Cohoes Firefighters Accuse Chief and Mayor of Blocking Promotions Over Union Activism

Lawsuit alleges retaliation against firefighters who spoke out about staffing and ambulance issues

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Two Cohoes firefighters, Lts. George Primeau and Robert Johnson, have filed a federal lawsuit claiming they were denied promotions to captain by Fire Chief Joseph Fahd and Mayor Bill Keeler due to their union activism and public criticism of the department's staffing and ambulance response times.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights tensions between firefighters, their union, and city leadership in Cohoes over issues of public safety and resource allocation. It raises questions about whether the city retaliated against outspoken firefighters for exercising their free speech and union rights.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Primeau and Johnson were vocal critics of staffing issues that led to the repeated closure of a fire station in the Hill neighborhood, as well as the city's reliance on private ambulance services. They spoke out at public meetings and distributed flyers blaming officials for these problems. The lawsuit alleges that after these actions, the fire chief and mayor denied them promotions to captain, citing a lack of good standing with the mayor.

  • In October 2021, Primeau and Johnson publicly raised concerns about staffing and ambulance issues at a Common Council budget hearing.
  • In 2022, Fire Chief Fahd chastised Lt. Johnson about a flyer criticizing the city, sarcastically asking 'and you want to make captain?'
  • From 2022 to 2024, Fahd told Primeau and Johnson they weren't in the mayor's good graces and therefore weren't eligible for captain promotions that opened up several times.

The players

George Primeau

Cohoes Fire Lieutenant who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit alleging retaliation over his union activism and public criticism of the fire department.

Robert Johnson

Cohoes Fire Lieutenant who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit alleging retaliation over his union activism and public criticism of the fire department.

Joseph Fahd

Cohoes Fire Chief who is accused in the lawsuit of denying promotions to Primeau and Johnson due to their union activism and criticism of the department.

Bill Keeler

Mayor of Cohoes who is accused in the lawsuit of denying promotions to Primeau and Johnson due to their union activism and criticism of the city.

Uniformed Fire Fighters of Cohoes

The firefighters' union that Primeau and Johnson were active in, which raised concerns about staffing and ambulance issues.

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What they’re saying

“The mayor stated that he wants officers who are going to think like he does and are not going to go against what he wants to do such as protesting the closing of the Hill firehouse and claiming there wasn't sufficient safety personnel staffing.”

— George Primeau, Cohoes Fire Lieutenant (Lawsuit)

“Well, since it's a pending lawsuit, I'm not going to get into the specifics of it. But I will just say that these lawsuits come with the territory and this current one is meritless and I'm sure it'll be dismissed if it even makes it to court.”

— Bill Keeler, Mayor of Cohoes (Times Union)

What’s next

The lawsuit is currently pending, and the city expects it to be dismissed. The judge will ultimately decide whether the firefighters' claims of retaliation and denial of promotions have merit.

The takeaway

This case highlights the tensions that can arise between public safety workers, their unions, and city leadership when there are disputes over resource allocation, operational policies, and the right of employees to publicly advocate for changes. The outcome could set an important precedent regarding the free speech and labor rights of firefighters in Cohoes.