A 14-year lawsuit between Fire Fighters Local 36 and the District government was resolved Saturday when DC Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a settlement agreement. “This settlement helps ensure that the hard-working men and women at DCFEMS are paid for the overtime that they have already worked and earned," said Mayor Bowser. The District will now pay Local 36 members time and a half for overtime. Union members impacted will be awarded back pay, dating back to 2001. The total cost of the settlement is expected to be $45 million. “We could not be more excited to settle a matter that started in 2001, covers more than 3,000 firefighters and was disputed with three previous mayoral administrations," said Local 36 President Ed Smith. Smith thanked Bowser for settling this dispute, saying that "It means the world to the men and women who serve the District residents every day and night." Before signing the agreement, Bowser donned firefighting gear and, along with other firefighters and with Smith at her side, entered a burning training building at the D.C. Fire and EMS Training Academy in Southwest, saying " It gives me a good appreciation for what the men and women do every single day.”
photo from Local 36 Twitter feed
photo from Local 36 Twitter feed