Union officials say ballistic vests purchased for Detroit firefighters and emergency technicians aren't right for the job because they don't protect against stabbings.
The Detroit News reports the Detroit Fire Fighters Association has filed two grievances with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.
The union says Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones circumvented the workers' contract by purchasing the vests without discussing it with the union or a committee of department and union officials.
The union's president, Mike Nevin, says the vests from Kentucky-based Galls LLC don't protect against stabbings, which he says are the top danger for Detroit firefighters and EMTs.
Jones says he bought the right vests. He says vests that protect against stabbings are cumbersome, and that bulletproof vests provide defense from most attacks with sharp objects.
