Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State Lodge Professional Firefighters' Association of New Jersey
Edward Brannigan President		Dominick Marino President

POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS TO GOVERNOR CHRISTIE: KEEP YOUR WORD; HANDS OFF BINDING ARBITRATION

(Trenton, NJ, February 26, 2010) -- The Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State Lodge and the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey - AFL-CIO today called on Governor Christie to stay true to his word and leave unchanged the state's binding arbitration system for municipal police officers and firefighters.

"Our board met personally with then-candidate Christie on September 3, 2009, and he looked into our eyes and promised he wouldn't touch the binding arbitration system," said Edward R. Brannigan, president of the NJFOP.  "We're asking that now-Governor Christie keep his word and not disrupt the only means of ensuring a fair playing field between police officers and municipalities."

Binding arbitration is a process for labor and management to resolve contract disputes.  Unlike other labor groups, police officers and firefighters are prohibited by law from striking.  Without the ability to strike, binding arbitration is the only means police officers and firefighters have to negotiate a fair contract.

"The legislature revised the binding arbitration process in 1996 by imposing new arbitrator guidelines that help management and giving arbitrators leeway in crafting an agreement," said Dominick Marino, president of the PFANJ.

Municipalities already benefit from safeguards built into the arbitration process, including permitting arbitrators to consider the financial status of a municipality before rendering a decision.

"Binding arbitration forces management and labor to reach an agreement," said Marino.  "During the last five years there have been just seventeen firefighter arbitration rulings, which are only about three each year.  The famous phrase 'If it isn’t broke, don't fix it" certainly applies here.  Binding arbitration works.  The arbitration process compels both sides to settle and with only three binding arbitration rulings a year, the process must be working."

"It was unsettling to read that the governor suggested changes to the binding arbitration system before a gathering of mayors," continued Brannigan.  "Men and women throughout our state put their lives in jeopardy daily to protect our communities from crime, and they deserve to be treated honestly and respectfully.  They deserve the governor to keep his word."

The Fraternal Order of Police is the world's largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, with more than 318,000 members in more than 2,100 lodges. The FOP is the voice of those who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities. It is committed to improving the working conditions of law enforcement officers and the safety of those we serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement, and employee representation.

The Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey is the state organization for the International Association of Firefighters, which represents over 292,000 firefighters in the United States and Canada.

Contact:

New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police Edward R. Brannigan President 108 W. State St. Trenton, NJ 08608 609-599-1222 www.njfop.org

Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey Dominick Marino President 24 West Lafayette St. Trenton, NJ  08608 609-396-9766

Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey International Association of Fire Fighters AFL-CIO-CLC

DOMINICK MARINO
President

2/22/10

To all members:

Here is the latest update with respect to the legislative bills that will affect you and your families.  Today the Senate voted 36 – 0 to pass the four current legislative bills SCR1, S2, S3 and S4.

We have met with the Speaker of the Assembly and various other members.  The Assembly is not moving on a fast track with these bills.  They will be having hearings on them and will not proceed until all parties involved are heard.  We applaud Speaker Oliver and the members of the Assembly for taking that stand. 

We also need to clarify S3.  According to Speaker Oliver, the 1.5% health benefits affect members this way:

If you retire prior to the bill going into effect, you are not affected.

If you retire after the bill goes into effect and you have a collective bargaining agreement in place, you are not affected.

If the bill becomes law, then every currently employed member would be responsible for 1.5% payment for health benefits per year.  But once you retire, you would not be responsible for the 1.5% unless you are in the State Health Benefits Program.

If the bill becomes law, any future members, after the signing of the bill, would be responsible for 1.5% payment for health benefits per year and also would be responsible for 1.5% in retirement.

As we said, things are changing daily.  We urge you to check the website daily.  As things develop, we will advise via the website, emails and state meetings.

	New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police & Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey IAFF, AFL-CIO-CLC
Edward Brannigan President		Dominick Marino President

February 21, 2010

VIA FAX and EMAIL

Dear Senator:

The New Jersey State Senate is scheduled tomorrow to consider four bills that will significantly alter and reduce pensions and benefits for New Jersey’s firefighters and police officers. On behalf of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey AFL-CIO, the Fraternal Order of Police – New Jersey State Lodge and the more than 20,000 members we represent, we respectfully ask that you vote against SCR1, S2, S3 and S4.

