What are your desired expectations of the union?

[FEDUP]

what do you really and realistically expect from our union??? we all know we can't negotiate pay and hours, sooo lets see what some of us want to see?????

[Outsider]

And if you are the so called president of our local poore, some RESPECT to the MEMBERSHIP.

[FEDUP]

I would hope that the union president doesn't have time to be wasting on this thing. What is it that you want? to be called president outsider? is that what you want? you can do it better? come on lets be for real here thats what you want right? What has one base gotten that the other bases haven't?
How can you be so angry over this petty stuff? Next thing you will want to lynch em cause the missed something else. Where does it stop? I am sure if you want to step up and run this union The President would gladly give it to you, but i don't think you want that, you just want to complain and bring the already taxed moral down some more by stirring crap.

[Outsider]

I've come to the reality that I don't expect anything from the union, especially this local.

Let's face it, the union can't do anything for me/us in the Federal Government, it's a waste of our money, and don't tell me we have a "Contract". We could get just as much done by going through HRO.

Oh, I forgot free life insurance, but I have a better policy through the Government for pennies on the dollar.

Let's face it, all were paying for is a sticker to put in the rear window of our P.O.V.

And like Watch Dog said, "I've seen more non-members displaying the sticker than members". They (IAFF Stickers) are a dime a dozen.

But some of us did get a "FREE" trip to Palm Springs Ca.

[FEDUP]

I have come to the determination that you are a troll and there will be nothing here to make you happy. unless everything is done your way and you would still have a gripe about everything being perfect in your world. you didn't come up with it or weren't a part of it soo its no good. I wonder what your former union leaders did for you but they sure did a pretty good dis-service to you by not doing anything for you. You stated pretty well on what you are out for,, its not about the familes that didn't get acknowleged on the web site its about what you think. Keep riding the coat tails of the union what we get you are right everyone gets. you have all the rights that every other union brother and sister have, if you are one ~ and thats the ability to cast your vote. if your not happy change it. or do as you are doing and just keep on complaining about it. appears that there have been a few more acknowledging your lack of knowing and uneducated opinions than ones showing your support. If you are campaigning for a spot maybe you should try doing some good rather than mud slinging anyone can point out faults. Fixing them with soloutions takes balls. can't make everyone happy in the endevor of making this union grow.... i will put you in that category of not being able to make happy.

[Outsider]

Well F'd UP - Show me or tell me one thing the iaff has done for the Federal Fire Service.

All the iaff showed me is they can spend/waste $100 of Thousands of dollars, backing who they want in office.

Show me where they have spent one dime on a lobbiest, to help with our hours, pay or leave.

Show me one bill, they had a lobbiest fight for in congress, that helped the Federal Fire Service.

Everything we have in the Federal Fire Service, was done at the grass root level, by the Firefighters, with no help from the iaff. If you think the iaff is the greatest thing since sliced Bologna, fine, but don't try to shove it down my throat anymore.

All I ask for is this little local to show some compassion toward or "BROTHERS" on "OUR" webpage, and they/you can't even do that.

So, I'm going to start my own little movemnet, everytime the local does an injustice, I'll be there to point it out.

And my first act, is to write my Congressman and ask for an audit of the locals books, seeing we are in the Federal Government, and my pay is being garnished for dues, it won't be a problem getting it done.

Have a nice day.

[FEDUP]

Its all and good to be able to point out the faults and wrong doings,, but are you gonna have ideas on how to fix a problem? if not you are no better than a follower. Any one can follow. step up to the plate and lead.
Stop playing the roll of victim. Welcome to life when you don't get something that you want.
and the audit will prove? should be pretty easy to audit, the books are less than a couple of months old. OH MY GOODNESS they are croooks lock em up and throw away the keys,, Trips as you so call them are important for unions to go to...... NETWORKING is important. its used to get contacts on your side and to see how other Locals do something. You have a problem with union officers going to official union functions?

[FireFactory]

Well F'd UP - Show me or tell me one thing the iaff has done for the Federal Fire Service.

All the iaff showed me is they can spend/waste $100 of Thousands of dollars, backing who they want in office.

Show me where they have spent one dime on a lobbiest, to help with our hours, pay or leave.

Show me one bill, they had a lobbiest fight for in congress, that helped the Federal Fire Service.

Everything we have in the Federal Fire Service, was done at the grass root level, by the Firefighters, with no help from the iaff. If you think the iaff is the greatest thing since sliced Bologna, fine, but don't try to shove it down my throat anymore.

