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Saturday, March 26, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Steve Sisolak
Sen. Michael Roberson
Sun archives
- Fire union official defends heavy use of sick leave in ’09 (3-6-2011)
- Firefighters' quest for a new perk was short-lived (3-4-2011)
- Under scrutiny, firefighter sick leave falls (2-27-2011)
- County considers seeking reimbursement over firefighter sick leave abuse (2-15-2011)
- County OKs contract with firefighters that saves $7.4 million (2-1-2010)
- Arbitrator backs county over firefighters’ union in contract negotiations (1-19-2011)
- County firefighters union preaches frugality, to others (11-2-2010)
- Sisolak offers proof of firefighters ‘gaming’ sick leave system (9-11-2010)
- County, firefighters’ union spar over contract negotiations (8-3-2010)
- Is a wave of county firefighter retirements on the horizon? (6-25-2010)
- Rory Reid says firefighters union resorting to ‘scare tactic’ with ad (6-15-2010)
- County considers plan to privatize airport firefighting force (6-11-2010)
- New plan to curtail Clark County firefighter overtime (6-5-2010)
- Staffing shuffle would cut county Fire Department overtime (5-20-2010)
- Las Vegas, Clark County collaborate to limit firefighter overtime (4-27-2010)
- Fire union resists move to increase its ranks, reduce overtime costs (4-16-2010)
- Has fire union support become a campaign curse? (4-15-2010)
Relentless in his criticism of county firefighters over sick leave and overtime pay, Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak is again on the attack, this time seeking to curtail taxpayer spending that compensates firefighters for conducting union business.
A bill in the Legislature would advance that fight by banning the use of taxpayer money to support union activity on behalf of any local government worker in Nevada. But a top union official says that idea lacks merit because the private sector also compensates employees for union business.
Figures provided to Sisolak by county staff showed that taxpayers spent $974,967 from 2006 through 2010 to reimburse the base pay of county firefighters who took leaves of absence to attend arbitration sessions, meetings and other union functions. Factoring in the time-and-a-half in overtime paid to firefighters who replaced those on union leave, Sisolak said the cost to taxpayers is considerably higher.
The county’s contract with International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1908 permits such compensation. But Sisolak said he wants the new contract, which is being negotiated, to direct the union to compensate firefighters for union leave rather than have taxpayers pick up the tab.
That’s because the way it works now, Sisolak said, taxpayers are footing the bill for both sides of labor negotiations between the county and the union.
“The taxpayer is paying for the county to represent the county and is also paying for the union to represent the union,” he said. “That doesn’t seem fair. I’m in favor of collective bargaining, but I don’t think taxpayers should pay for it.”
County records furnished by Sisolak show that over the past five years, 80 firefighters took 22,672 hours of leave for union business. Sisolak said he was “quite honestly shocked” not only by the amount of taxpayer money spent on union leave but also by the number of firefighters who have been compensated. He said this is markedly different from unions that represent Metro Police and other county employees, where a much smaller number of workers is typically compensated by taxpayers for union leave.
Much of the union leave is for conferences. In 2010, leave included:
• Eight firefighters taking 109 hours of leave Jan. 27-29 for the International Affiliate Leadership Training Summit in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
• Seven firefighters taking 312 hours of leave March 14-22 for the International Association of Fire Fighters Legislative Conference in Washington.
• Seven firefighters taking 304 hours of leave Aug. 21-27 for the union’s 50th Biennial Convention in San Diego.
Calls seeking response from union President Ryan Beaman weren’t returned.
But Rusty McAllister, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada, said union leave is a negotiated benefit that results from collective bargaining between the union and the county. He said the union typically has to make concessions to get benefits such as paid union leave.
“Collective bargaining is a two-sided process, and whenever employees get a benefit, they often have to give up something in return,” McAllister said.
McAllister said he didn’t know the financial effect it would have on the firefighters union if it had to pay for union leave. But he said unions in general could be vulnerable if an employer filed a large number of employee grievances that the unions would have to defend.
Danny Thompson, Nevada AFL-CIO executive secretary, said having taxpayers compensate public employees for union leave is no different from what happens in the private sector. He said it is common for private-sector employers to compensate shop stewards who take time off for union activity, such as representing other employees in disciplinary hearings.
That argument is one reason unions can be expected to be vocal about Senate Bill 342, introduced Monday by Sen. Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas.
