Federal Wildland Firefighters Threaten to Quit Over Proposed Pay Cut

A bill introduced by Senator Kyrsten Sinema to address firefighter pay is being criticized as a "slap in the face" to federal firefighters who saw their wages increase under President Biden's infrastructure bill. The bill, called the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, would result in a major pay cut for federal firefighters when the temporary pay increase expires in September. While some support the bill as a way to soften the blow, others argue that it falls short in addressing low wages and lack of benefits for a physically dangerous and mentally trying job. Another bill introduced by Colorado Democrats aims to boost both pay and benefits for firefighters but is unlikely to be considered in time to prevent the September pay cut.