As we advised the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee on Friday, it is impossible to remedy the state’s financial problems overnight. While the financial picture requires lawmakers to move diligently, it is equally important to move cautiously and act with the benefit of input from the workers who will feel the impact of the proposed pension and benefit changes. We kindly ask that you consider slowing the rush to pass these bills and meet with us to discuss alternative ideas to address the state’s financial situation.

The mere fact these changes are being considered by the State Senate has already alarmed workers and may cause unintended harm to the pension system. We know many veteran firefighters and police officers that had no intention to retire immediately. Since Friday’s amendment to S3, these workers have begun preparing to retire now to avoid the impact S3 will have on their retirement benefits.

An exodus of senior police officers and firefighters will leave departments bereft of valuable experience and knowledge. This will certainly impact the effectiveness of fire and police departments, many of which are already understaffed and have shown no indication of hiring new firefighters or police officers. The sudden retirement of senior police officers and firefighters drawing on the pension fund and the lack of new hires contributing to the pension fund will create a perfect storm that will place the state pension system in further crisis.

Regrettably, these bills also violate the spirit of collective bargaining, which involves two sides to a dispute negotiating toward a resolution. Contract agreements that are now in place, which cover more than strictly wages and benefits, are the result of as much as 40 years of collective bargaining. Enactment of these bills will unilaterally vacate the goodwill and progress developed over years of collective bargaining and very likely damage the relationship between labor and management.

New Jersey’s firefighters and police officers are prepared and eager to work constructively with Governor Christie and the State Legislature to reach a solution that advances our state, protect our taxpayers, and preserves public safety.

The Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey and Fraternal Order of Police – New Jersey State Lodge cannot overstate our members’ opposition to SCR1, S2, S3 and S4. We respectfully urge that you vote in opposition to these bills.

Respectfully submitted,

Dominick Marino	Edward R. Brannigan
President	President
Professional Firefighters Association of                        of New Jersey, I.A.F.F.-AFL-CIO	Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State Lodge

Brothers and Sisters,

With a health care reform deal announced loudly in the media between "labor," the administration and Congress on changes to the excise tax provision, I want to provide you a new update today that outlines some of the key elements of that deal and what we know about the potential impact they will have on each and every one of you.

From Day One, we forcefully argued that the excise tax was bad policy and bad politics and that it had no place in any health care reform bill. Not once did we waver from that argument.

Our message was heard and we believe had a significant impact on what ultimately came out of the negotiations between representatives of the labor movement, the administration and Congress.

We believe we can say with confidence that our constant and consistent message resulted in significant changes to the excise tax provision of the reform bill that the House and Senate now must finish debate on and send to the president.

I don't want to overstate this, but suffice it to say that our hard opposition to the excise tax convinced negotiators to agree to new provisions that, while they fall short of our goal of eliminating the excise tax, these changes do effectively eliminate the burden of additional taxes that would have fallen on our members had the tax remained unaltered.

Based on the initial information we have received from the AFL-CIO on the changes to the excise tax provision, we know that:

• Every health plan covering our members is exempt from the tax until 2018, based on new provisions that collectively bargained health benefits will be exempt from the tax until 2018, as would the benefits of all state and local municipal worker plans even if not collectively bargained;

• The threshold for the tax to kick in on family plans has been raised from $23,000 to $24,000 for all workers, and from $26,000 to $27,000 for our members;

• The cost of dental and vision coverage will be excluded from the cost of the plans when determining if they rise above the threshold beginning in 2015;

• Each year after 2013, the $27,000 threshold for our members will increase by the CPI + 1 percent and will rise even more in high cost states;

• Further, if health care costs rise faster than expected prior to 2013, the initial thresholds will also be increased, as well.

While there's significantly more to the deal than just these initial bullets, and we are going to do a full and complete analysis over the coming days, we have not been able to identify a single IAFF member's health care plan that would or will be subject to the excise tax based on these new provisions scheduled to take effect in 2018.

