IAFF 2446 - Palm Bay, FL

NEWS ARCHIVES

JANUARY 2008

VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 1
Updated: January 18, 2008
You have all heard a lot of information regarding Amendment 1 and the January 29 primary. We urge you to vote “NO” on Amendment 1. True, we all will save maybe $200 a year in our taxes, but combined our cities and counties will loose millions of dollars and this will equate to lost services and jobs. Cities and Counties will be left with no choice but to reduce or remove vital services to citizens. In some cases, fees could be imposed on residents for services to replace the tax revenues that would be lost. This is not just a city of Palm Bay issue. This is a state wide issue. Our Governor spoke to the Florida Professional Firefighters this past June and assured us that fire fighters and law enforcement would be safe and not endangered by the loss of revenue. When asked how that could possibly happen, he had no response other then the statement that cities and counties would not allow this loss of revenue to affect its public service. Again, how is that even possible?
            Amendment 1 is a reckless property tax scheme that benefits out of state property owners. Not only will it make our tax situation worse, it will force dangerous cuts in public safety and services.
            The Daytona Beach News Journal reported in its November 14 edition that in a time of escalating violent crime in our state, the last thing we in Florida need to do is cut our law enforcement to save a few hundred dollars each.
Florida Today reported just last week that it’s just not wise to cut pubic service for the purpose of saving a few hundred dollars per year. It’s a dangerous move on the part of our Tallahassee law makers and it should be rejected by the voters.
The Florida Times Union in Tallahassee reported that Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services will be forced to cut back. They will have no choice. Stations would close and emergency service workers would loose jobs.
Already in Palm Bay we halted plans for Station 95 due to the cuts made in 2007 and that was even before the Amendment 1 issue came to the table. We will see more losses city wide. This is not a scare tactic. It will happen. The governor promised tax cuts during his campaign and will do anything and say anything to make it happen.    We as residents can not afford what Amendment 1 will cost us as employees. Please, join the Florida Professional Firefighters, Law Enforcement agencies state wide and even the Florida League of Cities and Counties and vote no on Amendment 1 and pass it along to your voting friends and families.

UPDATE TO HEALTH INSURANCE
Updated as of January 18, 2008
The latest update to our Health Insurance situation is that the Clinic is set for a soft opening sometime in late February and a grand opening in early March. Doctors are being interviewed and will be hired shortly. The city will be releasing more information on the clinic in the next few weeks and will be holding employee meetings to review the services that will be provided by the clinic and all at no cost to you or your family.
Now, what is going on with the potential insurance premium increases and benefit level changes? Meetings have been ongoing with the city and representatives from all 4 city labor unions. Everyone has accepted the fact that something is either going to change, or employees will be laid off to pay for the changes. The once 400% increase that was proposed to us in late 2007 is gone. The threats to remove the PPO coverage is gone is gone as well. What is not gone however is the fact that something is going to have to change. We have a solid contract article that protects us from this change and believe us when we say all city employee unions and city leaders are well aware of what Local 2446 is not required to do here, but to sit back and watch other employees loose jobs city wide and this would include FD as well, will be a choice we make as a union when everything is brought back to you for discussion. We have one more meeting planned for January 22 in which the final package will be presented to the labor unions. That will be the package that each union takes back to its membership. Again, we do not have to do a thing but fall back on contract or we can swallow a small health insurance premium increase even though it goes against our contract article and keep the benefit levels we now enjoy. You can expect a special meeting to be called in either late January or early February once the final insurance package is ready for release.

UNION SEEKS ARBITRATION ON LAYOFF ISSUE
UPDATED AS OF December 13, 2007
As an update to the layoff at the Fire Prevention Bureau, one inspector (Mark Domville) will be laid off January 4, 2008. Mike Havener, former Senior Fire Inspector who was also laid off will be considered on recall and will fill the inspector position. The union is seeking arbitration on the pay rate for Mike in his recall position. The city has sought to greatly reduce his pay and the union feels the contract language covering layoff and recall is clear. The union, in a letter to the city has notified them of our intent to arbitrate on behalf of Mike Havener and his pay rate. This matter may appear to be affecting only one member however it is important to us as a whole as it will the first arbitrated issue related to layoff and recall and will set the stage should layoffs again occur in our future.


