Firefighters’ Union Will Not Endorse Candidates

Citing disappointment over contract negotiations, the Santa Barbara City firefighters’ union announced it will not make endorsements for this fall’s council election. Even though the two sides remain a few percentage points off, union President Pat McElroy said the union declared an impasse two weeks ago. To endorse candidates now, he said, would invite the accusation that the union was using its influence to exact undue advantage at the bargaining table.