Tuesday, March 14, 2017

SO MUCH DEPENDS ON THE FIRE DEPT. UNION ELECTION


By Juan Montoya
The union elections this Thursday and Friday might well determine whether union-busting Fire Dept Chief Carlos Elizondo can still deliver the rank-and-file vote to city management and keep his job.
And along with him, the future of Asst. Fire Chief Ernie Estrada may well hinge on the outcome of the election.

Elizondo became fire chief after he promised – and delivered – the union vote to do away with the hard-fought gains of the fire fighters by delaying contract negotiations with the city that wiped away specific rights of overtime and the me-too clause that pegged department raises to raises give to the police department association.

He convinced new hires to vote for his slate of union officers by promising them the world and – once he was made chief – pulled the rug from under them.

Now, with union officer elections starting Thursday and ending Friday, those union officials have bailed and Elizondo and Estrada may face the wrath of the members through the ballot box. The fire stations – always a cauldron of gossip and hearsay – have been boiling lately. In short, both Elizondo and Estrada have incurred the anger of the rank-and-file fire fighters through the selective application of their authority on certain firefighters.

If you'll remember, Estrada was promoted over much more experienced officers in the department as a quid pro quo to city manager Charlie Cabler. In return for the position of chief, Estrada was raised to assistant fire chief on Cabler's orders. That move did not sit well with the more experienced hands who were in line for promotions.

And guess who is running against Elizondo's slate? Would you believe Jorge Lerma, a longtime union organizer who know the ins and outs of the fire house more than most others? Lerma, whose sister Mary Solis, the former principal of Veterans Memorial High School, was demoted after she complained in a  Level 3 grievance that Elizondo and trustee Joe Rodriguez were pressing her and her staff to hire specific individuals and to purchase sporting supplies from Rodriguez-favored vendors.

She won her grievance and the administration had to restore her to her previous level.

Lately, many firefighters have said that both Estrada and Elizondo have made life miserable for certain firefighters who they consider hostile to their authority. This election, they say, may determine whether the union remains an independent entity and an adversary of city management which seeks to defang it and make it a toothless tiger that won't fight for the labor rights of the worker.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Union don't defend anything they make the worker lazier, drive up labor costs, increase benefits, and drive jobs to foreign countries. Local unions help feed corruption and hundrr the hiring process.

Anonymous said...

Shut the fuck up Carlos Elizondo.

Anonymous said...

You are the same pendejos that blame undocumented immigrants for taking away your jobs. Completely worthless.

Anonymous said...

Eat shit, Rigo!

Anonymous said...

Yes as a business owner I agree unions do drive costs up, hinder the hiring process but I don't feel they increase corruption, rather I think unions make for hostile work environment ts. It pits the workers against the managers it becomes us vs them. I know brownsville police dept. has 2 unions and it's always a political battle.

Anonymous said...

that a boy Jorge Lerma one more for the gipper.Show the younger ones what it is to be union local 970 est.1947 there ain't no kissassing in union ,only solutions.

Anonymous said...

Why the Fire Chief a BISD board member? This is total conflict of interest and against written city policy, either the Chief needs to resign or removed from the school board. Don't understand why the city legal department didn't object to this illegal appointment.

Anonymous said...

So as your article states, it does verify that elected officials run for office just for retaliation and win only because they have friends within the ones who vote, like Mary Solis has on the board. That is the only reason she won the grievance cause open records could verify why she was demoted. Ask the teachers and ask the parents about it.

Anonymous said...

MAKE BROWNSVILLE FIRE DEPT. GREAT AGAIN !! VOTE OUT C. CABLER , C. ELIZONDO & E. ESTRADA !! THE CITIZENS OF BROWNSVILLE DESERVE THE BEST !!

Anonymous said...

Why is the fire chief allowed to serve as BISD board member? It is total conflict of interest and against city policy, don't understand how the legal departments of both public entities turned a blind eye on this matter. You can bet if this chief was Lenny Perez, he would have been fired already, we have such a corrupt system.

Anonymous said...

Why is the fire chief allowed to serve as BISD board member? It is total conflict of interest and against city policy, don't understand how the legal departments of both public entities turned a blind eye on this matter. You can bet if this chief was Lenny Perez, he would have been fired already, we have such a corrupt system.

Anonymous said...

Elizondo sold out the union and used the unions public endorsement of other politicos campains when president.That is how he got the position of fire chef Now that is corruption.

Anonymous said...

Why aren't the city and BISD attorneys bringing up the fact about Elizondo's conflict of interest positions. Don't you know the law? DO YOUR JOB !! Get your heads out of your corruptive compadrismo B.S. Or is it that all the skeletons in closets will be known with the school board, mayors, commissioners, city officials? Whew, too many to name.. Unbelievable and shameful adults... Christians living double lives?

rita