Delegates and alternates began business on the first afternoon of the IAFF’s 56th Convention in Ottawa, Ontario, by adopting several resolutions:
Resolution 2 – Each officer, the Executive Board, and the Board of Trustees shall prepare reports biennially of their work and official acts and submit them to the General Secretary-Treasurer within 60 days of the opening of the Convention. Such reports shall be made available electronically to the delegates and alternates before the start of the convention.
Resolution 3 – Amends the IAFF Constitution and By-Laws so that notice of charges against any officer or member shall be sent by mail or by email to the local union, association, or joint council with which the accused is affiliated, and a copy sent to the accused. Further, a request that the General President convene a Pre-Trial Review Board must be sent to the General President and the DVP no later than 30 days after service of the charges, with a copy of the request mailed by a trackable delivery method at the same time to all other parties.
Resolution 5 – The IAFF recognizes there have been instances in which a trial has not been able to be held within the 120-day period because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. The IAFF Constitution & By-Laws is amended to read: “Whenever charges are preferred against an officer or member of a local union or an officer or member of a state or provincial association or joint council (collectively, “subordinate unions”), the charged party will be tried within 120 days. The appointing officer shall have the authority to extend this timeframe with cause for up to 60 days. If the charged party requests a review, the 120-day period will run from the date of the decision by the review board.
Resolution 8 – Revised language to allow for members of the Executive Board – when not in session – to act by letter, email, teleconference, or video conference provided that all board members are polled for their vote.
Resolution 11 – IAFF Employee Benefits and Human Resources Committee (EBHR) shall be a standing and permanent committee composed only of Executive Board Members. It also permanently establishes the Administrative Committee to administer the Principal Officers Benefit Plan.
Resolution 13 – Allows for the IAFF Credentials Committee to consist of 16 delegates or alternates, one representing each district, appointed by the General President in consultation with respective District Vice Presidents. Further that the Committee on Grievances and Appeals also consist of 16 delegates, representing each district and CBL Committee.
Resolution 14 – Allows for and sets parameters for the Executive Board to conduct meetings in person or in virtual format, providing 10 days’ notice for in-person and three days’ advance notice for virtual meetings.
Resolution 29 – The IAFF seeks increased representation on the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) and commissions as a means of leading policy and procedural changes of the accreditation process before committing more resources to supporting peer assessor teams. The IAFF continues to petition the Commission on Fire Accreditation (CFAI) to consider the measurable objectives of NFPA 1710 as the performance benchmarks.
Resolution 30 – Forgives balances owed by the IAFF General Fund to the Political Referendum Operations Partnership (PROP), the U.S. Political Education Fund (PAC-Ed), and Disaster Relief Operations (DRO). Debts owed from the IAFF General Fund to the Union Activities Justice Fund (UAJF) will remain on the books.
Resolution 32 – Urges that the IAFF promote legislation requiring systems and trained personnel in all primary and secondary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), and that all locals have access to the Continuous Quality Assurance (CQA) process and direct involvement in determining the number of personnel and resources outlined in dispatch protocols and response configurations.
Resolution 33 – Increases the Union Activities Justice Fund (UAJF) maximum award from $10,000 to $20,000 and that the maximum monthly limit of $2,500 and the four-month maximum period is removed; and that each member receiving a UAJF award shall be given the opportunity to obtain the maximum award value.