HOUSTON — Two years ago, Houston firefighters received a billion-dollar settlement in a years-long contract dispute with the City of Houston for raises and back pay.
A few months ago, arbitration documents show that the city and the firefighter union went to arbitration because the city wasn’t implementing obligations under the contract.
Councilmembers appeared caught off guard during Tuesday’s meeting. One council member openly asked the finance department whether the firefighters’ union had taken the city to arbitration a few months ago and whether the city had lost.