MEMPHIS, TN — Memphis City Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, on Dec. 2, described the City of Memphis’ financial situation as dire before comparing its relationship with employee associations — commonly referred to as unions — to rape, calling the employee groups “greedy.”Cooper-Sutton’s comments
PARMA HEIGHTS, OH– After months of negotiations, City Council has unanimously approved a new three-year contract with the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (OPBA).The new deal provides Parma Heights Police Department captains and sergeants with 3 percent raises for 2026, 2027 and 2028.“I value
MILWAUKEE, WI — It comes after MPA, which represents Milwaukee’s police officers, and the city made a “tentative, voluntary agreement” last week.Now that MPA has approved the agreement, it will go to the Milwaukee Common Council for approval.Milwaukee police have been working without a new contract
TOWNSHIP, NJ — They were swept up in a scandal that roiled their suburban New Jersey community.Two cops who casually tossed off racial slurs, believing no one was the wiser.But secret recordings caught Clark Township Police Chief Pedro Matos and internal affairs Sgt. Joseph Teston using epithets tha
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Police Benevolent Association has a stark warning about your safety in the City of Buffalo, with a mass retirement expected in the next several months.A healthcare agreement, between the City of Buffalo and the police department, expires at the end of June. Union leaders
COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that police officers’ identities can be withheld from public records when they are attacked on the job, under a state law that protects the privacy of crime victims. Tuesday’s ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by The Columbus Dispatch against the Colum
FALL RIVER, MA — The Fall River Fire Department is trying to bring in more firefighters. The department has been struggling with staffing for quite some time, but the Gabriel House fire highlighted how much the department was understaffed.“When Gabriel House fire happened, and especially once we upp
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County on Wednesday announced a tentative contract agreement with the Onondaga County Deputy Sheriff’s Police Association (OCSPA).The four-year pact includes a wage increase of 3 percent per year as well as an adjusted salary structure for 2026, the office of Onondaga Count
BARRE, VT –The union representing Barre City firefighters said the department is struggling to keep up with emergency calls, even though the station is fully staffed.Barre City Fire Chief Keith Cushman said staffing levels meet current requirements with a minimum of three, and often four, crew membe
OAK PARK, IL — The Oak Park Village Board voiced support for an ordinance authorizing salaries and benefits for six new Oak Park firefighters and paramedics not previously included in the pending 2026 village budget. The “over hire ordinance” had been recommended by village staff and the village fin
AURORA, IL — The Aurora Firefighters Local 99 Union is calling out the west Chicago suburb’s mayor over his proposed budget, which would cut 18 firefighters from the department.The union believes it will impact services and put residents’ safety at risk. The mayor responded to those claims saying th
WEST ALLIS, WI – A new collective bargaining agreement between the City of West Allis and its police union, along with a more than 15% raise for officers, is one step closer to reality.The West Allis Professional Police Association (WAPPA) announced November 10 that its membershipvoted to ratify a n
ST. LOUIS, MO — While East St. Louis officials publicly fight a multimillion-dollar legal judgment for police back pay, some officers say the city privately pressured them to waive the interest they’re owed, raising new questions about city hall’s labor practices.The continuing controversy over pay
WEST PALM BEACH, FL — The police union president says he’ll confront city commissioners at Monday night’s meeting, accusing city hall of mishandling the investigation that’s kept four captains off the job for more than a year.“I hope that they’ve taken the opportunity in the last two weeks to review
ORANGE COUNTY, FL — Orange County firefighters and county officials are at an impasse over a new contract, with negotiations heading to a Special Magistrate after breaking down.The contract talks, which have been ongoing for nearly three years, focus on significant pay raises and benefits. The Firef
NORMAL, IL — A planned relocation of Normal’s Fire Station 2 sparks statewide concern over slow emergency response times, as a new bill at the statehouse would create a task force to investigate staffing and funding problems in Illinois’ EMS system.Local 2442 Union President Chad Pacey said the relo
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Former Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis resigned over disagreements with the firefighters’ union about reviewing the fire department’s safety standards, an attorney representing Davis said.Before Davis was placed on leave in mid-September, he had pushed for the National Institute
MILWAUKEE, WI — Members of the Milwaukee Police Association have voted to ratify a new labor agreement with the city following three years without a contract.The agreement, announced Wednesday, Oct. 30, provides a 15.01% compounded pay increase through 2026 and includes full retroactive pay for 2023
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI – The fire chief at the Grand Blanc Township Fire Department is on administrative leave, and Tuesday night, he could be fired.Unions representing the full-time and part-time firefighters working under Chief Jamie Jent are backing their boss to keep his job.Alex Newton, the p
NEW YORK — On Oct. 22, Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that unions said would have established minimum staffing standards for EMS crews responding to patients and for supervisor vehicles in cities with populations over one million.The measure, Emergency Response Staffing Bill (S. 6698/A. 7356), pass
GREENWOOD, SC — The Greenwood City Council passed next year’s $72.9 million budget Monday night, though without changes to longevity pay suggested by firefighters.Council members voted 6-2, with member Michael Williams absent, to approve the city’s budget appropriations and tax rates, along with the
HO-HO-KUS, NJ — A police sergeant filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department on Tuesday, claiming she has been punished for exposing the alleged misuse of union funds, mocked for requesting a restroom for women, and investigated for binge-watching “The Sopranos” at work.C
LOS OSOS, CA — The Los Osos Community Services District isn’t making enough tax revenue to fully fund its fire services for the first time in 20 years.A $280,000 funding gap for the 2025-26 fiscal year and more projected cost increases in the future are causing the Community Services District (CSD)
HONOLULU, HI — The Honolulu Police Department has begun paying dispatchers and other 911 staff up to $2,000 per month in retention bonuses, but some employees of the long understaffed communications division say it’s too little, too late.The bonuses, which vary according to job title, have been appr
