The union representing firefighters across North America has issued a formal condemnation of the chief and assistant chief of Chatham-Kent’s fire department.
More than 2,000 delegates with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) unanimously approved a resolution censuring Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Case and Assistant Chief Dan Parent during its annual convention in August, in response to complaints from unionized firefighters in CK.
The resolution represents one of the union’s strongest public rebukes of fire service leadership. It also follows a vote in May that saw 97 percent of unionized CK fire staff, represented by IAFF Local 486, say they had “no confidence” in Case’s leadership. Of those who voted, 99 percent said they had also lost confidence in Parent.
Unionized employees make up 19 per cent of the municipality’s fire department staff.
“Chatham-Kent firefighters have tried repeatedly to work with Chief Case and Assistant Chief Parent to address the challenges facing their members and the community they serve. But good-faith efforts have been resisted time and again. The actions of the Chief and Assistant Chief have left firefighters with no choice but to ensure the public and elected leaders know they have lost confidence in the department’s leadership,” said IAFF 13th District Vice President Fred LeBlanc in a news release.
Despite the vote of non-confidence, Chatham-Kent CAO Michael Duben said the municipality remains confident in the leadership team at Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue.
“They continue to have the full support of administration, and they remain focused on delivering high-quality fire protection and emergency response services to residents across Chatham-Kent,” Duben said in a statement.
Duben said the IAFF has announced its resolution while the municipality is currently engaged in collective agreement negotiations with its fire staff.
“I am disappointed that the Professional Firefighters Association would choose to take this approach,” said Duben. “Effective labour relations requires ongoing cooperation and communication between unions and employers. The municipality remains committed to addressing concerns through established labour relations processes and to engaging with employee representatives in a respectful and constructive manner.”
According to the union, Local 486 members have been raising safety concerns for years over inadequate training and equipment, including for swift-water rescues.
“Despite these safety concerns, Local 486 members continue to respond to these high-risk emergencies without proper training and equipment, putting them and the public at unnecessary risk,” the IAFF said.
Local firefighters also filed a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour on March 24. Since filing the complaint, fire staff allege that they have faced escalating retaliation from department leadership, including the opening of investigations into multiple union members.
“It is important to note that the Ministry of Labour has not issued any orders against the municipality in respect of the concerns identified by the Professional Firefighters Association,” said Duben. “Residents should be assured that CK Fire and Rescue Services continue to operate effectively and that emergency response services remain uninterrupted.”
The IAFF said Local 486 currently has 15 ongoing grievances challenging the department’s conduct.
