Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

EARLY STAFFING FILL FOR THANKSGIVING DAY!

Your Local 1014 Board met with the Department this week to continue discussions on staffing issues, including recalls and vacancies and the impact of staffing shortfalls, specifically during peak need times and holidays.

While Local 1014 is not responsible for the analysis of vacancies, promotions, retirements, paramedic school attendance and the impact on our numbers, we are now actively engaged in such to provide planning and assistance relative to our staffing needs vs. impact to our membership.

We must give credit to the Operations Chief Deputy as well as the Operations Deputy Chiefs for working with Local 1014 Executive Board Members to address staffing issues. We have met with Ops Staff Deputies and together moved a temporary Thanksgiving Day fill procedure designed to give our members as much advanced notice and to capture all folks up for recall before they go off and cannot be contacted in some cases.

The Department has agreed with Local 1014 to staff for Thanksgiving by filling on Saturday, November 21, 2015. We feel this will provide our members more notice and ability to plan and prepare for Thanksgiving and work to get recall relief if recalled and capture appropriately the members up for recall. Watch for the Department EA on Thanksgiving fill.

Next week 1014 Board Members will be meeting with the Deputy Chiefs to discuss temporary and systemic relief actions that may be implemented given the shortage of personnel and staffing as we continue to fill the gaps in our ranks. No tactics and strategies are off the table.

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

HAPPY VETERANS DAY !

Please take time to pause and remember the Veterans who have so bravely served our Country to protect the freedom and liberty we enjoy. With all the bad and the good things, the partisanship politics we currently see, the highs and the lows we have been through we are undoubtedly the BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! and we wouldn’t have any of this if it were not for our Veterans who fought so hard to establish and to protect our way of life. Honor our Veterans for their service all and when you see a Veteran, thank them for what you have because of what they do.

Be safe

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

UCLA Study

Local 1014 has been approached by UCLA Associate Professor Corrine Bendersky and Ph. D. student Felix Danbold to support a research study on modern firefighting. After reviewing the study and methodology Local 1014 is in full support of the study and we encourage our membership to participate in the research that will yield valuable data and information that will assist us in fire department work.

The study consists of sworn members taking a short anonymous and confidential online survey. The survey will consist of watching a few videos and answer a few questions. The information obtained will be valuable for the Department and the Union alike. All answers should be candid and honest and the survey should be completed individually and privately.

Please follow the log in instructions sent out by the Department and all e mail addresses will be untraceable and neither the Department nor the researchers will be able to match responses to any individual taking the survey. No identifying information will be collected and the responses will be combined with those from departments from throughout the Country.

Additionally if you would like to receive a link to the survey from your private e-mail simply CLICK HERE and you can use your private e-mail to access the survey.

We would also like to thank Corrine Bendersky and her crew for giving a donation in support of our Los Angeles County Fire Department Widow and Orphans Fund/Los Angeles County Firefighters Memorial. Their support will benefit the memorial fund and the scholarships established to assist the families of our fallen.

We ask all members to take a moment and participate in this valuable fire service research survey. Thank you in advance for your time and effort to help advance the fire service.

Los Angeles County Fire Fighters IAFF Local 1014

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

CHOICES ANNUAL ENROLLMENT DEADLINE OCTOBER 31ST 2015 AT MIDNIGHT - TONIGHT – SELECT YOUR 2016 BENEFITS

Follow the instructions in your Choices Benefit Enrollment Packet but here are some reminders:

• You must finish enrollment by Midnight October 31 2015 – Online at www.mylacountybenefits.com or by phone at 1-888-822-0487.
• To access either enrollment system you need your employee number and your Personal Identification No. (MMYYYY -2 digit month and 4-digit year of your birth)
• YOU MUST ENROLL TO WAIVE MEDICAL COVERAGE or you will automatically be enrolled in Los Angeles County Fire Fighters Local 1014 Health Plan.
• YOU MUST ENROLL TO PARTICIPATE IN A HELATH CARE AND / OR DEPENDENT CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT
• YOU MUST ENROLL TO ADD INSURANCE COVERAGE OR LEVELS AND TO ADD OR DELETE DEPENDENTS FOR COVERAGE (Marriage license and Social Security Numbers Needed)

