Local 1014 Executive Board Secures a Contract Extension

On Tuesday April 16 the LA County Board of Supervisors approved and ratified a contract extension with LA County Firefighters Local 1014.

This contract extension is for bargaing units 601/602 (Safety Members). In September we will enter into negotiations for 603/604 (General Members) along with other county general employee bargaining units.

This negotiated agreement will be effective immediately with our first COLA raise in July of 2013. There are no other contract changes. Our next contract negotiations will take place September of 2014 with a new contract in place January of 2015.

Terms of the agreement:

• July 1, 2013 – 2% General Salary Increase
• July 2, 2014 – 2% General Salary Increase
• January 1, 2015 – 2% General Salary Increase

The County is not yet in great financial shape. After a thorough review of County finances and expected revenue, your 1014 Executive Board got what we hoped for – a COLA that will meet or exceed annual CPI increases. By all predictions the County will be expecting better times and better budgets in 2015 and 2016. These are far better years to negotiate a full contract with desired changes.

Thanks to the membership and Local 1014 office staff for their support while we tried to meet this challenge.

Thank you for your continued support, your local 1014 Executive Board.

	Dave Gillotte
	President
Dave Lopez	John Smolin	Dave Morse
1st Vice President	Treasurer	2nd Vice President
	Directors
Will Pryor	Pat Dolan	Lew Currier
Steve Dewitt	Andy Doyle	Alan McConnell

Check iafflocal1014.org or local1014.org for details

Yesterday, April 15th, as we celebrated the life and career of Fire Captain Rick McClung, FS 144A, we learned of an unimaginable terrorist attack in Boston Massachusetts at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

We would like everyone to take a moment and join with us to wish the citizens of Boston, as well as those around our country that were affected by this cowardly attack, for a speedy recovery. We would also like to take this moment to remind everyone that there are people in our own country that are radicals and their disregard for human life will continue.

Please take a few minutes to read the communications from our department in regards to Homeland Security issues. Be prepared to protect not just yourself and your crew, but also the citizens of the County of Los Angeles that we are sworn to protect.

As we go through these difficult days remember that on Wednesday April 17th our department will be holding the Annual Fallen Firefighters Ceremony at our Fire Department Headquarters. The ceremony will start at 1000. For more details see our email from April 13th.

As always stay safe and keep the citizens of Boston and our Country in your thoughts.

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 THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS’

ANNUAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL CEREMONY

The Annual Los Angeles County Firefighters’ Annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 17, at 1000.  The service will be held at the Los Angeles County Fire Department Headquarters (1320 N Eastern Ave., Los Angeles) across from the P. Michael Freeman Fire Command & Control Facility. 

This year, the our fallen members listed below will be remembered and honored for their service and dedication to our Department and the citizens of the County of Los Angeles:

• Fire Captain Gary S. Morgan                 
• Fire Captain Dana A. Rickman
• Fire Captain David L. Bailey
• Fire Fighter Timothy J. Bernstein

Everyone is encouraged to attend this solemn memorial ceremony.  After the memorial, Local 1014 will be hosting a barbeque for all in attendance at the Training Center. Please join us in honoring and remembering all our fallen firefighters who gave their lives for the citizens of the County of Los Angeles we are sworn to protect.

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A celebration of Rick's life will be held:   Monday April 15th at 1000    Calvary Community Church 5495 Via Rocas Westlake Village, Ca. 91362   View Larger Map

It is with heavy heart that Los Angeles County Firefighters Local 1014 President Dave Gillotte, the Executive Board of L1014 along with Fire Chief Daryl Osby announce the passing of our Brother, Fire Captain Rick McClung.

Rick was assigned to LAC Fire Station 144, A shift, in Westlake Village.  Brother McClung passed away while off duty.  He was assisted by members of the Ventura County Professional Firefighters Local 1364.  The VCPFF’s from stations 30 & 31 provided support, dignity and honor to our brother during their time with him and well after his passing.

Rick is survived by his wife Monique, Son Cole and his daughters Madison and Brooke.

The Department, Local 1014 and our members are providing support to Rick’s family, his station, Battalion 5 and others.  The depth of our brotherhood and sisterhood is once again being demonstrated.  In the coming days we will be putting out information on Rick’s service’s as the family makes their difficult decisions.

