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Special Report The IAFF has always published a magazine that covers all aspects of our
operations — from stories about health and safety issues to features and
engaging pieces in Local Scene about our members across two countries. But extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. I don’t have to tell
any of you that fire fighters and paramedics are under attack all across North
America. Since the first of the year, the stories have been splashed across your
newspapers and on the channels of your local broadcast news and cable news
programs. And even though we’ve all seen the stories and it seems like we’ve
been living this hell for months, the battle is far from over. So I decided that this issue of our magazine must be focused exclusively on the
challenges that our members face and the battles we are waging. This is an
unprecedented approach to our magazine, but these politically motivated attacks
are unprecedented. Brothers and sisters, collective bargaining, dues check-off, wages, pensions,
union security, benefits and the right to have a voice in the political arena
all are under attack. We all watched the frontal attack by Governor Scott Walker
in Wisconsin. In Ohio, Governor John Kasich and a GOP-controlled legislature
followed suit, passing a law to eliminate bargaining rights that have been in
place since 1983. In Michigan, Governor Rick Snyder’s allies have introduced
dozens of bills attacking labor. Now our members and the rest of labor must wage
an expensive referendum campaign to beat back this attack. Just weeks ago, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to eliminate
collective bargaining. In Michigan, the anti-worker governor signed a bill into
law giving emergency financial managers the authority to eliminate collective
bargaining and essentially put local governments under a trusteeship. In Alabama we’ve filed suit to contest a paycheck deception law that the state’s
former governor signed into law before he left office. In Tennessee a cabal of
anti-worker lawmakers has introduced numerous laws to silence workers. One bill
would make it illegal for any labor organization to contribute to a political
candidate. Another would prohibit labor organizations from using dues for
political action. Yet another piece of legislation proposes making it illegal
for labor organizations to deduct dues from the paycheck of a member. In Florida, lawmakers in the House want to gut unions by curbing their ability
to collect dues through automatic paycheck deductions, forcing them to get
written permission from each member before making political contributions and
calling for unions that fall below a certain level of membership to be stripped
of collective bargaining rights. Missouri has a variation of this proposal,
suggesting that unions be charged an $8 per month per member fee for the
privilege of payroll deduction. Our members are facing attacks from coast to coast — there are pension reform
proposals in California, attacks on bargaining in Oklahoma and Nebraska, Right
to Work battles in Maine and Indiana. No state or community is safe or immune. The end game of these anti-worker politicians is simple. They want to cripple
public employee labor organizations. These are politically motivated attacks. Across the country, the IAFF and other unions have stepped up to the plate and
are working to deal with deficits and the harsh economic reality. On the federal level, we are battling to protect our Staffing for Adequate Fire
and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, which has saved the jobs of thousands of
IAFF members. Please read our special insert in this issue of the magazine for
more information on what SAFER has done for our members. Targeting those of us who work for a living is misguided and malicious. At the
same time, corporations continue to get a free ride. Nothing makes that more
obvious than the news last month that General Electric, which earned billions of
dollars last year, didn’t pay federal income taxes in 2010. The company earned
$14.2 billion in profits, but every one of you reading this will pay more in
income taxes than that multi-national company. Corporate America is doing fine. Working Americans are not, and the politically
motivated attacks on workers ensure that any recovery we experience in this
country will be limited to the very rich. At our 2011 Legislative Conference last month we dedicated a substantial portion
of the agenda to the political and legislative threats in the states. It was an
overwhelming success. Our speakers were both engaging and informative. This
issue of the magazine is just as provocative. You need to stay informed. You
need to keep up with our battles through our Fighting Back web site at
www.IAFFFightingBack.com. You need to be an active participant in these fights because the threats aren’t
going away. We have worked hard to identify these threats and respond to them. We are in the
fight unlike never before. At a recent rally, I quoted that great revolutionary war hero, Admiral John Paul
Jones, who said, “I have not yet begun to fight.” That is the rallying cry of
this great IAFF, and it must be the rallying cry of every one of our members.
Let’s fight back, and let’s fight hard. N Remembering Vinnie I want to extend my thanks to everyone who traveled to New York to attend the
services and funeral for IAFF General Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus Vincent J.
Bollon April 4. While it was difficult to say goodbye to such a dear friend, it was
heart-warming to see the overwhelming turnout by our members from both
countries. I know it meant a lot to Linda, Vinnie’s wonderful wife. And it meant
a lot to me. Vinnie will always hold a special place in the hearts of IAFF members. His
longevity and his body of work are unparalleled. His friendship and dedication
were unrivaled. Rest in peace, Vinnie. Click Here to Read President Schaitberger's Past Messages
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