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CITY OF ATLANTA IVAN ALLEN, JR., MAYOR R. EARL LANDERS, Admin istra tive Assist ant MRS. ANN M. MOS ES, Execut ive Secretary DAN E. SWEAT, JR ., Director of Govern mental Liaison NEWS RELEASE C ITY HALL ATLANTA, GA. 3030 3 Tel. 522-4463 Area Code 404 STATEMENT BY MAYOR !VAN .AL LlE N; ALDE RM.AN 'W ILLIAM T, KNIGHT, CW..IRMAN, BOARD OF FIREMM> TE RS ; AND CHI EF C, H . HILDEBRAND, ATLANTA FIRE DEPARTMENT' - - T HUR SDAY , J U NE 9, 19 66, 11:30 A. M , More than 500 Atlanta., fi reme n c ontimue to re f u se t o report for d uty as directed by order of the Fulto n Su.~e r i<r:> r Ca.u rt and b y the authorities of the City of Atlanta and the A tlanta F i r e 1De pa:rtmen t, The City A ttorney's office has asked the Court this morning t o cite th e A tlantta Firefigh t e rs Union, Inde p e ndent, and its principal officers, J. I. M a rt in amd Leonard Styron, for civil conte mpt and failure to return to duty as cor del!."ed . The City of Atlanta h aw, made e,v e r y a tte mpt t o r es olve the pre s e nt dilemma with the members of tlre Ficre De par h ne nt rhr o ugh thes e m e n who are the representatives of the sttriki.mg fi1remen . We hav e d o n e a s m uch a s is possible under the laws gove r ninW, th e C ity o f Atlanta . The Union leaders ancn s raki ng; fir el!il'len h ave s how n an utte r contempt for the laws of the State of Ge or gia am d th e a ut h orit y of the C ity of Atla nta. They have also shown a reckle s s d is, e ga :rd fo r the prop e rty and live s of the citizens of this city. We can no longe r tol e ira te a ctio n wrud.ch pl a c es in jeopa rdy t h e thousands of lives and millions o f do lar s of p r operty wh ich the s e me n are under sworn oath to prote ct. Th e r eJfo r e, w e a re di r e c t i ng a ll employee s o f the Atlanta Fire D e p a rtm ent who wis h to rema in a s empl oy ee s o f the City to report to duty on their normal h i f•Sl no l a te r t han 8: 00 a . m . Saturday. F a ilure to report will be conside r e d a V'1olat:i.on a;f the City ' s Civ il S e r vice L a w a nd �,, will be used as the basis of charges to be preferredforinattention to or dereliction of duty. Employees failing to report will be suspended by the Chief pending the h ~arings and action will be taken to fill those positions which remain vacant. We urge these employees to consider their responsibilities to the people of Atlanta and to their own families. Loss of incom.e and the placing in jeopardy of many years of retirer.nent rights and other accumulated benefits is a serious and foolish gamble they are taking by refusing to return to their posts. The City officials have met with the leaders of the Union in good faith. These leaders have stated that they have asked the firemen to obey the legal authority of the Court and return to their stations but there has been no response to thitL. request from the Union leadership. Apparently, there are no lines of communications now open with Union authority accepted by its members. Capt. Martin and Capt. Styron apparently have no control over the striking members because their request has been ignored. These two men also have failed to comply with their own request and have not reported to their duty stations. We trust that the members of the Fire Department, many of whom have worked long years of dedicated servicei: will consider their responsibilities and obligations to the City, the laws of our State, and to their families and return to work as directed. �