(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More than three years after the last contract for Chicago firefighters and paramedics expired, the head of the union accused Mayor Brandon Johnson of failing to keep promises at the bargaining table.
Patrick Cleary, the president of Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2, said Johnson made three promises in a questionnaire the union sent him during his election campaign.
One of those promises was to get nearly 20 new ambulances for the fire department, which Cleary said would be essential to the department's ability to provide proper EMS care.
"In order to have that care, you need ambulances to get on scene quickly," Cleary said. "You can't have an alarm office asking for ambulances to come available so we can send you to another run all the way across the city. That doesn't do it."
He said Johnson also promised to meet certain staffing levels for fire crews, as well as bringing back battalion chief aides.
Clearly also accused the city of falsely claiming to face major budget shortfalls while holding onto money in tax increment finance funds.
"They're going to have over $700 million leftover after allocation in the TIF fund in 2024," Cleary said. "In 2025, after all of the money's allocated, they will have over $1 billion leftover, yet the city proclaims that they have deficits. That is not true."
The union president said city negotiators are trying to save money by dragging out talks. City officials have denied that.
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