What really does the IAFF do for us?

What really does IAFF do for us?
“Us” California Firefighters.
It’s a good question, and one that I have come to realize the answer is…. damn little!!

I have over 20 years of professional-paid firefighting experience here in California. I have witnessed our working conditions deteriorate at an alarming rate. I’ve watched the danger and the fatalities/year of firefighters explode. I’ve watched our families fall apart due to our extreme work load and schedule. I’ve watched our cities walk all over us at every negotiation. I’ve watched our partners in the blue-collar hard working world fly by us in pay, benefits, and reasonable work/life balance. The house is burning, and our money to this leaderless union is getting us nowhere.
Do you think your friend the Electrical-Lineman and IBEW would accept being paid “straight-time” after being on duty for 2 weeks straight…all because it’s his/her “normal shift”! NO, it’s a resounding NO. It’s not a normal shift when you’ve been at work the previous 14 days straight! IBEW workers pay quickly moves to double, then to triple time. No-one in their right mind thinks our 1.5x pay is worth it after a long summer. Maybe, just maybe if we were on triple time the incident/supervisors might want to get us home. Instead they throw us into staffing patterns on a whim…on a possible wind…due to a fire 600 miles away, etc. They do this because we’re cheap. We’re cheap because IAFF has failed us all for over a decade.
How about your nurse friends? When I started Nurses and Fireman were comparable occupations. Nurses now make much more starting pay, and they see their pay climb from there. They get paid more for every new cert, more for every new responsibility (think team positions, overhead quals, etc ) while we get nothing. Oh….the chance for more 1.5x pay….thanks but no thanks.
Did you notice that Cal-Fire began rotating crews, strike teams, and management teams at 21 days this summer? This was started due to the Director, the Director of all people making the decision that mental health is a real thing, and employees should be given time home to rest. This was not pushed by IAFF, this was not a “win” from our union. This took our brothers and sisters getting so burned out, so unhealthy, that the Director decided to step in. Kudos to him. Maybe we should send him to an all expense paid “conference” to thank him. Heavens knows that our IAFF leadership haven’t missed spending our money on themselves….not for a second.
What about our brothers and sisters in LA County Fire and their lawsuit. Do we not think we will all be affected by vax mandates? Across this state firefighters are losing their jobs, with not a whisper from the IAFF leadership. Do you think they could make a stand on natural immunity? Or maybe a stand that we have basic human and basic employee rights? Cities across this state are taking firefighters jobs, a job protected as a property right in this state, and our union is doing nothing.
How many of our younger PEPRA members know this little fact. If you separate service prior to 57 years old, you will forfeit your 2.7% and it will retroactively shrink, quickly becoming 2.0% for all the years you served! Yeah, another lost and forgotten battle of IAFF/CPF. They should have fought this to the bitter end, and never given up. Think of all the reasons you may need to leave early (family emergency, burnout, injury, etc). IBEW wouldn’t accept this, and neither would its members…guaranteed. Our young firefighters are burned out in less than 10 years, and are expected to work till 57. I have a feeling most will find 57 beyond their reach, and then will have to accept a retirement formula that leads to near poverty after a career. What political power do we have again, why are we paying for these lobbyist’s again?

Guess Ed Kelly and Frank Lima aren’t concerned about any of these issues. They had time to make a video telling you what to inject into your body. Whatever your thoughts are on the vax is your business, but clearly my body is none of their damn business. They forgot to show the 4 SFFD firefighters severely injured from the vax in their video. Their arrogance that their opinion would persuade us makes me sick…personally.
They have work to do, work they haven’t been doing for a very long time, and the time is now we demand change!
So what do we do? Maybe it’s time we “sick-out” from dues around the holidays. I know I’d feel a hell of a lot better donating my money to a couple little kids in the form of bicycles, rather than continue to fund the Ed and Frank champagne fund. We pay a lot brothers and sisters, a hell of a lot! Where is all this money going, what the hell are they doing with it, and what are we getting for it back? A magazine cover with Biden happy to take our checks? Guess when you have people at the top who can’t even keep the guy from across the hallway from nearly bankrupting their own retirement, it’s a sign that we’re in a bad way. Think about what you give, what you have given to this career. And what balance, what a fair pay, what a sustainable lifestyle and career look like. I see it slipping away for us all, and if we’re gonna put trust in the IAFF to lead the way, then let’s demand that they bring action and progress. Currently I’m not seeing it, I’m seeing a lot of nothin…in times where true leaders would be shining.

