After additional time to consider the proposal, the Athens-Clarke County Commission passed the Firefighters’ Mediation Act 9-1 at Tuesday’s meeting.
This act grants Athens firefighters the right to bargain collectively for better wages, pay, working conditions, and more.
Moments before the vote took place, District 6 Commissioner Jesse Houle urged their colleagues to support the act.
“Supporting this tonight I think will boost the morale of our firefighters at a time when that is direly needed. Not passing this I think will further hurt that morale, and may well worsen our vacancies,” Houle said.
District 4 Commissioner Allison Wright voted against the act, saying she feared that granting unionization rights to only firefighters would create division among county workers.
According to union leaders who spoke to the commission in May, the fire department could see improved recruitment and retention of employees as a result of this vote.
