IAFF and FMBA: Once and for all Setting the Record Straight!
By Thomas P. Canzanella, President

Answering a Shameful Misdirection Campaign

Dear PFANJ Member:

The New Jersey State Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association is considering affiliation with a broad based International union (National Association of Government Employees - a subsidiary of the Service Employees International Union) currently representing some 3000 firefighters largely restricted to federal service in a handful of states, all unaffiliated with the AFL-CIO. They are not a “firefighter’s union” per se with a membership largely comprised of firefighters and related essential emergency services employees such as the IAFF, but rather one of significantly varied membership base (near 2 million) representing workers of all type and variety at all levels of local, state and federal government. SEIU is also a member of the “Change to Win” coalition comprised of those unions that saw fit to withdraw from the National AFL-CIO.

While the FMBA leadership’s  reasons for electing to take this path are theirs and theirs alone, we refuse to stand idly by while the FMBA membership is  patently lied to at the expense of the IAFF as part and parcel of the all out campaign persuading them to vote for SEIU affiliation. The ongoing “IAFF Sucks” campaign being waged consists of a dozen or so slides in a Power Point presentation used as an organizing tool for this purpose, coupled with the last few months of hate articles appearing in their publication, should not become the sole and exclusive basis for any decision FMBA members make pro or con. Surely the sales pitch that gets SEIU affiliation done should include an accounting of what they have accomplished to date for career professional firefighters along with a vision now and towards the future that is specific to and including of professional firefighters. Certainly there has to be something more appropriate and convincing than a self-serving and accommodating rewrite of history between the IAFF and FMBA that might serve as a defensible basis for this monumental decision. After all this time, why the skewed rehash and exactly what does it have to do with the here and now? Why not just spend your time explaining exactly why SEIU is a better way to go based on their firefighter accomplishments? That said, in the face of having our unions integrity and reputation tarnished in order to advance a goal and agenda having nothing to do with and using the IAFF as a scapegoat, so do I “Set the Record Straight.” 

Truth be told (once again) about merger and affiliation…

The NJFMBA entered into discussions with the IAFF in the late 90’s with a plan to either takeover or somehow punish the PFANJ into extinction. In retrospect quite possibly the ultimate goal all along. The FMBA leadership took initial documents the PFA provided and used them to defame and cast doubt about our finances and leadership in an effort to fortify their positions in a proposed election that would have selected a single combined leadership following a year or so of planned dual stewardship of the new union. Despite the fact that the PFANJ had debt that was equal to the same kind of money the FMBA throws at lawyers and lobbyists, the PFANJ was willing to for a time pay an additional per capita charge that equated to our purported debt.

That roadblock overcome, something else had to give. The FMBA knew full well that suggesting we take on the FMBA name over our suggestion “United Firefighters Association of New Jersey” coupled with their wanting to keep their former FMBA local numbers as part of the new organization, was all well calculated to purposely undermine the notion that the PFANJ and FMBA would all be one in solidarity with no self-proclaimed winners or losers. This all to the extent of inviting us to a joint state meeting where an FMBA logo, with its inside center panel filled with an IAFF logo was depicted. Another deal breaker had to do with the proposal that members and their locals might pay IAFF per capita to the new State Association rather than directly to the IAFF, almost purposely interfering with and undermining the direct relationship IAFF locals enjoy with our parent union.  No IAFF State Association in the Nation operates in this manner nor would they dare suggest imposing themselves on their locals in such a fashion. This suggestion constituted a blatant attempt at creating a giant, overbearing, political master local of sorts in complete disregard of jurisdictional and local autonomy.

All of the foregoing being nothing more than an ill conceived and self-serving attempt at hostile takeover in an effort to unseat the PFANJ - with IAFF affiliation being a secondary and bitter pill to swallow in pursuit of that goal. Think about it for a minute, if the PFANJ was in fact broke and coming to the FMBA "hat in hand" as advertised, then why didn't the FMBA just buy us out? If they were in fact larger in membership, then why not just join and take us over from within? The sad fact is this - the new combined union would have generated plenty of work for everyone if the true goal was to provide better services to its locals and members. The combined dues of both former organizations going into one pot would have eradicated all real or perceived debt in short order, later on resulting in a sizable war chest in pursuit of the memberships goals and agenda. No more different than turning two marginal businesses into a successful one by making an investment in the future. You have to wonder why… Or maybe you don't!

