Texarkana, Texas, Fire Department has again elected the local firefighters' union as its collective bargaining agent, this time under City Hall supervision.
When voting closed Wednesday evening, 68 firefighters had cast their ballots for and six against International Association of Fire Fighters Local 367, said Chapter President Scott Robertson. Two did not vote.
The election confirms a less formal vote held in late March that resulted in 92 percent of firefighters voting for the union, according to Robertson. The city chose not to recognize that vote and insisted on another that City Secretary Jennifer Evans could monitor and confirm.
"We did not participate in that election in any way. We didn't get a chance to oversee it or understand how it was conducted, and the statute does permit for the city to be involved in establishing the election process," former City Manager John Whitson said in July.
The second vote took place in City Hall using paper ballots and a double-locked ballot box. Evans held one key and Robertson the other.
Robertson expected the result and considered the vote a formality.
"There was no surprise. We haven't even been talking about it as a group," he said.
In November 2016, Texas-side voters elected to allow TTFD to engage in collective bargaining. The department then was required to choose a representative.
By state law, the union has until 120 days before the end of a fiscal year to formally request collective bargaining in that year. That makes the next deadline June 3, 2018, for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30.
Robertson said he was unsure what the union's next step will be, but it will be seeking advice from IAFF experts and probably drafting a contract proposal soon.
"The way it typically goes down, from what I understand, is we'll start on our own looking at a contract and trying to draw something up. We'll start working on our side with our people, and I'm sure they'll do the same thing," he said, adding that the recent appointment of Shirley Jaster as city manager gives him hope for the process.
"With Ms. Jaster, everything has changed. The entire mood of the city has changed. I just don't know. We haven't worked with her at all. But I'm much more optimistic than I was," he said. "It shouldn't be that difficult, because a lot of the stuff in the contract is just formalities."
Jaster said the City Council will need to approve a resolution to recognize the results of the vote. No such resolution is on the agenda for the council's meeting Monday.
In June the council approved retaining Fort Worth, Texas, law firm Lynn, Ross and Gannaway to advise the city on relations with TTFD. The firm specializes in representing employers in labor issues.
It is illegal for Texas police or firefighters to strike or participate in work stoppages or work slowdowns.
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