United States (Pennsylvania) - City firefighters are scheduled to picket outside City Hall on Tuesday in response to the furloughs of 11 firefighters last week. Mike Bilski, president of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 104, and Shawn Williams, vice-president of public relations for Local 104, said firefighters will gather outside at 8:30 a.m. and will stay picketing for several hours.

"Hopefully we'll get a good turnout with our guys," Williams said Monday.

Signs have already been made for picketing firefighters.

Mayor Thomas Leighton furloughed 11 firefighters and four employees in the city Department of Public Works last week in an attempt to ease fiscal pressure on the general fund budget through the end of the year. Leighton has stated he hoped the firefighters will be rehired next year.

The furloughs took effect Saturday and dropped the fire department's force from 67 to 53.

Bilski said Monday the furloughs have already resulted in three shifts that needed to be filled with overtime on Saturday and Sunday.

Overtime projections for the remainder of December will require more than 80 overtime shifts, union officials estimated.

Written by The Times Leader

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