Beach firefighters file labor complaints

Firefighters with Navarre Beach Volunteer Fire Department filed more charges with the National Labor Relations Board Nov. 21 against its board of directors only weeks after agreeing to a new contract.

Shaun Hall, president of the International Association of Firefighters local Union No. 4494, said one reason firefighters agreed to the new contract was because the board of directors agreed to increase firefighters’ pay from $9.01 an hour to $9.74 an hour.

However, he said firefighters actually received a pay decrease because 24 hours worth of pay was taken out of their last paychecks. Firefighters receive a check every two weeks, but because they work 24-hour shifts one day on, two days off, and the hourly wage is so low, Hall said the board always included an additional 24 hours onto everyone’s check under the old contract.

For more on this story, see the Nov. 24 issue of Navarre Press or subscribe online.