NEWS	NEWS ARCHIVES JANUARY 2008 VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 1 Updated: January 18, 2008 You have all heard a lot of information regarding Amendment 1 and the January 29 primary. We urge you to vote “NO” on Amendment 1. True, we all will save maybe $200 a year in our taxes, but combined our cities and counties will loose millions of dollars and this will equate to lost services and jobs. Cities and Counties will be left with no choice but to reduce or remove vital services to citizens. In some cases, fees could be imposed on residents for services to replace the tax revenues that would be lost. This is not just a city of Palm Bay issue. This is a state wide issue. Our Governor spoke to the Florida Professional Firefighters this past June and assured us that fire fighters and law enforcement would be safe and not endangered by the loss of revenue. When asked how that could possibly happen, he had no response other then the statement that cities and counties would not allow this loss of revenue to affect its public service. Again, how is that even possible? Amendment 1 is a reckless property tax scheme that benefits out of state property owners. Not only will it make our tax situation worse, it will force dangerous cuts in public safety and services. The Daytona Beach News Journal reported in its November 14 edition that in a time of escalating violent crime in our state, the last thing we in Florida need to do is cut our law enforcement to save a few hundred dollars each. Florida Today reported just last week that it’s just not wise to cut pubic service for the purpose of saving a few hundred dollars per year. It’s a dangerous move on the part of our Tallahassee law makers and it should be rejected by the voters. The Florida Times Union in Tallahassee reported that Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services will be forced to cut back. They will have no choice. Stations would close and emergency service workers would loose jobs. Already in Palm Bay we halted plans for Station 95 due to the cuts made in 2007 and that was even before the Amendment 1 issue came to the table. We will see more losses city wide. This is not a scare tactic. It will happen. The governor promised tax cuts during his campaign and will do anything and say anything to make it happen. We as residents can not afford what Amendment 1 will cost us as employees. Please, join the Florida Professional Firefighters, Law Enforcement agencies state wide and even the Florida League of Cities and Counties and vote no on Amendment 1 and pass it along to your voting friends and families. UPDATE TO HEALTH INSURANCE Updated as of January 18, 2008 The latest update to our Health Insurance situation is that the Clinic is set for a soft opening sometime in late February and a grand opening in early March. Doctors are being interviewed and will be hired shortly. The city will be releasing more information on the clinic in the next few weeks and will be holding employee meetings to review the services that will be provided by the clinic and all at no cost to you or your family. Now, what is going on with the potential insurance premium increases and benefit level changes? Meetings have been ongoing with the city and representatives from all 4 city labor unions. Everyone has accepted the fact that something is either going to change, or employees will be laid off to pay for the changes. The once 400% increase that was proposed to us in late 2007 is gone. The threats to remove the PPO coverage is gone is gone as well. What is not gone however is the fact that something is going to have to change. We have a solid contract article that protects us from this change and believe us when we say all city employee unions and city leaders are well aware of what Local 2446 is not required to do here, but to sit back and watch other employees loose jobs city wide and this would include FD as well, will be a choice we make as a union when everything is brought back to you for discussion. We have one more meeting planned for January 22 in which the final package will be presented to the labor unions. That will be the package that each union takes back to its membership. Again, we do not have to do a thing but fall back on contract or we can swallow a small health insurance premium increase even though it goes against our contract article and keep the benefit levels we now enjoy. You can expect a special meeting to be called in either late January or early February once the final insurance package is ready for release. UNION SEEKS ARBITRATION ON LAYOFF ISSUE UPDATED AS OF December 13, 2007 As an update to the layoff at the Fire Prevention Bureau, one inspector (Mark Domville) will be laid off January 4, 2008. Mike Havener, former Senior Fire Inspector who was also laid off will be considered on recall and will fill the inspector position. The union is seeking arbitration on the pay rate for Mike in his recall position. The city has sought to greatly reduce his pay and the union feels the contract language covering layoff and recall is clear. The union, in a letter to the city has notified them of our intent to arbitrate on behalf of Mike Havener and his pay rate. This matter may appear to be affecting only one member however it is important to us as a whole as it will the first arbitrated issue related to layoff and recall and will set the stage should layoffs again occur in our future.
Web Site Last Updated: February 13, 2008