Agree with that FSFF.
And
Keep the pressure on.
#NotEnough
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Unskilled Labor
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FS is prioritizing the $1000 cash award for the seasonal but they are saying it may take up to 6 weeks for all the 52s to get processed. The 10% bonus for GS-9s and below may take up to 6 months to be processed.
Seems like they could implement PtP immediately just by adding that to your resource order but I haven’t heard much mention of that lately
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They could if they tried to.
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The President wildfire update with Governors. 30 mins. Worth a listen…
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But the House is refusing to even vote on this until a larger 3 trillion spend bill gets passed by the senate. So this is dead in the water. Our political leaders only care about the own party beliefs and nothing else.
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This issue being thrown into an omnibus bill is frustrating. Just make it a stand alone and get it done. A 1000 bucks for a temp is a slap in the face imho. Figure everyone on a crew works a min 1000 hours of OT a season now throw in the 1040 regular hours and they got less then a 50 cents an hour raise because they dont get compounding on overtime. What a joke they should be ashamed of themselves.
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It was good. Obviously the man has hundreds of staffers and prepared notes. However he’s probably the one guy who can get a name request through NICC/NIFC, well maybe. You have to hand it to Joe for addressing this, again. Thanks Joe.
Also have to give Newsome credit for speaking up about the need for aggressive federal initial attack. A lot of variables go into aggressive initial attack as you all know. These are not grass fires on an off ramp from I-5. I don’t know if I agree with wholeheartedly with Newsome on his statement, however at least he did not use his time to provide a partisan pat on the back. He told it as he sees it and/or how he was briefed by his fire officials.
I also liked the bipartisan tone and acknowledgment from all of them about the exceptional and hazardous work Wildland Firefighters perform.
Keep fighting.
-Entry level pay of $21 an hour for Wildland Firefighters and scale up through the ranks.
-A federal Wildland Firefighter series
-Implement portal to portal pay for Wildland Firefighters while on Wildland fires or all hazard emergencies.
Awards and bonuses are not enough to stop the bleed.
#NotEnough
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I don’t think anything is dead in the water. Dems just need to keep there left flank progressives in the house and right flank moderate dem senators in line and on the same page.
I am more worried about how the agency bureaucrats will implement as the loop holes look real.
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How about PTP for anyone who has a incident number and request number, regardless of incident type?
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Good point. Edited
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I feel this is going to work out. As I’ve come up in the past 14 years, I remember the discussions of a more benefited work force. The groveling of too little, too late in careers we truly enjoy. Ironically when I started as a seasonal I worked at a coop station with a county department. We would talk about retention and benefits with them and come up with legitimate ideas to help the cause. These conversations are having a ripple effect today in the talks with the people who can change it.
The media has helped as well In the aspect of exposure.
Since the beginning I have been a believer of change and an optimist on the subject. Maybe because I really do love my job or maybe because the I believe the human beings I work with are worth it. Regardless, this fight is going to take us all to keep an innovative mindset and a relentless attitude. The stage has been set for us to execute the final product.
Keep it up all. Keep emailing your congresspeople and show the force.
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Nice post Branco. Very well said.
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I would just like to thanks the unskilled Labor of the STF for there quick response to CA-STF-RUBY.
If that had got rolling from Cedar Ridge/Twain Harte the HWY 108 corridor to Pinecrest could of been in jeopardy. Again, the Unskilled Labor has save the day which is being repeated everyday during this Fire Season. Give these folks the prevailing wage that is due to them. Senator Tom Mc Clintock this was in the district you represent.
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Internal email in region 5 is stating pay incentive will begin pay period 16.
The Act contains $600 million for federal wildland firefighter salaries, expenses and the development of a distinct “wildland firefighter” classification series
@milehighbar and whoever is in the know, does this sound like the “forestry tech” issue is going to be addressed finally. Add any info you might have in regards to “reality” pay changes also.
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