Athens firefighters win historic collective bargaining deal

The Professional Firefighters of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia signed a collective bargaining agreement with Mayor Kelly Girtz today at Fire station #1. This is the first such agreement in the union's history.

The agreement shortens the firefighter work cycle from 28 days to 14 days, making it easier for firefighters to gain the benefit of overtime pay. These benefits are shared with ACC police. Concerns that police morale would suffer from a firefighter's union seem to be unfounded.

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Transcript

APN: The ACC Firefighter's union signed a collective bargaining agreement with Mayor Girtz on Thursday. This historic agreement shortens firefighter work cycles to 14 days, improving their overtime pay.

APN: How do you feel?

Emily Thompson Alger, President of the Firefighter's Union: I don't even know how to answer that question because I feel... It's very surreal. I feel proud. I also feel like we have a lot of work to do now. Really the work is just beginning because now we have a contract to keep up. We have a lot more responsibilities but I am very proud for us to be taking that on.

APN: A year ago, naysayers predicted a firefighter's union would erode morale in the police department, but that hasn't happened. Instead, firefighter benefits were extended to police, showing that unions elevate all workers, not just their members.