New Orleans Workers Must Stand with Firefighters’ Union

10 Reasons to Support New Orleans Firefighters

Mayor Cantrell threatens firefighters lives and our safety by refusing to hire more firefighters. Cantrell’s attacks on the firefighters are a disgrace.
An attack on the firefighters is an attack on all parish workers.
Mayor Cantrell gives away millions in tax exemptions to corporations and real estate developers but denies funds to firefighters, youth, and other essential services. Every year the city gives $180 million in stolen tourism tax dollars to big corporations for their private profit.
The union is calling for more firefighters: in the last ten years, staffing has decreased by 25% while the number of calls they have to answer has gone up 150%. NOFD cannot attract or retain firefighters with wages starting at $11/hr and meager retirement benefits.
Firefighters are being forced into brutal overtime at a moment’s notice. Many firefighters are working 96 hours a week.
Because of low pay, many firefighters have to work two jobs to support their families.
Firefighters’ families are suffering from forced overtime. They cannot plan childcare or appointments at schools and doctors.
Our neighborhoods are not safe when firefighters are overworked and understaffed.
The union is fighting for our neighborhoods to be protected.
The union is calling for an immediate end to unsafe, less effective two person crews on firetrucks. Two person crews pose a lethal hazard to firefighters.

Feb. 17: New Orleans Workers Group joins firefighters union at a Press Conference at City Park.

By refusing to reform brutal overtime rules, raise wages, or hire more firefighters, Mayor Cantrell is jeopardizing the safety of the firefighters and the residents of our city. But New Orleans firefighters are fighting back.

Because the firefighters union (IAFF Local 632) is making their grievances known, the mayor and the fire chief have attacked them for being “bullies.” The mayor has got it twisted; she’s the one putting the firefighters and residents’ lives at risk by working firefighters to the bone.

Residents should stand on the side of the firefighters because this is a fight for our safety too!

Take action:

The New Orleans Workers Group will be distributing flyers and talking with residents to rally support for the firefighters’ struggle. To get involved, contact us at nolaworkersgroup@gmail.com or by phone at 504-900-6748.

Go to the firefighters’ union website and follow links to their social media accounts, such as Facebook, and like the page for updates. Show up for press conferences and other actions called by the union.

Call or email Cantrell’s office and tell her to accept the union’s demands (ph. 504-658-4900, mayor@nola.gov).

Workers Voice Socialist Movement

We are workers, employed and unemployed, youth, students, and seniors. We are multi-racial and multi-national and organize for the unity of the working class. We are funded by and for workers, for the liberation of all workers and oppressed people.

We organize for jobs and higher wages, against racism, women’s, and LGBTQ oppression, and for solidarity with immigrants. We organize for community schools, lower rents, and food on our tables. We organize for workers’ power so that everything will one day be removed from the capitalists’ private ownership.

We oppose the Pentagon, which is looting our tax dollars and handing them over to war-profiteering private companies, while social programs are gutted. We oppose war for empire which is pursued only to lower our wages and plunder the world’s resources while destroying the environment. We reject the monopoly media who feed us lie after lie.

The labor of workers produces enormous wealth here in Louisiana, the U.S. and the world– so much wealth that everyone could have housing, meaningful jobs, education, healthcare, and genuine equality. But this wealth is stolen and privately owned by the capitalist class for their greed and profit. We believe that we, the workers of the world, can unite in revolution to overcome capitalism and build a better world.

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