Rhode Island pays more than it should for fire protection compared with the rest of the nation. As a result city and state officials have been trying to rein in some of the practices that lead to that issue. And we're not even talking about the outrageous number of fire stations in the Ocean State, more than in either Los Angeles or Chicago.
House and Senate committees were expected to vote last week on legislation that would change state law about firefighter overtime, deviating it from federal law. The Fair Labor Standards Act creates an exemption for firefighters, recognizing the 24x7 nature of the profession, allowing in effect the standard work week to be 53 hours.
The legislation being considered would make 42 hours the maximum workweek, potentially costing municipalities millions of dollars in overtime pay. The Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns is vehemently opposed to the change.
On a related front, Providence firefighters and the union representing them are engaged in a battle with Mayor Jorge O. Elorza's over his plan to shrink the number of platoons from four to three, a move that the mayor says would save the city $5 million in overtime expense.
No one is asking firefighters to be paid less than they have earned. Their work is important and extremely difficult. But they must recognize that especially in Rhode Island, every government or public agency must do its best to be the most efficient steward of public resource it can be. And that means the firefighters must do their part as well. Neither legislation should become law. •