On Monday, a judge threw out a pay raise previously awarded to Buffalo firefighters, leaving the city's bravest waiting to find out if they will have to re-pay the wages they've already earned.
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State Supreme Court John Michalek decided to reverse an arbitrators ruling which granted firefighters a 5.5 percent raise, which they began collecting in 2007.
The pay cuts will work out to approximately $230 less a month for the average firefighter, according to WGRZ-TV.
Following the decision, the city is now trying to re-coup millions of dollars that have been paid out to firefighters over the past three years.
"Practically speaking it's going to be a long term process," Acting Corporation Council David Rodriguez told the news station. He added that the city may also try to re-coup wages paid to recent retirees.
Despite the ruling, however, Dan Cunningham, president of IAFF Local 282, sees it as a victory.
"This is a good thing for us," he told WGRZ-TV. "It will bring the city hopefully to the table again to negotiate a contract long term in the best interest of the city, the firefighters, and the citizens of Buffalo."
He also noted that the ruling wiped out concessions won by the city in terms of health insurance and benefits for injured firefighters.
