IAFF 293

VA 5K Race Cancelled

Fire Communications Subcontracting Grievance Denied

The Fire Communications grievance concerning the potential violation of our Subcontracting Clause of the CBA has been denied by the grievance arbitrator. The decision is attached. ~Dave

Download:

Fire Comm Award July 2010.pdf

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear L-293 PLSDO Case

A little history. Back in December 2005, City Council rescinded the PLSDO ordinances for both Fire and Police. The FOP filed a grievance, won, the City appealed to the Commonwealth Court and the FOP won. We filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) with the PA Labor Relations Board (PLRB) and the Hearing Examiner ruled in our favor, the City appealed to the entirety of the PLRB and we won again, the City then appealed to Commonwealth Court and we lost. When the City appealed this to the Commonwealth Court, it cost us very little in legal fees as this was the City of Erie vs. the PLRB. The PLRB, citing the Commonwealth Court’s ruling in the FOP case, appealed to the PA Supreme Court and the Court had not decided whether or not to hear this case. Thursday July 8, 2010, the Supreme Court decided to hear this case.

Act 44 of 2009 was passed in September of last year, recognizes and “legitimizing” forward DROPS, while outlawing “reverse DROPS”, with 2 exceptions; Erie FOP because they have one contractually prior to Act 44 being enacted, and Erie Fire as there is pending litigation that began prior to Act 44. Therefore, if the Supreme Court rules in our favor, we will have a reverse DROP. Dave

Retiree Healthcare Contribution Decision

We recently won the Retiree Healthcare Contribution grievance that was Arbitrated in March. As a result any firefighters retiring will not have a deduction from their pension check to pay for healthcare. The decision is attached. ~Dave.

Download:

Retiree Healthcare Contribution Award.pdf

HB 1231 Firefighter Cancer Presumption

Everyone,

House Bill 1231 is the FIREFIGHTER Cancer Presumption bill that has passed the House of Representatives and languishes in the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.

This bill is for ALL firefighters Career as well as Volunteer.

Please take a moment to contact our Senators and request action.

Thanks,

Dave

Fellow Responder, Cancer Presumption (HB1231) is being considered in the Senate L&I Committee and NEEDS your support!!!

HB1231 Cancer Presumption is being considered in the Senate	Take Action!
Contact your Senator Today and voice your support!

HB1231 which includes Cancer Presumption for Pennsylvania's Firefighters is currently being considered in the Senate Labor and Industry Committee. With enough support from Pennsylvania's Emergency Responder community this legislation stands a chance at leaving the committee for a vote on the floor of the full Senate! Let your Senator know today that you support this legislation and that you'd like it to come out of committee and become LAW! This Bill has already passed in the House and this VERY important step will help us win this worthy presumption for all who have given so much and suffered in return! For up to the minute information about this Bill, you can see it on the Senate website at the following link: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2009&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1231 Please take a moment to contact your Senator today and Take Action to voice your support for this important legislation and that you'd like it OUT of the L&I Committee and onto the floor for a YES vote! Take a moment or two to personalize the message and let your Senator know how Cancer Presumption would affect you or your Department!

NIST report on Residential Fireground Field Experiments

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued a comprehensive report on crew size effects on fireground efficiency. This is available in the Downloads page. Dave

Erie Fire Museum

The Fire Museum needs help.

While monetary donations are welcome, the Museum Board is in need of donations of time to give tours etc, during the summer months.

The Museum will be open June through October with the following hours;

June - August

Saturdays 1100-1300

Sundays 1300-1600

September through October

Saturday and Sunday 1300-1600

Please contact Deputy Chief Mike Fahey if you can assist.

Ratification Vote Results

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the membership has ratified the agreement between Erie Fire Fighters Local 293 and the City of Erie with 64 voting in favor and 19 voting against.

The results are posted on the Online Voting page.

Telemarket Fundraising

I have received calls concerning telemarketing companies trying to solicit funds for various reasons. The PA Professional Fire Fighters contracts with Xentel and will, from time to time, solicit in this area. These people indentify themselves as Xentel employees calling on behalf of the PPFFA. Local 293 does not telemarket.

I cannot speak for any other fundraising companies that may call. Dave

Ratification Vote

An online ratification vote of a compromise agreement between IAFF L-293 and the City of Erie will begin April 11, 2010 and conclude April 15, 2010. Details are available on the "Ratification of proposed agreement" page in the Member Resources section of this website and are posted in all work areas. Dave

Voting will open at 0700 hrs on April 11, 2010 and close at 0700 hrs on April 15, 2010.

The signed Settlement Agreement is posted on the Ratification page. Dave

HB1231

HB 1231 is our Cancer Presumption Bill for ALL firefighters. This bill passed the House of Representatives and sits in the Senate Labor and Industry Committe. There is hope that we can get this bill moving through the Senate in the near future and we will be asking you to contact Senator Jane Earll at (814) 453-2515 to support HB 1231 and all firefighters in her District.

This is available in both the Legislation and Downloads pages of the website. Dave

No Station Closing

Local 293 and Mayor Sinnott agreed today to a compromise to the Arbitrator's staffing provisions issued in the 2009 Interest Arbitration Award.

We have agreed that:

The use of the "dual companies" will cease.

There will be 1 dedicated tower company staffed with 5 firefighters and will respond with 5 firefighters.

There will be 5 engines staffed with 5 firefighters and will respond with 4 firefighters.

