San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg calls on fire union to end "foolish games," negotiate

Standing behind a digital clock displaying the time elapsed since the city’s contract expired with the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association, Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Wednesday called on union head Chris Steele to end what he called Steele’s “foolish games” and negotiate a new contract.

Nirenberg said the city sent its ninth formal request to the fire union asking its team to begin working with the city on a new contract. The contract expired, according to Nirenberg’s clock, 1,254 days ago, on Sept. 30, 2014.

“In that time, the city has repeatedly invited union boss Chris Steele to come to the negotiating table and work out a new agreement,” Nirenberg said in the City Hall media briefing room. “He has refused.”

City negotiators will be in a meeting room at Municipal Plaza on Tuesday, ready to negotiate regardless of the union’s attendance, Nirenberg said.

He said firefighters have left $20 million on the table in potential pay raises because of the union’s refusal to negotiate, and blamed Steele for a “long-term negative impact” on the city’s firefighters and paramedics.

Read more: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/politics/article/Nirenberg-calls-on-fire-union-to-end-foolish-12735912.php?ipid=brkbar