Houston Fire Department battle heats up as city of Houston fires union president KTRK Share: HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The city of Houston Thursday confirmed it had suspended union president Marty Lancton indefinitely, government speak for a firing. It comes six weeks after Lancton says the city stopped paying his salary and is the latest in a bitter battle between firefighters, the department and Mayor Sylvester Turner. Under the last several union contracts, the president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association president is paid an HFD salary but assigned full time to union duties. Houston police officers have a similar agreement, but union officials tell ABC13 officers donate time off to fund their union president's salary. The last contract between the firefighters, the union and the city of Houston expired in 2017. Since then, it has been near constant battle in courts of law and public opinion as firefighters push for their first raise in more than a decade.