Firefighters union disrupts opening of new Tacony station in protest of Nutter
About 200 activists from Philadelphia's firefighters union disrupted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the city's first new fire house in 15 years by staging a walkout as an opening prayer was being said and chanting their criticisms of Mayor Nutter outside the $6.7 million station in Tacony.
Firefighters union disrupts opening of new Tacony station in protest of Nutter
Sean Collins Walsh
About 200 activists from Philadelphia’s firefighters union disrupted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the city’s first new fire house in 15 years by staging a walkout as an opening prayer was being said and chanting their criticisms of Mayor Nutter outside the $6.7 million station in Tacony.
Union representatives said they will begin collecting signatures for a petition to hold a recall election for the mayor, who has appealed a series of legal decisions that would award retroactive pay raises and other benefits to the firefighters, who have been working without a contract since 2009.
Nutter, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison and even a Catholic priest had to raise their voices to be heard over the chants of "Re-call, re-call" and "bind-ing, bind-ing," the latter referring the binding arbitration awards that Nutter has twice appealed.
While opening new fire houses is something the union has been asking for, it protested the event to show their continued displeasure with Nutter's policies.
One carried a sign displaying an acronym for the mayor’s name: “No Good, Ugly, Two, Timing, Evil, Rat.”
After the event, Nutter said that he respected the firefighters’ 1st Amendment right to protest and that he wanted to celebrate the opening of the new station, at Magee and Keystone.
“It’s America. People have many opportunities and certainly a right to express themselves in a variety of fashions. The community folks may not have been too happy about their timing, given that they were celebrating their new station,” Nutter said. “I’m staying focused on doing my job each and every day and people will do whatever they said they’d do.”
- 14-hour Playstation 3 shifts on 55 inch plasmas TVs should surely be more highly compensated.
— KYS24 - Yeah that's true. There's never any fires. And they have maids that come in to clean the firehouse and mechanics that come in to do maintenance on the trucks. I even heard they hire folks to come in and clean the trucks for them. You never hear about FFs being dispatched for medical emergencies. And you certainly never hear about these guys dying while doing their jobs. You're brilliant. — Zero
- Which are all bought with their own money that is pooled together and used for necessities. You do realize that not only do they buy tvs but that they supply their own kitchen supplies, bedding and even some firefighting equipment. But you keep on drinking that city kool-aid like a good non-informed citizen. Idiot! — kam60
- Can't stand either Public Unions and Nutter. Getting rid of them both is like killing cockroaches. They keep coming back.— highjacked
- I applaud the firefighters but this is man that can't be shamed. He doesn't care now, but wait until he wants to run for another office. To the people that feel that the firefighters and other city workers are out of line, consider how much of your tax dollars are being wasted in other places instead of the necessities. Talk is cheap until it's your house on fire, you need rescue or you are the victim of a crime and the response is slow because of cutbacks.— Trident252
- I guess the union has no shame also. They showed no concern or respect for the Priest or children present. How can you want something (respect) that you (union) are unwilling to give? — Air Vet
- Protesting against your own members...some union. Also,so much for being an example for the children present.— Air Vet
- Cop wannabe punks.— maldorer
So what if they haven't worked without a contract since 2009, they're still getting paid. And if you're not happy about the raise situation, look for other work. I haven't had a raise in over 3 years, and will not get one this year. This summer I'll be looking for a job. I know a few firefighters and the previous poster is right. Some of them brag about playing Playstation for a whole shift, or having card games. I just get tired of the entitled union mentality.— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver- Maybe if you were in a union you'd have gotten a raise and would still have a job after the summer. Fight to improve your own situation instead of trying to bring others down to the level of your bad situation.
I just get tired of the "I don't have it so I other people shouldn't" mentality.— carl and sons - All the people in Tacony who fought to finally get that firehouse built have moved out, in fear for their lives.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Tv's are paid for out of their own pockets. Cable bills are paid for out of their own pockets, the city gives them nothing. Do you have a point here ? Should they stare at a wall for 14 hours ?— Sage Advice
- How is a FF a wannbe cop moron?
— henry hill - I am not a union supporter either, but the fire fighters are being screwed. The city controller states the city has the money and recommended they be paid now rather than later. They dont make alot of money and most work a second job to make ends meet. There are plenty of handouts available for those who choose not to work!— mayfair_
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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