We know there's a lot more to go in the political process before this bill is finally approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President, but we are pleased that our efforts to protect our members from a severe economic penalty appear to have made a significant impact on what we are told will be in the final legislation.

We will update all of you as more details of the bill emerge.

Fraternally,

Harold A. Schaitberger
General President

Brothers and Sisters,

We are fully aware of the media reports this afternoon that there has been a deal reached between "labor," the White House and Congressional leaders on the excise tax in the health care reform legislation being debated.

On a conference call with the AFL-CIO Executive Council just minutes ago, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka provided a report that outlined that purported "deal."

Let me state right here that this IAFF was not afforded an opportunity to be a part of the labor committee that participated in negotiations with the White House and Congressional leaders over the changes that are being reportedly made to the excise tax provision in the bill.

On Monday, January 11, in a conference call with the Executive Committee of the AFL-CIO, conducted prior to the first meetings between the labor committee and the White House, I made it very clear to the union leaders who were selected by Trumka to go into those private discussions that our union was fully and completely opposed to any excise tax because it would either force a tax on the premiums of our members or force their health benefits to be cut. I was the only member of the AFL-CIO Executive Committee to take that position and our position was widely covered in the media over the past week.

In addition, as late as 1:30 p.m. this afternoon (January 14), I was one of four labor presidents invited to speak before the House Leadership and Democratic Caucus. At that event, I was the only speaker who, in very clear and emphatic terms, strongly reiterated that this IAFF remains completely opposed to an excise tax. I reaffirmed that this is bad policy and bad politics.

While the reports of the "deal" appear to show that the thresholds have increased and that state and local governments may have received a multi-year exemption, which should serve to ease the burden on our members, I still find it unacceptable that a form of the excise tax remains in the bill.

Internally, we will be analyzing the affects of any changes to the excise tax provision once they are formally released. Rest assured that this union will continue to fight the excise tax so that it doesn't affect any of our members and we will continue to update you as this process moves forward.

Fraternally,

Harold A. Schaitberger
General President

Brothers and Sisters,

The core political principle of this union is we support those who support us. If you make promises to us, we will hold you accountable.

We held President Bush accountable when he made decisions that had a negative impact on our members' jobs and lives. We will do the same with this president and any future president.

Throughout the debate on health care reform, even before the proposed excise tax on so-called high cost health plans was proposed, our union has made it clear to Congress and President Obama that our goal is reducing health care costs while preserving the benefits our members already have without piling more taxes on the backs of hardworking Americans.

In 2008, then-candidate Obama promised three things. First, he would not raise taxes on folks making less than $250,000 a year. Second, he vowed not to tax your health insurance benefits. Third, he promised that under his health reform plan that people would be able to keep their existing coverage.

Now the administration is supporting a misguided excise tax on the premiums of some health plans that is in the bill passed by the Senate. This excise tax will affect many of the health plans covering our members. The Senate bill will either impose a tax on health care premiums provided to thousands of America's fire fighters, or to avoid the tax those benefits will be slashed.

I want to make sure every leader and member in this union knows the truth, which is that under this bill every special interest seemed to get something good – the insurance companies, the doctors, the drug companies all get something.

But, in the Senate bill, many of our members who have sacrificed for years to build solid health plans to protect their families will get screwed.

The deal isn't done, yet. The health care reform bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives does not contain this unacceptable tax and the leadership in the House, to date, is standing strong with us -- with 190 members of the Democratic Caucus signing a letter opposing the excise tax.

We applaud our House allies for their courage in waging this battle. And your union is continuing to fight to keep the excise tax out of the final bill.

We have made it clear to every senator and representative on Capitol Hill and to the president that we are fully and completely opposed to this tax and we will not compromise on it.

Rest assured that we are prepared to hold every elected official accountable on this issue, including the president.

I will update you again soon on the progress of this bill. 

In Solidarity,

Harold A. Schaitberger
General President

New Guidance Addresses Economic Challenges

In addition to extending the FY 2009 application period for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants to January 15, 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made other changes to the 2009 grant guidance that further address the difficult economic circumstances that some municipalities are still experiencing. The new guidance:

• Eliminates the financial risk for municipalities that want to use SAFER grants to bring back laid-off fire fighters or restore reductions in force but are reluctant to apply because of fears that if the economy worsens, they would be unable to maintain staffing levels or subsequently reimburse FEMA for the value of the grant. Jurisdictions that lose fire fighters through retirement, separation from service or calls to active duty in the Army Reserves or National Guard during the grant period will not be required to reimburse FEMA for the SAFER grant. Instead, their SAFER funds will be reduced by the number of positions they are unable to fill.

