"Firefighters union reverses decision on members marching with 9/11 float"

Fox6 Milwaukee, WI ^ | 9:35 p.m. CDT, July 3, 2011 | Ben Handelman, FOX6 Reporter, Milwaukee

[OldCountryBoy]

A float set to role down the streets in Oak Creek and Racine was supposed to honor those who died on 9/11. The good intentions of one firefighter sparked a controversy.

Members of the youth group at Parkway Apostolic Church in Oak Creek have completed cleaning up and rehabbing the 9/11 float, but that float almost didn't have anyone to March with it.

The 9/11 remembrance was originally built in 2002 by Lt. Mark Gorniak of the Oak Creek Fire Department and appeared in the parade back then. he thought it was time to bring it back, but he quickly found a problem.

Gorniak is a fair share member of his union, meaning he gives the minimum support required. That's why the union said fellow firefighters would not be allowed to march. It's upsetting information for the kids who helped put it together.

When news of this got out Gorniak's phone began ringing with calls of people looking to help. "My phone has been ringing off the hook and people have been sending me e-mails and text messages and just wanting to know how they can show their support."

With mounting critics, the union backed off. They reversed their decision and will allow any firefighter to march with the float.

[OldCountryBoy]

Public employee unions keep on making themselves look stupid.

[submarinerswife]

It’s amazing what a little bit of bad publicity will do to some people.

[Norm Lenhart]

Hope people there start attending city board meetings and demanding that the city address this during contract negotiation time.

And hopefully other candidates use this as an example of union greed and hatred for all things American.

Good issue for a board candidate/candidates to run on.
Win/Win for the city and the people to make the unions pay dearly for their stupidity.

Perhaps if the firefighters still paying full dues see a pay cut they’ll make up the diff by going minimum.

[shibumi]

The photo above is the Facebook profile photo of Ben Handelman, Reporter for WITI-TV in Milwaukee.

According to his Facebook profile, Mr Handelman studied Broadcast Journalism at Quinnipac University, where he learned to write penetrating, insightful copy like the lead line in this story:

A float set to role (sic) down the streets in Oak Creek and Racine was supposed to honor those who died on 9/11.

[OldCountryBoy]

...I’m not going to apologize for this schmuck. He’s on his own...

I am surprised to see it reported anywhere in Wisconsin tv land.

[shibumi]

I haven’t even touched on his anthropomorphic malapropism yet.

[fella]

Just goes to show that union leadership has totally different views and goals than the members. Maybe that's because the leadership doesn't and in many cases has never, work in the field they say they represent.

[Venturer]

I expect the Union goofball who started this mess in the first place got a lot of criticism from his Union members.

He may have a bit of trouble next election time.

[Venturer]

And by the way, The Firefighters Union cannot tell me what to do. They can make suggestions, They can Censure me, but they cannot tell me what to do nor grant me permission to do it.

Maybe some Unions can get away with that garbage, but Firrefighters Union cannot.

[Logic n' Reason]

Too little too late.

Unions....ALL UNIONS ARE BOTH IRRELEVANT AND HARMFUL!

It is time to do away with all unions. Period.

[rightly_dividing]

The union was putting unionism ahead of firefighter comaradrie and patriotism. Fortunately, good sense prevailed over the Unionistas with the egg on their faces.