Alaska Fire Fighters Make Political Action Work

June 5, 2007 -- While in her home state, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) visited a Fairbanks, Alaska, fire station to see a new aerial platform truck, paid for by Homeland Security grant dollars, and to discuss issues important to fire fighters, including collective bargaining.

Mark Drygas, president of the Alaska Professional Fire Fighters, says, “Senator Murkowski was glad to be able to see the grant dollars at work.”

The new apparatus allows a 1995 model ladder truck to be put into the reserves and a 1978 ladder truck to be taken out of use. “There are no fire departments in our area with a ladder truck,” says Drygas. “It is important that we have one that is reliable.”

Alaska fire fighters also talked to Murkowski about the proposed national collective bargaining bill. “Our state’s affiliates’ ability to bargain collectively varies,” notes Drygas. “One of our local’s doesn’t have any bargaining rights at all. It is important to call attention to this issue as much as possible.”

The U.S. House version of the bill – sponsored by Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Representative John Duncan (R-TN) has been introduced and referred to the Committee on Education and Labor. The U.S. Senate version is sponsored by Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), but has not yet been introduced.