ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after his appointment take over At Walt Disney World’s management area earlier this year, its firefighters were among the few employees who publicly welcomed them with open arms.
But that warm relationship is in jeopardy as the new district administrator restarts negotiations on a contract that unionized firefighters approved last month, promising pay rises and additional manpower.
The contract was originally planned to be voted on during the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors meeting last month, but it was never brought up and was not on the agenda released ahead of the next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday.
Firefighters’ annual starting salaries would increase from $55,000 to $65,000 under the three-year contract proposal that was overwhelmingly approved by 200 firefighters and first responders. It also pledged to hire as many as three dozen firefighters and paramedics.
In several meetings since the director appointed by DeSantis took office this spring, Jon Shirey, who leads the firefighters’ union, has praised their work around the 39-square-mile (101-square-kilometer) Disney World property. The fire station visited the firefighters.
After years of conflict with his pro-Disney predecessor, the firefighters look forward to working with new directors and administrators and see the appointments as “opportunities for a fresh start,” he said.
“Almost overnight, there were changes that we had never experienced before — transparency, open dialogue, the ability to sit down and have our issues heard and felt,” Shirey told board members last month. “You’ve been able to build bridges that have been burned for a long time.”
The feeling is mutual, and board chairman Martin Garcia said last month that supervisors are working with firefighters to resolve their issues. Even so, Garcia made clear that firefighters aren’t the only district employees the board wants to support.
“We also need to let (other) employees know that we love you too. We care about you. We love you like we love our firefighters,” Garcia said.
But the delay in approving the contract has alienated the firefighters union, which backed DeSantis’ re-election bid for governor last year. recently launched A campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The old contract expired four years ago, and the firefighters declared an impasse last year when the district board was still controlled by Disney supporters. Reedy Creek Professional Firefighter, local 2117 been warning for years They are understaffed, which poses a safety risk as the central Florida theme park resort expands.
Last month, District Administrator John Classe, who initially negotiated the new contract, was replaced by the board with Glenton Gilzean, who was DeSantis’ Ally, who previously served as president and CEO of the Central Florida Urban League, will receive a salary of $400,000 in his new job. The district is also paying Classe to keep him as special counsel.
Board spokesman Alexei Woltornist said talks with the union were continuing, but did not explain why they were reopening under contracts already approved for firefighters and first responders.
In an email to The Associated Press, Woltornist said: “Chief Gilzean is actively working with the fire department to finalize an agreement that provides a competitive compensation package and provides firefighters with the support they need to protect the public. H.”
Officials with the firefighters union had no comment.
DeSantis appointees took over the management board of Disney World earlier this year after year feud between the company and DeSantis. The fight started last year after Disney, Enormous pressure Internally and externally, public opposition to a state law banning the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in lower grades classrooms, policy critics call “Don’t say gay.”
as punishment, DeSantis took over the district Legislation passed by Florida lawmakers and a new board of supervisors appointed to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme park and hotel. But before the new board took office, the company struck a deal with members of the previous supervisory board that stripped the new supervisor of design and construction powers.
Disney sues DeSantis and the five-member committee, asked a federal judge to strike down the governor’s takeover of the theme park district and the actions of the oversight board on the grounds that they violated the company’s free speech rights.
Board sues Disney Fighting in state court to maintain its control of Disney World architecture and design.
The district was created in 1967 when then-Governor of Florida, Claude Kirk, signed legislation that empowered the district to manage land use, enforce building codes, treat wastewater, control drainage systems, maintain public facilities and provide fire protection for Disney World.
This type of private government is not uncommon in fast-growing Florida, which has more than 600 community development districts that manage and pay for the infrastructure of new communities.
