City of Eagle Pass, TX Fire Fighters & Police Officers Collective Bargaining Election on Saturday, May 7th
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas is holding a special election on the Fire Fighters and Police Officers Collective Bargaining Referendum on Saturday, May 7, 2016, at the City’s Multi-Purpose Center, located at Fort Duncan Park in downtown, from 7 AM to 7 PM to determine if the City’s finest will be allowed to have collective bargaining rights as part of their civil service under state law.
All Eagle Pass voters are encouraged to come out and vote either “Yes” or “No” for the collective bargaining referendum.
City fire fighters and police officers were forced to seek collective bargaining rights due to the City of Eagle Pass Employee Compensation Pay Plan being incomplete and dysfunctional concerning several positions within their departments, causing a salary decrease instead of an increase as intended. City fire fighters and police officers also allege that they seek to get rid of the politics involved by City Hall and City Council regarding the promotion of officers within their departments. Fire fighters and police officers contend that collective bargaining will bring professionalism and merit-based promotions under the state’s civil service statute.
On the other hand, the City Council led by Mayor Ramsey English Cantu and Council members Rudy Villalpando, Luis E. Sifuentes, Yolanda P. Ramon, and Gloria E. Hernandez oppose the collective bargaining referendum and approved a resolution against it, arguing that it would raise ad valorem property taxpayers and the city’s fiscal budget as well.
A local citizens committee against collective bargaining has formed to advocate against the referendum. City fire fighters and police officers allege that individual members of the City’s Civil Service Commission, who are supposed to be neutral and impartial, have been seen or heard advocating against collective bargaining and the City’s fire fighters and police officers’ referendum, raising serious ethics questions if these allegations are true.
City registered voters will decide the fate of the fire fighters and police officers collective bargaining rights referendum election on Saturday, May 7, 2016.
