Delegates from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 624 voted unanimously on Aug. 14 at the IAFF’s 58th Convention in Arlington to formally censure San Antonio Fire Chief Valerie Frausto. The resolution, introduced by the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, outlines a string of lawsuits, grievances and contract‑related conflicts that the union says have created a “substantial loss of confidence” in the chief’s leadership.
Union’s Concerns Center on Discipline and Medical Accommodations
Union President Joe Jones said the censure reflects what he described as “escalating administrative hostilities” toward firefighters despite repeated attempts by Local 624 to work collaboratively with department leadership. The city, however, rejected the union’s allegations, stating the censure carries no authority over the chief’s position and that the City Manager continues to have full confidence in Frausto and her team.
One of the most prominent disputes involves a fire engineer who was prescribed THCA for chronic pain. Under the department’s 2024 contract, a positive THCA test that aligns with a valid prescription is not considered a positive drug test, though the city retains the right to determine fitness for duty. The union alleges the engineer tested positive during a random test in November, presented his prescription, and was still ordered by Frausto to undergo a fitness‑for‑duty evaluation with a city‑selected psychiatrist. The psychiatrist’s report found no decline in performance but deemed the engineer unfit because of his THCA use, leading to an indefinite off‑duty status until a negative test could be produced.
Other Ongoing Lawsuits
Local 624 also filed a lawsuit in April alleging the city implemented the THCA provision in bad faith; that case remains pending in Bexar County district court. A separate suit concerns a paramedic who was indefinitely suspended after responding to a February 2025 rollover crash involving his wife. The union says the paramedic had permission to travel in an SAFD unit to the crash scene, yet Frausto suspended him on allegations of an improper transfer of care and a complaint from Wilson County officials—claims the union says were never actually filed.
The union further challenges a settlement agreement Frausto presented to the paramedic, which would have required him to accept the disciplinary basis and release other potential claims. That lawsuit also remains pending.
Medical Accommodation and Modified‑Duty Policies
In May, a firefighter who gave birth requested a workplace accommodation for a medical condition. The union says SAFD initially required her to use personal leave rather than providing an alternate‑duty assignment. After contacting department leadership and the city’s Equal Employment Opportunity administrator, the firefighter was eventually placed in a modified‑duty role, though the union continues to dispute whether the accommodation was sufficient and whether her personal time should be restored.
The dispute coincided with SAFD’s May 1 rollout of a new modified‑duty policy that replaced a 2007 policy. The union argues the new policy reduces protections for firefighters with injuries or medical conditions and violates a collective‑bargaining provision that requires certain existing working conditions to remain unchanged. A grievance filed in June over a denied modified‑duty assignment remains under review.
Compensation Grievances
Local 624 also revived a 2025 grievance alleging the city unilaterally granted 15% raises to assistant and deputy fire chiefs after the current firefighters contract was adopted, without negotiating the change with the union. That grievance has been assigned for arbitration.
Chief Frausto, a San Antonio native with more than two decades of service, became the department’s first female chief less than two years ago. In a January interview she described her first full year as a “reset” aimed at rebuilding morale and trust after a turbulent leadership transition, noting policy changes intended to improve flexibility and work‑life balance.
The union’s censure underscores a deepening rift between SAFD leadership and its rank‑and‑file members, raising questions about how the department will address ongoing legal challenges and restore confidence among firefighters.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