The bill, referred to the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee, would exclude all local government department heads and other administrative and supervisory employees from being members of union bargaining units. SB342 also would give local government employees the option to decide whether they want to pay union dues.
Sisolak said he has not decided whether to support the bill. But Roberson said he discussed the legislation with the commissioner, including the provision that would prohibit use of taxpayer money to compensate local government employees for union activity.
“To me it’s a no-brainier,” Roberson said. “If the unions want to conduct union activity, the unions should pay for that, not the taxpayers.”
But Thompson said SB342, which is co-sponsored by six Senate Republicans and no Democrats, is another example of “the right wing of the Republican Party going against the middle class.”
Sisolak is a Democrat.
Thompson called SB342 a diversion “from the real problem, which is we have a broken tax system and they’re trying to blame collective bargaining.”
“The problem is that this state needs to find ways to fund education,” he said.
It is crazy to have to pay overtime to these grossly overpaid and under worked firemen for attending some convention or for union business. These guys have been milking the system for years. I am tired of working 60 hours a week to support my family and paying taxes to these firemen. Most should be replaced by a private contractor.
once again...
steve sisolak...
IS THE FRICKIN MAN!!!
once again...
david roger...
IS A WEAK PATHETIC INEFFECTIVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY!!!
Kanigher,
When will you, or Schoenmann, or Sissylak do you homework and tell the full story? I know, I know, telling the whole story doesn't keep the spin cycle running......
Can you share with the readers the fact that the LVMPD union bosses do union work FULL-TIME? That's right, they collect an LVMPD paycheck for doing nothing but union work!
What about taxpayer dollars paying for the County lobbyists in Carson City now, like Mike Murphy the County Coroner? Doesn't he receive a taxpayer-funded paycheck too?
Let's not forget Sissylak himself drawing a County paycheck, as well as living off the $23 million he received when he sued the County. Aren't those taxpayer dollars?
The yellow journalism and constant fire department bashing exhibited by the Sun is disgusting at best. I won't even allow by birds to $#!T on it!!!
Let THE UNION compensate firefighters for union leave & NOT the taxpayers. End of story. Any firefighters that violate the sick leave policy in the future-simply terminate them. End of story. If the firefighters don't like it-they can quit & go to work in another city.
Sounds likes the jig is up for the Firefighter and the Firefighter Union. Fleecing the public is the apparent practice of a large group of Firefighter and the Firefighter Union.
What is needed at this point is a person in the Fire Department, from top or bottom of the ranks, to come out and tell the truth!!! In other words, we need an honest Firefighter to show integrity and courage to step forward and be the voice for the whole department. The bad apples must be replaced, a new way of doing business at the Fire Department must start immediately!
Is there anyone of integrity and honesty in the Fire Department that will come forward? We cannot even remotely think anyone from the Firefighter Union would come forward.
The Fire Department employees must fix this problem, internally!!! So who will come forward? Who will start the healing? Is there anyone of integrity in the department? If not, one has to wonder what kind of families and households are being run by these individuals.
Steve needs to run for senate. We need some logic there.
Steve Sisolak: One of the few LV politicians who really gives a DAMN about his community, and cares about its people! Love ya Steve!!!!!
"SB342 also would give local government employees the option to decide whether they want to pay union dues"...Govt employees already have the choice to pay union dues. And guess what, even if they don't don't belong to the union and pay dues, they still get the benefits of the contracts negotiated by those who are members and do pay. Sounds like the Senator needs to get informed and stop grandstanding.
The fire fighters in Nevada are rotten to the core. Time to give them what they deserve!
