The fire district has sued its union over use of a new logo, with both entities saying they created and used the logo first.
On Oct. 31 a judge temporarily banned the union from using its own version of the logo and a hearing on whether the ban should be made permanent is set for Dec. 18.
Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue and the Mid-Columbia Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 1308, each contend they commissioned and used the logo first.
The two logos are “almost identical,” the fire district said in its lawsuit, while the union said in a statement that they are “somewhat similar.”
Both feature all the same design elements, with the sole exception being that part of the wording on one says “Firefighters” and on the other says “Fire & Rescue.”
The lawsuit comes amidst other contentious matters facing the district, including two unfair labor practice complaints filed in the last 12 months and an ongoing labor contract negotiation that has stalemated and is in mitigation.