President’s Report – Executive Board Meeting – August 9, 2012

Retirement security for retirees, active duty and prospective or new hire public safety employees…

Have you given this any thought?  How safe are we in protecting our level of benefits for retirement and health care?  If this question has not crossed your mind, I hope to be a catalyst to engage your thought process and your consideration on this issue.

Your Executive Board reads and monitors a lot of material including print, television, e-mail, blog and web based communication from a variety of sources to stay informed on this issue.  Retirement and Health care benefits are two of the most important issues for every Retired, Active Duty and New Hire Firefighter, Paramedic and Fire Personnel represented by Local 1014 in Los Angeles County.

We have put ourselves in a good position from a bargaining unit point of view, and even as a public safety sector unit with the Los Angeles County CCU members and certainly LACERA is healthy.  We have done this through political action and legislative efforts over many years, and it is by no accident that we have bargained responsibly and powerfully to get to this point, and currently to keep ourselves safe.

I am very comfortable with our status and our positioning on retirement and health care at this time at the legislative, and political, and bargaining tables.  It is what we do primarily at the Union Hall, day in and day out.  We bargain, maintain political relationships and leverage, or what I like to call “Loverage” our friends and our enemies to pay attention to our issues.  That is what keeps us stable and safe in these hard times, and what allows the gains we can get in good times.

What I have been monitoring lately beyond the official substantive based material in the political and legislative and initiative world where we get our work done, is the Facebook, twitter, and social media world of own membership, and the fire service membership as a whole.

I have been monitoring active duty and retiree members from Local 1014 and also the CPF membership within the state of California as we prepare to defeat Proposition 32 the ballot box in November and I am concerned and proud at the same time.  Complacency and comfort is what concerns me.  We have much to be concerned about my friends…much.

Statewide we have work to do within our own membership to get the education and the concern heightened to get our firefighters and paramedics up and off the couch, or off the surfboard or out of the boat, or away from one or perhaps two overtimes before November to VOTE NO on Proposition 32, and to work to get other NO on 32 VOTES. 

Within Los Angeles County Fire Fighters, Local 1014 our members have a pretty good understanding and comprehension of the issue and the impact to our ability to carry our voice and leverage a fair collective bargaining table. We have had good turnout at phone banks, and good turnout to help with all of the items we have needed so far at a rate greater than the State Fire Fighters and we should be proud of that.

It is of concern to me and should be to you also that predictions are that it would be good if we got out 50 % of our membership to actually VOTE, and about 60-65% of the members in total will VOTE NO on Prop 32.  I would like Local 1014 to deliver almost 100% of our members to the polls and over 80% NO on Proposition 32!
 
I believe this is attainable and a very reachable goal for our Local.  Some would ask why I didn’t say 100% NO on Proposition 32….?  Well, because I realize and support the concept that not all Union Members will agree with some of the positions of the Union or “Unions” as a whole, and have heartache or consternation with personal issues vs. Union issues on balance, and that is real life and a part of the deal, and OK.  So, 100% compliance with a vote is about attainable as 100% compliance with Performance Evaluations or Timecard Approvals…it is a great goal and we should work towards that, but more than likely will never be attained, and again…that’s OK and it’s what makes us “America”…land of the free and home of the brave.  But for those who do not agree, at least let your Union do the work for your paycheck items…your pocketbook issues that pay for your home, your car, your kids college…your retirement and health care.

In closing, I would like to offer up some food for thought on NO on Proposition 32 and what you will do with your VOTE and your EFFORT on the issue and why.  It is where I started this report and where I will finish….  Retirement security for Retired, Active Duty, and Prospective New Hire Fire Fighters and Paramedics and Fire Personnel….Have you given that any thought? 

If proposition 32 passes it will effectively neuter the voice of the Unions while at the same time shoring up the corporate and elected body power which will in turn strike an imbalance of power at the BARGAINING TABLE, LEGISLATIVE TABLE, and POLITICAL TABLE.  It is the beginning of the assault on something far greater for represented workers…our salary, our retirement and our health care.  It is that simple.  Find out more CLICK HERE

I notice the retirees are the most bold in straying away from Union politics and votes and positions, followed by the Active Duty Members, and even some of the Prospective New Hires.  I believe that the retirees are in the lead to be most complacent or even in opposition to our positions or candidates because “They’ve already Got Theirs”….and the Actives are next up because “Ours is Safe and they probably won’t be able to touch it”, and the Prospective New Hires either just don’t know enough or really don’t care enough, but they should, because they are the least safe with regard to retirement and health care benefit levels and security.  This is pretty accurate and I think all of us know this.

Well, let me tell you that NOBODY IS SAFE!  That much we know is true.  While retiree’s and actives are the most safe, and we don’t anticipate any inability to fight off any attack in these areas…be clear that NO ONE IS SAFE!  You are not safe in the legislative arena, the initiative arena, or the legal (court) arena.  Everything is in question, and there are only varying levels of “Probable Safe Zones” for vested benefits, and these are constantly under challenge and in some states and now in California in San Diego, San Jose and Stockton, under challenge here.  These attacks have opened up the door for challenge to vesting for Retirees, Actives and of course just crammed reductions in place for new hires with little challenge.  Do you feel secure?  Do you feel safe?  You shouldn’t. 

The only way we are sustaining a fight to hold back wave of attacks similar in nature is through our COLLECTIVE BARGAINING VOICE AND POLITICAL ACTION POWER.  If we lose that, we lose everything. 

So I challenge every Fire Fighter and Paramedic, every Fire Service Member we represent at Local 1014…every Republican, every Democrat, every Liberal, Conservative or Moderate or even those that don’t care, to REGISTER TO VOTE AND ENSURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD and to protect your retirement and health care security through your Union’s Voice….VOTE NO on Proposition 32 and donate your time and effort when called upon in the next 11-12 weeks before the November Election.  Your future and the future of our children who may come on our job is at stake…perhaps even the future of the retiree’s is at stake also…we are not out of the woods by a long shot.

Rember to register on the 1014 website at http://local1014.org

Other sites to monitor:

Stop the Special Exemptions Act
CPF

Dave Gillotte
President, IAFF Local 1014