Received via Email: 11-13-12 Whiners and Pussies, nuff said.
Received via Email: 11-13-12 When we get another R day, the selfish DCs and Captains can have their friggin vacation hours increased. Until then, faggit about it.
Received via Email: 11-14-12 Just heard, December 10th will be MTB's next attempt to get President Large's contract signed off.
Received via Email: 11-15-12 I don't care what they put in front of me for a contract offer. If it doesn't look like the Captains and DC's contract, I'm voting NO. If I have to give up drug testing for whatever scraps that Hay and Blank put together that they think looks like a contract, I'll vote NO over and over again. My life would be so much better if I had an R day ever 3 weeks. Hell, I might never take another vacation day. Our two biggest problems are Blank and Hay. Blanks a professional liar and Hay doesn't think we'll ever get another R day. He's right. We'll never get another R day with he and Blank in charge. You don't ask you don't get. Vote NO to bullshit, nothing offers.
Received via Email: 11-15-12 If you didn't make the union meeting tonight you missed seeing a stacked crowd again. All the usual non players showed up after MTB called them for moral support. Best new of the night.......... MTB has formed a new constitution and bylaws comittee. It's Hay and Sweet and wait for it......wait for it..... Mr. Union himself, Chuck Moore. Almost as bad was Sweet's wanting to move money around from line to line without membership vote. The fox is now guarding the henhouse and he's got a can of gas and a book of matches. You should all be proud (because I didn't vote for a single one of these faggots.
Received via Email: 11-16-12 Chuck Moore? Damn, Blank must think he has alot of his Daddy's knowledge in him. I can see it now Article #1 will require unlimited beer in the refer, #2 replacement beer in the garage, #3 Make it so people who make unwise career changing decisions and then find out they weren't such a good idea, can come back at their old rate of pay and seniority and immediatly take a promotional test.
I just dont know, maybe we can give our drunks a credit card so they can buy the beer.
Received via Email: 11-16-12 11-15 #2 This is what happens when you don't pay any attention to your union and you vote.
Received via Email: 11-16-12 The best part of the meeting came when Hay got flustered and his story started to unravel when Tom Lewis kept pressing him about discipline. Hay couldn't hide from his past. Rather than play the role of union vice president, he plays the role of I'M BETTER THAN YOU AND YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE FUCKED UP! Great guy to have in your corner when the walls are closing in.
Received via Email: 11-16-12 Aw shucks man, Steve Hay just wants ya to "cowboy up" and take the beatin so he dont have ta work so hard.
Received via Email: 12-10-12 If you read the posting about the frustrated fire chief in Ohio that has members of his department getting out of being punished for illegal and unlawful deeds and conduct you will probably have gotten to this next part. This is the most important UNION related sentence in the whole article.
"Charles Wilson, a lawyer and law professor at Ohio State University, is an expert in labor law and mediation. He said the most-important factor in an arbitrator's ruling is the terms of a union contract."
The "terms of a union contract". In the past there were many members who served as President of this Local who understood that and based all proposals and responses on that foundation. Consequently Local 747 was a leader in the state when it came to contract language. It's unfortunate that in some cases. such as described in this Newsday article, that members and slick lawyers are able to manipulate or hide behind the language of the contract that covers them as firefighters. This is a blatant bastardization of the contract language and the INTENT of the contract language. I fail to see how what a person does off the job on his or her own time can be litigated legitimately via a union contract intended to cover working conditions and wages. But I'm getting away from my intended point.
This Local is failing it's members, period. There's no leadership and there sure isn't any coming over the horizon in the near future. The temporary office holder that is referred to as president is merely a figurehead with not interest in anything other than his own recognition. As I understand it there's new negotiations being attended by this person at this time and it's upon his shoulders that the majority of the rest of you have placed your future. That choice and it's outcome, good or bad, will be decided FOR you in the coming days.
