A Test of Good Faith

“Recognition Is the Foundation for Resolution”

Why June 19 Matters to Every St. George Firefighter—and the Public We Serve

This Thursday, June 19, the St. George Fire Board will be presented with a formal request: to recognize Local 4524, the St. George Professional Firefighters Association, as the official representative of its dues-paying firefighter members. While the language may sound bureaucratic, the meaning behind it is anything but.

This is not just a procedural vote. It is a vote that determines whether we will move forward in good faith together—or slide back into the legal limbo that has cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation, and that has delayed justice for nearly 200 of St. George firefighters.

Recognition means respect. Legally, it allows the union to engage on behalf of its members in resolving workplace disputes, securing compliance with state pay laws, and advancing collaborative solutions to long-standing challenges. Practically, it opens the door to efficient negotiations—like the three-phase settlement plan we’ve recently presented. It costs the department nothing!

For the last several weeks, union leaders and department administrators have been building toward a new chapter—one rooted in cooperation instead of conflict. The department has signaled, publicly, its willingness to resolve issues that have lingered too long. But that good faith now needs to be made real with action.

“This meeting is more than a formality—it’s a test of trust,” said Union officials. “If the board fails to recognize our union, it will not only stall our progress—it will signal a breach in the good faith that’s been painstakingly built between the firefighters and department leadership. This is a moment of truth for everyone involved.”

A refusal to recognize the union would not be a neutral act. It would undermine that spirit of progress. It would signal that the department prefers to keep firefighters divided, even as it continues to use public money to fight them in court.

We want to be clear: our members are not seeking confrontation. We’re seeking recognition—not just by title, but in practice. Recognition is not about power; it’s about partnership. It gives fire board members, administrators, and citizens a clear line of communication with those who staff the fire trucks, answer the alarms, and risk their lives daily.

If the fire board chooses not to act, it sends a chilling message that past efforts at negotiation were merely for show. Stall tactics are equal to a refusal. That would be a betrayal of public trust and firefighter morale. It’s a path we hope the department will not take—but if it does, let there be no doubt that Local 4524 will continue to fight for accountability, transparency, and the legal rights owed to every firefighter.

We are asking for a seat at the table. Refusing that request risks burning the very bridge we are all trying to build.