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Brothers and Sisters,
This week, we are sad to announce the passing of one of the greats. Everett "Burl" Millican, a Local 1014 larger-than-life man, literally a “Burly” presence both on the fire grounds and the Union passed away after a rich life of service.
Everett joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department as a “Fireman” on August 1, 1949. During his service, he was promoted to Fire Engineer and later Fire Captain, where he continued to serve until his retirement on March 31, 1986.
Burl was a Local 1014 Board Member and Vice President of Local 1014 and helped negotiate many of our early contracts. Burl joined the LACoFD in 1949 and was involved in not only the Union side of our work to find funding, advance salary, and benefits for the workers, but also he worked on logistics for the 3-platoon system we have today and the 56-hour work week. The 56-hour work week did not come easy, and LA County Fire came after many other departments because of our size and need to move support for funding from the County. He also worked on early uniform standards to ensure LA County Fire, had the respect and proper professional appearance in the eyes of the public we serve, recognizing that salary and benefits came as a result of public and elected support and there were no free rides. He worked on the contract cities plan and the laws that have enabled our Department to grow to its current size by providing contracted Fire and Paramedic services to cities within LA County. He also served as an advisor for one of the Emergency television shows that went on to National acclaim. He married his high school sweetheart, Leona Lee Voorhees, and also served valiantly in the Army Air Force from 1945 to 1946.
Everett was drafted by the United States 3010th Army Airforce August 11, 1945, where after 14 months was honorably discharged at the rank of Corporal. He continued to serve in the newly formed United States Airforce as a reservist until honorably discharged on October 11, 1953.
Burl always showed up at Local 1014 events with his lovely wife to support our efforts and give some history on some of the past fights as we fought the current fights. He will be missed and we all owe Everett “Burl” Millican as debt of gratitude and we send our thoughts and prayers to his family.
Everett was 96 years old at the time of his passing. He was predeceased by his wife, Leona Millican and his sisters, Lillian, Beulah, and Opal. He is survived by his three son’s, Steven of Honolulu HI, Rodney of La Habra CA. Timothy of Colorado Springs, CO, and two daughters, Cindy Millican of Encinitas, CA, and Tammy Esparza of Pauma Valley, CA, have eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
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Memorial and military honors will be at the Murrieta Valley Funeral Home. May 25, 2024 at 12:00 noon. 24651 Washington Ave. Murrieta CA 92562. A lunch reception will be held immediately after the memorial at The Colony at California Oaks, 40710 Avenida Florita, Murrieta, CA 92562. We shall not forget.
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CAL FIRE WORKS TO ACHIEVE THE 66-HOUR WORK WEEK
Cal Fire Local 2881 negotiated a change to a 66-hour work week in their last contract negotiations, but it was dependent on the approval of the state budget appropriations and the final approval of the state budget. Local 1014, along with many other affiliates through our collective work at California Professional Firefighters, has supported Cal Fire Local 2881 on their work for this first step towards a 56-hour work week. The Governor, good to his word and supportive, has written in a 66-hour work week to the current Cal Fire budget and has expressed open and vigorous support for the $199 million dollars 338 position expansion that also affects LA County with added revenue for the SRA area through our contract as we provide the service in the SRA. The costs rise each year to $770 million ongoing in future years and as you would suspect, there is a lot of work to do to get this to the finish line.
The state budget is now with the Legislature for approval or amendments then back to the Governor for adoption and our work now is with the assembly and senate leaders to keep the embrace of the item while so many cuts are being implemented. The task is large and we must all work to push our leaders to support in competition with other budget items.
This is so very important not only for the health and welfare of Cal Fire Fireghters who arguably work more hours than anyone in the state with forced recalls and shifts for up to 30 days at a time in the peak of wildfire season but also from a contracting point of view where cities often pitch the lower cost of fire protection with Cal Fire up against the more expensive contracts for municipal fire services with related pay and benefits and hours costs. This will level the paying field and not allow districts to try and push Cal Fire and the costs to the low point with no regard for the firefighters doing the work.
We will be working alongside Cal Fire 2881 as the final days of the budget come to a close. They will be standing with us on our state budget issues as well, not only as an SRA contractor but also literally on our Camp issues.
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STATE BUDGET CUTS TO CDCR AFFECT LA COUNTY INMATE CAMPS
The State budget contained cuts to CDCR inmate camps in LA County with $2.8 million in 2024-2025, $4.8 million in 2025-2026, and ongoing cuts to reflect the proposed curtailment of inmate camps for fire suppression in contract with LA County. While these budget cuts are to CDCR, they affect our CDCR camps and crews to the tune of nine crews.
