EMS Bargaining Power – At Budget Time
Austin EMS employees likely to receive bargaining power – while the city looks to cut public safety spending.
By Wells Dunbar, 11:15AM, Wed. May 2, 2007
While we're truly in the waning days of the Lege, where bills drop like dead birds along Congress, some Austin-centric legislation has wound its way from the Senate to the House, with a fair chance of getting passed – and it's not bad either. Senate Bill 1104, penned by Sen. Kirk Watson, allows meet-and-confer contract negotiations for Austin's EMS employees. Seems only fair, since both Police and Fire departments have the same bargaining rights; 1104 would round out the public-safety trifecta. As identical legislation from Rep. Elliott Naishtat sailed out of the House Urban Affairs committee – where 1104 is being heard today – hopefully this means the bill will make it to the House floor, then to the Guv's desk.
Of course, tomorrow at City Council comes the five-year financial forecast; advance word is it paints a rainy picture, focusing on budget shortfalls created by the APD's cush contract. With the city likely budget cinching, it'll be interesting – to say the least – to see what another group with bargaining power adds to the mix.
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
Kahron Spearman, July 8, 2016
Jordan Smith, Feb. 11, 2013
Wells Dunbar, Nov. 28, 2011
Wells Dunbar, July 11, 2011
Police, City Government, Legislature, Kirk Watson, EMS, meet and confer, bargaining