By Katie Knapp Schubert
Omaha, NE – The Omaha Fire Union has filed a prohibited practice petition with the Commission of Industrial Relations following last week's City Council vote on a new contract.
The fire union's filing Friday came three days after the City Council amended, then rejected, a new agreement between the Professional Firefighters Assocation and the city. In the filing, union leaders accuse the city of bad faith bargaining, and say Council members have no authority to negotiate with unions.
Union leaders also say in the CIR documents that the Council's amendments "were not made in conjunction with any enhanced economic offer beneficial to bargaining unit members."
The new fire union contract was announced in May following more than 150 collective bargaining sessions between May 2009 and May of this year.