Fire fighters at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Maryland, won a major victory last week.
The board that oversees labor-management relations within the federal government ruled Warfield fire fighters can rejoin the IAFF and not be forced into the Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT).
Prior to January 2023, Warfield fire fighters and other emergency workers at the Martin State Airport outside Baltimore were classified as Maryland state employees. They were members of IAFF Local 5044. But a reclassification moved the fire fighters to Title 5 federal government employees within the U.S. Department of Defense.
Since 1999, ACT has had exclusive rights to represent all federal Wage Grade and General Schedule Civilian Technicians (CTs) at Warfield. ACT leaders argued that because of the classification change, they had sole authority to represent fire fighters at the base.
The IAFF disagreed and filed a petition with the FLRA, arguing that the reclassification broke with nearly all historical precedent.
Last October, the IAFF made its case before FLRA Regional Director Jessica Bartlett, citing years of precedent and ACT’s guidelines as clear reasoning to separate fire fighters on the base from other CTs. Bartlett dismissed the IAFF’s petition due to her view that fire-protection personnel should fall under ACT’s authority.
The IAFF applied for the FLRA to review the decision shortly after the dismissal.
Last week, following a review, the FLRA vacated the Regional Director’s decision. The reversal recognized arguments put forth by the IAFF legal team and acknowledged the regional director erred in her application of law and precedent to the petition.
From the beginning, my ultimate goal was to allow the members of F-319 to have their choice of representation. Dedication, hard work, and persistance has finally paid off.
Local F-319 President Daniel L. Blake
The outcome was made possible by the efforts of the IAFF, its legal team, and Local F-319 President Daniel Blake, who leads the local established by Warfield fire fighters on the base following their reclassification.
“From the beginning, my ultimate goal was to allow the members of F-319 to have their choice of representation,” said Blake. “This is a huge success for the IAFF but an even bigger success for our local. Dedication, hard work and persistence has finally paid off.”
Their decision paves the way for the fire fighters at Warfield to vote to join the IAFF. Should they do so, contract negations will begin.
