Article: Some Berks County, Pa., volunteer firefighters get no pay when answering calls.

Byline: Keith Mayer

Dec. 10--Co-workers think volunteer firefighter Tony R. Schwenk has it good because he gets to leave work when the fire siren goes off in Bally.

"I tell them it's not as easy as it looks," Schwenk, a 24-year employee at Bally Ribbon Mills, said of his response to the ribbing.

A volunteer for about 10 years, he does have it better than most of his roughly 1,000 volunteering comrades across Berks: Schwenk gets paid when he leaves work.

"He (president Ray Harries) wouldn't have to do it," Schwenk said. "I know that."

No employer can discipline a volunteer for being late for work if the volunteer can prove he ...

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