HOUSTON – Houston voters may soon get to decide if firefighters should be paid the same as police officers.
The Houston Professional Firefighters Association has launched a campaign to collect signatures for a ballot initiative, seeking pay parity.
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The union says as of today, officers are paid 60 percent higher wages than firefighters.
“We have not had a contract that’s been approved since 2011,” said Marty Lancton of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association. “Firefighters have only received a three percent pay increase as opposed to our counterparts -- who we have nothing but respect for, our brothers and sisters in blue at the Police Department -- who have gotten a 26 percent pay raise.”
The association is hoping to get voter approval to change the city charter. It would make salaries for police and fire the same.
As it stands, a firefighter trainee starts at a little more than $28,000 a year, while a police cadet earns $42,000.
You can find a complete breakdown of salaries here.
KPRC contacted the mayor's office for its reaction to the ballot initiative, but so far has received no response.
