percent pay raise and a re- duction in hours. The issue was then presented to the West Palm Beach City Commission for final considera- tion. The commission chambers, packed with firefighters and their families, was so crowded that the fire marshal had to enforce the occupancy limit by sending some out- side. Those in attendance couldn't believe the attitude of the commissioners as they spoke on the subject and voted to reject the special master's recommendations. They granted the firefight-

Circuit Court. The court ruled in favor of the union on March 2, but the city appealed the decision and later won the appeal. The city had nearly drained the union coffers and the union decided that electing commission- ers would be a less costly process than appealing the case to a higher court. Jerry Heacock, edi- tor of a small news- paper called The Condo News , pub-

ers a three percent raise and wouldn't even make it retroac- tive to October. After going through the costly legal process of call- ing in a special mas- ter as dictated by the Florida Public Em- ployee Relations Commission, the city commission had com- pletely ignored his recommendations. The P.E.R.C. laws that had no teeth. Without binding arbi- tration, the special

Local 727 President Wayne Hookey presents petitions to the City Clerk. 9