Firefighters turn up heat on City Hall

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The men and women who fight fires in Buffalo are trying to turn up the heat on City Hall.

Members of the Buffalo Firefighters Union gathered outside the Irish Center on Friday to kick off a campaign to end their contract stalemate with the city. Firefighters have been working without a contract since 2002. Mayor Byron Brown says the city made its first offer to settle this in 2007.

Mayor Byron Brown said, "We've made a number of proposals to the union and I wonder how many of those proposals have actually gotten to the rank and file firefighter so that they can evaluate what has been put on the table for them."

Union President Dan Cunningham said, "He hasn't given us a complete offer, from A to Z, of a contract to present to my executive board, to the negotiating committee, to my attorneys. Then how then can I pass out anything to the rank and file to vote because he never gave me one."

Both sides are expected to meet again on Monday.