what is the reaction from the other commissioners?? sisolak needs to be commended. remember folks, this is OUR money, not theirs!! in the old days, union members had meetings after work at the union hall on their dime, look at your county tax bill, thank a firefighter lol
Okay, longetimevegan you want the truth here you go:
I work for a local fire dept., and it's not the county (but I support all my brothers and sisters). I'm one pay grade below a captain, and I make $23/hour. I love what I do, I enjoy serving the public and trying to make our community better. I am a part of two charity organizations. I called out sick one day of each of the last two years. My pay on transparentnevada was over-quoted. I contacted the website, they told me it was my employer. Come to find out, we were all over-quoted. The city manager said a mistake was made, and they were going to fix it. They never did, and it happened again last year. I find it disgusting that the public puts up with the spin and lies that our local media puts out. It's sickening that not one person of importance, or any group of people have publicly stood out against it. Apparently it's not that obvious that nothing good is said of the fire dept, and we are never allowed to truly defend ourselves. It is to me. People like you, vegan, disgust me too. You've lived out here so long but you can't sack up and ask a fireman what's up with these stories so you can get the truth. You believe everything you read in a newspaper? On TV? You're being "fleeced" because the county allows the union to take time off for union business? Does that make any sense to you? Yeah, maybe not all of us truly know what public service is. But the vast majority of us do. Everyone has their bad apples, and we have ours. We let ours know how we feel, but theirs not much more we can do.Like I said, a small few. So why don't you come to your fire station and ask them questions? I'd even show you my paycheck. I serve my community with diligence, and so does my dept. So go ahead and attack me, it only shows your unintelligence to put it nicely. You want to engage in open and cordial dialogue let's do it.
To HumbleFireman,
Great response! Now make it public and speak out in response to Commissioner Sisolak. Are you the one person in the department who will speak out to protect the innocense firefighters who are not engaged in fleecing the system? There obviously is a problem!
Remaining silent will not make the problem go away. Come out and be heard! Will you come forward and speak for the Department?
hey clyde...
i have to disagree with you my friend...
i think steve "the frickin man" sisolak first needs to fix carson city...
he needs to crush slippery slimy phony nervous smiling huckster brian sandoval the fraud...
and fix the state...
god knows we need it...
http://transparentnevada.com/salaries/20...
NUFF SAID!!!
I love the transparentnevada website. People have to remember though that those are gross salaries plus the costs of benefits. My employer says my "actual" salary is over $100K / year. I make nowhere near that. But they add in everything from their share of medical, 401K, pension, etc, etc.
But when I see a firefighter that made $200K/yr in salary and benefits that is just crazy.
One more example of how the unions abuse the citizens. Taxpayers are required to pay for union reps who go to regional meetings where not firefighting business or training is conducted but to collaborate with other unions and share information on how to negotiate and stage contract negotiations. And all at tax payer expense.
In other areas of business this is called collusion.
Unions must be required to pay for their own training. That's what their dues are for, not for political campaign contributions. If firefighters want to keep the right to collectively bargain, they better get control themselves and THEIR UNION and force union members and leadership to conduct business properly and honestly.
The day of riding the golden goose until it collapses are gone. It has. There IS NO MORE MONEY, it's all been spent for decades to come. The golden goose is dead and the union and it's members killed it.
Hey guys, Just stay tight and stick together, sounds like Sisolak is just trying to scare you into squealing against each other. Stick to your (Binding) contract and everything WILL be all right!!
Sisolak is the BIGGEST crook of them all! He bought land near McCarran then when building height restrictions of 66 ft were inposed due to flight path restrictions he sues Clark County and walked away with $6.5 million in his pocket of taxpayers money. And he has our best interest in mind. RIGHT! Google it, its true!
Union business is separate from actual firefighters duties and should not be compensated. Union business has nothing to do with the tax payers or firefighting duties and should be conducted on the members own time. I believe that union meeting have been used to conjure up and discuss how firefighters can make income by ripping off tax payers with abusing sick time, vacation time and overtime. I don't know of any agency in California where union business was ever compensated. If the firefighters don't like it, they can resign, which will be beneficial to all tax payers in Clark County.
Hey guys just stay tight and stick together, don't squeal on each other. Sounds like the code of the mafia or some other organized crime cartel. Oh wait it is. The FBI should check the guy out that wrote the "warning" to his co-horts.
firefighters...what a scam !
when's the last time you saw a fireman actually working?
if you wanna see the firefighters in action...
go down to the donut shop at break time.
Kinda funny but in union friendly socialist England, I have a friend who is a firefighters union rep. He finds it amazing that firefighters can pull a $100,000 plus salary when the average in England is $50,000 (and he considers himself reasonably well off).
Also, if he has to do union duties, it is the union that pays him for his time. If he had to take a whole day off work for union work, he would lose a day's pay but would be compensated by the union. The only pay benefit he receives from working for the union is $20-30 per week from the union. He works for the union because he likes it and it puts something back in to the profession i.e. looking after ex-firefighters in retirement or sickness. Isn't that what a union is supposed to be?
