By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Denver Fire Fighters Local 858, representing approximately 1,000 firefighters and paramedics, filed suit August 10 against the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters state union and the International Association of Fire Fighters over refusal to recognize the local’s disaffiliation vote.
- Local 858 members voted twice to leave the state union, with 70% support in the most recent vote; the local’s executive board halted dues payments in late 2024 citing concerns about whether the state union provided sufficient value to justify nearly $250,000 in annual dues.
- Colorado Professional Fire Fighters demanded $388,936.93 in dues covering more than 18 months; Local 858 contends the state union has not provided a basis for the disputed amount.
- The lawsuit is supported by the Fairness Center; a precedent case involving Connecticut’s New Haven Fire Fighters Local 825 resulted in 2019 in the local’s independence being upheld with no dues payment required.
- The IAFF and Colorado Professional Fire Fighters have declined to recognize Local 858’s disaffiliation despite repeated member votes.
DENVER, COLO. — Denver Fire Fighters Local 858 filed a lawsuit August 10 against the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters state union and the International Association of Fire Fighters, seeking court affirmation of its disaffiliation vote and challenging a state union demand for nearly $389,000 in disputed dues.
Local 858 was founded in 1946 and has been affiliated with Colorado Professional Fire Fighters since its inception. In recent years, local members questioned whether the state union’s services justified the approximately $250,000 in annual dues the local was required to pay.
Local 858’s executive board ceased remittance of dues to the state union in late 2024. Members subsequently voted twice to disaffiliate, with the most recent vote showing 70% member support for terminating affiliation with the state union.
Despite multiple member votes supporting disaffiliation, the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters state union has refused to recognize Local 858’s decision to leave. In May 2026, the state union demanded $388,936.93 in dues covering more than 18 months, according to the lawsuit filing. Local 858 contends the state union provided no itemized basis or justification for the disputed amount.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, the parent organization representing firefighters across North America, has similarly declined to recognize Local 858’s disaffiliation decision. The IAFF is named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit.
Local 858 Union President Chris Ferguson stated that member votes should settle the disaffiliation question. “Local 858’s executive board and members voted democratically to stop paying the dues and end our affiliation with the state union. To me, that should have settled it,” Ferguson stated. “But state and international union officials refuse to accept our decision and want to keep control of our money. As Local 858’s president, my job is to stand up for our members — and that is exactly what I will do, even if it means taking the state and international unions to court.”
Local 858 Secretary/Treasurer Devin Hallock stated that the refusal to recognize member votes undermines democratic governance. Hallock referenced his oath taken upon election: “I will dutifully abide by and promote the positions taken by the majority. Our members have voted repeatedly and decisively to cut ties with the state union, yet state and international union officials continue to disregard their voice.”
The lawsuit is supported by the Fairness Center, an organization providing legal representation in labor and union matters.
A precedent case involving similar circumstances involved New Haven Fire Fighters Local 825 in Connecticut. In 2016, Local 825 members voted to leave their statewide union. The statewide union subsequently sought approximately $52,000 in dues. A lawsuit filed on behalf of Local 825 concluded in 2019 with the local’s independence upheld and no payment requirement to the state union.