The cuts to inmate crews have been coming in stages for some time now and our plan has been to redirect revenue to open paid camps as we put in 4 new Paid FSS crews last stage of cuts, but the cost of paid crews far exceeds inmate crews and so an overall reduction of staffing happens in the transition.
Local 1014 joins the Fire Chief and the County in opposing these cuts in this budget, asking for time to work to transition to either paid crews or anti-recidivism paid crews to receive graduates for programs like the Ventura or Camp Gonzales programs. California Professional Firefighters, our State Union and legislative advocacy team, along with Cal Fire 2881, who also has inmate camps, stands united in our opposition to the CDCR cuts and is working to secure a plan to migrate to paid camps and crews over time. We will also need to attain other state monies from pots of anti-recidivism program money and money from the County to sustain our levels of crews needed not only for our dirt and our SRA area but also in the auto aid response statewide for fires like we saw in Paradise.
This is a heavy lift with budget cuts in so many areas of service in the state, and we will be in Sacramento all next week and the next working to tray and restore this CDCR cut. PORAC and CCPOA, representing the law and prison guard unions, stand with us also.
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CAL-JAC PARAMEDIC CLASS SPONSORED BY LOCAL 1014 AND LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT MOVES FORWARD
Local 1014, in partnership with Chief Marrone and our Department, held interviews with nearly 200 members of the communities we serve in LA County on their quest to become Paramedics. For those less fortunate and without resources, and with recruiting in hand, we have a program that holds a high standard with paramedic and EMS needs and paramilitary and physical standards for entry to the CAL-JAC paramedic program. The program has candidates in uniform daily, with physical workouts and a paramilitary structure with firefighters teaching. As such, candidates are interviewed in person to see if they have what it takes to earn the coveted spots in this class of PMs who will earn their degree and license if they meet the mark. They also must possess a valid CPAT card or complete the physical aspects of testing in alignment with CPAT.
President Gillotte and your Executive Board used the Alfred K. Whitehead Labor Center, our Union Hall, to conduct the interviews and physical assessments for CAL-JAC. Simultaneously on the other side of El Monte, the CAL-JAC was also holding CPAT testing for candidates who are working to become LA County Firefighters off the new hiring list being established through the FCTC written process. Quality of candidates, all candidates, and moving that criteria to the drill tower and into probation is the continued path and glue that binds testing, including recruitment efforts, as we work to craft a process that all can be proud of and has credibility in outcomes. We look forward to these CLA-JAC Paramedic program graduates and possibly some of them competing to land a job with our esteemed Department to serve alongside our over 3400 members.
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LA COUNTY FIRE SAFETY MEASURE
As we near the final days of signature gathering for a proposed “ballot measure” for the LA County Fire District, we wanted to thank the members for their support, which allows our Union to accomplish this.
We are the lead organization on the ballot measure, which results from signatures gathered from Fire District and Contract City residents only to qualify the measure. the measure will generate nearly 150 million dollars a year, growing over time to provide the District with the first “new revenue” in over 30 years. This revenue is needed to protect our Department and grow it through and past inflation and other costs that have pushed us back.
This revenue will provide for infrastructure including fire stations, dispatch center improvement, radios, SCBA’s, firefighting equipment and most importantly apparatus and fourth person staffing in a progressive plan to increase to four our minimum staffing. This measure is critical for our Fire District budget for the needs listed, thereby also creating space for the annual budget to provide for employee unit needs for our members and our families. Your support and understanding as to how important this finding is, has been critical with the Board of Supervisors and our Fire Chief, and the Labor Partners we have through LA Federation of Labor. Their help will be key in getting the vote out come November.
We are also exploring the option of having the BOS adopt the qualified measure through a Board vote. Look for more information as we submit our signatures to the Registrar-Recorders office for verification and the next steps toward the ballot. |
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The Local 1014 Health Trust would like to remind all our members to schedule their annual physical exams and take advantage of the body scan benefit available to all members.
Why are annual physicals so important? Our Firefighters face a greater risk for certain diseases, like cancer, than the general population. The most effective way to mitigate diseases, illnesses or injuries is to detect them as early as possible. Just like we regularly check our tools and equipment, we must regularly check our physical and mental health as well.
In addition to an annual physical exam, Local 1014 Health Plan members are eligible for our body scan benefit, our hearing plan through Epic Hearing, and our Excess Dental Plan.
For more information or to learn more about The Local 1014 Health Plan, visit www.local1014medical.org. |
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In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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