Fort Worth Wins Collective Bargaining Rights

November 8, 2007 -- Fort Worth, TX Local 440 has successfully passed a special ballot initiative giving fire fighters collective bargaining rights, making Fort Worth the 22nd city in Texas to adopt collective bargaining. Proposition 1, which received 55 percent of the votes, faced strong opposition from the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and other local business leaders. The Fort Worth City Council has also voted 7-1 against Proposition 1.

“This is a great victory for the fire fighters and citizens of Fort Worth,” says Jim Tate, president of Local 440. “It was a tough fight against well-organized and well-financed opposition, but we prevailed.”

“This election victory is important not only for Fort Worth fire fighters but every Texas fire fighter,” says IAFF 11th District Vice President Sandy McGhee. “Our members in Fort Worth can be proud of their accomplishment. I believe it also helps the growing momentum for collective bargaining across the state and proves that with a well planned, methodical campaign, fire fighters can succeed even in a tough political climate. My hat's off to the members of L-440!”

Local 440 began its petition drive and campaign in the spring, outspending their opponents 20-1, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The reason we were able to collect 8,000 signatures is because we needed to secure retirement benefits for all fire department employees,” says David Dodson, Local 440 political director.

The Fort Worth Fire Fighters Committee for Equal Benefits, a political action committee formed by Local 440, campaigned relentlessly in support of Proposition 1 but, says Tate, “We stayed positive with our message, and now the voters have spoken – they want their fire fighters to have health insurance when they retire.”