Five Former MN Firefighters Reach $3.9M Settlement

The Brainerd firefighters, who lost their jobs when the union was dissolved, will not be reinstated.

Aug. 22, 2022

Five Minnesota firefighters who were sidelined have reached a $3.9M settlement with Brainerd, their former employer.

The City Council dissolved the firefighters' union in 2015 which caused the five men to lose their jobs, according to Inforum.

The firefighters will not be reinstated, reports indicated.

In 2019, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled the city's dissolvement of the union violated state labor laws.

“It’s been a long, hard-fought case over nearly seven years, and we are pleased that we finally reached a favorable resolution,” said Marshall Tanick, a Twin Cities attorney representing the union.

Brainerd will continue to operate a paid-on-call fire department, according to the resolution.

City officials told reporters that $2 million of the settlement will be covered by the city’s insurance through the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, as will the legal fees and mediation fee. Brainerd is responsible for the remaining $1.9 million.

The city must come up with the remaining $1.9 million.