Tag Archives: HPFFA

Interview with Marty Lancton

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, there are two city ballot propositions for your consideration. The one that has gotten the most attention by far is Proposition B, the firefighters pay parity proposal. I consider it a core function of this blog to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Apparently, that pay parity debate did happen

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I missed the last twist in this saga, but in the end it did happen. After months of trading barbs from a distance, Mayor Sylvester Turner and the head of Houston’s firefighters’ union met in a vigorous but civil debate … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Apparently, that pay parity debate did happen

The pay parity proposal debate that wasn’t

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s not get ready to rumble! Houston’s firefighters union has withdrawn from a Saturday debate with Mayor Sylvester Turner on their proposal to seek pay “parity” with police officers, saying the event’s host, the Harris County Democratic Party, had given … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The firefighter pay parity proposal sure seems like it’s going to pass

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What are ya gonna do? Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is holding town halls to try to convince voters that the city can’t afford Proposition B, a ballot measure that would tie firefighters’ pay to that of police. It’s turning into … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | 49 Comments

HFD Chief warns of layoffs

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

To be fair, this isn’t the first time we have heard this. Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña on Tuesday warned of dire consequences — including possible layoffs of more than 800 firefighters and deferred maintenance or upgrades on aging equipment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Town hall meetings for city referenda

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: MAYOR TURNER INVITES CITY RESIDENTS TO TOWN HALL MEETINGS ABOUT THE 2 PROPOSITIONS ON THE NOV. 6 CITY BALLOT Mayor Turner urges all voters who live in the city to learn about the Rebuild Houston and fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Appeals court allows city to post video of pay parity hearing

Posted on August 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Probably doesn’t matter much at this point, but there it is. A Texas appeals court on Thursday ordered a state district judge to rescind his temporary restraining order requiring the city of Houston to remove video from its website that … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court allows city to post video of pay parity hearing

The firefighter pay parity referendum won’t be decided by the voters

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

it will be decided by the courts. Here’s a story out of Austin to illustrate. Former Travis County judge Bill Aleshire has sued the city of Austin in the Texas Supreme Court, challenging the ballot language of a proposition up … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The firefighter pay parity referendum won’t be decided by the voters

Firefighter pay proposal officially on the ballot

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As required. Houston voters in November will choose whether to grant firefighters pay “parity” with police of corresponding rank and seniority. After weeks of wrangling over the issue — including angry debates, rare legislative maneuvers and allegations of electioneering — … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Firefighter pay proposal officially on the ballot

Firefighters file suit over handling of pay parity proposal

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I figured we’d have to wait till after the eventual vote on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal for there to be litigation over it, but no. The union representing Houston firefighters sued Mayor Sylvester Turner and a City Council member … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Council discusses firefighter pay parity proposal

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It will cost some money if it passes. Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said Thursday that his firefighters deserve raises, but he would be hard-pressed to maintain his department budget without reducing his ranks if voters approve a measure granting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No quorum for very special Council meeting

Posted on July 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Close, but no cigar. A handful of city council members who organized a rare special meeting to push for a Houston firefighters petition seeking pay “parity” with police to appear on the November ballot fell short of a quorum Friday … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

A very special Council meeting

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Who knew there was such a thing? In a rare maneuver that sidesteps Mayor Sylvester Turner’s authority, five city council members have called a special meeting this week, hoping to force the issue of Houston firefighters’ push for a referendum … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Firefighters have their signatures

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

On to the next act in this drama. A petition Houston firefighters submitted last summer seeking pay parity with police contains enough valid signatures to trigger a referendum election, City Secretary Anna Russell reported to Mayor Sylvester Turner and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

Count of firefighters’ pay parity petitions needs to be done by Friday

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Or else. Not sure what follows the “or else”, but maybe we won’t have to find out. City Secretary Anna Russell has one week to finish verifying a petition Houston firefighters submitted last summer seeking pay parity with police or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Count of firefighters’ pay parity petitions needs to be done by Friday

Judge orders firefighters’ petitions to be counted

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. A state district judge on Tuesday ordered Houston’s city secretary to finish reviewing firefighters’ petition asking for pay parity with police, giving her until April 27 to validate the eight-month-old signatures. Firefighters submitted a petition last … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