It should be realized that you're being represented and spoken for by a totally unqualified person with far less skills that what it demanded of today's bargaining agent. This is all old news to those who have paid attention for even the shortest of time. The point here is that what gets inserted into the contract or omitted from the contract is what COULD be the difference between your career and being among the unemployed.
If you think that can't happen you're dead wrong. How can a member who can't construct an Article that requires negotiation, on whatever subject, be expected to provide the membership with any sort of security or assurance of defence when it comes to your rights? And with no one to assist in the explanation of the meaning of the contract language the current bargaining agent is in water far over his head. Contract language means everything. And having a leader that not only can understand it but also use it to his advantage is crucial. You don't have that. You have a figurehead who scurries around making mistakes and then blaming others but yet has nothing of value to show for his time in office. This Local is broken. And until someone comes and takes control that knows what he's doing there is never going to be anything better than what you have today. You need to find a leader and quit proping this phony up at the bargaining table with his lame "yes" men and a hand
ful of meaningless paperwork. Then again, I guess if this is the best you can muster then you don't mind having the Chief run the Local. After all, he's been doing it for years so why stop now?
Received via Email: 12-10-12 Yes but I find it so touching when the UNION President and Executive Vice President scurry out of the Office mid day to go present a retirement gift to a Scab.
RANK and FILE NEGOTIATIONS
Rank and File Negotiations Friday Dec. 28th 2012. Room 800 @ 1:00 pm
(Meetings are held at 1:00 pm to accommodate those members just getting off duty who can hang around for no more than 5 hours.)
Received via Email: 12-18-12 "Meetings are held at 1:00 pm to accommodate those members just getting off duty who can hang around for no more than 5 hours."
Now that shit's funny. Sad but funny. It's funny how Winnie always forced the city to hold these meetings early in the morning so that there was a better chance for more participation. Hey John Pearl, did you video the Weaver thing the other day? I heard the city got handed their ass and the chief looked like a doofus trying to reduce Weavers time off right there on the spot. Apparently the arbitrator thought that was a real cheezball act (cuz it was!)
Received via Email: 12-21-12 12/18 No video. That was the same day that Winnie called to tell me that he was being pensioned off. We jumped on our bikes, went out and got drunk off our asses, got tattoos, started a fight with some Jap bike riding dude who insulted our Harleys and we ended up in jail. Soooo I missed attending but I wouldn't have shot video there, anyways.
Jon Pearl
Received via Email: 12-25-12 Hey webmaster, is there any way that those legoman clips could be revived for the holidays? They were a hoot.
Webmaster: If you're talking about the SPFD videos, I think those videos got pulled a while back. Someone apparently got sceeeert. They were all pretty good, except for that stupid one about the firehouse cook. That made no sense at all.
Received via Email: 12-29-12 it sounds like there was no gains at the bargaining table again Friday. Hey, I have an idea. Lets get rid of that dead wood we have running our Union so we can get a contract. I mean what the f**k over, they keep fighting everything that comes along. I do like the laid back manner in which things get done in the office now. I'm willing to bet that the electric usage has gone down 3 fold. I hardly ever see signs of life around there anymore after 4pm.
Received via Email: 12-31-12 Is it just me or has anyone else realized that not only can this fire administration not get a contract with the firefighters union, but with pumpkin head doing the bidding of the invisible man the same fire administration cant get the job done with the county over the EMS issue either. Me thinks I see THE COMMON screw over here.
Received via Email: 01-01-13 Actually Pumpkin Head is the common. The common idiot!!
Received via Email: 01-02-13
All of you who voted for MTB because you thought the city would fold if we voted Winnie out of office are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for MTB and thought that anyone can just walk in and perform as a union president are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for MTB beause he convinced you that Winnie fought EVERYTHING and shouldn't are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for MTB and don't think he's not fighting EVERYTHING and is doing it smarter are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for MTB and think we're better off today than we were a year ago are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for Hay and don't notice that he's got Adult ADD and is in over his head are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for Hay because Pauley wasn't the politician who would hold your hand and kiss your ass are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for Hay because he convinced you that Pauley fought EVERYTING and shouldn't are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for Hay and don't think he's not fighting EVERYTHING and is doing it smarter are wrong and you're stupid.
