News Releases

Atlanta Professional Fire Fighters, Local 134
161 Mangum Street, Atlanta Georgia 30313
Office of the President
J. David Rhodes, 678-776-5273


December 4, 2004

Fire Fighters take Parity Case to Voters in Virginia Highlands

Tomorrow at 10:00 am Atlanta Fire Fighters continue their struggle to restore parity with Atlanta Police by targeting city council district 6. Fire Fighters will be canvassing the area with flyers asking citizens to support equal pay for Fire Fighters. This grassroots campaign is an attempt to gain the necessary votes to override the mayor’s veto of the 4% pay increase and further ed ucate the citizens on the issue of parity.

This area was chosen because council member Anne Fauver was one of 6 council members who voted against a 4% pay increase for Fire Fighters. “We know from our day to day contact with the citizens in this district that they support parity for Fire Fighters. Our goal is to make sure that the citizens not only express their support to us, but to their elected council member as well,” said David Rhodes, president of the Atlanta Professional Fire Fighters.

Previously, Fire Fighters have targeted similar appeals to the voters in council districts 4, 6, 7, 8 and 11 and received an overwhelmingly positive response. “Our greatest asset is the support of the citizens. We have spoken with thousands of Atlantans and found that they are very unhappy with the council members who voted against their Fire Fighters. Our best hope for overriding the Mayor’s veto is if their constituents will is reflected in the council member’s vote,” remarked Rhodes.

Failure of the council to override the Mayor’s veto would increase the disparity between Police and Fire Fighters. On Monday at 1:00PM, Fire Fighters will attend the regular meeting of the City Council when they are expected to vote on the veto override.


For more information on Fire Fighter activities please contact:

David Rhodes - 678-776-5273 or
Jim Daws – 404-406-9913

Activity Date: December 5, 2004
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Fire Station 19, (1063 North Highland Ave. NE)