Human Relations

The IAFF is committed to promoting positive human relations in all aspects of the fire service. Every fire fighter, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or reason of disability, has the right to a safe and respectful workplace that fosters professional and personal balance. IAFF Human Relations efforts support initiatives to help members achieve that ideal in their firehouses and fire departments.

Human Relations Manual
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In This Section

Local Human Relations Committee

Establishing a Local Human Relations Committee

Establishing a human relations committee is a proven way to help your local sort through the opportunities and challenges that diversity presents. It can assist your local in resolving conflict and developing a proactive strategy for change.

A human relations committee can benefit your local by:

  • Increasing unity and solidarity among members.
  • Proactively promoting diversity and inclusion within your local.
  • Ensuring that all members are represented fairly, equally, and without discrimination.
  • Serving as a resource to your local on human relations issues.
Guidelines for Forming a Local Human Relations Committee

Members

  • Determine the number of members to serve on the committee.
  • The membership elects or the local union president appoints the committee members.
  • The committee reflects, as much as possible, all members by race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
  • Make the local union president and chairperson of the grievance committee (if one exists) committee members as well.

Responsibilities

  • Acquaint yourselves with the contract (if one exists), work rules and the city’s hiring and promotional policies.
  • Establish a rapport with various group and governmental agencies at the local, state/provincial and federal levels.
  • Familiarize yourselves with the procedures for filing complaints with city, state/provincial and federal agencies.
  • Do not separate yourselves from the activities of other local union committees, and maintain continuous communication with the grievance committee (if one exists).

Paperwork

  • Establish a budget, if needed.
  • Keep accurate minutes of all committee meetings on file.
  • Submit regular reports of activities to the principal officers, the local union executive board, and the membership (whichever is appropriate or in compliance with local bylaws or policy).
  • Maintain effective communications with the local union president concerning all action reviewed by the committee.

Meetings

  • Meet on a regularly scheduled basis.
  • Open meetings to all members, and give ample notice of each meeting.

Complaints

  • Concern yourselves primarily with allegations of discrimination in employment practices.
  • Hold meetings with members upon initiation of a complaint.
  • Investigate all relative facts to determine the validity of the complaint.
  • Be honest, sincere, and tactful in dealing with members who initiate complaints.
  • Never infringe upon the duties and responsibilities of the grievance committee.

Elected Human Relations Committee

Composed of 18 elected members, the IAFF Elected Human Relations Committee (EHRC) develops and recommends policies and procedures for affiliates. Since 1988, it has assisted IAFF members in improving relationships and educating members regarding human relations issues.


Services Provided

While the EHRC is formally assigned the task of recommending policy and procedures pertaining to discrimination for all local, state and provincial affiliates, it also addresses problems concerning minority affairs by the following areas. For more information, email [email protected].

Technical Assistance

Providing technical assistance to local unions on matters pertaining to discrimination (the policy of the IAFF on assistance for human relations issues can be found on pages 5-6 of the Human Relations Manual).

Consultations

Counseling and advising local unions in the form of meetings with IAFF members and/or meetings with local committees and management.

Communications

Improving and expediting communications between local unions and the IAFF in matters concerning civil rights by developing and presenting the biennial IAFF Human Relations Conference.


History

In 1988, a resolution passed at the 39th IAFF Convention that assembled a standing committee of IAFF members charged with improving relationships and establishing greater unity among all brother and sister fire fighters.

Twelve committee positions were filled by two representatives for each of these groups: women, Black, Hispanic, male Caucasian, Canadian, and other than already represented. In 2016, a resolution was passed at 53rd IAFF Convention to expand and update the Committee. Sixteen Committee positions were filled by two representatives for each of these groups to include: African American/Black, Caucasian/White, Disabled/Handicapped, Female, Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-and/or Queer/Questioning, Hispanic/Latino, Canadian affiliates (to be elected at the IAFF Canadian Policy Conference) and Members-at-Large for ethnicities currently not afforded a category, i.e. Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Alaskan Native, and/or Native Hawaiian origin or descent.

Since its creation, the EHRC’s role has expanded to provide greater hands-on support to locals seeking assistance with human relations matters.

Mission Statement

It is the mission of the IAFF Elected Human Relations Committee to develop and recommend policies and procedures for local, state, and provincial affiliates to use as guidelines, relative to human relations issues within the fire service. Furthermore, it is the mission of the IAFF Elected Human Relations Committee to assist our IAFF membership in improving relationships, as well as promoting understanding between all brother and sister members. It is the committee’s objective to educate the IAFF membership regarding human relations issues within the fire service, and to encourage greater involvement of all members, in recognition of our diversity, as it is an important component of the continued success of our International union.