All I ask for is this little local to show some compassion toward or "BROTHERS" on "OUR" webpage, and they/you can't even do that.

So, I'm going to start my own little movemnet, everytime the local does an injustice, I'll be there to point it out.

And my first act, is to write my Congressman and ask for an audit of the locals books, seeing we are in the Federal Government, and my pay is being garnished for dues, it won't be a problem getting it done.

Have a nice day.
then dont pay union dues....however theyll be the first one you turn to in the event that you need them as a result of a disciplinary action.

[Outsider]

F'd up, tirefactory and who ever else this pertains to;

I bet you are the type of person who brags about being a big iaff union member then drives around in a Foreign made vehicle with a iaff union sticker in the rear window. Puting American union members out of work, I bet the 30,000 union workers at UAW, who are losing their jobs at Christmas time really want to Thank You, you big "union members".

I also bet you are Volunteer Firefighters somewhere, and when you get off in the morning you go to your Volunteer Firehouses that have Career Personnel who also belong to the iaff, your so called Brothers/Sisters, and you probably cuss them out for being there.

If you are Volunteers somewhere you should quit being a Volunteer because your a SCAB. Me I would rather quit the union, because my Volunteer House means more to me, if it wasn't for my Volunteer House, I would have never gotten my job here.

So you're kinda in a Catch-22, if you stay a union member and Volunteer somewhere your a Hypocrite, and if the union official condone you Volunteering and being a union member, their in a iaff violation.

What's a person to do. I know what I'm going to do.

[Lt 46]

Outsider, If you are a union member, and you don't like the service your getting, why not drop out of the union? It's not a closed shop, so therefore your pay cannot be garnished for union dues unless you allow it to be.

On the otherhand, if you are a union member in good standing, why not take a positive approach and run for office if you are up to the task? Your vote counts, cast it in the direction of making change.

Lt 46

[FEDUP]

well since im listed,, you are wrong, i own american made cars and american made motorcycles. and i am not a volunteer anymore. I also know where i got my start. SOOO you can make an assumption that i am a hypocrite. since your Tic house means soo much more to you,, let them pay your bills. better yet ask them if they will pay your union dues. My union sticker is displayed properly not next to a volley stations sticker or with the tic tags. see i don't worry about what others are doing. I know what im doing i have pride in my self as a union member. as for bragging about it if you call a union sticker with a union tag bragging then,, thats meeee,, I am proud to be union. So now that we know you are a scab, whose jobs are you taking?
Just drop out and save your self some grief and money if thats all you are worried about. Your right the union will keep getting things and everyone will benefit from it.
And just remember when a non union member is being defended by a public defender and a union member is being defended by the likes of Johnny Cochranes.... don't that just frost your you know whats.

[Outsider]

You still haven't told me what the union has done for me or anybody else in this department, but take mine/our money and show me nothing.

Come on proud union member tell me what our union/local has done for us.

As for me, that money can go to better things, like buying a case of Cold Beer.

[FireFactory]

Quick question for ya....What is your education level? The reason I ask is because any educated person knows that when you state something you had better back it up with facts!!
1) my vehicle is G.M. ( YOU ARE WRONG AGAIN....see a pattern here)
2) what does volunteering have to do with it???? My reasoning for this is due to the fact thAT MANY dc area firefighters commute from areas where a career fire dept cannot be supported due to financial issues. Thus, many career ff's volunteer to serve thier citizens. Thought that was the reason we are in this job in the first place.
Once again...you have stated an oxi-moron statement....you are in fact the one who glorifies over being a career firefighter and puts down the volunteers. You are not in this job for the right reason.
So, im tired of dealing with your UNEDUCATED statements....we get the picture...you are an unhappy person who likes to cause trouble.
In a manner which you can understand; GO F-CK YOURSELF!!!!!


signed: Oceanography

[FEDUP]

http://www.iaff.org/ read through there and take a look,, at what they do for firefighters world wide. not just locally,,, and the burn funds, and other funds..... OHHHHHH wait they are thinking of others than just them selves. Try reading it some time and learn about what your union dues are paying for.
there are even some pictures to please the eye.

[Outsider]

what do you really and realistically expect from our union??? we all know we can't negotiate pay and hours, sooo lets see what some of us want to see?????

F'd UP - You, yourself are quoted as saying the above. So you acknowledge the fact that the iaff can do nothing for the Federal Fire Service.

