Chicago Firefighters Union endorses Mayor Rahm Emanuel for re-election

The Chicago firefighters union has endorsed Mayor Rahm Emanuel for a second term, the mayor's campaign said Friday.

It's a turnabout for Emanuel, whose first couple of years in office were marked by him leaving the door open to closing firehouses and lowering staffing levels while talking openly about cutting costs in the department. The rhetoric angered union leadership as the new mayor began the traditionally acrimonious process of negotiating a new contract for the Fire Department.

Then about nine months ago, Emanuel and the union agreed to a new pact  giving firefighters and paramedics an 11 percent raise over five years.

CLICK FOR MORE