Takin’ Care of Business

July-August, 2006 International Fire Fighter

In 2000, I was honored to be elected your General President. My first pledge to you was that I would be — to steal a phrase from Bachman-Turner Overdrive — “Takin’ Care of Business” for the members of this union.

Since then, I set a course that focused this International on providing tools directly to union leaders so that they could represent you better at the local level: legal assistance programs to protect your rights; financial analyses and GIS studies to give you the expertise needed to win at the negotiating table and fight cuts; and health and safety programs that promote fire fighter health, fitness and safety on the fire ground. And, we’ve fought for important policy changes, such as the enactment of NFPA 1710 to bolster our staffing needs and to ensure that equipment and training standards are such that we save lives.

But even with all of these tools at the disposal of your local leadership, I believe that my most important effort for moving this International forward has been to increase the political power and influence of this union at every level.

To do that, for the past five and a half years, we have pursued a political path devoid of partisanship and driven by a simple guiding principle – we support our friends and oppose our enemies, regardless of political party. Our sole objective is to elect and sustain a fire fighter-friendly majority.

And while there are significant stories at every level of this union about how — together — we have truly ratcheted up the power, influence and perception of this IAFF, I want to relay a recent example from Washington, DC.

Over the course of three days in mid-July, I had the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and engage in some good, old-fashioned grassroots lobbying.

I met privately with new House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Undersecretary for Homeland Security/FEMA Director Dave Paulison and Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean.

That same weekend, I traveled to Connecticut to make a tour of the state with Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), one of our union’s greatest champions, as part of his re-election bid. This is not a personal boast about who I hob-knobbed with recently. My meetings with this impressive, diverse and very bipartisan group of political and government leaders illustrates one simple and undeniable fact: our approach works, and this IAFF has truly increased our power and influence.

Because of your hard work, the tenacity of our officers and staff, and the International’s steadfast commitment to engage politicians in an honest, nonpartisan fashion, I know that these kinds of meetings are now occurring at every level in our union — federal, state, provincial and local.

We aren’t merely playing politics. Our union has succeeded in advancing legislation in Washington over the past 12 years of Republican control —when most other unions have failed.

It may be coincidental, but during that week of meetings, the Senate adopted a bipartisan amendment to increase funding to SAFER and the FIRE Act. The Senate also voted overwhelmingly to support the IAFF position to keep FEMA as part of the Department of Homeland Security — keeping preparedness and response together and protecting our direct grant and training programs.

Republican House leadership reaffirmed their support and commitment in passing our HELPs proposal to assist with retiree health care for our members, and eliminating penalties for early withdrawals from DROP programs as part of the overall pension reform bill.

Democratic Leader Pelosi stated very clearly that the Democrat’s agenda for the next Congress will include fully implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Secretary Chao simply wanted to make sure regulations that the Labor Department implemented last year regarding overtime did, in fact, protect our members’ compensation.

And Dave Paulison wanted to thank the IAFF for fighting to protect and grow fire service grant programs and for our efforts in protecting the budget of the U. S. Fire Administration and FEMA.

All of these leaders conveyed their desire to work with our union to advance our agenda and build even stronger relationships with professional fire fighters.

And that, brothers and sisters, is a measurable and quantifiable result in which we can all take pride. Thank you for all that you do. Together, we are truly “Takin’ Care of Business.” Every day.

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