A simmering dispute

A judge’s ruling has turned down the heat on the long-simmering dispute between Frederick County government and its firefighters’ union, but the issue is far from resolved. This goes back to a ballot question approved by voters in 2018, which changed the charter rules on collective bargaining between the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 3666 and the county. The new rules included a requirement for binding arbitration in the event that the sides could not reach an agreement during collective bargaining.