Firefighters in Conroe are suing the city after officials rejected a petition to place collective bargaining on the ballot.
CONROE, Texas — Firefighters in Conroe are suing the city after officials refused to place a collective bargaining measure on the ballot, arguing the rejection violates state law and the will of local voters.
According to the lawsuit, Conroe firefighters say they submitted about 3,650 voter signatures on Dec. 12, which they argue is well above the 2,022 signatures required under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 174. Firefighters say that threshold is based on five percent of qualified voters who cast ballots in the November 2024 general election.
City leaders rejected the petition, arguing it required far more signatures — a dispute that now sits at the center of the legal challenge. Firefighters allege the city demanded as many as 20,000 signatures, a figure they say is not supported by state law.
The lawsuit, filed in state district court, asks a judge to order the city to place the measure on the May 2026 ballot, allowing voters to decide whether firefighters should have collective bargaining rights.
Conroe Professional Fire Fighters Association President Lloyd Sandefer criticized city leaders’ handling of the petition.
“We’re disappointed that the mayor, city council and city attorney have chosen this unprecedented denial of a vetted, verified voter petition. We’re asking the court to order the city do what’s right and let the voters decide the issue.”
The association says the city attorney initially refused to accept the petition on Dec. 3, prompting firefighters to submit three separate legal opinions in support of their interpretation of state law before ultimately filing suit.
Firefighters argue that collective bargaining is already used in dozens of Texas cities and say it would not result in new taxes. They also contend the process can improve staffing, training standards, and workplace safety, directly impacting public safety.
As of this report, city leaders have not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
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