AFGE for Federal Firefighters

[phireman]

Does anybody on here have experience with AFGE? I am wanting to find out more about the fire portion of AFGE. If you have good/bad stories, or just general information, could you please post or PM me?


Thanks in advance,
phireman

[crash_&_smash]

My experience has been that AFGE leads a lot to be desired....at least on our installation it does. Our union is VERY weak. I’ve asked a lot of questions (especially around the time of the upgrades) and I’ve received few answers.

[phireman]

I have noticed that too! I have tried to become more active with my local, and have also tried to become more active at the national level with the firefighter steering committee (I have yet to get information how to be active with the steering committee) but it seems they are not interested in "new" blood in their club.

Guess that's why I am glad to be looking for greener pastures east of here!

[crash_&_smash]

I’ve seen also seen the comment “you only get out of the union what you putting in”, but that’s a bunch of BS. I’ve tried to fight the Chief, the region and HR on some issue and the union representation was nowhere around. Now I’m moving to a new firehouse that is IAFF (if I’m not mistaken), so I’ll be able to compare this union to another. As for the steering committee, I have an e-mail address for one of the members if it’ll help you.

Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help the greener pasture search.

[phireman]

Are there any FD's in the non-DoD fed service that are IAFF? I applied for Mt. Weather, but from what I gather is it is tough competition, so I am probably not headed there :)

[Squad6Engine]

Nationals Institutes of Standards and Technology was hiring and National Institutes of Health should be hiring soon.

[phireman]

Thnx for the tip Squad! :)

I don't think I would qualify though.....I have only been in the gov't for four years

[N.BANNON 4]

I'm a Non DOD firefighter and we have the AFGE and tried to get IAFF and we did'nt have a prayer. Our local has not done a whole lot for us either.

[fedfireman]

Mt. Weather has AFGE, We tried to get IAFF last year but it was not welcome here by the last director. He was not willing to have two unions. We are hoping to bring the issue back up again in the near future with the new director. The AFGE is for the most part very involved and support the fire dept on site, I can't speak about any where else

[phireman]

Mt. Weather has AFGE, We tried to get IAFF last year but it was not welcome here by the last director. He was not willing to have two unions. We are hoping to bring the issue back up again in the near future with the new director. The AFGE is for the most part very involved and support the fire dept on site, I can't speak about any where else


Well atleast you are having good luck! I think alot of it here has to do with lack of interest on the firefighter's part. There are only two of us that are dues paying members........the rest ride the tail coat due to the fact they have to represent ALL bargaining unit employees dues payers or not.

[fedfireman]

Well atleast you are having good luck! I think alot of it here has to do with lack of interest on the firefighter's part. There are only two of us that are dues paying members........the rest ride the tail coat due to the fact they have to represent ALL bargaining unit employees dues payers or not.

If I had to guess, I would say that about 1/2 of us are paying and then the rest are surfing too. :)

[phireman]

Damn bargain shoppers :)

[N.BANNON 4]

most of us at my station got tired of wasting our money on dues we pay in and do not get even an effort out of our AFGE.

[fedfireman]

I can understand, If I was paying for something and not getting anything from it I would drop it also.

[AC302]

Back when I was a bargaining unit firefighter I had the misfortune of serving at bases that had AFGE. What a waste..certainly not worth the dues. Tough issues were sidestepped by the local and pleas to national went ignored. Crash..you'll find IAFF to be much better and more in touch with firefighter issues, but that depends on whether or not they are recognized as the official bargaining unit. If they do not have bargaining rights and are subserviant to another union..it will only be as good as the "official" union.

[Jim911Fire]

AFGE is by far the worst union for Firefighters. I was with them for 8.5 years and they did nothing for us. The "Pipefitter" union president didn't care about our issues and only wanted to sit in his office and hang out. The locals contract only had one page concerning firefighters and it was EXTREMLY limited in details. My current IAFF contact at my new department, well lets just say it's night and day.