The iaff does more for the aiaff, than they do for us.

I've looked at the iaff website many times, please show me, or tell me where to look on the iaff webpage to find anything that pertains to the Federal Fire Service. Tell me where to look, what have I missed. Show me where they have gone to bat for us. Show me where they have made a difference for us. The AFGE has done more for us.

I see plenty pertaining to Big Municipalities, County, Canadian, and even Foreign Fire Dept's. But nothing about the Federal Service, so F'd UP you still haven't answered my question, what has the iaff done for us.

Face it, were the redheaded stepchild of the iaff.

All you union members that have hats or shirts from the iaff, look inside to see where they were made. The last time I looked inside mine it didn't say "Made in America"

So you go on being a Lapdog for the iaff, if it gives you some great pleasure, I'm happy for you.

[fyrcapt14]

I, like Outsider was/am upset that there was no mention of our fallen brother Lt. Paul Lacey on "our" union web site (I'm don't know about the other loss in the region). When our department suffers a loss it should be announced whether it's on the union web page or an anoouncement made by our Regional Fire Chief via email and/or both. In these situations it seems that "we" were let down by both. With that said, I don't think that we can say that our local sucks because of this.

The original question posted on this thread was: What are your desired expectations of the union?

My expectations are:

Fair and equal representation
Union Leaders that look out for the members best interests not their own
Communications- let the members know what's going on and let the members have a say.

This is my third union/local. I was a member of Iaff Local F-147 (NWS Earle New Jersey), AFGE Local 1603 (NAS Pax) and now Iaff F-121. I was raised in a union family and I am proud to be a union member, a military veteran, and an American. The best part about being an American is having the freedom of choice, I have chosen to be a union member and I could, like everyone else choose to leave the union. I am not happy with the cost of the dues and hopefully we will be able to vote on that at some point.

If you think that the union doesn't do anything for you, you are mistaken. Just ask yourself, why isn't NSPS here! As far as lobbying congress for different hours, look at your LES and remember the bulk of our pay comes from that 38 hours of "overtime" every pay period. Which the unions lobbied Congress to get us that pay raise. Remember the two-thirds pay we used to get?

Before you ask or accuse me I own a Dodge Ram and Dodge Caravan. I do own a Kawasaki Vulcan Classic (can't afford a Harley). I am a volunteer also, at an all volunteer station no combination departments in Calvert, yet.

If you're going to call me a suck ass, I've been called worse.

Just my opinion,
Rich Wilson
Fire Captain (B-Shift)
Webster Field Station 14
301-995-8338 or 8339

[Outsider]

As far as lobbying congress for different hours, look at your LES and remember the bulk of our pay comes from that 38 hours of "overtime" every pay period. Which the unions lobbied Congress to get us that pay raise. Remember the two-thirds pay we used to get?

Rich - No disrespect here, but the above quote is wrong. It was not the union who changed our pay, it was all done by Good Ol' Chester Lanehart from A.A.F.B. class action suit, he got us the lawyer who fought long and hard for the change.

The iaff didn't do anything, they did try to take the credit, which they couldn't, because Lester and the guy's from the "Patch" belonged to AFGE back then.

Take care "Brother"

[TWR21TECHY]

Would that be IAFF PRESIDENT Chester Lanehart? Talk to him and he will let you know that what he did was on his own and outside of AFGE.

Do you think the recent GS-0081 upgrades may have resulted from some IAFF work? I'll bet a pay check that the IAFF was involved.

Again, brother, quit if you are unhappy. Like I said, you are making all of us at NDW look bad.

See YOU on the Tower!

[fyrcapt14]

You learn something new everyday, I stand corrected! Thank you for the information.

Stay safe,
Rich

[Outsider]

Would that be IAFF PRESIDENT Chester Lanehart? Talk to him and he will let you know that what he did was on his own and outside of AFGE.

Do you think the recent GS-0081 upgrades may have resulted from some IAFF work? I'll bet a pay check that the IAFF was involved.

Again, brother, quit if you are unhappy. Like I said, you are making all of us at NDW look bad.

TWR21TECHY - He's the president of the iaff local at Andrews now, back then he wasn't. He was just a Firefighter looking out for all of us.

And no, the iaff had nothing to do with the GS-081 upgrades, check it out. I'll accept your apology Thank You.

And your making the Tower look bad, in more ways than one.

