Jan. 17--The Chicago firefighters union has endorsed Mayor Rahm Emanuel for a second term, the mayor's campaign said Friday.
It's a turnabout for Emanuel, whose first couple of years in office were marked by him leaving the door open to closing firehouses and lowering staffing levels while talking openly about cutting costs in the department. The rhetoric angered union leadership as the new mayor began the traditionally acrimonious process of negotiating a new contract for the Fire Department.
Then about nine months ago, Emanuel and the union agreed to a new pact giving firefighters and paramedics an 11 percent raise over five years.
On Friday, the Emanuel campaign released a statement thanking the union for its support. "Mayor Emanuel is proud to have the support of Chicago's firefighters and paramedics for this re-election," campaign spokesman Steve Mayberry said. "Local 2's endorsement further illustrates that Mayor Emanuel has the right vision to lead the city for working families in every neighborhood in Chicago."
Fire union leaders could not be reached for comment.
Emanuel got the endorsement despite the fact that some firefighters were angered last summer when the mayor announced a plan to give a hiring preference for the Fire Department to graduates of the city's public high schools.
While Emanuel got some labor peace with the union, he still faces a looming $550 million increase in police and fire pensions that the city is required under state law to make to shore up the ailing retirement systems. Emanuel has said he is awaiting the results of a court case on a state law that cut benefits in the state worker pension system as looks for a solution for the city.
