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On behalf of your Local 1014 Executive Board, the Local 1014 Health and Welfare Trustees, and our Local 1014 Staff, we would like to wish you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.
In the firehouse and our worksites, our personnel is the best in the business, and firefighters flock to LA County to join our membership to be a part of our team. We provide the highest level of service to our 4 million residents throughout unincorporated LA County and our 60 contract cities and our members are the backbone of that service.
It is an honor to serve and protect the citizens of Los Angeles County and we will always be and grateful for the strong brotherhood we have in Local 1014. We hope that this holiday weekend, you enjoy your families, the bounty of food at your table, and your many blessings.
Union Update
As we enter into Thanksgiving weekend with record temperatures and strike team pre-deployments like Groundhog Day, we also head into a year going forward we can take time to give thanks for many things.
First and foremost, the renewed optimism and hope with Interim Fire Chief Marrone’s approach to running the Department gives us all cautious optimism for where we are heading. While we are a long way from where we need to be, we also have seen a collaboration to get some things done that matter and, as a result, help our staffing and our morale in the Department. Chief Marrone has met with the Union and we have reached an agreement on processes that moved the engineers' exam and captains' exam and promotions rapidly to conclusion with boots in the stations before the holidays. We need to keep the momentum to have exams annually and to hire at least three recruit classes a year to keep up with retirements, injuries and medics and promotions. The firefighter ranks has seen the most relief and now, incrementally, we have added engineers and captains to help fill the vacancies. Workers' Compensation injuries and the system that keeps our members off work and vacancies high is also in crisis and we will continue to meet to get that fixed and our members back to work, ultimately the answer to reducing recalls. |
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Negotiations
We are working hard to keep up the momentum following over one hundred of our members and their families at the Board of Supervisors meeting. We met with Board offices and continue to work with the CEO off the table to find a path to get this contract done with the COLA we deserve. We will be at this every week with the CEO and the BOS until we get it settled.
This has not been easy on anyone and we are angry and frustrated with the budget issues that we are dealing with and finding a path to address not only our contract, but the future of our great Department. The Executive Staff is now reorganized, and Chief Marrone, now 90 days in, is moving aggressively to help change course. He owns the work now and the results and we are working together with him and his staff to hit the marks to reallocate expenditures, increase revenue, and prioritize the members and equipment in service on the front lines.
We have much to do and we see the future as bright and robust, but it will take all of us working together to make it happen. We also opened up Bargaining Units 603 and 604, our non-sworn members and along with many other bargaining units in the County. We are working to get that table settled alongside and on the heels of the safety units. Your bargaining teams are meeting regularly with the County and negotiating the issues and the cost once again, and look forward to a fair deal for all.
Sheriff’s Fund Raiser
This week, our members responded and helped take care of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Recruits who were struck by a vehicle during their PT run in the academy in Whittier. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers remain with ALADS, PPOA, all the Sheriff’s, recruits and families that have been devastated by this horrible incident. We are no strangers to tragedy and we know more than anyone else what it takes to rebuild and fight back.
We ask our members to consider contacting to the fundraising through Sheriff’s Relief Association who is heading up the collections. We know that some of the recruits will have their career paths dramatically changed and the incident will leave a scar on us all forever, but we can help them find their feet and stand with them during this time. Thank you in advance for your generous consideration and support for these Sheriff’s recruits. |
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Finally, on this holiday and every other, please take a minute to keep the 1014 families of our fallen in your thoughts. We shall never forget. If you know them, reach out. A hello text, phone call, or a social media message can let them know we will never forget.
Holidays can be difficult for many of us, especially as we see calls go up and are away from our families. Remember for those who need support and feel the need to talk with someone, please reach out to our Peer Support Team. You can also find more resources at HealingOurOwn.org.
On behalf of the dedicated members of the Los Angeles County Firefighters Local 1014, we would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and send special thoughts and prayers to those serving in our military abroad and to those serving in our Fire Stations this holiday.
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In Solidarity,
President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board |
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