A representative with the Sarnia Professional Firefighters Association says they're confused about proper protocol under Council's Code of Conduct.
Secretary Ken Dwinnell doesn't understand why Integrity Commissioner Robert Swayze found Mayor Mike Bradley guilty of contravening the code for meeting with the Association to talk about contract concerns.
Dwinnell says they had similar meetings with six of eight council members, several of them on more than one occasion with no sanctions against them.
"It's tough for us to understand how when seven of nine people sitting in the room are throwing dirt when they're guilty of the same," he said. "We're just having trouble understanding how they're sitting back pointing the finger when it seems they did exactly the same thing."
Bradley says he met with the Firefighters Association to try to improve labour relations but Swayze ruled was interfering with the duties of the City Manager. He made no similar ruling regarding the six councillors who also met with the Association.
Council voted 6-2 in favour of suspending the Mayor's salary for three months for breaching the city's code of conduct.