Winston-Salem Firefighters: Underpaid, Understaffed, and Now Losing Their Sick Time— I heard you sir, have a seat.

[u/IronWolfBlaze]

Winston-Salem firefighters are facing a full-scale erosion of their pay, staffing, and safety—and the city is doubling down. Here's what’s happening:

• No step pay plan means firefighters have no guaranteed path to raises. They’re stuck in vague pay bands, creating pay compression and forcing many to leave for better-paying departments.

• Staffing was slashed from 89 to 79 per shift, well below the 4-person-per-truck standard set by NFPA and IFSTA.

• Safety 7 and the air supply truck were eliminated, removing key fireground safety support and equipment resupply.

• Sick time cut in half—from 288 to 134 hours a year. First-year vacation time also slashed from 240 to 112 hours. Even senior firefighters with 20+ years lose hundreds of hours.

• They’re paid 4–7% less than comparable departments in North Carolina despite facing more fires and longer shifts.

• Union President Parrinello was shut down at a city council meeting while trying to speak: “I heard you, sir. Have a seat.” —Mayor Allen Joines

• Meanwhile, Greensboro staffs 156 per shift. Winston-Salem does more with less and still gets punished for it.

• Firefighters are taking second jobs after 24-hour shifts just to get by—this isn’t just morale. It’s a public safety issue.

Full articles here: https://archive.ph/kjuy9
https://archive.ph/7Svig

Watch the mayor shut down the Union President. https://www.youtube.com/live/fYXwPz5VwOw?si=q5WTCgW5HMCwgQSl&t=1h16m5s

[u/sprucay]

Might be controversial in the US but we'd have gone on strike ages ago in the UK.