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Local-478 News
March 2019
Welcome!
Thanks for checking out the website and the updates that have been made. We just wanted to take a few minutes to help announce some of the things that are currently happening in our Local, for those that have been unable to make monthly meetings, and others that we have been unable to visit with yet.
Website/App & Social Media
Updates and changes have been happening on our Local website and app platforms, just as announced earlier this year, to make finding information such as events, resources, or even pictures easier. We are happy to announce that Monthly Meeting Minutes are now being uploaded following each month’s meetings. With that, we have also added the minutes for March-December of 2018, so that members may be able to access those for reference. Fortunately, attendance at monthly meetings has risen recently, but by adding the minutes to the website, even those members that were unable to attend will be able to know what was discussed and voted on for each month. We believe this to be a tool that has always been available to us but will now be utilized the way it was meant. As far as the website and app, other changes include a tab for Peer Support, which will include info and references for when and how to activate this important resource. Regrettably, the photo album updates have been much slower than anticipated, but they are coming along, so please keep an eye on those. Please feel free to contact any Local officers with questions regarding info available on the website.
Facebook has passed 2,000 followers! We are aware that to many of you this does not seem like a big deal, however, it can be! In the last 3 months, we have added over 1,000 more followers to our Facebook page, and drawn a great deal more traffic to our page. This can be a great step in the right direction, as far as making our citizens aware of our events in the city, and issues that pertain to us. The more people we have following us and the more feeds we reach, the easier it is to get our messages out to the people that really matter when it comes to issues that affect us. Any time you are able to get pictures and info of events, pub eds, and any sort of public encounters, we can use that on social media to get peoples attention to the things that we do every day in the community. When you get any of those things, please forward them to Matt Sterling, Richie Campbell, or Philip Burnett in a text message, or email Matt Sterling at local478vp@gmail.com.
Station Stewards/Info Brochures
We have begun the process of picking Station Stewards to allow better communication between yourselves and your Local elected officers. If anyone would like to be considered for a position as a steward, please contact Philip Burnett to let him know. After several years of members requesting stewards to be brought back, we are doing so. However, with the proposed form of Station Stewards, there may be a change to the Bylaws required. The Const./Bylaws Committee is looking into this, and other possible changes, and will be making those announcements soon. Any changes to the Constitution and Bylaws will need to be forwarded to the IAFF for final approval, but it is a step that is necessary to ensure we are following the approved course of action.
Information brochures have been printed and are currently being delivered to all stations to be viewed by ALL members. These brochures may seem to contain only basic information about out Local, but it is info that many members have requested be sent out due to lapses in memory of just what your Local does and has done for us. These are meant to serve as reminders to longtime members, and education to newer members and rookies, so that we can learn and always remember what the purpose of having our Local is. Please look over them, keep a copy, and be sure to share with any younger members and new hires that come through your stations.
Collective Bargaining
As of Friday, March 8th, three meetings for CBA-2019 have taken place, with approximately 90% of the contract Tentatively Agreed upon so far. Attendance at the meetings has been good, with one meeting being great at 10-12 members present. We would hope to keep members presence at the meetings near that level every time, as it shows solidarity on our front to the City representatives. Progress has been made at a steady pace, in part because of the rapport between our Bargaining Committee and theirs during the meetings. Most of what is left to discuss are our larger issues, such as civil service pay parity, maintenance of standards, and certification/incentive pay. We are mindful that there is a lot of work left to do, but we are determined to see our goals through to the best of our abilities, because that is the job y’all have entrusted to us. Please contact any Collective Bargaining Committee members with any questions or concerns you may have, we are here working for you.
Thanks again for taking the time to check on the updates happening in our Local! We are proud to serve y’all the best that we can, but we also like to have feedback on how you feel we are doing, so please let us know. We are also proud of the outstanding jobs that each of you do daily and are grateful to serve our citizens alongside each and every one of you. Stay safe out there!
Respectfully,
Matt Sterling
Vice President
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