Big Win for Apache Junction Fire Fighters

April 1, 2009 – The Arizona Apache Junction Fire District Administration has voted unanimously to grant Apache Junction fire fighters – members of United Mesa Fire Fighters Local 2260 -- meet and confer rights.

Local 2260 President Bryan Jeffries says this victory is particularly significant, considering Apache Junction’s long history of tense labor-management relations. “I believe a combination of strong political action and a new, more open-minded fire chief were the two things that led to the unanimous vote,” says Jeffries.

He adds, “I am very proud of all of the hard work put forth by our members throughout this process.”

The door began to open for obtaining meet and confer rights when Dan Campbell became Apache Junction’s fire chief. The previous chief had been unwilling to consider meet and confer, but Campbell was ready to consider the idea.

In 2008, Local 2260 endorsed three candidates to serve on the fire district board. In support, fire fighters walked neighborhoods, made phone calls and implemented several other campaign strategies. As a result, all three candidates were elected in November 2008.

With at least three-fifths of the board now on their side, Local 2260 members developed a meet and confer proposal and submitted it to the board.

On March 18, 2009, the proposal went up for a vote and was passed unanimously. Apache Junction fire fighters expect to begin negotiating their first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) later this year.