|
|
Brothers & Sisters,
This week, the Coalition of County Unions (CCU) and Unions United with SEIU 721 have continued to bargain in solidarity for the COLA portions of our contracts. We continue to press the County on our issues primarily inflation and the rising costs of living.
President Gillotte continues to meet regularly with the Union leaders in the Unions United coalition, and this week SEIU President David Green tallied votes to authorize a strike for SEIU if a fair contract deal is not reached. This is a historic and powerful time with the never-before alliance of ALL Unions in the County on the COLA push.
Local 1014 and the Unions of the CCU stand in strong support of the men and women of SEIU as they show the courage to lay it on the line for their families. Local 1014 along with the Sheriffs of ALADS and our brothers and sisters in PPOA are prevented from striking, but we will support in every way we can any strike that takes place.
Public safety workers are not allowed to “work to the rule" or conduct coordinated job actions until we go to IMPASSE legally at the table which is a possibility. We know some members have begun to personally pull back from voluntary extra work and Directors Carcioppolo and Reade are the appointed Union Directors to discuss and understand how to navigate this path personally and individually.
If Local 1014 declares IMPASSE and if we need to support the strike as well as our own contract efforts with any Labor unrest, please be sure and wait and understand only through the Union and with the legal and strategic plans already laid out if necessary can we be successful. There are some who seek to divide including outside sources reaching out to our own members during this time. The Sheriffs are already under some court-ordered restraint and all Unions in public safety are working to educate their members and keep the Union efforts strategic to protect our bargaining, our members and their families.
We will discuss more of this at the Union Meeting on Tuesday. Also we will put out some guidelines as bargaining intensifies. Watch for official Union messaging only to know how to operate and to keep the bargaining table square as we seek to finish bargaining in the next couple of weeks. This is the number one item affecting your wages and your benefits including medical and dental and vision and is a priority for the Local.
We are back at the bargaining table next Friday and we know the other partner Unions are also bargaining intensely this week as we seek a fair contract. |
|
|
This week, the Local 1014 Executive Board continues the work of bargaining for a fair contract with the County on behalf of our members.
|
|
Other Working Conditions Items Update
Covid Vaccine Mandate-While we all continue to navigate the restructuring of the national effort to combat COVID-19, including removal of mask requirements, vaccine status requirements, travel restrictions, and dining restrictions, the numbers clearly indicate that both the vaccine and exposure have contributed to a much better outcome. We are frustrated with the slow process to change the Executive Order from the County.
We continue to work to change to recommendations only, but for now, it is in full force and effect. We have been extremely successful in navigating this difficult path with a consistent and strong message and plan of Vaccinate or Accommodate for our members who are vaccinated and those who have submitted and registered for accommodations.
The process has, by design, been slow and cumbersome, even including a successful appeal by Local 1014 to appeal the first round of discipline in 5 day suspensions and then intent to terminate letters that were not crafted correctly or legally. Local 1014’s Unfair Labor Practice Charge forced the Department to retract all the letters, and essentially start over for those who were not yet registered. Remember no discipline has been proposed or levied for any member who is registered or are in the process for an exemption with hundreds of approvals to date.
We encourage all of our members to be registered and to be working on filing or in process to request exemption. Be strategic and walk this slow path of compliance as things change daily on this matter. We have also protected those who are on “I” and those who have tested positive for Covid for a period of 90 days following positive test results. We continue to to work with the Department with Chief Marrone at the helm on the matter and we are confident that if you stay educated, informed and in compliance with the strategic steps of either being vaccinated or in process for exemption, you are safe and will have no job threat as we have accomplished thus far for all of our members.
We will keep you posted on the changes as they occur. We look forward to a day when the Executive Order is changed, but until then please follow our guidance and stay in the process.
Training Center Cadre Issue and Related Management Issues
Local 1014 has communicated with the BOS and the Fire Chief directly on our strong official opposition to the actions taken by this Department to remove the Training Cadre of Captains because of complaints that appear at best coincidental but at worst coordinated by recruits in the tower of unfair treatment as they were being released for failure to perform. This is not only disturbing, but a first for the Department to take action based on complaints without an official investigation or due process rights.
