Nov. 26--ATHENS -- About 15 firefighters walked out Monday night after the Athens City Council approved a new policy that limits a personal day to 8 hours.
The City Council voted 4-1 to approve the new policy.
Council President Harold Wales and Councilman Jimmy Gill were angry at the firefighters' exit.
Wales called the exit "rude."
Gill said the exit was upsetting because he said he fought for the personal day in 1996 after the council took away the birthday off day to create a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
"They don't have to respect me, but they should respect the office and the City Council," Gill said.
The firefighters were upset because they work 24-hour shifts and will now have to use vacation leave to miss an entire shift, Fire Chief Tony Kirk said.
The firefighters declined comment as they filed out of the police station.
Kirk tried unsuccessfully to get the council not to change the policy.
Kirk argued that the policy on having either their birthday off or a personal day always has been equal to a shift.
Gill said the council initially meant for a personal day to equal eight hours and it was never meant to be longer.
Chris Seibert was the only councilman to vote against the new policy. He said this is a morale issue because "the savings with the change is insignificant."
City Clerk Annette Barnes could not tell the council how much it will save with the new policy.
Seibert said a personal day should equal an employee's shift.
Firefighters work 24 hours. Some Athens Utilities employees work 10- and 12-hour shifts.
Wales said the City Council plans to looks at increasing firefighters' and police officers' pay so the city can stay competitive with other cities in the hiring market.
Seibert said it's double talk to reduce their personal pay and then talk about salary increases.
Wales and Councilman Wayne Harper said the 8-hour personal day is a fairness issue. Wales said all employees should receive an equal amount of hours for a personal day.
The firefighters were upset for the second straight meeting. At the last meeting, the council reduced and capped employee sick leave.
"From what I'm hearing from the guys, this is particularly hard to swallow after the first change," Kirk said.
While Harper said he understands how the firefighters feel, Gill wasn't as understanding.
"They will get over it," Gill said. "This is something we had to do."
Copyright 2013 - The Decatur Daily, Ala.