Rick was a strong member of our Union, a solid member of the Los Angeles County Fire Department as well as a friend to all who had the honor of meeting him.  We will miss Rick, we will honor him but we will never forget him.

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HAPPY EASTER!

As you spend this day reflecting on your beliefs, your 1014 Executive Board wants to wish you a Happy Easter.

Today is a day to get together with family and enjoy this day that marks the end of a special weekend. We want to remind you to stay safe if you are at work or at home. Remember do not drink and drive, not just after a long day of enjoying family, good weather and good food, but every day. We remind our members this every chance we get and you have been listening. We thank you for that.

Again, enjoy your day doing whatever you are doing be it going to church, staying home, enjoying your family or at work protecting the citizens of Los Angeles County and our great state. Happy Easter from all of us at 1014.

Check iafflocal1014.org or local1014.org for details

Payroll.....

With the continual problems with pay warrants we wanted to make sure we continue to inform you on how to find resolution with your pay warrant if there are errors. The following information will help when you file a grievance. We advise you to file a grievance when your pay warrant is not correct. Fill out a form 377 and remember it is your grievance and therefore your responsibility to follow the timelines.

The grievance is your way of correcting the pay warrant errors. This avenue will get your chain of command involved in the process to correct the payroll errors.

See your MOU, Article 17 on the process to file a grievance and link here to the form 377.  Once you complete your grievance please fax a copy to 1014 attention Will Pryor (310) 639-5314

ARTICLE 19 EMPLOYEE PAYCHECK ERRORS

Section 1. Underpayments

Management will rectify a $100 or more underpayment on the employee's payroll warrants within three (3) calendar days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after receipt by the Auditor-Controller of a written request from the affected employee's

departmental payroll section. An affected employee's departmental payroll section shall promptly forward a written request for a corrected or supplemental pay warrant for the affected employee to the Auditor-Controller. An employee shall be deemed to have waived the above indicated time limits, and to have indicated that he/she is willing to accept an adjustment on the following payroll warrant if he/she does not request a corrected or supplemental warrant within two calendar days after receipt of the regular payroll warrant, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

Corrected or supplemental warrants will be sent by regular County messenger service to the employee's departmental payroll section. In emergencies the departmental payroll section wil arrange to have the supplemental or corrected warrant either hand delivered to the employee or picked up by the employee at the Auditor's public counter. The provisions of this section may be implemented even if the employee cashes the payroll warrant.

Section 2. Overpayments

Management wil endeavor to notify the affected employee of an overpayment on the employee's payroll warrant(s) prior to making any deduction to recover any such overpayment from the employee's subsequent payroll warrant(s). Upon request by the affected employee to the Auditor-Controller's designate, Management will establish a reasonable method of repayment.

Check iafflocal1014.org or local1014.org for details

Payroll errors have numbered in the hundreds just in the last few months.  While many of these errors resulted in a "short" pay check, some of the errors have resulted in excess payment.  Recently FD payroll overpaid some employees over a period of time, but took back all the money on the next check.  In some situations this left the employee with nothing for earnings.  Even deductions for health insurance and retirement were left off the check.

As always please watch your checks closely and call payroll with any descrepencies.  if there were any moneys TAKEN OUT for overpament please remember your rights:

- Under state and federal law you cannot have more than 15% of your check garnished for an overpayment correction.

- By contract, the County must discuss you overpayment with you and work out a reasonable repayment method.

- The County must clearly explain the reason for the overpayment, not just send you an email with no explanation.

If you have a garnishement without the above issues addressed, please send us an email at willp@local1014.org immediately so we can address within this pay period.

Remember on March 20th we posted and emailed a request for information on our members who have had payroll issues (such as above).  We will be meeting very soon with the county so please get us the information we have requested.

Thank You!

We need your help!

 We will be meeting with the County Auditor Controller very soon and we need your help.  We know of some people who have had their paycheck arrive only to find it incorrect for one reason or another (missing OT, not paid a bonus, off on “I” and taxes taken out, etc.) but we don’t have all the details.  We are requesting the following: 

1. Your name
2. Your employee number
3. Your work location
4. Date of incorrect paycheck
5. Exact details of why it was incorrect
6. What was done to resolve your situation (1014 handled, Payroll corrected, waited until the next check for correction, etc.)

