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2012 is almost in the history books for Los Angeles County Fire Fighters Local 1014 Members. You have much to be proud of in our accomplishments in 2012.
Your Executive Board would like to wish you a Happy New Year and a Safe New Year’s Eve. As with most holidays that may involve celebration and drinking of alcohol, we once again will take the time to remind our members and anyone else who is reading this to Celebrate Responsibly! While some of us will be hard at work serving the great citizens of Los Angeles County, some will be at home with friends and family and some will be out hitting the town and having a little liquid cheer to ring in the new year…A Reminder…If you are going to Drink Alcohol, Don’t Drink and Drive. Get a Driver, Get a Cab, Get a Room, or Don’t Drink. Those are your only choices to protect you and your family and frankly everyone out there because as we know too well, it could cost you more than just fines and penalties or your job. Thanks in advance for choosing to change our course, change our behavior and lead by example for all, most importantly for our new generation of members and our kids.
Having said that, we will all also be getting ready to make “Fresh Starts” and commit to New Year Resolutions. Eat right, exercise, get to Church more, Stop Using Profanity, learn to use the computer as good as our kids (Right!), organize photos…you get the idea. As we set our personal priorities, let us also set some career and work resolutions also.
Let’s put Unity and Solidarity of Strength as a top priority for our new year. We have always been one of the strongest and most solidified voices in the Fire Union World if not the Labor Union World. It is because of our ability to Unify Democrats, Republicans, and our moderate view workforce into one voice, where the minority opinion is always heard and the majority vote always rules. We recognize more than most Fire Unions that our Political Action in both parties, and our related legislative action and initiative action is what gets it done to negotiate to protect and advance our livelihood. We should all be proud of this fact and resolved to continue our strong play into the difficult 2013 and 2014 years as well; we are not yet out of the woods as you know.
We also invite our members to put the “Old School” back into our job each and every day of 2013. What we really mean is New School with Old School Values. New technology, new methods, new equipment, new personnel all integrated with Old School Values. What are those? Let’s Start with RESPECT. Respect for each other; reduce member on crime. Pissing matches that evolve into “Official Situations” cost us valuable time and money. RESPECT for where you came from. Don’t forget where you came from as you gain seniority or promote. Help those coming up to do right by our profession, and if you are a Chief, and there are many good Chief Officers who do not forget, but for those who are lacking experience or have forgotten, remember where you came from and respect the workers as you lead to greatness. Clearly some have forgotten, change that in 2013. The only thing that beats member on member crime is Chief Officer on Member Crime. You all know the incidents or occurrences we are talking about, and they are a minority, but generally from on high, and as we fight this problem, we are equally disgusted with the mess it creates. Words alone are not enough to gain the respect of the workers, actions are needed to lead folks. Resolve to change this in 2013.
RESPECT your job duties and a little bit more. Worry about your job first and foremost and then other items that contribute to great service and a product the public will agree deserves the top salary and benefit package in the land. We stand at the top of the mountain because our elected officials and the public with our political action support our work. Take care of our image and our service so we can continue to earn the RESPECT and the Votes of the People heading into 2013…it may just mean the difference as we continue to protect our profession.
We will likely be at odds with the Management of the Department on some items next year, and as we enter into bargaining for both salary and fringe benefits, and as much as we will work together on most items and recognize and drive the Labor-Management partnership approach, we know that securing a contract can cause conflict and adverse relations. Let’s get our house as clean as we can and as strong as we can in advance. Train and prepare for battle or for the game or the show, and train for victory. We are the best Fire Fighters and Paramedics and Fire Personnel west of the Mississippi, if not the Nation, and let’s remind Management, Elected Officials, the Public we serve….but let us also remind ourselves of this fact. Reset for a great 2013.
If you haven’t heard it or figured it out yet, let us remind you, remind us…we are the Greatest Fire Department in the World…but that means you all are the best Fire Union Members in the World who get it done day in and day out and make it all happen. It is the people of the organization that make it run well, work well and shine for the public. I read about the “Department”, or “It” in some publications, or the manuals, the rules, the regulations, the policies…and we cannot be silent on this and we remind all of you, and the Managers of the County Fire Department and the County that it is you…it is us, the workers, the Membership that is actually the Department.
Our first 2013 Local 1014 Resolution for the new year is to reinvigorate the RESPECT and the RECOGNITION of the worker….the Local 1014 Member as we work to secure a fair contract. Help us with that task in reinvigorating the “Trade Unionist Fire Fighter”, “Trade Unionist Paramedic”, “Trade Unionist FSA, Dispatcher, Forester, Haz-Mat Specialist, Dozer Operator, Pilot, and all other personnel… Professional Trade Unionist Craftspersons….by every measure.
Happy New Year and once again….PLEASE CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY! BE SAFE TONIGHT…
Your Local 1014 Executive Board
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