FIREPAC Tops $5
Million Mark
(12/15/10)
For the first time in its 32-year
history, FIREPAC has topped the $5
million mark in fundraising during an
election cycle (2009-2010). As of
December 10, FIREPAC has raised a total
of $5,042,970 for the 2010 election
cycle. The $5 million total exceeds last
cycle’s total of $4.6 million by 8.5
percent. Despite tough economic times,
IAFF members around the country have
stepped up to help make a difference.
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IAFF and Pro-Calendar Launch iPhone Shift
Calendar App
(12/13/10)
The IAFF and Pro-Calendar have partnered to
develop and release the most advanced
App for fire fighters for scheduling and
tracking critical job-related information.
This shift calendar and organizer helps you
manage your shift schedule, track sick, comp
and vacation time, schedule trainings and
take charge of all of your personal
appointments, plus much more.
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Cloture Vote for Zadroga Act Fails
(12/09/10)
For the second time in two days, a unified
GOP caucus successfully stopped IAFF
legislation in the U.S. Senate, defeating a
procedural vote today on the James Zadroga
9/11 Health and Compensation Act, H.R.
847. The Zadroga Act failed by a vote of
57-42, three votes short of the 60 needed to
overcome a filibuster waged by anti-labor
Senators. Every Republican Senator voted
against cloture while every Democratic
Senator supported the measure.
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Gridlocked Senate Rejects Cloture for
Collective Bargaining
(12/08/10)
The U.S. Senate today rejected a procedural
vote on the IAFF’s collective bargaining
act, stalling efforts to give fire fighters
the same workplace rights that workers in
the private sector have had for more than 70
years.
The Senate voted 55-43 to bring the bill up
for consideration, five votes short of the
60 needed to overcome a filibuster waged by
anti-labor senators. The legislation was
doomed by the solid opposition of Senate
Republicans, who last week pledged to oppose
cloture on any legislation -- even bills
they support — before the Senate votes on
extending the expiring tax cuts. Three
Democrats joined with 40 Republicans in
voting against the bill, while 55 Democrats
supported it.
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Buy It At Get It Union
Fire fighters, like everyone, work hard to
earn a living. If we stand together, we
will all be better off. So, when we spend
our money – to provide for our family, for
recreation, for whatever – we want it
staying here at home, in the U.S. or Canada
supporting other union workers.
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Tis’ the Season to Help
(12/14/10)
Despite the struggling economy IAFF
affiliates are doing all they can to help
families in need. Many have sponsored toy
drives. What is your LOCAL doing this
holiday season to help families in your
communities?
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Saving Money by Changing Your Shifts
(12/08/10)
As city leaders continue to grapple with how
to balance budgets, a few are eyeing changes
to fire fighters’ schedules as a way to make
up revenue.
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Fire Fighters in the
News
$4M Budget Blunder
Saves Firefighters' Jobs
CBS 21 News (12/08/2010); McCormick, Annie
Officials in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.,
discovered an error that left a $4.5 million
hole in the City's 2011 budget, but it will
now be used to save fire fighters' jobs. To
close the would-be gap, Mayor Linda Thompson
developed the solution of selling parcels of
City-owned land that several parking garages
sit on. Money from the sale, Thompson said,
will solve both the fire fighters' jobs
problem and the clerical mistake. "We're
proposing, since we have three parcels of
land, the pay covers debt bonds and puts
$1.1 million into the fire fighters' jobs
for now," said the mayor. The land's value
must be privately assessed, but could be
worth more than $8 million.
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More Protection for Firefighters
Winnipeg Free Press (08/12/10); Kusch, Larry
Manitoba, in what may be a global first, is
adding breast cancer to a list of workplace
diseases covered under its workers'
compensation bill for fire fighters. For the
province's 43 female fire fighters -- and
those in other fire fighting jobs throughout
Manitoba -- it is also an affirmation of the
contribution that women make to the
profession. More than 50 fire fighters were
in attendance December 7 as Jennifer Howard,
minister responsible for the Workers
Compensation Board, introduced Bill 6. The
legislation tacks breast cancer and three
other cancers - multiple myeloma, primary
site prostate and skin cancer - to 10 other
afflictions already covered for fire
fighters by workers' compensation in
Manitoba. The additions were especially
meaningful for Stacey Innes, who has been a
Winnipeg fire fighter for the last decade.
"The prostate cancer hits especially close
to home for me. My dad was with the fire
department in Winnipeg for 32 years and died
of prostate cancer," she said. She believes
her dad's illness was work-related.
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Firefighters Union Chief: Boost
Pittsburgh Pension Funding
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (12/08/10);
Vidonic, Bill
The Pittsburgh fire fighters union has asked
an Allegheny County judge to compel the City
to somehow increase funding of its pension
by the end of the year to circumvent a state
takeover of municipal retirement funds.
"Let's get this damned thing done. Because
if we don't get it done, we've all failed,"
said Pittsburgh Local 1 President Joseph
King. State law mandates that the City put
about $220 million into the pension accounts
by December 31 to raise the funding level
from 27 percent to 50 percent of the $1
billion required to cover obligations for
8,000 City employees and retirees.
Otherwise, the Pennsylvania Municipal
Retirement System will begin overseeing the
funds.