We need details of what happened not speculation about someone else.  We need your help in trying to fix payroll and the County Auditor Controller is asking for examples/details of problems since we switched to the new system.  At this point they say they are unaware of any.  Please help us to educate them.

Email Will Pryor at willp@local1014.org and/or fax the details to 1014 Attention Will Pryor at (310) 639-5314.

We need your help NOW.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

PROTECT YOUR JOB!

Sunday March 17th, The Irish and virtually every other person in the land will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.  As you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day take a moment to prepare and protect lives and your job.  If you are going to drink alcohol, remember line up a Designated Driver, Get a Cab, or Get a Room.  Don’t put your life or your job in jeopardy…be smart on the Green Day of the Year…

PROTECT YOUR PAYCHECK!

Speaking of GREEN …The current e-caps payroll system has a lot to be desired at this point, and there have been many paycheck errors.  Don’t be mad at the Check-Box Checkers hounding you to “Approve Timecards”, they are just trying to get their boxes checked by 5 also…although it is comical and frustrating at times to hear the noise about timecard approval and yet not have the system functioning correctly on the other end.  So, not only should you approve your timecard but check it for correct entries and follow up with e-caps to look at your pay warrant to ensure you were paid correctly.  Look at every line and every number to be sure.  We have had numerous errors and miscalculations and missing time and money.  If you suspect or find an error, ask your Supervisor and your Chief Officer to help you contact and resolve the issue with payroll a.s.a.p.  Errors of $100.00 or more shall be rectified by MANAGEMENT within 3 business days after the Auditor Controller is in receipt of a written request for correction per ARTICLE 19 of our M.O.U.  You may also have the correction applied on the next payroll warrant, but bottom line, notify your supervisor and Chief so they can contact Payroll and help you resolve the problem…it is their responsibility to make it happen after you ask for help. If you cannot get the issue resolved and gone to your Supervisor and Chief, then call the Union at (310) 639-1014 and we will assist in resolution.

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

LOCAL 1014 Negotiations team has been meeting with the County attempting to set up the bargaining table for fruitful talks.  Your Bargaining Team has put forward a series of Salary Issues and Items to the Board of Supervisors this week, and we will likely meet next week to get a response on where they stand.  Both the County and the Unions are a bit skeptical about economic indicators to get to solid ground on a fair agreement.  We will have more information next week, so stay tuned and we will let you know what’s going on as soon as we can.

On behalf of the LOCAL 1014 Executive Board – BE SAFE AND STAY INFORMED.

Check iafflocal1014.org or local1014.org for details

L.A. County Emergency Medical Services Agency Committee
Votes To Table -- Until Providers Can....

(Feb. 20, 2013) -- As webcast seen LIVE by LBREPORT.com, the L.A. County Emergency Medical Services Agency's Provider Agency Advisory Committee (PAAC) voted today (Feb. 20) without dissent to table -- take no action on until firefighter/paramedic agency providers can more carefully review and comment on -- a draft rule stemming from a request by the City of Long Beach to test a paramedic response system that would allow one paramedic plus an Emergency Medical Technician to respond on a single unit....click here to read more

Again our membership came through. We called for your help. We posted on our website, Facebook and Twitter the call for help and you came through. Not just our membership, supported by your 1014 board members, but also Long Beach, LA City, Monrovia, West Covina and others showed strong support for opposition to this terrible idea to put Paramedics and the citizens we protect at risk. This proposal by the Long Beach Fire Chief is being done for one reason only -- eliminate paid professional Paramedics from the Long Beach Fire Department. There has been no thought in what this is going to do to the citizens of Long Beach as well as the strain it will put on the one paramedic responding with one EMT.

PAAC will be brining this off the table in March to vote on this horrendous plan . We will be putting out the call once again when this comes up to a vote. Again we will need as many members as possible to pack the room to show the PAAC that we will not sit by and let Long Beach change the service delivery for Paramedic service in their city, our County or anywhere else for that matter. Our citizens and our members safety should be the first consideration, not the budget. We have seen in to many other locations across this county, state and country that cutting service is not the right choice.

Again thanks to those members that joined your Executive Board. Stand by for the next call for help at the PAAC meeting.

Check iafflocal1014.org or local1014.org for details