Los Angeles County Fire Fighters Local 1014 Health and Dental Plan Highlights:

• Live Health online
• FREE BODY SCAN.
• IF YOU PROMOTE TO BATTALION CHIEF BEFORE YOU HAVE SELECTED LOCAL 1014 HEALTHPLAN THE COUNTY WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO SIGN UP FOR THE PLAN EVER.  THAT MEANS YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS PLAN INTO RETIREMENT. 
• LOCAL 1014 OFFERS SUPPLEMENTAL DENTAL UP TO 2,000 LIFETIME ORTHODONTIA AND 1,000 EXCESS DENTAL COVERAGE
• VSP VISION PLAN AT MAXIMUM BENEFIT LEVELS
• TAKE THE PLAN WITH YOU “AS IS” INTO RETIREMENT

Take time to elect your Health Care, Dental, Life Insurance, AD & D and Spending Account “CHOICES” by midnight October 31, 2015.

If you have questions or need answers about the 1014 medical plan follow this link: http://www.local1014medical.org/. 

Contract update

We are still in negotiations for 603/604 as well as the CCU Fringe Benefits contract.  Most of you have been asking about extra holiday and vacation time based on what SEIU 721 has agreed to in their Fringe Contract.  We are going down the same path but have a few more items to work on and should be through soon.  There will be changes to holiday time, vacation time and the County's contirbution to your Choices plan.  Stand by....

As for the question "when will 601/602 see the COLA increase as well as all other items of the contract"?  The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to approve our contract at their next meeting on the 3rd of November and we have been informed by the Auditor Controller that our retro check and raise should appear on the paycheck of November 30 but December 15th at the very latest.

Daylight savings time ends tonight

Don't forget to change your clocks. We fall back one hour tonight (November 1) at 0200. As we recommend to all it is a good time to change your smoke detector battery as well.

Staffing these last few days have been tough

As we finish out the augmented staffing today (hopefully) we would like to acknowledge all of those that were recalled (some multiple days in a row). It has been tough being on telephone standby and a big wind event but once again the residents got lucky with no major incident. Our members are true professionals and you have been through a lot with the low staffing levels which cause many recalls. Keep safe out there and when you are off please take time to rest up and spend time with your families. Who knows what will be coming next week or when El Nino hits...

Finally as you close out this October Month with the Halloween Celebrations with your families, remember DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!  JUST DON’T DO IT!  GET A CAB, GET A RIDE OR DRIVER OR GET A ROOM if you are going to consume alcohol in your celebrations.  It’s just that simple at this point.  We all know it, and have been reminded and reminded and seen the pain and suffering a DUI or worse can cause our membership, yet a few continue to disregard the news and significantly impact their future and their families futures.  TAKE A PLEDGE NOT TO TEXT AND DRIVE ALSO….. AS BAD AS DRINKING AND DRIVING FOR ACCIDENTS AND ILLEGAL ALSO, IT IS TIME WE TACKLE THIS ALSO.  So go out and have fun, enjoy your families and celebrations, but do it responsibly.

On Behalf of your entire Local 1014 Executive Board,

Your 1014 executive board

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

Passing of Brother Gino "Rick" Zeni

Brother Gino "Rick" Zeni, Fire Station 125, Battalion 5, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, October 17, 2015, at the age of 49.   Rick was a lifelong public servant who served as a longtime Lifeguard with Ventura County, a Fire Fighter with the City of Santa Paula and a Fire Fighter with Ventura County Federal Fire Department.  Rick began his career as a Los Angeles County Fire Fighter in 2003.  Rick was a dedicated and respected member of our Department who faithfully served for 12 years.

Rick was a proud husband and father.  He leaves behind his wife Sandra "Sugar" and his 2 boys age 9 and 7.

