Chicago firefighters rally amid contract negotiations ahead of city meeting

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago firefighters rallied for a new contract ahead of the City Council meeting on Wednesday.

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Firefighters and paramedics are calling on the city to settle the contract.

Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 representatives said emergency responders have been working without a contract for nearly four years.

Some of the sticking points are the pension and what they say is unsafe equipment.

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The doors go up often at Engine 116's fire house in Englewood. It is one of the busiest stations in the city, but its rig is an old one as the number 116 was manually taped do the door.

"Take a look at these rigs today, they are loaded with tape," said Tony Martin, Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 Secretary Treasure "Why? Because they are garbage."

Fire trucks and ambulances in need of repair are lined up inside the city's South Side fleet warehouse. Better equipment, 20 additional ambulances and more manpower are what Chicago firefighters are fighting for in their four-year-old contract fight with the city.

"Also, we haven't had a pay raise in four years," said Patrick Cleary, Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 President. "That is not right."

The Chicago Teachers Union joined the rally Wednesday morning ahead of the meeting. Last month, both unions also rallied together to show solidarity ahead of the ratification of the CTU contract.

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Earlier this week, Chicago Teachers Union members approved a four-year contract. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said the city must also find the money for the fire department.

"We are living in a country where rich people are going to the moon for a 20-minute trip, but we are begging to put brakes on rigs," Davis Gates said.

Early Wednesday morning, Chicago firefighters battled a big blaze on the West Side and garage fires on the North Side at the same time. Cleary said besides better equipment, the union is demanding five people on every rig. The city is pushing for four.

"They don't understand when they cut a man off my rig that I'm putting my men and women in danger," Cleary said.

The city says it receives many less fire calls today than it did decades ago, while ambulance calls have gone up. City Council Budget Committee Chairman Ald. Jason Ervin said the city must strike a balance between both needs.

"The cost of that is what we have to look at we want to make sure citizens of Chicago are safe while not trying to breaking the bank while doing it," Ald. Ervin said.

With the teachers contract now settled, Ald. Ervin is confident the firefighters contract will be settled soon. Firefighters cannot legally strike, so the union does not have the ability to force the city's hand in that way.