In a recent development, an intriguing article surfaced on ThePressEnterprise.com regarding the City of San Bernardino's intention to contract out its fire services following a municipal bankruptcy. This move is part of the city's broader strategy to outsource certain municipal functions as outlined in their bankruptcy plan.
Last Thursday, August 6th, a federal judge denied a pressing request from the San Bernardino city firefighters' union, which sought to halt the city's progress toward contracting out fire services. The judge explained that the union hadn't demonstrated sufficient urgency, as no actual layoff notices had been issued. This marks the first such emergency request Judge Meredith Jury has encountered during the city's three-year bankruptcy proceedings, and she expressed a preference for a more measured legal process allowing ample time for arguments to be fully considered.
The city council is scheduled to deliberate on proposals from both the San Bernardino County Fire Department and a private company during their meeting on August 24th. According to City Manager Allen Parker, officials are likely to recommend choosing the county. The firefighters' union had previously filed an urgent plea earlier in the week, aiming to maintain the current status quo and prevent any potential job losses until the bankruptcy court could address the matter.
Judge Jury agreed to revisit the union's petition at a hearing scheduled for September 17th. During this session, she will also examine whether the city is legally required to engage in negotiations with the union concerning the outsourcing initiative. Paul Glassman, representing San Bernardino in bankruptcy matters, stated that layoffs are not anticipated before that date.
This marks the second time the fire union has attempted to block the city's contracting plan. Previously, Judge Jury ruled that the city charter does not prohibit such actions, contrary to the union's claims. While city officials assure that current firefighters will have opportunities to remain employed under the new arrangement, the union has pointed out that job security isn’t guaranteed for everyone.
In the meantime, the judge's decision enables the city to proceed with selecting a provider and starting negotiations. Should the council opt for the county, an application will be submitted on September 1st to the Local Agency Formation Commission for the city to join the fire district. This process involves multiple hearings and could take several months.
For those interested, a prior post on this topic can be found here.
As the situation unfolds, residents and stakeholders await further developments with keen interest, hoping for clarity and resolution soon.
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