All of you who voted for MTB or Hay, should meet for lunch to celebrate. None of you will show because we can't find anyone to admit to it.
Received via Email: 01-04-13 All of you that voted for MTB because Winnie wouldn't divulge his strategies to the enemy spies, can now celebrate. MTB believes that sharing your strategies with the emperor as a form of a threat is the way to go. WHAT Blank and Hay seed haven't figured out yet, is that the city then puts its 37 attorneys to work on twisting the threat into a joke. Yup, my proof is in the fact that MTB has been in office for over a year and he still aint no closer to reaching a real beneficial firefighter contract then when Winnie was at the table. So go ahead and celebrate if you can afford to.
Received via Email: 01-13-13 Blank and Hay preparing for another round with college eduated lawyers who work full time against us. Blank is on the right. http://www.wimp.com/intensefight/
Received via Email: 01-21-13 We got rid of Newton 15 months ago, and Pauley 3 months ago. Have the working relations between the firefighters and the Administration gotten any better? Do we have a new contract yet?
Received via Email: 01-23-13 No it isn't B & H are scared to do their jobs so what do they do? Hire our lawyers to represent cases that newt & pauley use to take care of...
Received via Email: 01-23-13 I understand that the lawyer bills are huge right now and not because we keep taking HQ to court but because Blank does no homework for our lawyers and Winnie used to do it all. Can you imagine what would happen if we had to go to impasse? The last time Winnie did 90% of the talking. We better hope they hire Winnie in to do the talking again because no attorney knows our story like we do.
“A nation can survive its' fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly. But the traitor moves among those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the galleys, heard in the very hall of government itself.
For the traitor appears not a traitor--He speaks in the accents familiar to his victims, and wears their face and their garment, and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation--he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city--he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared."
[Cicero, 42 B.C., Roman Statesman, orator, and author]
Insert the word 'union' everywhere you read the word 'nation'.
Tomorrow's negotiations may prove to be a seminal moment for Local 747. Watch and learn. -ed.
Received via Email: 01-24-13 I'm hearing 2 stories. 1. Bullshit and Horseshit are planning on declaring impasse if they don't get what they want. 2. They're going to give the city half of what they want (physicals) for next to nothing for a contract. THAT WAS THE CITY'S OFFER! These guys were in the stations after they talked to council telling us that the military and the cops and even the post office get physicals. Do you realize that ver few of our own PD even get one? It's left up to them because their chief doesn't want to spent the money!!! Large is going off the deep end trying to get us to take physicals (more $$$$$) because he's always had access to our medical records. This is bullshit. And he's spending more money to have everyone fit for new bunker gear even if your brown gear is new. Large has gone totally insane with this attack on firefighters. If we go to impasse who's going to defend us, Bullshit? Horseshit? And why are we back to square 1 taking the city's offer like it was our idea? These guys are morons.
Received via Email: 01-24-13 Deezzam!! That was some way too deep schiznit there. But so painfully true. B!
Received via Email: 01-25-13 I've warned a few of you, here and there. If you only knew what they say behind (supposedly) closed doors at HQ. Large is most afraid of you when he can't divide you. You will win if you stick together on these issues and I'm not joking.
TEAM: Like you're always hearing. Don't cut your own throat. Let the brave among them do it.
Received via Email: 01-27-13 Has anyone heard the outcome of Fridays negotiation session? I have heard that the union leaders were ready to threaten to go to impasse if the city didnt go through with its promises to screw us over and over and over.
Received via Email: 01-27-13 I heard that Blank and Hay threw Bobby Martin down the well and took physicals for a 7 day work cycle. In that same conversation one guys said he thought that would be great because its worth 1%. Not what I heard the last time we had mmetings and voted this down.
