Local 1014 has received numerous calls from the membership questioning the contents of EA-286, “EMS UPDATE 2006 MAKE-UPS AND DE-ACCREDITATION.” 

 

The Department makes repeated references to their intent to de-accreditate and withhold the paramedic bonus from any post-position personnel who fail to complete the course by June 30, 2006, and to remove those personnel from their paramedic assignments.

 

Local 1014 realizes that there was insufficient notice and other hiccups in this process that precluded some of our members from obtaining the training as mandated.  First and foremost was the failure of the Department to allow ALL personnel to go to the class on duty.  The Battalion Chiefs had the ability to approve a variety of staffing methods, including recalls, that would and should have allowed all personnel to attend on duty.  However, many Battalions did not allow on-duty attendance, creating a disparate policy. 

 

Local 1014 strongly encourages all members to complete the training by June 30, 2006, but will adamantly oppose any and all attempts by the Department to penalize our members by withholding their paramedic bonus.  The removal of such a bonus is a subject of a mandatory meet and confer between the Department and the Union, and such action never took place and was a unilaterally proposed action by the Department.  Local 1014 understands the Department’s predicament in adhering to DHS mandates but will not allow our members to be financially harmed due to inconsistencies in the program.

 

Local 1014 is prepared to file an Unfair Labor Charge against the Department if and when any of our members are told that they are losing their paramedic bonus related to these issues.  Please contact 1^st Vice President Don Lassig or Directors Dave Lopez or Dave Morse if you have any questions concerning the EMS update.

 

As promised, we've updated the details of the new contract agreement.  First log in, then under "Member Resources" to the left click on "Negotiations" and then "Contract Details -- June 16, 2006."  You must be a member to sign in and access this information.

Local 1014 and LA County have reached a contract agreement. Log in, then under "Member Resources" on the left click on "Negotiations" and then "Contract Agreement Reached." You must be a member to log on.

If you are a member but have not yet signed up for access to the members only areas, please see the "Member Login" area at the top right of the page.

Members who have access will also be receiving periodic updates on the contract and ratification meetings by e-mail, so verify that we have the corrected email address for you. PLEASE SIGN UP!

Varification may take a few hours. Each new member on the site must be verified as a Local 1014 member by a director.

After a year and a half of political action from Local 1014 and strong leadership from A/C John Nieto, the Pomona City Council has voted to re-instate 6 Firefighter post positions back into the city’s budget.  After about one hour of debate during last Monday’s budget planning session, Mayor Norma Torres, Councilman Elliott Rothman and Councilman Marco Robles were extremely vocal about replacing our positions before they would “vote for any new budget.”

 

The final vote was 5-1 to restore the positions we lost almost 2 years ago with Paula Lantz voting “NO” and George Hunter actually leaving the meeting so he wouldn’t have to vote on the issue.  Interestingly enough, the budget that was scheduled to be voted on initially DID NOT include our positions even after City Manager Doug Dunlap was given direction by Mayor Norma Torres to include the spots.

 

The specific time frame to get the firefighters back in the stations is somewhat tentative. The city has allocated funding starting on September 1 of this year.  Now it is up to LACoFD management staff to carry the ball to assure that these Firefighters will indeed be in the station effective September 1 of 2006.

 

Special thanks goes to two individuals on this one: 1014 City PAC chairman Paul Rusin and A/C John Nieto.  Paul is 1014’s political liaison to every city served by County Fire, and he has been working non-stop with extra commitment to bring the Pomona council back to center on their fire staffing.   We also want to thank Chief Nieto, who was so instrumental in bringing this issue to its successful conclusion.  He went to great lengths to educate the council and got up during the council meeting to fight hard to get “his guys” back into place.  Chief Nieto displayed the kind of leadership and commitment to his city, Pomona, that should be an example for other A/Cs to follow in their respective cities.

 

This was truly a team effort between management and labor.  Everyone in Battalion 15 should take the opportunity to thank Chief Nieto for championing this issue.  And we here at Local 1014 say thanks to him for his tireless efforts.

 

The Local 1014 Executive Board

Some employees received a notice with pay stubs describing changes to the County Termination Pay Plan (TPP) offered by the 457 (Great West) plan. It appears that the IRS is posturing to issue a negative ruling on tax deferment of termination pay and the County is going to abandon the plan. Termination pay is benefit time paid to employees (Vacation, Sick hours) that are paid usually at time of retirement as a lump sum. Termination pay is different than payments made annually for excess benefit time and was allowed - via the Termination Pay Plan - to be rolled into your 457 plan, an IRA or used to pay the purchase ARC time through LACERA.

The letter dated April 28 from CAO David Janssen allows for employees to sign up for the plan, with proper education and counseling, regardless of the known outcome of the plan. There are several dates and times given for locations of educational seminars on the Termination Pay Plan.

