California firefighters push for better hours

California firefighters are advocating for a new contract that would reduce their workweek from 72 hours to 66 hours. Tim Edwards, president of Cal Fire Local 2881, said: “The push for a 56 [hour schedule] not only is good for the mental, physical health of our members and their families, but to the recruitment and retention of paid professional firefighters in the state of California.” The proposed changes come as California faces increasing wildfire challenges and aims to enhance the health of its firefighting workforce. If approved, the contract will initiate a hiring process for thousands of new firefighters to support the shift. The current budget allocates nearly $200m to hire 338 additional positions, but estimates suggest that around 2,500 permanent positions will be needed by fiscal year 2028-29 to fully implement the new schedule.