Humble - You say you make 23.00 an hour, the problem is that includes the hours you SLEEP! Yes I have a problem paying anyone to sleep!
tbvegas- how bout you come on down to the fire station and spend the night, we'll see how well you sleep. Yes, that is why the wage is reduced, due to down time. But I am still at work. And I am still required to respond to all calls. And my family is not here with me. So what do you suggest? This is the system that works across the entire continent, and it doesn't work for you? Maybe think of it in a different way. I'm salary, but my hourly pay works out to 23/hr. But say I have a slow night, and catch 5 hours of sleep. So, actually tbvegas I make $29/hr. Your auto mechanic makes how much?
LTVegan- How do you suggest I speak out publicly? To the media, so they can cut and paste my words around? There are plenty of us that would like to speak out. Our union leaders can't even do that. Sisolak is a grandstander, and has done nothing but stir the pot since he was on the board of regents. While a commissioner, he sued the county with a frivolous suit encased in lies. $23 million taxpayer dollars later, he watched and said nothing as the county repeatedly appealed the case numerous times costing many more lawyer fees, etc. Last year he violated the open meeting law, and is the lead reason behind the open meeting bill this year that fines politicians like him for this. As a member of the Metro fiscal affairs committee, they approved Metro's new contract without any taxpayer input. The new contract was a whopping 2% reduction over the last. He then praised Metro for being so giving. Meanwhile the fire departments were giving up between 6-8%. Even Clark County, which went to arbitration, gave up more. In this Metro contract, which he approved, it allows for 2 full time positions for Metro to deal with union issues. He approved it. You don't hear anything about that do you?
It seems what most of you don't understand, is there is nothing illegal or some form of "fraud" here such as in the alleged sick leave abuse. This is an item that is included in the contract that allows for a maximum stated number of hours to allow for union business for appointed members of the union. This is something that SISOLAK voted for when he approved the contract! If he didn't like it, he could have said something back then. Sisolak grandstanding again? No way.
$23.00 an hour for cooking, watching TV, working out, washing the equipment,grocery shopping,well sign me up!!!!
Like I said, I have a problem paying anyone to sleep - Cry me a river with all the other excuses. Are you seriously crying about being way from your family while you go to WORK, boo hoo. You cant get a good nights sleep at WORK? boo hoo,
You cant be that humble, you have no idea how ridiculous you sound trying to justify 200k a year on 10 days a month!
Sleep at home and go to work and work like everyone else on the planet. You crybabies are something else!
time to privatize the fire dept.
i'm tired of getting scammed by these fire crooks.
all driving two ton gas guzzlers
and pretending they're nevada's heros.
what a laugh!
children going hungry with no clothes to wear...
and firemen making $200k minimum for doing nothing.
what a laugh!
Pass the law...
tbvegas- I don't make anywhere close to 200k. I'm not crying either. No one on my department makes half that on 10 days a month. You have no idea what kind of an imbecile you sound like. You can try to insult me hiding behind your screen name if that's the kind of man you are. Or you can grow a pair and contact me. We can meet up, and I'll bring my paycheck stub. I'll be honest and answer your questions openly.
Burritobandit2- put in your application. I'll even help you with the testing process. Contact me.
The firefighters gave up a benefit in contract negotiations to get this benefit. If you don't like it, give the firefighters back whatever they gave up to get paid union business leave. It is that simple. Or get rid of the contracts and just pay each firefighter a one time check of $23 million dollars. That is what Sisolak took from the county taxpayers for doing absolutely NOTHING! So it should be good enough to cover a career of service for each firefighter. Sisolak signed and approved this contract, now he is "shocked, shocked!" to learn about it's details? Sisolak created this "problem" and now he is the one offering the "solution"! Most Las Vegans are dumb as a box of rocks. Our drop-out rate and every major study on education proves it. You are easily distracted from the real issue of run away government spending for pet projects and junk no one needs. You just keep believing every thing you read (or have read to you) in the paper you lemmings.
tbvegas, you are a joke! You just make up numbers that don't exist. BTW 10 days a month works out to 240 hours. No FF even gets near 100k without doing an ton of overtime over that 240hrs/month. And 2dollars, I guess firefighters should drive priuses to fire calls instead of "two ton gas guzzlers", right? Actually, they don't even use gas, but It would be too difficult to explain that to a small bus rider like yourself. Psssssst. I also heard that sailors on nuclear submarines get paid to sleep too, and when was the last time they launched a nuclear missle? Are you outraged about that too? Do you want to fire them all? You two are missinformed, jealous hacks. Look at the bright side....Jesus loves you (even if no one else does). Let me guess, you guys are some of those bitter out of work contractors who rip off old ladies. Or maybe bitter out of work landscapers who pimp illegal alien labor to make a quik buck. Am I getting warm yet?