Local 1014's advice to its members that have NOT enrolled into the Termination Pay Plan is that they do NOT enroll - throw away the letter. Our reasoning is that it is unknown how the IRS will eventually rule on the Termination Pay Play. There are scenarios that could result in the employee being fined, and paying excessive interest and penalties to the IRS.

If you HAVE enrolled in the Termination Pay Plan as a tax deferment vehicle through a 401(a) rollover, please call Great West at 800-382-8924 and schedule an appointment with a Great West representative and discuss your options. If you used termination pay to buy ARC time through LACERA - contact LACERA immediately at 626-564-6000.

If you have any questions about the Termination Pay Plan, Please call Will Pryor at 310-639-1014 or e-mail to willp@local1014.org. (Until negotiations are over e-mail will be quicker).

The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF - AFL-CIO) has partnered with the International Association of Fire Chiefs in establishing a database of "near miss" incidents on the fire ground.

You can read and search the database, or submit your near miss situation.   Click here for www.firefighternearmiss.com

State law allows any employee that works for 24 hours or more to become a permanent absentee voter. With election in some cities (Long Beach) in April and a statewide ballot in June, be sure to register today.
Please see the LA County Registrar Recorder web site (click here) for information. If you live in another county you should be able to see your Registrar Recorders web site and find the available information.

A friendly reminder from your executive board.

April 1, 2006: 3% (manpower shortage bonus)

October 1, 2006: 4%

April 1, 2007: 5.5%
(via addition of a 6th salary step)

August 1, 2007: 3%

August 1, 2008: 3%

Citing a need for recruitment and retention of Deputy Sheriffs, the Board of Supervisors has offered Deputy Sheriffs an 18.5% salary increase over the next 30 months.

It is currently unclear whether the offer was accepted immediately, or if the two deputy sheriff unions will need ratification from their memberships. We do know that both sides reached an tentative agreement on the contract between the bargaining teams. The agreement was reached both with the deputies union (ALADS) and the sheriff middle management union (PPOA) simultaneously.

Local 1014 is currently in the negotiations process. We are encouraged by the recent movement at the sheriffs table and look forward to discussing similar salary movement with the County in the near future. With the fiscal restraint shown by the fire district over the last several years and the subsequent large budget surplus, it seems only logical that a similar proposal will be the beginning steps to a new multi-year contract for firefighters.

Local 1014's position is simple- if we don't continue to keep up with cost of living and comparable salaries from other fire departments, we will lose trained personnel. By the time we see this loss of trained staff, its too late. The County can help keep trained personnel, keep training costs low and continue to sponsor the premier fire department in the state by keeping up with costs of living. With the current local econimic strength and budget excesses unseen in many years, the County has a unique opportunity to play "catch-up" by restoring several years losses in cost of living with one contract.

You Executive Board will update you whenever there is negotiations movement or other bargaining news. Watch the web site and write to us at info@local1014.org if you have any questions.

April 1, 2006: 3% (manpower shortage bonus)

October 1, 2006: 4%

April 1, 2007: 5.5%
(via addition of a 6th salary step)

August 1, 2007: 3%

August 1, 2008: 3%

Citing a need for recruitment and retention of Deputy Sheriffs, the Board of Supervisors has offered Deputy Sheriffs an 18.5% salary increase over the next 30 months.

It is currently unclear whether the offer was accepted immediately, or if the two deputy sheriff unions will need ratification from their memberships. We do know that both sides reached an tentative agreement on the contract between the bargaining teams. The agreement was reached both with the deputies union (ALADS) and the sheriff middle management union (PPOA) simultaneously.

Local 1014 is currently in the negotiations process. We are encouraged by the recent movement at the sheriffs table and look forward to discussing similar salary movement with the County in the near future. With the fiscal restraint shown by the fire district over the last several years and the subsequent large budget surplus, it seems only logical that a similar proposal will be the beginning steps to a new multi-year contract for firefighters.

Local 1014's position is simple- if we don't continue to keep up with cost of living and comparable salaries from other fire departments, we will lose trained personnel. By the time we see this loss of trained staff, its too late. The County can help keep trained personnel, keep training costs low and continue to sponsor the premier fire department in the state by keeping up with costs of living. With the current local econimic strength and budget excesses unseen in many years, the County has a unique opportunity to play "catch-up" by restoring several years losses in cost of living with one contract.

You Executive Board will update you whenever there is negotiations movement or other bargaining news. Watch the web site and write to us at info@local1014.org if you have any questions.

It is the season for retirement dinners, open houses and going away parties. Because retirement dinners are part of the official department communications, we usually get the dinner invitation and are able to attend to honor the years of service to Local 1014 by the member.

We have a problem with open houses. We don't always get noticed about open houses, and unfortunately miss the opportunity to send off the member. If you are arranging an open house for a member who is NOT participating in a regular retirement dinner, or are hosting an off-campus party for a member, please let us know.  Send an e-mail to willp@local1014.org or to the "contact us" part of the web site.