NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The board of the Orleans Parish Communications District has agreed to the city's plan to consolidate all 911 operators and dispatchers. The board put off dealing with the questions about how the move will affect the pay and union representation of the roughly 140 workers who handle emergency calls in the city.
Under the consolidation plan, The New Orleans Advocate’s Jeff Adelson reports city government will continue to pay for operations at the dispatch center, but the workers will be employed by the state-created communications district rather than the various city emergency agencies.
Objections to the proposal came largely from the firefighters union. The 22 fire dispatchers have the most to lose under consolidation.
They are paid more because of state laws affecting only Fire Department employees and because they have a stronger union.
