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September 11 1966 DRAFT Dear Captain Martin: For the last five months we have been in almost c onstant communications in an effort t o reach a satisfactory and equitabl e solution to the problems 0£ p y and wo _k hours of the members of th Atl nta Fire Department. The Bo rd of Aldermen and it respon ibl committees , the Pe~ onn l Board, the Office of the 1'.1ayor, and an out ide mediator ve given full ·c onsider tion and courte y to you and your colle gue 1n th Fire D p rtmi nt in reepon e to your requ.e ts for improv ment in your working hours We have d pay scales . o given con id ration to the plight of all city mployees and took po itive deq te p y nd re · eonabl boure for every employ compr henslvc Servic t p earlier in the ye · r to produce tudy of pay cl ific tion by th through P ,tbllc Admini tration �Page Two Further , we have of necessity and public responsibility, given consideration t o tho citizens of Atlanta, for whom we have a legal and moral responsi bility to operate the City government w ith in th framework of th legal and political ch rter and ordinanc a of the City. During this p rlod of time , the citizens of Atlanta and the City gover nment have been oonst ubjected to a seri ous and illegal walkout, t public threats and intimidation of strik s and other unw rranted and und~serv d charg s by you. and the Firemen you repl"esent. contr hone t In t , the City has observed at all times a dignified,. sympathetic, nd .fair ttitude tow rd the F i remen and their demands . ln the illegal strike in June , the Fulton Sup rior C urt ordered the Firemen to return to nd U ork. neces ary for th proceeding against th · The ord r of the C ourt wa ignored City government to triking Fir men. k for contempt At the r qu.est 0£ th Fir men. th City greed to withdr w the C ourt ction without pr judtc:e and with nor criminations . Thi· greement h a b en k pt. At the lurth r r queat of th Fbem n. th City agreed to th joint appointment of an imp rtial out lde m dl tor to igh l th fact d make a rocornm nd tion on the b sie of evid nee. Dr. Edwin H ,rriaon. �Page Three the choice of the Firemen, wa.s chosen and subsequently rendered an im.p rtlal report which you fully rejected. Following your rejection of the impartial report and recommendation, the full scope and authority of the City goeernment was put at your disposal . You have met with the Bo rd of Firemasters. the Pe rsonnel B oard , the Finance Committee and the Public Adminis tration Service personnel con ultants . They were all ma.de available to you withollt prejudice and with full courtesy . I m firmly convinced d assure you th t w every venue within the legal bounds of public and meo.ns to have explored uthority to find the w ys osure the Firemen of the good faith of their elected governrnent. In view of all the prec::eeding action it iii my intention to proce d a.long the following line l! th t work in good faith Firemen remain until the City can take appropriation action following completion of the PAS report about Septem which r 15 and subsequeat ill go into elf ct on Janu ry 1, 1967: l' sult in the n w budg t �Page F o ur 1. 1 will recomm.end to the Finance Comm.ittee that emergency funds from the salary account bal nee be used to initi te hiring and tr ining of addition 1 Fire Department per onnel on October 1, so that trained pe:rsonnel will be available to implement the 56-hour work week on January 1, 1967. 2. l will further recommend that the balance of the excess salary _ccount be u.tiliz d to impl ment a. p ay scale of one and one - half time for hoUcrs worked in excess of 56 hours per week beginning October l and extending through the end 0£ the year. I sincerely hope and trust that the Firemen 'Will not take ny overt action in conflict with th tr oath of office or with their m.oral r pottSibUity to th ir city and - g inst the legal order of the Court which has instructed them that they do not hav the right to walk o£f their jobs or to stri~ • The Firemen o not have the :right to strike a ainst the public interest of this city. In the ev nt of but to ttempt to s cut'e y strik p:roceeding, the City ha no choic restraining ord r and ord r to return to �Page Five work if a s trike exists . Failure t o obey the no- st:rike order would re ult i n contempt proceedings . In the event this should happen the City hall immecli tely decl re all vacated jobs open and attempt t o !ill them with qualified p r onnel who will accept their responsibilities and uphold their oaths to provide full fire protection to the citizens of Atl nta. I urge you t o porsu de the Firemen to remain on the job, help rebuil d the morale of the Department and help thos · of us who are seeking an hone st solution to t lproblem, find the means with which to re olv it. To those men who are not willing t o :follow reasonable course, I would point ou_t th t i t is their respon ibility to dvi s City of th it intention to l' the ign and to submit th ir re ignations th proper time, giving th City · r t sonabl · notice in ord r th t · qu ifi d repl cem nt can be a cur d. I hope you and U the Fir m n of Atlant will cc pt your r s-ponolbilit! s and fulfill your duti in ood falth sol tion. Sincerely. fin �