Union Backs Veteran Female Firefighter, Claims FDNY Denied Promotion As Retaliation
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A female city firefighter has accused the FDNY of treating her unfairly after she was denied a promotion last week.
As WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported, 13-year veteran firefighter Elizabeth Osgood was not promoted to lieutenant last Friday in spite of having an exemplary department record.
Her union said the FDNY abused its subpoena power and through personal cell phone records, traced an anonymous critical comment in the New York Post last November back to Osgood.
Union Backs Veteran Female Firefighter, Claims FDNY Denied Promotion As Retaliation
"And they think that allows them the right to subpoena phone records to see who's talking to you. It's outrageous. The last time I checked, we were still in the United States of America," Uniformed Firefighters Association president Steve Cassidy said. "It's a complete abuse of power by the fire commissioner. He doesn't have the right to subpoena phone records unless it's a criminal investigation."
Union Backs Veteran Female Firefighter, Claims FDNY Denied Promotion As Retaliation
She was anonymously quoted criticizing the department for lowering the standards for a female recruit.
"I thought it was terrifying that they can subpoena your phone records and that they can do this to you and they can take away something that is rightfully yours," Osgood said. "It's so hurtful to me that this is happening."
The department said she was not promoted because she was under investigation for violation of policy, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported. The FDNY said it is protocol not to promote a firefighter under investigation, but added if she is cleared in the investigation she will be promoted.
The union has vowed one way or another to get Osgood promoted.
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