Firefighters' union gets enough signatures to put collective bargaining to WF voters

Wichita Falls voters are likely to have the final word on collective bargaining for local firefighters.

The Wichita Falls Professional Firefighters Association got enough valid signatures on petitions to put two related questions to voters.

On Tuesday, Wichita Falls City Council members will vote on whether to authorize the measures for inclusion on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election.

The questions are:

Proposition No. 1 — “Adoption of the state law applicable to firefighters that establishes collective bargaining if a majority of the affected employees favor representation by an employees association, preserves the prohibition against strikes and lockouts, and provides penalties for strikes and lockouts.”

Proposition No. 2 — Shall Section 155 be added to the City Charter to read as follows: “§155 Collective Bargaining Impasse. If the City and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 432 have reached an impasse regarding the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement, and the Association has requested arbitration under Texas Local Government Code § 174.153, then the City shall submit to binding interest arbitration as set forth in Texas Local Government Code §§174.154-174.62, 174.164, and 174.253, or any successor to these statutory provisions.”

Jon Bradley, legislative director for the union, said in June that collective bargaining would give the union the right to meet with the city staff.

"With collective bargaining, it is a contractual agreement that allows us to talk about issues and bargain collectively as an association with the city so it's not a one-way street," Bradley said.

In a statement from the city’s Public Information Office, the city responded that “Collective Bargaining agreements are typically 3-5 years which would obligate future City Councils and future City budgets outside of the one-year budget adoption timeframe.”

The release said the firefighters’ union has had a voter-approved meet and confer agreement with the city that allows the union to request a meeting with city administration “about any topic, at any time."

The union’s president, Al Vitolo, has appeared before the City Council to complain the fire department is understaffed and needs more personnel.

The union invested heavily in local politics prior to the November 2023 city election, sending $61,400 to a Lubbock political consultant to spend on the campaigns for City Council candidates it endorsed.

The candidates who received endorsements won but paid civil penalties after the Texas Ethics Commission found evidence of violations for not disclosing in-kind campaign contributions from the firefighters’ Political Action Committee.

More: Wichita Falls mayor reacts to Texas Ethics Commission findings

More: City of Wichita Falls fires back at firefighters' collective bargaining effort

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita Falls voters likely have final say on firefighters collective bargaining