Please keep Brother Zeni, his family and his fire family in your thoughts and prayers.

A flag ceremony will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2015,
beginning at 11:00 a.m. at:

Los Angeles County Fire Department
Fire Station 125
5215 North Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, CA 91302

A memorial service will be held on Monday, October 26, 2015
beginning at 3:00 p.m. at:

Calvary Community Church
5495 Via Rocas
Westlake Village, CA 91362

A fund has been established to aid Fire Fighter Zeni's family.
Donations may be sent to:

The Zeni Family Memorial Fund
c/o F & A Federal Credit Union
2625 Corporate Place
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(800) 222-1226
Account# 543331

Cards and letters are welcome and may be sent to:

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

All Local 1014 Members, Family Members and those who care about our current and future firefighters retirement benefits including death benefits for our survivors and children....

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ON OUR RETIREMENT SECURITY AND THE REED/DE MAIO ATTACK ON OUR BENEFITS.

We defeated attacks from these two ideologues who have a hatred of firefighters and no comprehension of the risk of our profession and the relationship to medical and retirement benefits for the years when we might and often do battle the demons of our exposures.

Please take a look at this and tuck away the fact that they have not gone away, and the threat is not dead, and we will once again have to resource up and fight this repetitive right-wing unjustified assault on our membership and our future members. Responsible funding of retirements and financially responsible benefit levels are key, and we have always and will continue to meet that mark as evidenced by the health of our pension plan. Enough is enough. More to come.

New Attack on Secure Retirement Launched by Failed Ex-Pols

Reed & DeMaio Take Aim at New Workers, Threaten Death & Disability Benefits

Despite an embarrassing failure in their first attempt, two ex-politicians are doubling down in their assault on retirement security for firefighters, teachers, nurses and other public workers.

Two new ballot proposals - filed this week - would effectively end secure retirement for new public workers and bleed away the foundation of retirement security for all workers - current and future. Like their predecessor, the new measures spilled out of the poisoned pens of two unemployed politicians - former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and former San Diego councilman Carl DeMaio.

The "Voter Empowerment Act": a trimmed-down version of the retirement-gutting measure introduced earlier this year. This version ends secure pensions for new employees, bans any retirement benefit hikes without a public vote and restricts employer costs. It also continues the threat to death and disability benefits.

The "Government Pension Cap Act": Limits employer contributions, putting the burden of keeping the system solvent squarely on the backs of employees.

Below is a statement from Dave Low, chair of Californians for Retirement Security, the statewide pension coalition supported by CPF.

"It's clear that the proponents of eliminating retirement security for teachers, firefighters, school employees and other public servants are more interested in playing politics and rewarding Wall Street than providing the retirement security all Californians deserve. Their new proposals would ultimately do what their previous failed attempts would have done: create billions of dollars in costs for the state's pension systems, jeopardize the ability to attract and retain teachers, police officers and other public employees and jeopardize a secure retirement for hard-working, middle class families."

CLICK HERE to read a report from the Sacramento Bee.

CPF and CRS are preparing additional material on the measures and the effort to defeat them.

Keep track of updates at www.cpf.org, CPF Facebook and Twitter pages.

They will keep trying but we have to keep fighting for our retirement. Stay tuned.....

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

All Local 1014 Members, Family Members and those who care about our current and future firefighters retirement benefits including death benefits for our survivors and children....

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ON OUR RETIREMENT SECURITY AND THE REED/DE MAIO ATTACK ON OUR BENEFITS.

We defeated attacks from these two ideologues who have a hatred of firefighters and no comprehension of the risk of our profession and the relationship to medical and retirement benefits for the years when we might and often do battle the demons of our exposures.

Please take a look at this and tuck away the fact that they have not gone away, and the threat is not dead, and we will once again have to resource up and fight this repetitive right-wing unjustified assault on our membership and our future members. Responsible funding of retirements and financially responsible benefit levels are key, and we have always and will continue to meet that mark as evidenced by the health of our pension plan. Enough is enough. More to come.

