ATLANTA -- Atlanta firefighters are fired up about what they say are plans to cut their pension.
Dozens of firefighters protested outside a luncheon held by the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation on Tuesday. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was the speaker at the luncheon.
Reed has said he plans to revamp the pension program to help to save the city money. Firefighters say they want to let the mayor and the Taxpayer Foundation know they won't stand quietly by while decisions are made to cut pensions.
"What this is about is a lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks to revoke the major portion of our pension based on some legal technicality. It's mean-spirited. It's outrageous. Our members are highly insulted that they put their lives on the line, protecting these people while they go behind closed doors and try to figure out a way to cheat them out of their pension," said Jim Daws of the Atlanta Firefighters Union.
Last week, the Fulton County Taxpayers' Foundation filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn ordinances passed in 2001 and 2005 granting pension improvements to firefighters, police officers and civil servants.
