This is a cross-post from the Transport Workers (TWU) blog.

The rain couldn’t stop TWU Local 525 members as they kicked off informational picketing last week about their fight for a fair contract with G4S GS at the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County, Fla.

Local 525 members, the fire-rescue personnel who work at the space center, along with their families, other TWU members and Electrical Workers (IBEW) lined the street holding signs that read, “Wackenhut/G4S Unfair to Firefighters,” to bring public attention to their fight.
 
G4S GS, formerly known as Wackenhut, was recently awarded the contract with NASA to provide fire-rescue services at the Kennedy Space Center and the members have been in negotiations since March.
 
The firefighters began bargaining to continue their existing contract with the hope of a small wage increase. However, G4S GS insisted that to make a profit, they need to cut more than 20 percent of wages and retirement benefits for the firefighters, paramedics and inspectors. These are the people who live, work and spend their hard-earned income in the community.

“We don’t plan on stopping,” said Kevin Smith, president of TWU Local 525.
 
You can show your support for these hardworking men and women by joining them weekdays at the Kennedy Space Center from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Watch the video in this blog post or watch it on YouTube here.