Deputy Chief Mackey individually examined and authorized the move to remove the Captains along with Department authority including the Fire Chief and Executive Staff at the highest levels in the Chain of Command. This was done without full Executive Staff involvement and we know that with more input the various ways to have dealt with this item in the critical 8th week of the tower with knowledge of the complaints since week 4 could have occurred. None the less we want answers and we have notified the federal agency EEOC / FEHA to ask for an independent investigation into the allegations of the recruits and simultaneously we are working towards an independent investigation into all aspects of the tower issues with the recruits.
We stand with our amazing Training Captains from this tower and all towers on this matter. If you have made a decision to not volunteer your talents to teach in the towers any more, or other related efforts PLEASE CONTACT TONY CARCIOPPOLO OR CHRIS READE FOR GUIDANCE ON YOUR ACTIONS.
IAFF COMMITTEE FORUM
President Gillotte along with Fire Union leaders from around the country met this week to discuss the most pressing issues and matters the IAFF and Local affiliates including their state organizations are working on. The IAFF Committee Forum is a gathering of IAFF Standing Committee members and technical experts in the fields to help us collect data, and lobby legislation or administrative efforts to protect and fund our firefighters. This work is critical in the federal legalization of the authority needed to protect firefighters.
California is a leader in crafting legislation affecting working conditions like workers' compensation, behavioral health, PFAS, and Cancer Presumptive Legislation. We share our work with other states who are just now working for some of these protections, and we also network to share best practices from progressive states who have also achieved forward progress on firefighter issues.
The committees that met this week are EMS (Local 1014), HazMat, Human Relations, Wildland Fire and Safety, NFPA 1710, among others. Roundtable discussions were led with IAFF General President Ed Kelly and our good friend GST Frank Lima on a variety of common issues with inflation and bargaining being the number one issue affecting firefighters throughout the US and Canada.
While President Gillotte is selected by the 10th District Vice President to serve representing CA, AZ, HI, NM, and Guam on EMS issues, we are also active in and on all committees through our partners as subject matter experts. Another thank you to Local 1014 Firefighter Derek Irwin for his tireless work on cancer research and data collection aiding us in prevention and treatment and care throughout the nation. Derek continues to work with UCLA, the Department and the IAFF. Thank you also to Captain Jamie Gabriel who has stepped up to enroll the most IAFF firefighters in cancer research and data collection including our new recruits.
We are helping to lead the way on the work needed to get tools in place to help our members. One such new tool being examined with the hope that it will help us is GRAIL cancer testing to detect early a number of cancers in our members. We look forward to the continued work on these subjects. We will keep you posted on related efforts and legislation such as AB 1223 affecting our workers' compensation to penalize providers who do not approve and treat our members' timely manner. This bill along with the negotiations underway to improve and invigorate our workers' compensation system to efficiency will make strides in taking better care of our members and also reduce costs and related staffing shortages as a result of injured workers being off duty. |
|
|
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
This year, our LACounty Fire Family has endured unimaginable tragedy. Yet through it all, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to our communities and those we serve. While we have shown the strength and solidarity of our members and our department, we also know that this has been an extraordinary year of stress both physical and mental. This stress can overwhelm even the strongest among us.
This May, in commemoration of Mental Health Awareness Month, all California firefighters are being asked to participate in a Suicide Prevention & Awareness Stand-Down during the week of May 23rd through the 27th. Please lookout for more information coming to your stations through the California Professional Firefighters (CPF). Also, we will be sending out a revised station resource poster from our Peer Support Team.
Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) is real and there is danger in ignoring it. Take the time to address the impact the job can have on our behavioral health. A firefighter you know could be suffering in silence – your participation could save a life.
|
|
The Annual 1014 Blood Drive
The results are in from our 3rd Annual Blood Drive! We are so thankful for the outpouring of support we received. Because of our members, we collected enough donations to save up to 56 lives in one day! Thank you to the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region and all your staff for your work to save lives!! The Red Cross continues to see a severe shortage of blood supply throughout Los Angeles so every drop makes a difference! |
|
|
In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
|
|
|
|
|
|