We live in a concrete jungle. How many fires can there be? 99% of the homes in this city are stucco and have the latest designs in fire saftey. Why do the Fireman have to work 24 hour shifts? The Police Department doesn't work 24 hour shifts and they seem to manage just fine and with lots more to do than the Fire Dept. If a call comes in before the next shift arrives then you work overtime but thats it!! The taxpayer pays these guys to cook, grocery shop, workout and sleep!!
I would like to see a news team hang out with these guys for a full shift and report on what really goes on at the Firehouse and if everything is legit than maybe the taxpaying public will be more understanding.
Another biased story by the Las Vegas Sun.
Are the firefighters the only employees that use union business leave?
I doubt it.
Another attack piece choreographed by Sisolak using the cover of a Sun reporter provided an office in the county government building.
Schoenmann must be on a paid vacation.
Steve I want my $21 million of taxpayers money BACK you won in a lawsuit against clark county.
Comment removed by moderator. Name-calling.
Hey Thompson, if a private employer wants to compensate a worker for union business, that is up to them.....because its not the taxpayer picking up the bill.
Why do you guys think the taxpayer should pay you an exorbitant wage, your health benefits, your pension,....and pay you for the rest of your life after you retire after your 20 years????
The people have had enough....corrupt politicians made unsustainable promises, so your union would endorse and throw $$$$ behind their campaigns.
Don't get mad at Sisolak because he is pointing out the obvious....that your contracts are too generous and need to be corrected.
The people have had enough.
fire department has nevada by the huevos...
and they'll never let go.
underpaid workers will be laid off...
their children will go hungry.
teachers will lose their jobs.
but the fire dept. will get their yearly salary raises.
nevada suffocates under the greed of the fire
department.
that's the fire department for you, folks!
Tigermike,England a socialist Country? Please explain. London is the financial Capital of Europe.Problem with the likes of you Mr Tigermike is you think any Country with a National health service Is Socialist. And as for your Fire Brigade friend (if that is true) Yes $50,000 is a good wage in England. And Union friendly?Read your history from the Tolpuddle Martyrs to the Thatcher years to see how your Corporate bought politicians are friendly to the working classes. You should get out more mate.
Denver21- What's behind the stucco of these fire safe homes? What makes them so fire safe? What's on the inside of the walls? What's contained between the walls? Las Vegas has no fires, what a joke. We work 24 hour shifts because it's cheaper that way. That's why 99% of the fire departments on this continent work that way. You think we wouldn't like to work less? We don't make those rules, that's not a union issue. How about you get off your can and come stay at my fire station for 24 hours. Then you could educate yourself. Unless, as it seems, you let the media educate you. Maybe that's why you think homes are so fire safe, and we don't have fires.
@HumbleFireman
The only problem I have with firefighters right now is the OT. I know for sure that some of your brothers and sisters sit around and schedule sick time between each other to manufacture overtime.
The base pay of FF in the valley is not that high. It is all of the OT that creates huge salaries and long term penions obiligations that tax payers must live with for a long time.
And I don't blame the FF entirely. The politicians gave FF anything they wanted because you got them elected. And the public falsely held you up as heros, when you are not. You are just employees doing a job, nothing more.
We will all have to live with this mess for some time. Many of the FF retiring over the next few years will do so with HUGE pensions. The taxpayers will be footing those bills for a very long time.
HumbleFireman...yes, keep deflecting. You and I both know that the real issue is the abuse of sick leave to give your "brother and sister" overtime. Denying that there was collusion in the ranks will not go very far when you are in front of a grand jury.
While I agree that the alleged overtime/sick days situation needs to be investigated and dealt with accordingly, I can't believe how incredibly ignorant some of people posting here are.
Privatize the fire department and make it a for profit business. How incredibly farcical. Firefighters not working nights? That's right up there with thinking it's a good idea to have 8 to 5 emergency rooms.
