A new agreement with the firefighters’ union would cut down on Cleveland (OH) firefighters’ ability to trade shifts. The shift-trading was a cause of public anger when details from a fire department audit were released in Fall 2011.
Firefighters could continue to trade their 24-hour shifts to increase the length of vacations, but they can only be away from the job for three weeks instead of months, which they can do under the present agreement, according to The Plain Dealer (http://bit.ly/xJ2Ztr).
Auditors are focusing on time-keeping practices in an attempt to weed out alleged departmental abuses. The local union head and public safety director did not comment on the proposed agreement. The suspected abuses may still result in criminal charges and investigators continue to probe the department.
This policy change comes after a scathing report on suspected abused in the Cleveland Fire Department. Another change the occurred in December 2011 requires firefighters to provide doctor’s excuses or other documentation if they go home sick during the middle of their work shifts.
