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Aldermen Re
Shorter Hours, Ex
Funds 2re not now available
either to shorten Atlanta fire-
men’s workweek or raise their
pay, the aldermanic finance
committee decided Friday.
The action came after some
400 firemen, their wives and
supporters had overflowed the
aldermanie chambers at a pub-
lic hearing. They asked that the
fire department's workweek be
cut to 56 hours from the present
60 hours and that time and a
half be paid for all hours over
40.
The finance committee took
up the requests in executive
session and wound up deciding
that neither could be granted
immediately without raising
a
Va
—
£.
it
By MARION GAINES
taxes or the cily’s finding some
new source of revenue.
The aldermen made two con-
cessions, however, by adopting
resolutions promising that:
(1) Time and a half will
henceforitr be paid for fireman
called back to duty in emer-
gency situations after comp!ct-
ing their regular 60-hour week.
It was estimated this will cast
only some $5,009 to $10,000 a
year.
(2) The 56-hour week for fire-
men will be given “The first
consideration” in drawing up
next year’s city budget over
any requests for across-the-
Furemen
ira iar
ra, Pay
fD
board salary raises in any de-
partments.
All members of the finance
committee stressed that they
were in sympathy with the fire-
men’s objectives. But all
agreed, too, with Ald. Charlie
Leftwich that the current city
budget “is as tight as it’s ever
been.” |
| Comptroller Charles Davis’
‘told the committee that imple- |
menting the 56-hour week would |
require about 72 additional fire-!
men at an annual cost (based |
on top pay scale) of some!
3026,052,
Paying time and a half over
Continued on Page 5, Column 1
I‘ iemen Lose
Request for
Fewer Hours
Continued From Page 1
40 hours for a 56-hour week
would cost about $704,618 a year’
and for a 60-hour week about
$810,831 a year, Davis said.
At the public hearing, Capt. J.
C. Whitley told the aldermen
that the city was practicing
“false economy” to train young
men as firefighters and then
lose them a short time later to
jobs with shorter hours and
weekends and holidays off.
Sgt. J. D. Garrett pleaded for
implementation of the firemen’s
requests, declaring: “We can't
strike against you; all we can
do is quit and look for some-’
thing else.”
Longtime Atlanta business-
man Sam Rothberg urged the
aldermen to give the firemen a
wage “that is just, fair and
right” even if it meant increas-
ing taxes. ;
Insuranceman M. M. (Mug-
gsy) Smith said an important
factor is “the life hazard—when
these men answer a fire |
they never know if they'll come
back.” a
oy