(Photo by Harmon Dobson/The Denver Post)Shelly Bradbury – The Denver PostAn attempt by Denver firefighters to break up with the statewide firefighters’ union landed in court Monday after the state union refused to let them go. Colorado Professional Fire Fighters, the statewide union, says the local chapter owes nearly $389,000 in unpaid dues, according to the lawsuit. In November 2024, the local union’s executive board voted to disaffiliate from the statewide union. The international union has refused to recognize Denver Fire Fighters Local 858’s separation because the local union did not follow the international union’s procedures for leaving, according to the complaint. The local union argues both that the union was not obligated to follow the regulations and that it did follow the regulations.