AFGE Local 3721

San Diego Firefighters Union May Lose Members In Split

From SignonSanDiego.com, December 5

SAN DIEGO, CA – San Diego City Firefighters Local 145 is about to lose about one-third of its membership, a deficit that could weaken its political clout.

About 400 paramedics and emergency medical technicians who staff ambulances under a city contract voted this week to separate from Local 145 and join the National Emergency Medical Services Association.

Local 145 has represented those workers since 1997, when San Diego Fire-Rescue and Rural/Metro Ambulance created San Diego Medical Services, a public-private enterprise.

The split is not yet final pending certification by the National Labor Relations Board. Alan Arrollado, secretary-treasurer of Local 145, said his union will evaluate the election result and decide whether to challenge it.

“It's a significant impact to our membership population,” he said. “It's much easier to provide representation when all the groups are represented by one bargaining unit.”

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS

Kelly Valentine, Director of the Office of Risk Management (overseer of the DC Disability Compensation Program), has admitted under oath (at a DC Council Committee hearing) and in an email that civilian employees of the DC Fire and EMS Department are NOT REQUIRED TO UTILIZE THE POLICE AND FIRE CLINIC AS THEIR DISABILITY COMPENSATION TREATMENT PROVIDER.

An email has been sent to Chief Rubin regarding these statements and demanding that DCFEMS IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST ENFORCING THIS ILLEGAL POLICY. That email is available  here.

The following group & class action cases have panels and/or have been scheduled for Arbitration.

1. 8 HR OT Grievance (11/21)

2. Short Week / Long Week (12/2 & 12/3)

3. Sick Leave Restriction (Date not set, Arbitrator picked 11/3)

4. Leave Hour Accrual (Date not set, Arbitrator not picked)

5. MFRI Testing & NREMT Testing (Date not set, Arbitrator not picked)

6. Several Disciplinary related cases (Dates not set yet)

Updates will be provided as they occur.

The following grievances are pending arbitration:

1. 8 hour OT Grievance

2. Short Week Long Week Grievance

3. MFRI Testing Grievance.

4. NREMT Testing Grievance

We have had our first meeting with the City and OLRCB regarding implementation of the EMS Task Force Recommendations. Further meetings will be scheduled and we expect to commence both negotiations over some topics, and impact & effects bargaining for others. Updates to come.