REDDING, Calif. - The Redding Fire Department had to cancel two firefighting orientation academies due to a “lack of recruitment.”
The academies were slated for February and March and they needed 15 recruits per academy but only had three.
The City of Redding now says it is working in "good faith" with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to reach a deal on a new labor contract.
The most recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city and IAFF expired in December.
The city hired a consulting company in 2021 to study the city’s compensation plan and says it believes it's offering a competitive compensation package.
The firefighters union tells Action News Now the city is derailing negotiations and canceled their Jan. 27 meeting.
“We recognize the importance of our emergency service personnel in the City of Redding. We will continue to work hard to ensure we can reach a contract agreement that results in a positive outcome for the Redding Firefighters while maintaining the health of the General Fund,” said Redding City Manager Barry Tippin in a news release. “Meeting the needs of both our community and our emergency staff are of the utmost importance to us.”
