ill talk to our local reps when i see them.
Does anyone know where I can find the they said archives? I remember seeing them about 2-3 years about.
Mod Note: Please, let’s not turn this into an us vs. them debate. Everyone in the broad spectrum of Fire Ser has up time and down time. Let’s respect everyone’s talents and expertise. Hopefully enough said
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Feinstein bill she introduced this week, although needed, does nothing to help low and mid level federal Wildland firefighter pay. It helps those Fire and non fire federal employees who already make between $110,000 to $150,000 base. It helps District Rangers, Forest Supervisors, Natural Resource Specialist and other already highly paid federal employees. Not Rank and file firefighters.
Please let her know this and ask her to explore legislation options for all federal wildland firefighters. Examples include legislation requiring order stand by pay for all federal firefighters while on assignment and entry level pay that begins at $22.00 an hour and tiers up throughout the various ranks and geographic location.
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About par for the course. Pay senior leadership more and continue to abuse the Fed fire workforce.
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That’s the benefit of a robust labor organization. While I don’t always agree with mine I support it to the fullest. Typically, policymakers don’t interact with the lower level echelon. Thus the issues that arise come from the upper level, which obviously has more concern for their own wellbeing. Having the lower masses represented gives the policymakers input about their issues that might not even be considered.
With the exception that they are my buddies in green, I don’t have “dog in this fight” but I echo milehighbars recommendation above.
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Yet another missed opportunity to talk about federal wildland firefighter pay and how we need to fix it.
DC is clueless.
For the risks they must endure vs the wage they receive is literally astounding.
To the youngins, get out while you can. IMHO.
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This was painful to read. To my brothers in green Im sorry. Sounds to me like you are being lead down a narrow road to failure and its a shame. The chance for better or a more robust fleet of aerial firefighting apparatus, nope, a chance at funding for a more proper land management program, nope, and a chance to even discuss pay for our national firefighters gone. Sounds to me like they are lining up for you all to do some heavy lifting in fuels management for no more pay and no acquiring the air resources necessary to meet the increase in fire activity during peak season when we need to combat wildfire. This meeting only prolonged the dire situation we are in out west and we are going to be looking at more increases in fuel loading and staffing issues. Hopefully, some day this will change, but Im not holding my breath.
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Very good point Lces1234.
The traditional ways of getting our points across no longer seem to work. We have an R5 Regional Forester who is retired on duty, no longer cares, needs to go, IMO. A Vallejo FAM staff that doesn’t care and afraid to bring up the topic, as long as the GS12 to GS15 pay keeps hitting their bank account.
I now offer my appropriate, professional yet honest opinions on any social media account I can find direct to POTUS, VPOTUS, Jen Psaki and Tom Vilsack. Nothing else has worked and this probably won’t work. The only chance it would work is if thousands joined in. A daily barrage could trigger someone to ask about looking into pay and benefits for Federal Wildland Firefighters.
This is an absolute disgrace. We haven’t seen this level of labor malfeasance since the early 20th century when you compare a profession to pay.
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So Biden just signed an executive order increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15. So those that clean federal buildings will be paid more than a seasonal entry level “forestry technician”. How about we increase pay for all federal employees across the board.
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This is standard, and has been going on for eons. The Federal Agencies are archaic in their operations and support of employees. Operating like its the 1950s for the most part under leadership that never knows what’s really going down on the ground and challenges the employees are facing. Often more concerned about completing your aglearn than retaining employees for depth of experience and strength of operations.
Noting, will change. USFS employees will continue to move on to ST and LG if they desire more pay, benefits and agency progression.
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Do the USFS, NPS or DOI fall under any of the IAFF Federal FF umbrellas or is that only for the private contracts for DOD? I’m thinking might be time to see about forming a Local and try and start gaining traction with that. I’m pretty sure other IAFF Locals would get behind for support. My opinion only and may be way off base.
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I tried talking to IAFF when I worked for the Feds and they wouldn’t talk to us because of the Forestry Technician title.
When I was a seasonal in mid 90s this was formed and I was a member. They still active? https://www.fwfsa.org/
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Grassroots trying another angle. Not holding my breath but hopeful for change
Others may have a stronger legal or unique background on this, help out if I go off the rails here: Federal wages are passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. Federal unions don’t have the ability to negotiate wages for federal employees. Federal unions and associations can lobby.
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I look forward to listening to Riva Thursday. I fear that the topic of pay may get to intertwined with other topics or other congressional priorities such as classification and mental health. Etc. Focus on the primary issue. Pay.
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Focus seems to be on a full time workforce not pay. We all know the barrier to sustaining a full time workforce. Don’t need GAO to tell us what that is.
Pay them or they will continue to leave. It’s simple.
Im all likelihood GAO will come back with a report that will miss the mark.
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We will never see a true Firefighters series. To many positions these days have fire as the secondary position. Look at all the PD’s, you’ll see this is true. So they would also have to change PD’s for a bunch of positions.
If you can tune into today’s testimony on federal wildland firefighter starting in a few minutes.
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