Holiday Staffing Update
Updated On: Jan 03, 2023


 
Brothers and Sisters,

We have pushed hiring to a record pace, pushed expeditious promotions and alternatives to staffing and methods while we work to fill the ranks, promote to vacancies, and get folks back to work.  We have seen the first signs of healing in the firefighter ranks, and the recent promotions to engineer and captain have helped, but it’s not enough.  We have proposed an aggressive Acting Engineer Program – a one-time reset with task book and testing to shift help to the engineers rank which continues to suffer low numbers right up there with Captains. 

We are pushing on the Department to get an aggressive annual exam calendar, and to be prepared in advance as the root cause of most of our vacancy issues and promotional vacancies stemmed from a lag in hiring originally, and a lack of planning for the time needed for retirement, promotion and medic school fills.  Interim Chief Marrone has committed and has been working to get his team back to the table to address staffing needs and the root cause of vacancies. The work has been constant to adopt short-term policy changes and alterations to help with staffing and recalls, and the pace quickens as each idea gets vetted, details reviewed and both outcome and impact and any unintended consequences are evaluated and a Labor Management agreement is sought. 

The committee met again and we will work to report what new items have emerged like recall refusal behavioral health days, a small but important personal control item to add to BC approval for recall situations that have a severe impact on our lives.  Another tool to help members and to ensure consistency in filling for the Holidays – Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – is EA 563.  Labor and Management met to review all the policies and the interpretations and brought them together for all in this document. 
 
We know holiday staffing in addition to staffing for the 22nd can be challenging for all. There will be victories and there will be recalls that have an impact on our families and us. Today we ask for us all to work together, follow the rules, be fair and equitable and work to help each other out.  Please go available if you can and have time to offer to allow those with family events, and special needs at home in the tradition we have always supported. 

Answer your phones and help the Card File Stations with their work today and this week, and thank you to all Card File Stations who will be working extra hard today and this week to get it all done.  After the fill, use our tools to help each other out with the impact of recalls and staffing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Trade, and recall relief to help each of us adjust to our family schedules where we can, and if you are working either regular or helping out or recalled, plan for the grand tradition of Fire Family Christmas Eve and Day at our Firehouses, Dispatch, Camps and more.  Make memories at home, or at work as we reach out to support each other and band together to meet the need.  Please reach out to either Department or Union staffing committee members or your chain of command or Card File Gurus (you know who they are!) as we work together to get it done. 
 
One last reminder that we will continue with this throughout the Holiday Season, these times can be hard for some of our Fire Family, so please look out for each other and stay connected.  If folks are off on “I” from your station with injuries, call them over the Holidays and keep them connected, and for those who are in need, remember to refer them or reach out yourself to PEER Support to get the help you need with our specialists and Dr. Steve!   We have a great team made up of us and our amazing help so make that call.  
 
Good luck today and let’s work together to get it done and move as one team into the end of December.
 
 
Click here to read EA 563

In Solidarity We Work to the Rule, 

President Dave Gillotte and the Local 1014 Executive Board 

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