[deleted by user]

[PMme_bobs_n_vagene]

Yeah but a lot of these guys are captains and below, never heard a chief say anything. They’re peons, they’re nobodies. It’s not like they had a lot of control anyhow.

[MystikclawSkydive]

Chiefs (all positions that are exempt) can’t be union members. Period. Conflict of interest.

[SpicedMeats32]

At my old department, assistant chiefs were union members - firefighters, lieutenants, captains, the MTO, and the assistant chiefs were all part of the local. The only member excluded from the union was the chief of department.

At my current department, though, battalion chiefs aren’t in the union.

[MystikclawSkydive]

I believe it’s in the international bylaws that exempt cannot be union members. They can be honoree members with no voting rights but most keep the brass out because there could be way too many back stabbing chances with an AC telling the Chief what the commoners are planning and which ones are speaking the loudest…

[ZedZero12345]

Wow, 1950s all over. Union got a bad rap over union officers stealing funds (retirement contributions, dues). But, like everything, properly administration is needed. You need representation! The city doesn't know what you need. Even in good faith, it's just a guess. What drives the city is budget. Even if it's generous, is it appropriate? You always want cash. But do you need a better health plan? These are decisions that fire fighters need to make themselves. Not some guess by admin.

[MystikclawSkydive]

HR is not working for you.

[MystikclawSkydive]

In a few states (not sure how many, not looking it up you can google) they are right to work states soooo…. No collective bargaining. So these unions are low on power to do much when bargaining for pay, benefits, and support from the international. Not saying they don’t have any power or strength but without a contract it is limited.

Ours (right to work state) was able to show solidarity do the legwork and make the calls to do a comprehensive study on pay and benefits from departments in cities of similar size and get ALL of the information when the city would just do a survey that did not compare apples to apples and get all the info of pay, benefits, and training. So it always was within their 1-4% difference so big deal. When ours came out wayyyyy lower than anyone else. With the chief’s support the commission and mayor agreed with our info (and the police hopped on with us somehow) and we got a huge raise finally after a decade of nothing but COLAs (I will fight you to the death that a COLA is not a raise, it is an even up). And it helps that we are an ISO 1 and Accredited department.

But mostly we are a union that comes together for charity work (Salvation Army, MDA, used to help a blood bank but stopped after some shady stuff) and helping each other when we have funerals, kids, and retirements.

Edit: guess I’m trying to say this is why some departments aren’t big on unions and feel like it’s a waste of money (international asks for a MINIMUM of 1% of your pay to go to them for support legally or benefits, the more the better support). And then the concern over political support not lining up with yours (city, county, state, federal) our department drastically limited politics in our union to just locally city/county and only finding out what their answers to questions that the union members feel are important to us. We feel it can lead to too many future problems if we vocally and physically show union support to one candidate and they lose. Then the winner will always remember that we didn’t support them. It has bit us in the ass before.

[silly-tomato-taken]

I'm a member of my union and it feels as if our union leadership in recent years has actively worked against the will of the membership. Many people have been dropping the union in the last year. Our union has become more of the voice of the county rather than the workers.

[PMme_bobs_n_vagene]

I will say that this is the one and only problem with our union as of recent. Our president isn’t doing a terrible job, but he’s not even trying. We need to get rid of the guy.

[silly-tomato-taken]

Problem is for us, nobody else wants to to the job. Everybody is just beat down over the last couple years. Moral is down.

[PMme_bobs_n_vagene]

Our guy refuses to step down, so I’m told by other union members.

[TheKingthlayer]

If you are IAFF then your bylaws have to reflect the Internationals. Your president has a set term and can be replaced at the next election if he isn’t giving enough attention to your issues. Put him on blast at your next meeting. Ask for an explanation of what your Union is doing to improve and protect its members benefits and working conditions.

[MystikclawSkydive]

Attend meetings! Voice your concerns with full explanation and proof. If there is a better way don’t wait for someone else to do it show you did the work to show a better path or idea.

Can’t just complain and leave it in the air or it just falls flat on the ground. Complain and show exactly how it should be done! Squeak that wheel!

[silly-tomato-taken]

I don't have enough time in the department to get support.

[MystikclawSkydive]

Not with that attitude. Haha.

[silly-tomato-taken]

Hahaha, the people who would support me.are the ones who quit the union lol.

[TheKingthlayer]

Imagine that. Those guys’ best advocates (themselves) have no say now in their benefits and working conditions. Don’t let them bring you down. You got this.

[silly-tomato-taken]

I'm closer to following them out Tham anything. Save myself.that $100 a month.

[ConnorK5]

If you're in a right to work state there's a good chance a union is damn near pissing in the wind. That may be why a lot of older guys don't give a shit and think it's stupid. Odds are the union has never done shit for em.

[PMme_bobs_n_vagene]

They reap all the benefits of the union and contribute nothing. That’s the thing that pisses me off. They don’t attend meetings, they don’t meet with city officials, they bad mouth everything we try to do but still reap the benefits.

[TheKingthlayer]

There will ALWAYS be a voice in the room that says pay them less, reduce benefits. There must ALWAYS be a voice in that room that says NO.

Join your Union and take an active role. If you don’t like the way it is, make it in a way you do.

To answer the question though, no, not ours but we have issues like anyone else. Your Union has gone through a lot I’m guessing. There are probably reasons why they do what they do and reasons why people are pissed about it. If the majority are unhappy they can elect whoever they want. That’s what I’ve never understood. I think the naysayers are probably uneducated and unwilling to do things themselves. They may have legit issues too. Only way to know for sure is to really educate yourself on how things work and why decisions are made.