New Attack on Secure Retirement Launched by Failed Ex-Pols

Reed & DeMaio Take Aim at New Workers, Threaten Death & Disability Benefits

Despite an embarrassing failure in their first attempt, two ex-politicians are doubling down in their assault on retirement security for firefighters, teachers, nurses and other public workers.

Two new ballot proposals - filed this week - would effectively end secure retirement for new public workers and bleed away the foundation of retirement security for all workers - current and future. Like their predecessor, the new measures spilled out of the poisoned pens of two unemployed politicians - former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and former San Diego councilman Carl DeMaio.

The "Voter Empowerment Act": a trimmed-down version of the retirement-gutting measure introduced earlier this year. This version ends secure pensions for new employees, bans any retirement benefit hikes without a public vote and restricts employer costs. It also continues the threat to death and disability benefits.

The "Government Pension Cap Act": Limits employer contributions, putting the burden of keeping the system solvent squarely on the backs of employees.

Below is a statement from Dave Low, chair of Californians for Retirement Security, the statewide pension coalition supported by CPF.

"It's clear that the proponents of eliminating retirement security for teachers, firefighters, school employees and other public servants are more interested in playing politics and rewarding Wall Street than providing the retirement security all Californians deserve. Their new proposals would ultimately do what their previous failed attempts would have done: create billions of dollars in costs for the state's pension systems, jeopardize the ability to attract and retain teachers, police officers and other public employees and jeopardize a secure retirement for hard-working, middle class families."

CLICK HERE to read a report from the Sacramento Bee.

CPF and CRS are preparing additional material on the measures and the effort to defeat them.

Keep track of updates at www.cpf.org, CPF Facebook and Twitter pages.

They will keep trying but we have to keep fighting for our retirement. Stay tuned.....

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

601 & 602 Contract ratification update

Today the ballots were tallied by the California Elections Committee (CEC) for the 601 & 602 contract ratification.

The results are as follows: 

Next the County will have the County Council review the contract as well as both the County and 1014 will go trough the contract line by line to make sure that everything is correct then the contract goes to the Board of Supervisors (BOS) for approval.

This all may take a few weeks but the agreement took affect September 1, 2015 so the salary increase goes in to effect that day.

We want to thank the membership for standing strong during these negotiations. At times we felt like we were getting no where with the County but eventually we were able to settle on a fair contract. Does it give us everything we feel we deserve? Of course not. In the opinion of the 1014 Executive Board it is a fair contract that continues to put our membership ahead of other Locals throughout the state.

We are still in Fringe negotiations and hopefully we will be getting those negotiations completed soon. We will update you on the outcome when we have more details.

603 & 604 negotiations will begin in the next 2 weeks.

Any questions please let us know.

Again thank you for your support.

Fraternally,

Your Local 1014 Executive Board

Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014

Representing over 3200 Firefighters, Paramedics, Dispatchers,
Pilots, Wildland Firefighters, Forestry and Health Haz Mat personnel

Passing of Brother Joseph Savas

It is with a great sadness that we inform you that Brother Joe Savas, Fire Station 35/B, Battalion 21, passed away late Tuesday September 22nd, 2015 as the result of a job related illness at the young age of 46.

Brother Savas served our country as a firefighter in the United States Air Force for five years, and was a respected and dedicated member of our Department for 17 years.

President Gillotte, along with the Executive Board of Local 1014, Fire Chief Osby and The Board of Supervisors, pass along our deepest condolences and sympathies to the entire Savas family.

As 1014 works with the Memorial Management Team and the Department to make sure our brother is laid to rest with honor, please keep Joe, his wife Shelly and his two children in your thoughts and prayers.

A flag ceremony will be held on Thursday, October 1, 2015, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at:

LA County Fire Department FS 163
6320 Pine Avenue Bell, CA 90201

A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 2, 2015, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at:

Calvary Chapel Golden Springs
22324 Golden Springs Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765