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9‑1‑1 dispatchers describe forced 16‑hour shifts and ask council for scheduling and pay changes
Summary
Multiple 9‑1‑1 dispatchers told the council they are being forced into 16‑hour shifts with insufficient recovery time and urged the city to consider reducing mandatory shift length and adding hazard/first‑responder pay.
At the Albuquerque City Council meeting, several 9‑1‑1 dispatchers described working 16‑hour shifts with only eight hours between shifts and asked the council to press administration for scheduling changes and hazard pay.
"When we work 16‑hour shifts, we only have about eight hours in between our shifts," said Emilio Martinez, who identified himself as a 9‑1‑1 operator. "It's incredibly difficult. I'm asking the city of Albuquerque to reduce the mandatory forcing from 16 hours down to just 14 hours so we have enough time to get a full eight hours of sleep."
Another dispatcher, speaking as an APD dispatcher, described coming to work after two to three hours of sleep to handle traumatic calls and urged the council to include dispatchers in consideration for first‑responder hazard pay during upcoming budget revisions.
City administration cautioned the council that some terms referenced by speakers are part of ongoing collective bargaining and should not be negotiated in public; CAO Sango and Mr. Whelan said the administration would provide information that is not subject to bargaining. Vice President Champagne and Councilor Rogers both asked administration to supply a report with staffing numbers, how many employees are working extended shifts, and how frequently forced overtime occurs.
Why it matters: Dispatch staffing, mandatory overtime, and compensation affect emergency response reliability and employee safety. Several councilors expressed sympathy and asked for factual staffing data from administration that is not part of active negotiations.
What comes next: Council members requested an administrative report on current dispatch staffing and overtime practices. No council vote or contract changes were made at the meeting; the council noted collective bargaining constraints on public discussion of active negotiations.