IAFF Human Relations Executive Board Committee

 

Ricky J. Walsh
IAFF 7th District Vice President

Chair
Representing African American/Black

 

Robert “Bo” Chaney
Rockford, Illinois
Local 413

Leroy Heyward
Boston, Massachusetts
Local 718

Members
Representing Canadian

(2021 – next election at the Canadian Policy Conference in 2025)

Katrina Davison
Vancouver, British Columbia
Local 18

Clive Deonarine
Ajax, Ontario
Local 1092

Members
Representing Caucasian/White

 

Thomas C. Donovan
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Local 48

Cass Monroe
Bellevue, Washington
Local 1604

Members
Representing Disabled/Handicapped

 

Barry Stafford
Boston, Massachusetts
Local 718

William Silva
Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington
Local F-283

Members
Representing Female

 

Audrey Owczarzak
Newport, Kentucky
Local 45

Barbara Sellers
Shreveport, Louisiana
Local 514

Members
Representing Hispanic/Latino

 

Carlos Pacheco
Kansas City, Kansas
Local 64

Alan Rivas
Lynnwood, Washington
Local 1828

Members
Representing LGBTQ

 

Cristian Cruz
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Local 244

Rylie Robillard
Waterbury, Connecticut
Local 1339

Members
Representing Others Than Already Represented

 

David Bautista
Orange County, California
Local 3631

Stanley Lee
San Francisco, California
Local 798

Members
Representing Veteran

 

Roy Mokosso
St. Paul, Minnesota
Local 21

Jorge Pena
UFA of New York New York
Local 94

Members

Resources

AFL–CIO Resolution 2: A Diverse Movement Calls for Diverse Leadership

Adopted at the AFL-CIO 2005 Convention, Resolution 2 calls for unions to reflect the diversity of their communities, both in union membership and union leadership.

Diversity in Leadership

Samples of some of the innovative ways that unions are bringing more women and people of color into leadership. They are part of the Union Plus scholarship program.

IAFF Discrimination Policy

The IAFF stands unequivocally opposed to discrimination and harassment in all of its forms and in all types of environments. Specifically, this opposition includes discrimination in hiring, promoting, and laying off of employees, as well as in all other employment-related conditions. The IAFF also opposes all forms of harassment.

Constitution and By-Laws
Article III Membership
Section 1. Active

Any person of good moral character who at the time of making application is engaged in service within the jurisdiction of this Association as set forth in Article II of this Constitution and By-Laws will be eligible for active membership in this Association through its chartered local, state or provincial associations, and joint councils.

Anyone eligible for membership in the Association shall not be refused membership or, upon acceptance, be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or by reason of disability. Local unions are urged to propose amendments to their own constitution and/or by-laws to reflect the same prohibitions against discrimination.

Preventing Sexual Harassment

Every IAFF affiliate is encouraged to make sure that all IAFF members clearly understand the types of behavior that are unacceptable in the workplace.

  • Employment conditions cannot be made based on sexual relations.
  • Unwelcome sexual advances by supervisors and coworkers are not tolerated.
  • Sexual joking, off-color jokes, verbal abuse, demeaning sexual inquiries, vulgarity, obscene gestures and lewd comments are unacceptable.
  • The displaying of sexually oriented posters, magazines or other graphic materials is not condoned.

Assure members that their union is committed to ensuring that all persons employed in the fire service have the opportunity to work in an environment that is not offensive, intimidating or hostile because of one’s gender. Document this position and sponsor sexual harassment programs concerning appropriate conduct.

Tell members what to do if they are confronted with unwelcome sexual behavior. Outline each of the following steps:

  1. Ask the person to stop the harassing behavior. This strengthens the position of the member, if the member reports the incident later.
  2. If the harassment persists, file a formal complaint with a local union officer (or station steward) or the EEOC.
  3. Document the complaint by keeping a diary or log that details each of the incidents. Write down what happened, what was said, who was there and who might have witnessed the incident.

Make it simple for members to report sexual harassment violations. If a grievance procedure does not exist, then set up an internal complaint procedure. Write this procedure to encourage members to come forward with allegations of sexual harassment. Reassure members that all complaints will remain confidential, and that no retaliation will be taken against any member who comes forward with a complaint.

Reproductive Health

No one enters the fire service believing that it is a safe job. Burns, smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion and chemical exposure are just a few examples of the dangers fire fighters face on the scene. One health risk that receives less attention is the impact of fire fighting on reproductive health. Thought of mostly as a women’s issue, reproductive health concerns are important for all fire fighters as research has highlighted the effects of exposure not only to pregnant fire fighters, but to all women and men of reproductive age. The links below provide research data and other supporting documents to help fire fighters better understand the risks to their reproductive health.

Resolving a Human Relations Complaint

The IAFF firmly believes that a charge of discrimination or harassment should be settled in the shortest time possible. When an IAFF member has a human relations complaint, Article XIII, Section 22 of the Constitution and By-Laws and the IAFF Executive Board Policy of the IAFF provide the following system for resolution of the issue:

  • Inform the local president of the issue.
  • If the local has a human relations committee, the local president may refer the issue to the committee.
  • If the issue is not resolved at the local level, the local president may seek the assistance of the district vice president.
  • The district vice president may then ask the assistance of the IAFF General President.
  • The IAFF General President may offer assistance to the local union.
  • The IAFF General President may utilize the IAFF Human Relations Committee to assist the local union.

When a member has pursued a human relations complaint through the local union and its officers and has not received a resolution that is deemed appropriate, then the member has a number of avenues available that can be followed. The member can correspond directly with the district vice president and the IAFF General President.

The IAFF’s Human Relations Committee provides technical assistance to affiliates on discrimination issues and other human relations related topics. The committee counsels and advises locals through meetings with IAFF members and/or local committees and management. The committee can also provide educational programs for locals who wish to take proactive steps in human relations.

Additionally, IAFF Human Relations Committee Technical Assistance extends into offering education and training. The programs below offer guidance in getting started in human relations and are taught to locals throughout the United States and Canada. For information on bringing these workshops to your local, contact [email protected].

Other IAFF Resources
AFL-CIO Constituency Groups