Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 | 8:50 a.m.
Almost 200 off-duty firefighters picketed outside Las Vegas City Hall Wednesday, saying the city was negotiating their new contract in bad faith.
Dean Fletcher, president of Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285, said the union members were protesting the fact that the city is proposing to cut benefits and longevity pay for firefighters.
Fletcher and the union have been negotiating with the city since February and has not been able to reach an agreement. The previous contract expired in June. The City Council will ultimately decide on the new contract.
"Firefighters cannot and will not agree upon the city's insistence of taking away benefits," Fletcher said. The union represents 460 members.
City Manager Virginia Valentine said she could not comment specifically on the protest because of the negotiation process.
Fletcher said if an agreement could not be made the union would pursue another option, which is outlined in the Nevada Revised Statutes. If an agreement cannot be made, the city and union can enter into "fact-finding," process, the formal procedure in which an investigation into a labor dispute is conducted by a third-party.
During fact-finding, evidence is presented and a written report, which describes the issues and offers recommendations to settle the matter, is issued.
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