Not enough fires in the city to warrant a fire department? Get a scanner and start listening to the chatter. Don't forget that they are first responders to accidents and medical emergencies.
How old are you people? Do you own property, have children? Do you have any responsibilities other than to yourself? If you think fifty thousand dollars a year is a lot of money, you're living in a fantasy world. It sounds to me like your still living with your parents and don't have a clue what the cost of living really is.
My niece works a second job to help pay the two-thousand four hundred dollars a month for health insurance for herself, her husband and two children.
If you feel the need to live like the people in third world countries, feel free to leave this one. I, however, believe in the necessity of infrastructure to support the protection of life and property. I also believe that teachers and health care providers have been made scapegoats by politicians who are still failing every American in this country by abetting the larceny of Wall Street, the insurance companies and big pharma.
Some of you need to take your idle time and go back to school. Living in ignorance is a waste of life.
@ronster- I'd say you are right to some degree. Yes, I read the emails and there were some who used sick leave and overtime abusively, and to pad their wallet and pension. If such is the case, the union and all members want them basically tried and hanged. However, this was a problem in one department. And I'm not trying to make excuses, I'm just explaining. All the other departments have had rules in place years prior so this could not happen (on a side note, I feel it's unfortunate to even have to have these rules because I think we should all be men/women of integrity. However, bad apples are everywhere). They also have all been investigated and found to not have abused sick leave (if you would like I can give you the link to the media story for both North Las Vegas and Las Vegas). You mention that they will have huge pensions, and I disagree but let me explain why. Overtime is not PERS-eligible, unless that person was given less than 12 hours notice and also was not already working the day prior. Like you said, there were people who were able to do this, and padded their pension but I don't think they will ever see the money, and if they do or did they will have to return it. The last thing, is you say taxpayers will foot the bill for a long time. Pension payments for all firefighters are negotiated in the contract. So when pension payments go up, which they are thank you to our abusers, the individual firefighter will have that money withheld from their check. Basically what I'm saying, is yes taxpayers pay us so they indirectly pay for the pension, but the firefighter will have it coming out of their paycheck.
Ronster, I'm just trying to explain and detail things a bit. You may know this stuff, or not. The media doesn't want to do this, and tries to mislead you. I'm willing to explain further if you need, feel free to contact me.
yyz- I'm not sure what I did to deflect, but not my intention. The abuse of sick leave is a real issue. Unfortunately, I doubt this collusion will be spoke of in front of a grand jury. If their were firefighters that colluded, I would like to see them prosecuted to the full extent of the law, relieved of their duties, have their pensions deducted appropriately, and the overtime they caused paid back. I'm also not opposed to see them put in the stocks.
@humblefireman
You bring up some interesting points. I too wish we were able to have an intelligent discussion on this issue.
One step forward would be to talk more about what government is spending not about the budget. Our local government should release documents showing exacting where EVERY penny is spent. Especially the payroll detail. Not by specific names of employees, by groups.
I suspect we do not see this type of information because it would be worst than any FF overtime situation. But it would allow us to have an intellgient conversation as a citizenry.
What a waste of taxpayer funds and the unions should be ashamed of themselves for sucking off the taxpayers for allowing such terms to be included in the agreement. What is ever sicker is that the public employee's allowed such to be included in the contract in the first place.
In the private industry when the union stewards or any employee attends any form of meeting that isn't directly related to company business, no payment of services is paid. Paying their wages use to occur many years ago when the unions used to serve a useful and functional purpose, and their members were qualified to perform the work which they're dispatched to perform.
The unions over the past decade or so have succumbed to the mindset where as long as the person was breathing and able to write the union's initiation check and pay their monthly union dues in advance then that person is considered qualified and membership allowed. The union then forces the employer to weed through the waiting list and paying show up times, we can go through as many as 50 people before a single one is qualified to perform the work.
I suspect the union will continue their fight to keep the golden goose paying into their lottery system and when it is all said and done, they'll succumb to concession enabling their union leaders to continue to suck off the backs of the members.
If you truly want to be a paramedic or fire fighter then it shouldn't be about how much you can screw over the taxpayers for making your income, it isn't about the money when you choose this career path, it's supposed be about giving back to the community and do what is right. You've lost sight what being a public servant is all about, you don't do it for the money; you do it because you have your own money and public service is giving back or you're doing it because it's about helping others.