Philadelphia Firefighters Union Hopes To Halt Plans To Transfer Senior Firefighters
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia firefighters union heads to court Friday asking a judge to stop the Nutter Administration from imposing transfers of senior firefighters in the new year.
Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers plans to transfer 293 senior firefighters in January, and 156 of them have more than ten years tenure.
The union says the moves are harassment and constitute a threat to public safety, and Friday they'll ask a judge to halt the moves.
This comes a day after city council approved a resolution in support of the union. It was sponsored by councilman Jim Kenney.
"The resolution was to urge the administration and the fire commissioner not to do something this stupid, this dangerous, that no other department in the country does, and that is going to jeopardize both firefighters and civilians," Kenney said.
The Fire Commissioner says the transfers will enhance the skills of firefighters by exposing them to a more diverse array of neighborhoods.
