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Houston Mayor John Whitmire orders immediate end to bitter contract impasse with Houston firefighters

By and
Updated  January 3, 2024 4:10pm CST
Houston
FOX 26 Houston

HOUSTON - Newly elected Houston mayor John Whitmire has ordered an immediate end to the bitter contract dispute between the Firefighter Union and the City. 

FOX 26 reported earlier this morning that sources said Houston Mayor John Whitmire and City Attorney Arturo Michel met this morning with Firefighter Union President Marty Lancton and HPFFA attorney Troy Blakney to begin settlement of a seven-year contract impasse.

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"I want the City to remove itself from the court process as much as possible and focus on resolving this long-standing dispute as fairly and quickly as possible," said Whitmire in a release. "I stated repeatedly on the campaign trail and in my inaugural address that our first responders will not have to fear court action during the Whitmire Administration. I am following through on that promise."

Michel and Blakeney will begin meeting this week and remain in constant contact until there is agreement on a path forward.  

"Within 72 hours of taking office, Mayor Whitmire is moving forward to implement the promises he made to Houston firefighters during the campaign," said Houston Professional Firefighters Association President Patrick M. "Marty" Lancton. "After eight years of acrimony, we are finally headed in the right direction. It is hard to express how much it means to Houston firefighters and their families to have a leader who respects them and will follow through on what he says." 

Last year, the Texas Supreme Court confirmed the firefighters' right to collective bargaining with the City and the Texas Legislature passed a law sponsored by Whitmire mandating rapid arbitration when negotiations reached an impasse.

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Firefighters are seeking at least seven years of back pay and benefits, which multiple experts suggest could cost the City $500 million to as much as $1 billion.