A Tribute to Ted Kennedy

August 26, 2009 – The death of Senator Ted Kennedy is a very sad and profound loss for the nation, the IAFF and for me personally. In addition to his unwavering support of this union and America’s fire fighters, he was my dear friend for more than 30 years. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

I first met the senator in 1976. I was 29 years old and the director of the IAFF’s legislative operation. From our very first meeting, Ted – the name he immediately said to use when addressing him – told me of his affinity for our members and, as was his true character, became an instant advocate for issues important to fire fighters. He remained a champion of this union and workers across America even in his last weeks before his death.

Kennedy was known universally as a passionate liberal. He made no apologies for his positions and always respected the strongly held views of others. And because of his willingness to listen, he was one of the few in our nation’s upper chamber of Congress who could effectively reach across party lines to get things done.

Even the most conservative members of the Republican Senate – Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Richard Lugar (R-IN) and John McCain (R-AZ) among them – found common ground, formed personal friendships with and had great respect for Ted Kennedy.

This union honors every member’s individual political views, and I know that Senator Kennedy’s stance on particular issues may have run counter to the personal and social values of some, but there can be no dispute that he was a friend and a reliable and effective advocate for fire fighters and a leader in standing with American families and protecting individual rights.

Democrats and Republicans alike who worked with Ted remember him as one of the most effective, hardworking lawmakers in Washington. His formidable negotiating skills and intrepid ability to reach across the aisle became his hallmark for getting things done.

I had the privilege of working with Senator Kennedy as he fought for this union and can tell you that he never said no to us. He was always available – even as he grew in stature and importance. He was unstoppable in his quest to win the rights our members deserve.

In nearly 50 years in the Senate, Kennedy authored more pieces of major legislation than any other United States senator. Where our members are concerned, Ted wrote and championed the IAFF’s national collective bargaining bill – the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act -- which he reintroduced, along with Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), just moments before the Senate adjourned for its August recess this year.

Ted was a stalwart champion of this legislation to expand collective bargaining rights to all professional fire fighters nationwide, and he made sure that the resources to pass this bill will be there when Congress returns from summer recess. Our union owes him our deepest gratitude for bringing this victory within reach.

Senator Kennedy has also led efforts to bring improvements to fire fighter pay, retirement, benefits and health and safety. His work included guaranteeing fire fighters overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); establishing a medical monitoring program for fire fighters responding to disasters; protecting fire fighters against infectious diseases under the Ryan White law; creating the Public Safety Officers Benefit (PSOB); protecting and expanding fire fighter deferred compensation plans (457 plans); improving federal fire fighter pay and protecting fire fighter jobs against contracting out; establishing tuition assistance programs for fire fighters; creating the nation’s first plan to respond to bioterrorism; and expanding OSHA coverage to include fire fighters.

Our country has lost a great leader. This union has lost an ardent supporter and ally. And I have lost a true friend.

I want to remember him as he hoped his brother, Robert Kennedy, would be: “as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will someday come to pass for all the world.”

-Harold A. Schaitberger