More than three years of working without a contract have led Chicago firefighters and paramedics to unanimously pass a no-confidence vote against department leadership.
Among the issues raised by the union are the following:
Excessive overtime. In 2023, paramedics worked nearly 230,000 hours of overtime to staff the city’s 80 ambulances with a similar amount of overtime expected this year.
Outdated apparatus. Firefighters and paramedics routinely operate apparatus that is more than 20 years old and in deplorable condition, the union says.
Inadequate training. Within the last 2 years, four firefighters have died on the job and three have been severely injured, indicating a dire need for better training and safety improvements, the union says.
In addition, firefighters and paramedics have not had a raise since 2021. After three-and-a-half years of negotiations, the union does not believe the city is bargaining in good faith.
