To the publisher: The recent survey of the remuneration rates of the Los Angeles fire services union was discouraging (“A Times survey: the Chief of the Union of Lafd won $ 540,000 in a year, with huge payments of overtime”, “ April 30). At least we learn that the best union authorities finally put an end to some of them.
Before retiring, I was an employee of 25 years of age. I was a member of the American communications workers throughout my career and I was elected to a union executive consulting position for three mandates before retiring. With all wages and overtime, my pay checks have never reached nearly $ 100,000 per year. When the union officers missed work to cover union activities, the company moored our salary at that time and the CWA has exactly reimbursed us the amount that we “lose” not to work – no additional time.
When I read how some of our firefighters officers earn more than $ 500,000 in salary, overtime and unions, it makes me angry. I was proud to be a union man during my working career. But hearing these stories, it is not surprising that people complain to corrupt the unions. Freddy Escobar and others again give bad name unionism.
Greg Golden, Van Nuys
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To the publisher: Your conclusions on the salary of the Los Angeles firefighters are no surprise for anyone paying attention to the remuneration of the public. Transparent California has increased the red flag on firefighters' extensions for years. The real data, as provided by the City and published on our site, shows in 2023 the average total salary for a “firefighter III” (the majority of those who have a firefighter in their title) was $ 174,912, including average hours of $ 53,851.
Wouldn't that benefit residents of Los Angeles to use this overtime remuneration to stimulate staff and minimize firefighters working for long hours? Having firefighters who do not work continuously for long hours would the best thing for residents of Los Angeles? What if our government's priority was to provide residents with services, rather than providing employees with higher wages and benefits?
Todd Maddison, Oceanside
This writer is the director of research in transparent California.