  • Captain Durden PFD
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Sounds like a problem with your local bargaining unit. Many years in fire service here in California…all the things we had, pay and raises, benefits, enhanced retirement, overtime pay, etc were almost all done by the local bargaining unit.

Sometimes a publicly adversarial relation is needed, but other times a good, partners relationship works better. Have seen get some really good outcomes.

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While I dont disagree with some of yor statements, slow down on CALFIRE rotation actions. The State has been rotating crews for many many years. Teams are another story for multiple reasons, lest say it is a good decision now with mega fires.

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This will be my last response to you.
You have alot in your statements to unpack. On the topic of rotating crews, please do not make claims that are untrue. As a Chief officer I have approved and arranged countless crew rotations in many years for CALFIRE
Because you may have never experienced it doesn’t make it true for the agency

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We’ve been rotating crews for years… the OP has no idea what he’s talking about… the director had ZERO to do with the rotation of cal fire personnel this summer… zero. Zip.zilch. In fact he’s probably been more of a hindrance sitting on releasing the official updated R&R policy that’s been at his desk since July…

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I have direct knowledge that the Director pushed a policy of rotating crews home. It may have happened in the past due to a strike team leader’s direction or other special circumstances, but this year it was 21-day rotate no exceptions. I have not seen strike teams de-mobed, sent home, and replaced on an active fire due to a realization that people need a break until this year. I think it’s smart, and shows true leadership. Everyone knows people who left Cal-Fire due to the schedule.

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What policy? How come the field hasn’t seen it?

“No exceptions” that is a false statement. I personally did 66 days straight. It was my fault for not having any mou days but I didn’t hear one hint of rotating the crew out.
I believe the intent is there but it’s not policy so it’s not “no exceptions.” I support it though.

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It seams like this was more of a unit by unit decision. Some units were really good while others not so much. Just personal observation. Also my unit has been making a fairly good effort for many years.

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It’s progressive after 50 retirement age. Up .1% every year after 50 to 57.
Completely agree though. Sure gets old hearing people who started after me talk about getting 3% while I get 2.7% 7 years later. Loophole in CalPers that allows any previous employment date to start your retirement at highway formula. So if you flagged for Caltrans for a summer in 1999, then came on calfire in 2020… you get the 3%.
Seems ironic that the “biggest” department, that probably spends the most on occupational job cancers…, asked you to work longer and for less. Always wished I could forfeit part of my wages to get the 3%. Really stinks for the open perm job folks that came on late in life. To be fair CHP is the same formula now. But… not to sure about the work environment and long shifts. Haha

If you are a Safety member of CalPers, it’s the same regardless. It’s not just CHP or some FD’s.

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Correct, thanks

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Out of all that information, guys want to get hung up about the “crew rotation” statement??? :man_facepalming: I agree with almost everything in your post, Sir.

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Funny, I too have over 20 years here in the California Fire Service and after seeing what other states get paid and have to deal with I know exactly what our unions are doing for us. Go talk to someone in Maine, Massachusetts, Texas etc and see if they are really making the money that they should. See if they have constant staffing, a topic that most firefighters complain about when they don’t want to work but cry about when they need extra money. I do agree that most fire departments in CA are over work their personnel, but I don’t think anyone has held a gun to our heads to take the job. This fire season was horrible, being deployed for a month in the summer is not what most of us plan on, but it’s our job. I have never worked for CalFire, but my department sends its fair share of resources out and sticks to the 14 day rotation so there is light at the end of the tunnel when you’re out there.

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While you are so correct in the wages and benefits available in California, the other locations have some things available that you won’t find in California. Life style in the other states surpasses California wages. A lot of California retirees have their checks sent to those other states as soon as they retire, if they haven’t already started the move prior to retirement.

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And they will tell you the cost of living is less, while ignoring the reason the cost of living is less. Our brothers and sisters are working for much less in wages and benefits to subsidize the Californian’s new cheaper living.

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This thread is starting to look like FB. Just IMO

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