GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Both selflessness and a danger to self are things people often associate with the job of a firefighter.
And as some view departments around Michigan as in desperate need of staff, they're pushing a bill in Lansing meant to make minimum staffing a mandatory topic at the bargaining table for public employees like many firefighters who can bargain their contracts.
"It specifically includes firefighters, police officers and those first responders who are public employees," said the bill's author, State Rep. Jim Haadsma (D-Battle Creek). "It would ensure that a safety issue concerning staffing would be a mandatory subject of bargaining."
House Bill 4688, as currently amended, did manage to make it through the House Labor Committee in November.
But 6 months later, the bill hasn't moved since.
The pace so far has some calling for quick action as summer approaches.
"When the summer is coming, our run volumes go up across the state," said Matt Sahr, who serves as president of the Michigan Professional Firefighters Union, which has affiliated chapters in West Michigan cities like Grand Rapids and Wyoming. "And, you know, one life loss is too many without the proper staffing or giving those people the best positive outcome."
According to Sahr, there are about 50 firefighters for every 100,000 residents in Michigan.
In many neighboring states, he said, that rate is doubled.
"Here in Michigan, with us being so understaffed, you know, it puts us in a position to where, you know, we believe that we can do better, and that starts with having those conversations at home, at the table when we're bargaining your contracts," Sahr said.
But when lawmakers heard testimony in September, some were not on board with the idea in the original bill.
Wyoming City Attorney Scott Smith told the Labor Committee in September, in part, that it would do away with municipalities' ability to reduce staffing during economic downturns.
"If firefighter safety is the issue, there is a better way," Smith told lawmakers. "Offer incentives or impose requirements for safe staffing and various circumstances. Tie them to widely recognized standards by accrediting agencies. Also, make them incident-specific."
Smith also made note of some volunteer departments without collective bargaining who would not be impacted by the legislation.
Sitting alongside a representative from the Michigan Municipal League, Smith told lawmakers having to balance various city interests could complicate minimum staffing bargaining.
"If I listened to the DPW workers at a construction site, they're telling me we don't have enough people at construction sites," Smith said. "If I listened to the snowplow drivers, we don't have enough snowplow drivers to keep them from working multiple shifts when we have a polar vortex. So, I'm always balancing those interests."
"If I listened to police officers and businesspeople in the community, we should have doubled the police department that we've got," he continued. "And even then, we might not be providing for officer safety and community safety at a level everybody wants. So, what I'm telling you is that local governments every day have to make choices."
Haadsma, however, believes the costs would be worth it.
"It's money that is well spent if one considers from a cost-benefit analysis, how those in the field, the firefighters, police officers and first responders are impacted by safe staffing and having an adequate safeguard with them," Haadsma said. "And it also makes sense from a cost-benefit analysis to the public so they can be better served when there's more adequate staffing and essential services like fire, police, first responders."
In response to some concerns, Haadsma said, the bill was narrowed to only include certain public employees in collective bargaining units.
With state budget season now in full swing, the bill sits on the House floor. Haadsma believes it could be taken up in late Spring or Autumn.
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