If the City were to close a company, the remaining companies will be manned with 5 firefighters and respond with 5 firefighters.

The legal battles concerning this Interest Arbitration Award will cease and the above language will be enterd into the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

As of this time, we have no word as to whether Central Station or South Central Station will be the tower company.

Court Ordered Staffing

Court of Common Pleas upheld staffing decision. Full decision in members resources downloads.

Random Drug Testing

Fallen Firefighter update in the What's new section

Arbitration Award Decision

The City of Erie filed 2 exceptions to the Act 111 Interest Arbitration Award. The case went before the Erie County Common Pleas Court and a mixed decision was issued.

The Court ruled in favor of the City on the PLSDO (Reverse DROP) provision and in favor of Local 293 on the Staffing provision.

"This is a very good as apparatus manning has a direct relationship to the safety of firefighters." IAFF Local 293 President Dave Chiaramonte was quoted as saying.

This ruling is available in the Downloads page of the website.

Retirees' Page

The Retirees' Page is now available without Login.

Excise Tax on Health Care

Everyone;

Please contact our Senators today and ask them to VOTE NO on the Senate's plan to tax our healthcare benefits. We are fortunate to have health insurance, but we have also sacrificed wages and other benefits in the past to keep this reasonable benefit and now the U.S. Senate wants to penalize us.

This is from the IAFF:

The IAFF has been lobbying against a plan in the U.S. Senate to tax so-called "Cadillac" health insurance plans. This excise tax would assess a tax on high-value insurance plans and would likely affect many IAFF members' plans that cost more -- not because they offer more generous benefits but because of the dangers of the job or other factors that are more costly.

The IAFF is working to ensure that this excise tax will not be enacted when a final health care bill is signed into law.

Contact Senator Specter (202) 224-4254 or 453-3010 and Senator Casey (202) 224-6324 or 874-5080.

Thank you,

Dave

HB 1231

I am pleased to report that the PPFFA sponsored cancer presumption bill (HB 1231) passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today. The measure passed with a vote of 186 for and 3 against. I commend PPFFA Political Director Rich Gawlik, Legislative Directors Carey Eggert and Marty Harsh for all their work. The legislation will now move to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Unlike last years' effort, the PPFFA and our allies will have months instead of days to move the legislation through the Senate. The PPFFA will be calling upon our membership to contact their Senators at the appropriate time. To have this bill come this far so quickly after last years initiative speaks volumes about the PPFFA's increasing political clout in Harrisburg. Much of the success of our political program comes from the support we get from our members across the state. The increased support of the PPFFA PAC program has demonstrated proven results. Local Presidents are encouraged to discuss the importance of both Local and state-wide PAC's with their members. The involvement of our members and affiliates is clearly felt in Harrisburg. The PPFFA will be coordinating with local affiliates for future action on this important piece.

Again, thank you for all the help and support: it is appreciated by your PPFFA Officers and staff.

Sometimes Technology Is Not the Answer

A disturbing trend has emerged as many American cities have consolidated their dispatching and communications functions and invested in new technologies. Namely, the primary understanding of the role of communications in the fire service is being diminished and, in some cities, lost. Several key factors are involved: persons not knowledgeable about fire department needs making decisions about fire department communications systems; new technology that doesn’t put the customer (the fire department) first; and fire department leadership that does not stand up for the needs of the department, firefighters, and dispatchers

http://www.fireengineering.com/display_article/361523/25/none/none/Depar/Sometimes-Technology-Is-Not-the-Answer

Attention!!!
December 12, 2008..............Erie Fire Fighters Local 293 and the Erie Fire Department are NOT engaged in telephone solicitations. If you have been solicited and have concerns, please contact the Erie Police Department at (814) 870-1120

Pay Stubs

The pay stubs now reflect accumulated sick time and vacation time, unfortunately, there is an error in some of these numbers. Both the City and Union are aware of this and are working to correct it. Please do not call payroll or HR with complaints. Thank you, Dave

DROP ruling

The Commonwealth Court has ruled against the PLRB concerning the PLSDO (reverse DROP). The Court ruled that the City was correct in the ability to rescind the City Ordinances that provided our PLSDO. This is not the current PLSDO that was awarded to us by the arbitration panel. It is my understanding that the City is challenging this provision. Check back for updates.

PLSDO Hearing

When City Council "rescinded" the PLSDO ordinances, we filed an Unfair Labor Practice suit with the PA Labor Relations Board, had a hearing before a hearing examiner and won.

The City appealed the hearing examiner's ruling to the PLRB and we had a second hearing before the 3 member panel and again won.

The City has appealed this decision to the Commonwealth and the hearing date has been set for October 14th.

First Alert Injury Reporting Program

The First Alert Injury Reporting Program is a statewide initiative to protect the health and safety of all Firefighters and Paramedics. This is a totally confidential, no cost reporting system that has been established "To protect Firefighters and Paramedics and to collect and organize information on health, safety and occupational disease Read More...

You Get What You Give

Lately, it seems like more people are complaining about their taxes than ever before. Why is that? Are taxes really too high? Do you pay too much for taxes Read More...

Key Provisions Provide Aid to Struggling Communities

February 13th, 2009.........Congressional leaders and the Obama administration have agreed on a compromise economic stimulus package that will provide more than $200 billion to states and localities facing budget shortfalls. This critically needed funding will help alleviate the pressure on fire department budgets in communities across the nation Read More...