Conroe Firefighters Seek Bargaining, City Cites Law

## Conroe Firefighters Face Off Against City Hall Over Collective Bargaining Rights

**Conroe, TX –** A brewing conflict over collective bargaining rights has ignited in Conroe, pitting the city’s professional firefighters against City Hall in what appears to be an impending legal showdown. The dispute centers on differing interpretations of Texas state law and a recent voter-approved city charter amendment.

On June 15th, Conroe’s professional firefighters voted unanimously to form IAFF Local 4514, a local affiliate of the powerful International Association of Fire Fighters. The Conroe Professional Fire Fighters Association (CPFFA) immediately announced its intention to seek collective bargaining with the city, a move they believe is empowered by a recent amendment to the city’s charter.

However, the City of Conroe swiftly pushed back. Just two days later, on June 17th, City Administrator Norman McGuire sent a letter to the CPFFA, pumpng the brakes on any negotiations. The city’s official stance, reiterated by spokesperson Curt Maddux, is that Texas Local Government Code Chapter 143 – which governs civil service for firefighters and police officers – does not permit Conroe firefighters to engage in collective bargaining.

The city’s interpretation of Chapter 143 hinges on a specific clause, stating that only cities with populations over 10,000 that *already had* civil service protection in place *before 1977* are allowed to collectively bargain. Conroe, which has experienced massive growth in recent decades, did not meet that pre-1977 criterion.

But the CPFFA contends this interpretation is outdated and fails to acknowledge a critical development: the overwhelming approval of Proposition A by Conroe voters on May 6th, 2023. This city charter amendment, which garnered a robust 78% of the vote, effectively allowed Conroe to adopt state law regarding civil service for its firefighters.

CPFFA President Christopher Smith argues that by passing Proposition A, Conroe – now a city of well over 100,000 residents – has adopted Chapter 143, thereby gaining the ability to bargain. Smith and the CPFFA point to the 2007 Texas Supreme Court ruling in *City of San Antonio v. Int’l Ass’n of Fire Fighters Local 624* as a key precedent. In that landmark case, the court affirmed a home rule city’s authority to grant collective bargaining rights to its firefighters through its city charter, even if the city didn’t meet the restrictive pre-1977 Chapter 143 criteria. The ruling essentially clarified that Chapter 143 did not preempt a home rule city from granting such rights through local legislative action.

“We stand ready to negotiate at any time, in good faith, on behalf of our members,” Smith stated, emphasizing the firefighters’ commitment to the process. However, he also issued a clear warning: “If the city does not come to the table, we are prepared to file a lawsuit to secure our lawful bargaining rights.”

The formation of IAFF Local 4514 means Conroe’s firefighters now have the backing of a major national labor organization, which often provides legal and strategic support in such disputes. Collective bargaining for firefighters typically covers critical issues such as wages, benefits, working conditions, safety protocols, and staffing levels, all of which directly impact public safety.

This legal disagreement sets the stage for a significant battle that could have lasting implications for city-employee relations in Conroe and potentially serve as a benchmark for other Texas cities navigating similar interpretations of state law and local voter mandates. What began with a unanimous vote and a hopeful announcement has quickly escalated into a high-stakes legal and political challenge.