Statement on Suspension of IAFF Local 341 President

We are dismayed to see that the City of Houston has taken this adverse employment action against IAFF Local 341 President Marty Lancton.

Firefighters are always front line heroes, but they have stood particularly tall during this pandemic. The labor movement stands fully and completely behind their efforts to advocate for workplace safety, fairness on the job, a living wage, and for the general welfare of the membership they represent.

We call upon Chief Peña and the Houston Fire Department to withdraw President Lancton’s suspension immediately and reinstate his pay. Confrontational attacks like this only inflame the ongoing dispute.

We also again urge the City of Houston to withdraw its legal challenge to the collective bargaining rights of Houston Firefighters. It is long past time to put this conflict to rest by going to arbitration.

The Texas labor movement remains committed to supporting a mutually beneficial solution between the parties. We again offer our assistance in any way that might be helpful in achieving this result.

Lacy Wolf
President, Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

Rick Levy
President, Texas AFL-CIO