Quitting the IAFF:  Rival and Rogue…

You cannot disparage, defame, raid or organize against, interfere with or sue the IAFF in the performance of your elected duties as State FMBA president while at the same time carrying an IAFF membership card! That would be “morally corrupt” as the IAFF has been so accused by the FMBA. The IAFF Constitution and By-Laws does not provide the ability to assign Rival and Rogue designations to a single individual such as the perpetrator of the aforementioned acts carried out in his capacity as FMBA state president – that is flaunting his IAFF union membership card while consciously and purposely working against the union at the very same time. I invite you to carry on that way in any other union you decide to join and see what happens. Neither the IAFF nor even SEIU will allow you to play fast and loose with the rules at their expense. You may also rest assured that the IAFF Executive Board and the National AFL-CIO Executive Council do not make those designations (Rival or Rogue) frivolously, for no good reason, or to placate the PFANJ despite FMBA assertions to the contrary.  The truth is that the FMBA president quit the IAFF in the face of and to avoid additional charges under the IAFF Constitution and By-Laws for reasons that cannot be defended against no matter how explained or characterized in an effort to render them a moot point and to placate his latest suitor.

FMBA individual members are neither Rivals nor Rogues as they have been so led to believe. That designation was the direct result of the actions of a handful of people, and FMBA members have those folks to thank for the situation at hand. Anyone that thinks an FMBA member would be allowed to work against the FMBA organization in the same manner as described is out of their mind. Why would anyone believe the IAFF would accept that behavior from a card carrying member? Unless of course it was all well calculated to purposely erode and develop that misbegotten relationship as an excuse to go another way.
 

Denied IAFF Membership?   Maybe Yes…  Just not by the IAFF!

Over the last dozen years IAFF general membership has increased to in excess of 270,000 in the US and Canada. An international alliance is in the process of being constructed between the IAFF and union firefighters of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Firefighters in states that do not allow nor recognize unions (yes it’s still true!) are proud and proactive members of the IAFF. How is it that “Opportunity Knocked” for them while certain New Jersey firefighters have not been afforded nor exercised that same opportunity? Simply put the others do not suffer a “Gatekeeper” where a deal for the minions outweighs the good of the masses.  

Several years ago the IAFF spent more than $20,000 in a single day at two locations in north and south Jersey, in the morning and afternoon, featuring every member of the union’s senior staff. This for the purpose of explaining IAFF affiliation benefits to prospective members with no strings attached. Such was done while the PFANJ was at convention in order to create a less contentious environment for all but the handful of FMBA members who were not purposely discouraged from attending. If that is not an overture or opportunity than what is?

The FMBA did not affiliate with the IAFF for the sole and exclusive reason that it is impossible under our Constitution and By-Laws and for reasons of pure practicality to offer their leadership the deal of the century they sought to negotiate for themselves at the expense of and to the detriment of all others.  That deal includes keeping their entire infrastructure intact while at the same time offering perks in terms of national exposure and unlimited travel for organizing presumably now against the IAFF. That is the “ground floor opportunity” SEIU offers. It is the “for whom and at what expense” that remains in question.

From the beginning, this was never once about the FMBA firefighter and his or her family. It was about the opportunity for unbridled greed, power and influence to be exercised as a manner in which one union might divide and conquer the other. While their claim and rally cry is “We are for all firefighters” the truth is they are for them and them alone. You have hope you're one of “them.”

NJFMBA members should affiliate with SEIU and NAGE based upon their past accomplishments for career professional firefighters in association with their current and future vision for the Job and nothing else. Try though the FMBA may to make the decision about what version of history you subscribe to, or who the real devil is, while they sneak one by their membership we say this: Concoct whatever line of BS you need to in order to achieve your goal. Just leave the IAFF out of it. If the affiliation decision is based upon past accomplishments made by firefighters for firefighters and their families, and a vision for the future of our profession, FMBA members will figure it out. For the lack of having that to talk about or consider, a misdirection campaign is completely understandable and maybe they won't figure it out.

While I’m neither a fan nor do own a book of quotable quotes or proverbs for all occasions, for those of you that like that sort of thing I say this – Telling a tale so often and so loud you begin to believe it yourself still doesn't make it the truth.


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