More on the HFD sex discrimination lawsuit

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Is anyone surprised that a lot more female firefighters have come forward to describe incidents of harassment at HFD since the initial story was published? Because if you are, I don’t think you’ve been paying much attention to the news … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Firefighters sue to get their pay parity petitions certified

Posted on March 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to put this here. Houston firefighters on Monday asked a judge to force the city secretary to validate signatures on an equal pay referendum petition that has been backlogged in City Hall for eight months. The referendum … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Feds sue city over HFD sex discrimination claims

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Yikes. The Justice Department has sued the city of Houston over sex discrimination claims launched by two female firefighters who say their male coworkers tormented them by urinating on the women’s bathroom walls and sinks and scrawling vulgar slurs on … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The elections we may get in 2018

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We know there are going to be a lot of contested elections up and down the ballot in 2018, both primaries and the November general, for state, county, and federal office. There are also at least four possible elections I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No charter amendments on the fall ballot

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Just bonds, school board and HCC races, and the mostly boring constitutional amendments. Oh, and Heights Alcohol 2.0, if you live there. Houston voters will face $1.5 billion in city bonds and nine community college or school board races this … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Firefighters complain about petition counting process

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, good Lord. Houston firefighters are accusing Mayor Sylvester Turner of standing between them and a voter-approved pay raise by failing to ensure a petition they submitted last month is certified in time to appear on the November ballot. Turner … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

More on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that full Chron story I mentioned yesterday: Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall on Monday in support of asking voters in November to mandate parity in pay between firefighter and police officer ranks, a maneuver that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Firefighters turn in their petitions

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, but boy is this thing a train wreck. Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall Monday in support of putting a ballot initiative on the November election mandating parity in pay between firefighter and police-officer … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Firefighters petition for a raise

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Houston firefighters are launching a campaign to place on item on the November ballot asking voters to mandate parity in pay between corresponding firefighter and police-officer ranks. The petition drive to amend the city charter, slated to launch Saturday … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Firefighters’ lawsuit over pension reform law tossed

Posted on July 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There it goes. A state district judge on Friday dismissed Houston firefighters’ lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the city’s pension reform package, removing a potential barrier to the city’s efforts to solve a 16-year fiscal crisis. State District Judge Patricia … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Firefighters sue city over contract negotiations

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

These are busy days for the HPFFA. Houston’s fire union sued the city Wednesday alleging Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration failed to act in good faith during contract negotiations, exacerbating tensions between firefighters and City Hall. The lawsuit filed in state … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Endorsement watch: The score so far

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve had a slew of endorsements for municipal races this past week. I’ve been keeping track of them as best I can on my 2015 Election page. This isn’t always easy to do, because some groups are not very good … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Endorsement watch: Pushback on the process

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The early endorsement by the firefighters’ union – and now the Houston Police Officers Union – of Rep. Sylvester Turner for Mayor has ruffled some feathers. The Houston Police Officers’ Union on Tuesday followed their firefighter counterparts who on Monday … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Firefighters for Turner

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: HOUSTON, March 23, 2015 – State Rep. Sylvester Turner has earned the endorsement of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association in this year’s mayoral race, the HPFFA said today. HPFFA President Alvin W. White, Jr. said 84 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council meeting called to discuss firefighter pension deal

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Some Council members are determined to discuss the deal Mayor Parker made with the firefighters’ pension fund. Four City Council members have taken advantage of a rarely used provision in city law to call a special meeting Friday to discuss … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

At an impasse

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t look like there will be any new collective bargaining agreement between the city and the firefighters this year. Houston’s firefighters union declared an impasse with the city over a new labor contract, which a union negotiator called a “slap … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Back to the drawing board for the city and the firefighters’ union

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t expect much at this point. Negotiators for the city of Houston and its firefighters union will return to the bargaining table to discuss a new labor contract weeks after union members soundly defeated the last proposed deal, Mayor Annise … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Back to the drawing board for the city and the firefighters’ union

Firefighters union rejects contract deal

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. The contract rejected Tuesday by 93 percent of the roughly 2,900 firefighters voting would have taken a similar approach, granting a pay raise in exchange for concessions on members’ ability to take leave. With the no vote, as of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment