Firefighters, officers endorse Ford
2006-10-03
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel
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rss feedU.S. Senate Democratic nominee Harold Ford Jr. received the endorsement Monday of firefighters and law enforcement officers, who also backed Ford's claim in a controversial TV ad about their pay.
"It was a no-brainer for us," said Gary Moore, who is with the Professional Firefighters Association of Tennessee.
Moore cited Ford's support of federal legislation to give firefighters and law enforcement officers the right to collectively bargain with their employers.
During interviews with all the candidates during the primary, Republican nominee and former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker told first responders he did not believe they should have the right to negotiate with their employers for benefits.
And Moore backed Ford's ad that says Corker froze firefighters' pay while giving himself a raise when he was mayor.
Moore referred to the pay step program put in place to ensure Chattanooga police and firefighters get increases over time of 3 percent to 5 percent each year. Corker suspended the pay step program and substituted it with a 2 percent increase and $500 to offset a $600 health insurance premium increase, Ford officials said.
"He took away their step raises and in the process, gave himself a raise," Moore said.
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