Just a few quick reminders and update on a few things…

CHOICES ANNUAL ENROLLMENT DEADLINE OCTOBER 31ST 2013 AT MIDNIGHT
SELECT YOUR 2014 BENEFITS

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

• You must finish enrollment by Midnight October 31 2013 – 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 (Social Security Numbers Needed)

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

• IF YOU PROMOTE TO BATTALION CHIEF BEFORE YOU AND HAVE NOT BEEN OR 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, 2013.

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

CCU FRINGE BENEFITS BARGAINING

Local 1014 Bargaining Team, along with other Unions in the Coalition of County Unions will back bargaining next week, but there is no indications from the County of willingness to increase Medical Premium Contributions without pay cuts.  While we continue to battle to get a fair contract negotiated, this means that for now the contribution towards medical will not increase.  Use this information in making your selections for Choices. 

We are likely approaching Impasse and may face a protracted negotiation for our Fringe Benefits.  To date the County has only put forward proposals to counter our proposals that either amount to pay cuts with out of pocket, or cuts to future employees for Healthcare with little or no value attached to the proposals.  Local 1014 will never recommend anything less than a Fair Contract, and to date with all Units in the CCU and SEIU Local 721 Members, nothing close has been embraced by the County.  Next week all Unions will be back at their respective bargaining tables trying to get movement, and we will keep you posted.

RETIREE HEALTHCARE AND PENSION REFORM CONTINUES

The County of Los Angeles has taken a position to move towards reform of Retiree Healthcare and slashing of benefits and contributions for new hire employees and simultaneously the Democratic and Republican Mayors of a few Greedy Cities has submitted language to move forward on a Retirement Reform Initiative that seeks to not only change benefits for new hire employees but also existing employees.  See our website at www.local1014.org for additional information and also www.cpf.org for info on this very serious and legitimate attack on our pension security once again.  While Labor Unions have worked collaboratively with their elected officials and cities and counties to help get through the economic turmoil and based on good math, we can see that a few selfish elected officials and organizations that simply seek to break the Unions and eliminate Healthcare and Pensions for retirees will continue to try and attack our members…past, present and future.  Get ready for a very busy 2014; seems like it just won’t end.

BE GOOD PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTING AND PARAMEDIC AND FIRE PERSONNEL BOTH ON DUTY AND OFF DUTY

As we head into the close of 2013 and start of 2014, your Local 1014 Executive Board and many other Unions of the LA Federation of Labor, the CCU and the CPF and IAFF work hard to protect and to bargain our salaries and benefits and Healthcare and Retirement and SRC and Working Conditions, and as you can plainly see, it is going to take every ounce of energy and effort and dollars we have to continue to succeed in doing so.

We ask of you the members to help by doing a few things to eliminate the Stupidity and the Ignorance of the SELECT FEW of ALL RANKS who through their actions bring a bad name to our Profession and our Members and our Department in the eyes of the Public we serve.  Knock off the petty feuds and fights in the stations some of which have landed at the Board of Supervisors Offices.  Knock off the member on member crime that has sometimes resulted in station cancer and lawsuits and rancor.  We need not only grown adults showing up at work to handle the jobs we represent, but high standard performing members who serve with pride and tradition through training and education and professional standards. Our service is all we have and our image and confidence of the public is key to support for everything we have including the funding for our operational needs and our salary and benefits.

Police ourselves and if you are a leader (Captains and Battalion Chiefs Senior Firefighters and Paramedics and Fire Personnel) give guidance and leadership at the line-up and all day long on calls and in the public eye and out of the public eye…for both On Duty and Off Duty Conduct.  Don’t be a commander in chief or dictator either, but take time to lead by example and demand excellence of service through and in deference to our proud tradition.  Give each other a break and get it done…leaving time to serve the public, educate and train ourselves, and give time to use our resources at the Union to protect and advance our Salary and Benefits and Working Conditions instead of having to babysit a few members and a few chief officers who just can’t seem to get it right. We thank you in advance and we know that the majority of the membership and chief officers get what we are saying and live it every day….if this offended you or made you roll your eyes, then we were probably talking to you and you should probably go look in the mirror and make some changes…it might just save your job.

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.

In closing thank you in advance to all who have been stepping up to help Recruit 31 Jesus Ontiveros in an unprecedented situation for a member in the Drill Tower and although we are not done helping with Shift Donations and Monetary Donations and protecting his Healthcare so he can fight the Demon….it is a great example to be followed like so many for our members, in stepping up to get it done, to wrap our arms around our Fire Department Family…our Brotherhood and Sisterhood…even for the newborns…. Pride and Tradition.

On Behalf of the Entire Local 1014 Executive Board,

Dave Gillotte
President

Your 1014 executive board

Check iafflocal1014.org or local1014.org for details