New Orleans Mayor Signs Fire Fighter Contract

July 27, 2006 – In a meeting July 7 with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger and New Orleans, LA Local 632 President Nick Felton were successful in getting Mayor Ray Nagin to agree to sign the city’s fire fighters’ contract that was originally negotiated in August 2005 – just before Hurricane Katrina. Local 632 unanimously ratified the proposal in December 2005, but the agreement languished without the mayor’s signature.

In the meeting with Mayor Nagin, General President Schaitberger acknowledged the considerable problems the city faces, and promised to work in partnership with the mayor to use the considerable influence of the IAFF in the halls of Congress and the Louisiana State House to improve the funding and resources available to the New Orleans Fire Department for protecting fire fighters, the city and its citizens.

“Like our New Orleans fire fighters, Mayor Nagin is truly committed above all else to the safety and protection of the citizens of the great city of New Orleans,” Schaitberger says.

“Our fire fighters have waited a long time for the signing of this contract,” says Local 632 President Felton. “They’ve gone to work every day with fewer of their brothers and sisters beside them, with broken equipment and hydrants without water – all while many of them continue to live in trailers and their families remain scattered.”

“The signing of this contract is a first step, but we have a lot more work to do across the Gulf Coast region to make sure that they have the personnel, equipment and training they need to continue their great work under these extremely tough circumstances.”

Since the deal was signed, Mayor Nagin has unilaterally instituted a plan to boost the annual starting pay for rookie fire fighters by $5,300. "Pay is definitely a big problem for our members," say Felton. "Under this plan, our 13 rookies are going to be making more than some of our more seasoned personnel. The mayor came up with this proposal on his own. That's unacceptable; we need to do more."