New Orleans firefighters marched on City Hall on Thursday to demand to be paid a living wage.
"For too long, the highly trained and dedicated employees of the NOFD have risked their lives for less than adequate compensation," Aaron Mischler, executive president for New Orleans firefighters union, told WDSU-TV.
The march come as the city council holds a hearing Thursday creating a standard hourly pay rate of at least $15 for contractors, WDSU-TV reports. Starting hourly pay for a New Orleans firefighter is $11.29, and without promotion, a firefighter with 24 years of service could expect to earn $16.60 an hour.
In an earlier statement, the firefighters union said it didn't oppose the proposed measure to increase the pay rate for contractors. The union's contention is that firefighters should receive the same increase.
“We appreciate the council’s efforts to create a living wage for those doing business with the city, but we expect the council to address the lack of a living wage for essential classified employees of the city by petitioning the Civil Service Commission to adjust the pay scale," Mischler told WDSU. "All we want is a living wage like the contractors."
The city council is expected to vote on the measure later this month.
