Okla. FFs sue city over unpaid, delayed overtime wages

IAFF Local 176 President Matt Lay says Tulsa and the mayor have “a legal and moral obligation to compensate our firefighters”

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Image/Tulsa Firefighter’s Union (IIAF Local 176)

By Leila Merrill

TULSA, Okla. — Thirteen firefighters are suing the city in federal court, the Tulsa World reported. The firefighters claim that the city has failed to pay them overtime wages, which violates the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The lawsuit involves two areas of overtime pay – regularly scheduled overtime work and overtime they end up working due to staffing issues or as otherwise needed.

In addition to the alleged stoppage of payment for regularly-scheduled overtime work, the firefighters also say that the city is often late to pay for the unplanned overtime work.

“The Mayor’s Office and the City of Tulsa have a legal and moral obligation to compensate our Firefighters in accordance with federal law, corresponding state statutes, and the terms of our union contract,” Tulsa International Association of Fire Fighters Local 176 President Matt Lay said in a statement. “Their continued failure to do so has done great harm to the hard-working men and women of the Tulsa Fire Department.

The city declined to comment on the pending litigation.

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