• Allows jurisdictions that have vacated fire fighter positions during the grant period that are unable to fill those vacant positions due to further economic hardship to petition DHS for a waiver. If the waiver is granted, the jurisdiction would maintain all the positions that were awarded in the grant. The waiver would only apply to positions lost through attrition -- not to further layoffs. In the absence of a waiver, the policies stated in the new guidance addressed above would still apply.

• Removes the requirement to maintain the positions past the period of performance for awards made to rehire vacated or laid-off fire fighters.

Applicants that have already submitted applications can amend the application given this new policy guidance and extended application period. Contact the Assistance to Firefighters Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960.

Program guidance and applications for SAFER funding are available through the Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) grant program web site. The IAFF encourages affiliates to share this guidance with their fire departments and take advantage of the opportunity to apply for risk-free SAFER grants. 

For additional information or assistance, contact Jennifer Stewart at (202) 824-8631 or jstewart@iaff.org.

December 15, 2009

To My Brother and Sister Fire Fighters and IAFF Members:

In 1988, I retired from the love of my working life, the Fire Department of New York.  For 32 years I gave my all - my guts, my heart and yes, my knees - and I gave it at 110 percent.  I spent 20 years on 31 Truck in the South Bronx, housed with Engine 82 in what we called "La Casa Grande."  As the South Bronx burned, we put out fire after fire, tour after tour.  And as a fire fighter I gave 110 percent. 

I left the Bronx in 1977 when I was promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned to Ladder 26 in Harlem, quartered with Engine 58 as "The Fire Factory."  Similar to the fire activities in the Bronx, we were doing over 6,000 runs annually.  And as a fire officer I gave 110 percent. 

From my first day on the job, I was a proud member of this IAFF.  I served as a Company Delegate, then on the Executive Board as the Financial Recording Secretary of Local 94, the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York.  After being promoted, I became a Battalion Delegate and then was elected to the Executive Board of Local 854, the New York Uniformed Fire Officers Association, as a Lieutenant's Representative, and within one year I was elected President.  And as a local union official, I gave 110 percent. 

During this time, I was the First Vice-Chairman of the largest fire fighter pension fund in the United States and Canada, then over $2 billion.  I chaired the annuity trust fund for my local and worked to increase it from $6 million in 1978 to $36 million when I left 10 years later.  And for the sound and prudent financial management of my union members' money, I gave 110 percent.

We worked for our members tirelessly, during labor strife, layoffs and even a short-lived strike, increasing their pay, benefits and retirement.  We worked to improve our members' life and medical insurance, as well as the continued and improved benefits for our retirees and widows.  And I gave 110 percent. 

We drafted and worked to implement legislation that directly affected our members' lives, including changes in the New York State Toxic Tort Law which gave injured fire fighters the right to sue for their injuries and exposures.  We aggressively and passionately lobbied for the passage of fire fighter occupational health and safety legislation, including the New York State Right-to-Know Law, the New York State Public Employee Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the New York State Fire Gas Toxicity Legislation.  We also drafted and fought hard for the New York State First Line Supervisors Program, which provided training, at the expense of the State of New York, for newly promoted first line supervisors for ALL paid fire departments in the state.  Each of these legislative successes remains in effect for fire fighters today, and it was our union that won these legislative battles.  And I gave 110 percent.

During my presidency of Local 854, we were the first in the state to be awarded funds to develop a safety and health office within our local, which allowed us to hire professional health and safety personnel, conduct seminars and send bi-monthly health and safety newsletters to each of our union members.  When the IAFF asked, I proudly represented them on numerous NFPA committees, addressing fire fighter health and safety, incident command, infectious diseases and safety officers.  I was a charter member on the NFPA 1500 committee and assisted in drafting the first edition of that standard ? 26 years ago!  I am on the Board of Directors of the NFPA to ensure that issues affecting the IAFF are addressed in their standards.  And I gave 110 percent.

