Firefighters, residents press council for transparency as pay-study dispute escalates

A large turnout of firefighters, union representatives and residents took the council podium on Nov. 5 to press elected officials for transparent answers about the parish pay study and the status of negotiations over firefighter pay.

Speakers alleged that the administration changed the departments included in the pay study after an initial agreement with union representatives, which, they said, skewed the results and reduced apparent pay disparities. Several speakers said starting pay for entry-level positions is low (one public commenter cited $10.53 per hour from a paycheck), and that overtime was being used in ways that complicate public understanding of salaries. Union members said they had attempted to negotiate in good faith for months and asked the council to authorize mediation.

Council members acknowledged the tensions. Some council members urged respect during testimony and defended the need to provide accurate information to voters if a millage or ballot measure is anticipated. Others questioned using a PR firm and urged direct negotiation with union leadership. Officials also described new health-and-wellness funding for the East Bank consolidated district (an amended agreement raising an annual cap to $1,573,700) and discussed mandated cancer screening costs for volunteer departments.

The public-comment session highlighted the depth of the dispute: representatives described threats to members' families, frustration with social-media narratives, recruitment and retention challenges, and personal accounts of cancer and financial strain. Several speakers asked the council to schedule mediation or line-by-line budget review to identify funding sources for raises. The council and administration committed to follow-up on medical-screening funding, attorney-reviewed educational materials, and continued negotiation pathways.