SAN ANTONIO - After years of going back and forth, contract negotiations between the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association have gotten back on track.
- Proposition C approved by voters last year
- Requires to enter into binding arbitration
The lead negotiator for the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association recently sent a letter to Mayor Ron Nirenberg asking for clarification regarding Proposition C which was approved by voters last year.
"At the last meeting there was a question raised as to whether Proposition C would be recognized by the city. That caused a great deal of concern. There's been a lot of time and a lot of money spent and we want to make sure that the city recognizes the legitimacy of Proposition C," said Ricky Poole, San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association lead negotiator.
The first meeting happened earlier in February.
Poole said during the meeting, the city's lead negotiator indicated there were some questions about the applicability of Proposition C. The proposition gives the union the authority to require the city to enter into binding arbitration instead of taking a matter to court.
"I'm not saying the city necessarily will be the one that will challenge the ordinance. I just want to know that the city will stand behind the ordinance. That's all we're asking. It's not really a difficult request for the city to respond to and I'm hopeful the mayor will do that," Poole said.
We've obtained a copy of a letter a city attorney sent back to Poole. The letter said that binding arbitration is a tool available both under Chapter 174 and Proposition C.
Chapter 174 also allows for mediation.
The letter goes on to say that arbitration remains an option under either Chapter 174, or Proposition C, or both. Poole describes that first meeting as productive and they are scheduled to have another on Tuesday.