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Negotiations continue this week as we fight for a successor MOU for our members.
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IAFF Legislative Conference celebrates key victory and prepares for the road ahead
Nearly 800 members assembled in Washington, D.C., for the annual Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference (named after our own LA County legend) to lobby for issues that impact fire fighter health, safety, and benefits.
This conference comes on the heels of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) repeal. Now, fire fighters will receive their full Social Security benefits without penalty.
This year’s priority issues include advancing:
- Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, which will recognize cancer as a line-of-duty death and ensure the families of fire fighters who lose their battle with cancer will be eligible for the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB);
- Public Safety Officers Free Speech Act, which will allow fire fighters to speak publicly about job-related issues without fear of retaliation;
- PFAS Alternatives Act, which would put fire fighters at the center of the development of next-generation, PFAS-free bunker gear;
- Wildfire Preparedness and Response Act to provide training for structural fire fighters to respond in the Wildland Urban Interface and develop a way for federal, state, and local governments to coordinate response;
- And the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, which would establish collective bargaining for fire fighters and emergency medical workers nationwide.
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REMEMBERING UNION LEADER RALPH MILLER
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ralph Miller, past president of AFSCME Local 685, representing Probation Officers, a passionate advocate for justice, and a beloved leader in the AFSCME family. Ralph's impact on the union world, his lifelong dedication to workers' rights, and his pioneering work in both sports and labor movements will be remembered for years to come.
Ralph Miller has been an icon in the LA County Labor Movement and representation of members of the LA County worforce for over 30 years. Ralph was a former NFL Professional Football Player who spent a little time with the Chargers, always knew how to fight for member rights and played critical roles in our past CCU contract negotiations. “I knew Ralph Miller would always have Local 1014 members' backs in the alley,” said President Gillotte. "He will be greatly missed but not forgotten."
We extend our deepest condolences to Ralph’s family and loved ones. His leadership, dedication, and unyielding commitment to justice will never be forgotten. Ralph Miller was a true champion of the people, and his legacy will live on in the victories he helped secure for all of us.
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LA COUNTY FIRE CONTINUES DISCIPLINE FOR DEPARTMENT DRIVING ACCIDENTS
The Department is failing its members due to the lack of defensive driver training, with the EVOC making mockery of any aspect of driver training. The Department has a contractual obligation within our Manual of Operations and MOU to provide that training and they do not. The lack of real driver training for all, specifically for our Paramedics and Engineers who pilot our apparatus with increased recalls and extra shifts, in a dangerous and often aggressive and hostile environment with bad drivers at each intersection. Also our newer Firefighters are called on earlier to bump up and act on occasion. While we acknowledge the expense and lack of apparatus when vehicles are taken out of service for repair, and while some accidents may be “at fault accidents with precautions not taken”, these are few and far between. The key to REDUCING ACCIDENTS IS A TRAINING PROGRAM AND FOLLOW UP TRAINING WHEN TRUE ACCIDENTS OCCUR.
It has been some time since we have had a VARB to review accidents in a peer review manner to make recommendations for training and or negligence. It has been a while since we had ANY DEFENSIVE DRIVER TRAINING. Most all of the letters are signed by the OPERATIONS BUREAU CHIEFS, so we challenge the OPERATIONS BUREAU with doping their jobs and coming up with and or supporting the work we have done in meetings to get our defensive driver training up and running, and furthermore to make priority the training and education for the members doing the dangerous work day in and day out, often on recall shifts to make our department a much better place with reduced vehicle accidents and damage. This is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOU CANNOT PENCIL WHIP A BARRAGE OF DISCIPLINARY LETTERS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Maybe you need to be given NOTICES OF INSTRUCTION to understand your responsibility in this area.
The Local will push the Department to get this done and we will keep you posted. In the meantime, contact the Union with any letters you receive. Also, the Department, with its continued lack of valuation for our members, pushes forward with instructions to schedule your Skelly interviews within 30 days, a practice and MOU-protected right to have the time needed to gather evidence and facts to prepare for your Skelly with Union representation. Push back and contact us, as we also have an Unfair Labor Practice to get back after the Department's unilateral actions.
Finally, scheduling people for any kind of interview and/or meeting regarding personnel actions, the Department is increasingly pushing members to come in on off shifts and pay them. This is inconvenient most times, and our time is valuable on days off, so if you are in this situation, remember that mileage is reimbursable.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO SEND IN YOUR MILEAGE SHEET.
Mileage permittees must submit a claim for reimbursement within three months following the end of the month in which the expense was incurred. For mileage permittees submitting claims for miles driven from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024, the previous rate of 63.0 cents will apply.
If you have any questions, please email the Financial Management Division’s Mileage Desk at MileageDesk@fire.lacounty.gov or contact Karen Komolafe, Expenditure Management Section, at (323) 838-2228. CLICK HERE TO VIEW EA.
EMPLOYEE PULSE SURVEY- COUNTY WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU- LET THEM
We are encouraging all Local 1014 members to look for the County “Employee Pulse” surveys with two questions to respond back. Answer the questions and be honest and critical where appropriate with comments on online training, staffing, negotiations, retiree medical, employee discipline, things affecting feeling VALUED, HEARD, AND EMPOWERED. Keep your answers clean and professional, but also raw, honest, and harshly critical where appropriate to say what needs to be said. This is how we can directly send a message and remove the filters to talk with DHR. The union will be following up with all other unions in the CCU regarding employee responses.
Thank you in advance for your help and participation.
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In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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