Of course, my proudest union moment came in 1988 when I was elected as this great union's General Secretary-Treasurer.  I accepted the challenge to serve as the IAFF's financial officer, leaving my beloved city and retiring from the only job I ever wanted to have, a union fire fighter.

During my 21 years as your General Secretary-Treasurer, I partnered with our General President and the IAFF Executive Board to take our union's finances and administration to a place we never dreamed of just a few years before.  We implemented new programs, updated processes and provided tools to the affiliates to assist with membership and accounting issues.  We have worked diligently to grow our membership, not just in finances and numbers, but also in influence, especially within the North American labor movement.  We have spent your union dues money wisely and our membership is getting the most for their per capita dollar, particularly in this tough economic time.  And despite some difficult financial years, we continued to significantly increase our level of services to our members.  And I gave 110 percent.

The lowest moment in my life was of course September 11, 2001.  I walked Ground Zero with General President Harold Schaitberger, talking to our members and digging to find our comrades. As I read list after list of the names of the fallen Brothers -- many my dearest and closest friends -- as I sat and worked with the executive boards of Local 94 and 854, I knew we as a union needed to rise where we never had been before -- and we did.  It became the proudest time in my career.  We came to the plate and provided for our New York locals, our members and the families of the living and the lost.  We gave our all and I gave 110 percent.

It has now come the time in my cherished union career, as one of your principal officers, to retire.  After 32 years of climbing ladders, humping tools and crawling through smoke-filled hallways and over the thousands of parapets, combined with over 50 years of union work as a fire fighter representing fire fighters, this body of mine just can't give anymore.

I won't allow myself to hold onto such a critically important office just to maintain the position when I know I can no longer give that 110 percent, and so I am now regrettably ready to turn over these reigns and leave a job that I love for the second time. 

But I am not going far away.  I have assured Harold and our Executive Board that I will work with them and our next General Secretary-Treasurer to assure a smooth transition.  I will continue to serve and counsel our great union, whenever and wherever the call arises.

And I will spend my time -- time that I have often missed over the past 50 years -- with my wife, Linda, as well as my children, Janice, Suzanne, Chrissy, Kathy, and my six grandchildren.

It has been a great ride. May God bless each and every one of you -- my brothers, my sisters, my fire fighters, my friends!

Fraternally,

Vincent J. Bollon 

SAFER Extends Lifeline to U.S. Fire Departments

These are truly challenging economic times.  Faced with cuts to fire department budgets, our members are being asked to give up pay raises, pay more for health benefits and confront company and stations closures, brownouts and layoffs.

In Washington, we made it a priority to have federal funding dedicated to fire departments to keep our members safe and on the job. Working with the Obama administration and congressional leaders, we were successful in proposing and passing legislation to waive existing requirements to allow Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants to be used to rehire laid-off fire fighters and prevent future staffing reductions. These changes are especially significant during this economic crisis that has caused widespread layoffs of IAFF members across the country.

I strongly urge affiliates to work with their fire departments to apply for SAFER money. As we all know, adequate staffing is critical to effective response and fire fighter and public safety. The new SAFER guidelines will apply to the $210 million that Congress approved for SAFER for Fiscal Year 2009, and we are already working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop the rules to address the current wave of staffing cuts.

The IAFF wrote and lobbied for the new provision -- which was included in HR 2346, the Supplemental Appropriation bill – and will ensure that the rules relax and eliminate much of the bureaucracy so that troubled departments can get grants quickly to bring back laid-off fire fighters and fill staffing positions that have remained vacant.

Additionally, we are focused on eliminating many of the issues that prevented departments from applying for SAFER grants under the old rules so that funds obtained to fix problems and grant money used to expand departments will be less encumbered, as well. To that end, we will discuss issues such as potentially eliminating the match requirement and the money jurisdictions were required to come up with for maintenance of the grant in the old rules, as well as possibly raising the cap, among a number of other issues.

We have prepared Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that help explain what the changes mean for your fire department and provide a potential timeline for the new rules to be in place so your department can begin applying for the grants.

 –Harold Schaitberger, IAFF General President