r/Firefighting • u/IronWolfBlaze • Apr 24 '25

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

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

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u/tomlaw4514 Apr 25 '25

Philly gets 10.5 hrs sick per month for 126/year, 288 hrs / year was pretty sweet deal, vacation 1st-8th year is 8 hours month, 9-13 years 12 hours then 14+ 16 hours/ month, so you guys had a pretty sweet deal on that issue

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u/IronWolfBlaze Apr 25 '25

Philly firefighters also work 42-hour weeks, not 56 like in Winston-Salem. That’s a huge difference in hours worked annually. When you adjust for shift length and total hours, WSFD's old leave wasn’t excessive—it was comparable. After the cuts, we’re well below departments with similar demands.

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u/tomlaw4514 Apr 25 '25

We work 4 12s, 48 hours/week