LOCAL 3390
August 2010 Presidential Update
Updated On: Aug 20, 2010

 

To the members of IAFF Local #3390,
Gig Harbor Professional Firefighters:
 
          Well, as I stated in my last update, which unfortunately was already eight months ago, “it has been too long since my last”, but this year has kept your Executive Board extremely busy. This is both good and bad, but is a necessary part of doing the business of the Local, and one that we (your E-board) willingly embrace.
 
          As was true in 2009, we’ve had a very productive year, from a Union Leadership perspective. We’ve continued to discuss and approve MOAs/ MOUs (Memorandums of Agreement/ Understanding) throughout the year as situations have presented themselves. These are either contract changes or clarifications of earlier agreements that needed further clarification. These are noteworthy because they help to illustrate the good/ healthy Labor/Management relationship that we’ve been cultivating in the recent years.
 
          Labor/ Management has been more and more cooperative as we’ve moved forward this year, and I have no doubt that this philosophy will continue. Both sides of the table have been very thoughtful and “interest-based” as we’ve dug into topics this year, some difficult and some easily mutually agreed to. Some of the key agreements that have been reached include: EMT/ PM Transition Program, clarification of the rules for a probationary Lt/ PM (with a permanently appointed Operations Division Lt/ PM in our near future), more MOAs to assist in the management of summer OT for TRT/ BCs/ Wildland deployment, and most recently the updated Article 23 (which changes the callback process to more fairly distribute OT across our group). The Local has stood its ground on issues that we simply weren’t prepared/ able to reach an agreement on, and have actively pursued the best possible position on those that we could. Throughout this process, it’s important to note that all parties have conducted themselves with professionalism and mutual respect. Thank you all for your continued trust/ faith in those you’ve elected to lead you. We all greatly appreciate it!
 
          I continue to appreciate this group’s patience as it relates to our healthcare benefit! It is my sincere belief that we, your Local Leadership, have been on the right track in effectively taking more and more control of our benefit, despite some of the recent issues with our current Insurance carrier. Philosophically, I believe that we (the insurance users) have become the “product” of the insurance business, and the shareholders for the Insurance Companies have actually become the “customers”! This is the fundamental problem with the Insurance crisis, in my opinion, and your Leadership is actively working to put us back into the position of “customer”! Stay tuned for more information on this topic as it becomes available…
 
          There were several things that I mentioned in January that were our Union’s goals for 2010, and looking back it appears that we’ve actually achieved them all! First, this is a negotiation year, and your Negotiations Team is ready to go. AC Burgess and I completed the Discipline training that we’d planned, and I hope we are all now more aware of our Rights/ Responsibilities as it relates to Discipline! Please see your Steward if questions remain. Next, with the never-ending commitment of Lt Waters, D-shift Steward (and past-President), we’ve renewed our direct communications with the Fire Commissioners. These relationships continue to be critical for us as a Union!  And finally, we’ve been diligent in actively mentoring/ training our future Union leaders. You’ll note that we continue to have several new faces on the E-board, and I want you to know that’s not by accident (welcome again to Nathan Lawrence and Nick Stone). Thanks to everyone for their continued patience and understanding as we get these folks up to speed.
 
The last item that I’d like to mention, and the one that is certainly at the front of most of our member’s minds, is the recent need to absorb an expected budget shortfall. As you know, there have been several meetings in recent weeks of the various leadership groups within our Organization, with Eric Waters and myself representing Local #3390. I simply wanted to say directly to you that these meetings that I’ve been part of have truly been “interest-based”, in that the clear focus of the participants has been to collectively solve the problem before us. Your Union’s position remains that if a concession needs to occur, and right now we have not reached a decision about what does/ doesn’t need to happen, that these concessions will need to be Organization-wide if they will get Union support. I know that you, our members, are already discussing this, but should anyone want to speak to a Union leader about this directly, please feel free to contact any of the Principals or your Steward!
 
I hope this letter finds you and yours well… Vice-President Johnson and I are heading down to CA tomorrow for the IAFF Convention, where we’ll be representing each of you at this alternate year event. As always, please feel free to contact the members of the E-board with questions, thoughts, and comments… We’re here for You!
 
Fraternally, Scott L Booth, President L3390
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
         

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Contact Info
IAFF Local 3390
PO Box 2625
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
 

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