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Union president tapped as fire chief
TribLocal (12/14/10); Jenco, Melissa
Elgin, Illinois, has turned to one of its
own to head the fire department. Captain
John Fahy, a 23-year veteran, will replace
Jack Henrici, who retired last month. Fahy
will assume his new role January 3. "I’m
excited, I’m humbled and a little bit
nervous, but I’m up to the challenge,” Fahy
said. He has been president of the Elgin
Association of Firefighters Local 439 for
the past five years, served as lead
instructor in the Elgin Regional Fire
Academy, and is federally certified in
incident command and management systems.
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New York Fire Department Delivers Food
and Toys to the Gulf Coast
Baldwin County Now (12/10/10); Jones,
Jessica
Active and retired New York fire
fighters offered to bring toys and food to
families affected by Hurricane Katrina,
their sixth year in a row of making the trip
to the Gulf Coast. Fire fighters filled
eight trucks with food and toys and drove
them to Bayou La Batre; Biloxi,.; Jackson
County, Hancock County, and New Orleans. “We
held fundraisers to help compensate because
donations were slightly down this year,” Tom
O’Connor, FDNY coordinator, said. Much of
the donations came from Bethesda Outreach
Ministries in Pennsylvania, which O’Connor
said was responsible for filling five of the
eight trucks that made the trip. Retired
fire fighter John Miller said the Gulf
Coast’s outpouring of support after the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks made
the New York fire fighters eager to pitch in
and return the favor.
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Houston Firefighters' Pensions Under
Scrutiny
KHOU.com--11 News (12/08/10); Gutierrez,
Gabe
The City of Houston is planning to ask the
Texas state legislature to force the Houston
Firefighters' Relief and Retirement Fund to
negotiate with it about how much it pays out
in pensions to retired fire fighters.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker said that
pensions will comprise 45 percent of the
fire department's payroll by 2015 if the
state does not force the pension fund to
negotiate - a level that she said was
"insupportable." Meanwhile, pension board
Executive Director Christopher Gonzales said
that the funding status of the pension fund
is good. He added that the pension board has
not seen data to support the City's claim
that some fire fighters are receiving 170
percent of their former base salaries in
pensions.
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Hundreds Protest Possible Layoffs for
Cincinnati Fire Fighters
Cincinnati.com (12/02/10): Prendergast, Jane
Fire fighters dominated the testimony at
Cincinnati’s first budget meeting, imploring
City Council members not to cut 144 of them,
warning that entire fire stations could be
shut down, though City Manager Milton
Dohoney says that won’t happen. Dohoney has
proposed 370 layoffs and a $20 monthly trash
collection fee to fill a $58.7 million
deficit in the City’s general fund.
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Local Firefighters Applaud New Amendments
Portage Daily Graphic (12/09/10); Swystun,
Rob
Portage Emergency Services has praised
proposed new amendments to the workers'
compensation law. Those amendments would
give fire fighters coverage for four new
occupational disease presumptions. Fire
fighter Darren Van Den Bussche and
approximately 40 other fire fighters from
across the region convened at the
legislature on December 7. Adding the new
diseases makes the workers' compensation act
more comprehensive but there are always new
risks lurking, Van Den Bussche said.
"They're always finding more that are
caused, especially by the cocktail of
carcinogens that we get into in fires," said
Van Den Bussche, a captain. "These have been
proven ones that we get into in the field of
our work."
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Pittsburgh Fire Fighters President
Demands Firehouse Inspection
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (12/02/10); Smydo,
Joe
The head of the Pittsburgh firefighters
union is demanding an inspection of the
South Side firehouse because of a string of
cancer-related deaths among fire fighters
stationed there. Joe King, president of
Pittsburgh Firefighters Local 1, sought the
inspection in a letter to City fire Chief
Darryl Jones. King said at least nine fire
fighters from Engine and Truck Co. 24 have
died of cancer. "Something is seriously
wrong. Take my word that they all died of
cancer, many of them at a relatively young
age," King said.
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California Fire Foundation Thanks
Pro-Golfer for Generous Donation
International Association of Fire Fighters
(12/01/10)
The California Fire Foundation, a statewide
charitable organization associated with the
California Professional Firefighters (CPF),
had an opportunity to thank professional
golfer Fred Couples during the 2010
Champion's Cup at the Harding Park Golf
Course in San Francisco the California Fire
Foundation held a press conference to
deliver its public thank you to Couples.
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San Bernardino Fire Fighters Donate
$10,000 in Food to Charity
International Association of Fire Fighters
(12/ 07/10)
San Bernardino City, CA Local 891 fire
fighters delivered a grocery store truck
full of holiday foods and staple items
(about $10,000 worth) to the Mary’s Mercy
Center, a non-profit organization that
provides food and other services to those in
need.
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Phoenix Local Raffles American-Made
Motorcycle for Charity
International Association of Fire Fighters
(12/10/10)
Phoenix, AZ Local 493 is raffling a Custom
Bourget Motorcycle, valued at an estimated
$65,000. The raffle benefits United Phoenix
Firefighters Charities, which distributes
its funds to various worthy causes.
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Street Dogs Performance Features Boston
Fire Fighter Mike McColgan
International Association of Fire Fighters
(12/15/10)
Boston, MA Local 718 fire fighter Mike
McColgan performed December 13 with the
Street Dogs at the AFL-CIO in Washington,
DC. The band stopped in the Nation's Capital
during their U.S.-European "Wreck the Halls"
tour.
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