Soon after the devastating January wildfire, LA County’s first responders are rebuking politicians for not moving faster to request a raise and allow them.
The union representing sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and lifeguards released a 30-minute documentary on Thursday seeking more support in increasingly familiar contract negotiations, highlighting the tragic stories of members from the first day of the fire.
Dave Gillotte, director of the county firefighters union IAFF Local 1014, said he hopes the footage serves as a reminder to county politicians about the heroism of members fighting the worst wildfires of their careers.
“They’re a bit confused when they see a press conference from the county saying what you did,” said Guillot, whose union-county contract expired a week before the fire. “It won’t reconcile with my members.”
The documentary captures adjutant reminiscing about her car as her car slows down in the middle of the Inferno when her tires melt. The lifeguard recounts footage from a body camera, driving black smoke during a beach patrol and finding beams through a flashlight. The house is Mary of Ail from a man about to be consumed by flames. Firefighters share stories of double shifts working without food or sleep.
“My members aren’t whining. They don’t complain,” Gillot said. “But they did a very good job.”
The film’s release comes about a month after LA County CEO Fesia Davenport told the union that he would not get a new contract raise due to unprecedented financial pressure. The county has added a $4 billion sexual abuse settlement, an estimated $2 billion wildfire costs and a sign from the White House.
The chief executive said in a statement that the county is trying to balance the need to pay employees fairly by maintaining the county’s solvent.
“Los Angeles County is grateful for the essential contributions of our workforce, and we are deeply grateful for the brave and important work of firefighters and other first responders in the unprecedented January wildfire,” the statement said. “At the same time, the county faces serious budgetary challenges in multiple ways.”
Despite the punishing headwinds, the county balances its $48 billion recommended budget for the upcoming fiscal year. They said sexual abuse settlements could be paid through bonds and the county’s gorgeous rainy day fund.
Unlike LA County, the city of Los Angeles recently gave workers a massive salary increase. This is currently a major factor in the nearly $100 million budget deficit, adding to legal payments and weakening of the national economy.
Mayor Karen Bass’ budget includes 1,650 layoffs, a quarter of the police station’s civilians. City labor negotiators have begun talking to union leaders about this year’s salary increases.
The county union claims there is room left for pay raises. SEIU Local 721, which represents around 55,000 county employees, is planning a strike at the end of the month, denounces the county for slow-rolling negotiations.
The union representing the first responders said it would appeal for a pay raise that has landed in a particularly brutal sound among employees who are hoping that they will be paid for their work in the wildfires.
“I’m bluntly mad,” said Asun’s director, Richard Pippin. For the Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff, that contract expired at the end of January. “Even if there’s a settlement, we know there’s a budget because the county is much healthier than the city.”
None of the five LA County supervisors responded to requests for comment.
Sheriff Robert Luna, who greenlighted the use of the sub-footage in the documentary, said he was defending Davenport and his supervisors to increase wages for his agents, warning them that otherwise they would leave in search of better pay jurisdiction.
“They definitely need to be compensated quite a bit,” Luna said. “We can’t move forward and we can’t keep on getting zero.”
In LA, the union representing rank and file police officers said it will back the bus back for reelection after last supporting billionaire Rick Caruso, Rick Caruso.
Asked whether they were threatening political influence for the sake of supervisors, the county union denied.
“We just need a CEO to show up,” Gillotte said.
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