Firefighter mold kit grievance (Local 141)

Union attorney argued the July order to deliver mold kits was outside Section 8.4 firefighting duties, noting the union isn't trying to change the contract — just get a finding that this specific order was improper.

Captain Crab, who filed the grievance, testified that crews had only an address, no name or phone number, and that kits had never been delivered a week after a flood in his 22 years with the department.

City attorney argued the chief has management rights under Section 8.4, citing a prior arbitration treating preventative work as rescue work, and warned that upholding the grievance would sideline the fire department in future disaster recovery.

Union vice president argued fire departments respond to emergencies, not restoration issues, and that the health department could have delivered the kits itself the following Monday.

Union representative argued the prior arbitration case was distinguishable — it involved smoke detector safety checks, not delivering cleaning supplies, which is 'more of a job for Amazon than the fire department.'

Fire Chief Eaton testified that no one was reassigned, the request came through the 211 line via Brown County Emergency Management, and that the job description's 'salvage property' duty and property-conservation priorities justified helping.