It looks like I've already quit, I just opened my current LES, and there is no monies being taken out of my pay for union Dues.

[screamin46]

If you think an electrician or a plumber can represent a Firefighter for union business, you are on crack.... you think some one that has never had to work a xmas or thanks giving day or worked 24 hours on a consistent basis can no way no how fathom what we go through? IF it were not for the firefighters down at pax the AFGE would still be clueless about what we do. That was many valuable years wasted by having to educate them on our jobs and how we(FED FIREFIGHTERS) worked. When people tried to get out they said ohhh you can't get out til your join date. and almost had people fired when they did manage to get out.
You should really try to get a lil more education and stop living in the past. Look who is here to stay, IAFF so get over it. I know for a fact both unions made the pay change happen,, they all had thier hands in it. who cares. Today is now not 10 years ago.
ALLLLLLL ABOARD for the train thats here now. get on or get left behind.

[Outsider]

screamin46 - I'm not trying to jusify AFGE or the iaff, I'm not trying to justify any union because after many years in the Federal Fire Service, I've come to the conclusion that any union in the Federal System is a waste of time and the members money.

Everything we have at NDW the trade-of-time, the early relief, the O/T scheduling, could have all been done through our HRO and the all powerful MOR.

So, screamin46, if you like throwing your hard earn money away, so you can put a iaff sticker in the back window of you POV, that's fine. More of your money goes to the iaff, than your local (Per Diem) and the iaff loves you for it. That's the money they waste backing loser's in election's, then they have the gall to ask you to donate to FIREPAC.

Me, I don't have to worry about it anymore, the money I use to waste for iaff union dues, I'm putting into a special account and I'll use the next time we at Central have a get together somewhere, and I'll buy a round for everybody.

That's a better use of it. Don't you agree

[FEDUP]

its a good thing hope oneday you save lots of money but i will no longer discuss union issues with you, you have nothing to offer, Union Brotherhood is more important to me than your so called waste of money.
have a nice day and enjoy all the decisions you will have to live with that the union will continue to make all cause you don't want to pay money. but thats the good part about america you have your choice and you have made it ... so now you get to live with it.

have a nice day.

" If you can read this thank a teacher. And if you can read this in English Thank a VET"

[Outsider]

Union Brotherhood is more important to me.

Well F'd UP, you just stay in "Your World", as your Location says.

As for me, the "Brotherhood of the Firefighters" I work with means more to me than your so called "Union Brotherhood", that has showed me nothing.

Your so called union brotherhood, didn't even show condolences to a fellow "union" member. How sad is that.

[FEDUP]

As stated before you are not a union member, so you can go blow your scab smoke up someone elses rear that cares. You have quit your UNION FIREFIGHTER brothers I have nothing more to say to you.

talk of what you know nothing about only makes a fool of you.

[Outsider]

I see where the iaff, local#2800 (Arlington County Fire Department) is getting a 5% pay raise, effective 25 Dec. 2005.

Now that there's a local that can do Something for it's "Brothers".

What has your local done for you lately.

[Roof Rescue]

What has my local done for me?......Made it so we could weed out SCABS like you.....Get a life and move on....If your not a dues paying member anymore, go cry to AFGE....

[Outsider]

Hoof Rescue - You can't get rid of this "SCAB", that easy. I have too many years left to work before I can retire.

So, I'll be around a long, long time.

Have a Nice Day.

[Outsider]

I hear CBD got some bad news today and will get some more tomorrow.

If this is true local f-121, then the balls in your court now. Lets see how much pull you and the iaff have now.

I just hope Hoyer, Sarbanes and Mulkulski can step in, before it's to late.

[HoundDog]

Ok, the CNI assessment came in - Bad News #1.

Tell us all knowing one, what is bad news #2?

[Outsider]

I'll let you know HoundDog, as soon as I recieve a phone call, I'm waiting on.

[Watch_Dog]

You know something Outsider, you have me thinking.

I was just reading my copy of the "Navy Fire and Emergency Services Newslwetter" and on page #11, there is an article titled "Pay Raise Spared In Senate Budget Measure".

There was this sentence - "The American Federation of Government Employees urged senators to vote against such an amendment."

Didn't say anything about the IAFF voicing a concern, or asking Senators not to vote on the amendment.

Like I said Outsider, you have me thinking.

[Outsider]

Watch Dog - Great, I'm glad your thinking, that's all I want the Firefighters here at NDW to do, is think. Think about what their paying for.