Received via Email: 01-27-13 You people are SOOOOOOOO fucked.
I'm selling this Local out as fast as I can.
How many more YEARS before I have to make promises to get re-elected?
By that time you'll ALL be on food stamps.
And don't think that I'll be one of you.
The Mayor has promised me a nice place in his regime.
Something about under his desk with a blindfold on.
Anybody know what the term "lackey" means?
And it's nothing to worry about since LDHay will be
taking my place under Big Jimmy's desk.
We just have to find a blindfold big enough to fit
his head. Head for head. I hope he can maintain
the standards I've already set under there.
Big Mike Blank
Little Dick Hay
Bwaaaaaa Haaaaaaa Haaaaaaaaaaaaa
Received via Email: 01-31-13 I heard the sales pitch today by S. Hay. Either I fell asleep during this boring presentation or there were a whole lot of things I didnt hear him mention. What happened to the increased storage of my holiday hours like the Supervisors have? What happened to the increase to the free Life insurance like the rest of the city has? What happened to the idea of EMT pay being pensionable? What happened to the idea of helping our Paramedics get an additional vac slot? And most importantly, what happened to our reduced work week? All I heard was that in exchange for no wage increases for the last 3 years we are know willing to throw away a legal victory regarding the mandatory annual physicals that the Police in our same city are not required to have, in exchange for a small amount of overtime. Oh yeah overtime that still is not pensionable like the Police in our same city enjoy. I certainly wish someone would have woke me up when this stuff was discussed.
TEAM: He probably gave you a copy of the TA'd contract and explained all the changes - article by article, though. Right? No more slip-up's, no more last minute phone calls to Chris Guella, begging to make changes to harmful, missed language found by members? What? You didn't find any?
Received via Email: 01-31-13 For those of us that are planning to get married, start or add to our family, buy a new car or house, Can anyone tell me exactly or even near bouts what the "checkbook will be open in 2014" means? I mean I really need to see a $$ value assigned to this announcement. Will this statement be in our new contract language? Speaking of has anyone seen the new contract language? I remember when that slacker Newton was our President, the articles would get loaded onto the unions website, as anyone seen any of the new proposals? I mean we are supposed to be voting on this tremendous offering next week, I would like to see that after 3 years with no pay raise, no reduced work week, no increase in holiday hours storage, no EMT pay as pensionable,we are voting on more than that quarter page of shit I was schooled on yesterday by the EVP. How about the DROP extension? Are we any closer to getting that at least? Please can someone get me some answers before I get a ballot?
Received via Email: 02-01-13 Why is Steve Hay out telling members that the 7 day work cycle is worth about 1%? I called Blank and asked him about this and he says he's not really sure what it's worth because it really depends on how much time you take off during the year. I think Hay thinks he's really hit a home run. I think he's really run out of steam and this is the best he's got. Vote this down and lets keep working towards EMT pay, Driver pay, another medic slot, better storage of holiday time, etc. If we give up physicals now, we'l have nothing to bargain with.
TEAM: "If we give up physicals now, we'l have nothing to bargain with." Bingo!!!
Received via Email: 02-01-13 To 1-13 #2 -- Some of the answers you seek are in the proposed contract. Since no one had printed a copy for each of the E-Board members to share with their shift mates and since I couldn't find the latest proposal on the union website, I called Billy Mott. Turns out no one had bothered to share a copy with him, either and he's the secretary/treasurer of L747! Apparently he came up with the same solution as me - call Chris Guella and request a copy! Billy and I had separate correspondence via email with Guella and he emailed all of the proposed contract articles to each of us. Since I was at work, I only briefly got to look at the proposed articles while Billy went right to work making copies for all of the stations and the entire E-Board. If you don't have one in your station, you need to call someone and find out where your copy went before it's too late to be an informed voter.
Fraternally,
Jon Pearl - 9C
Received via Email: 02-01-13 Pearl is it a turd or not? I am assuming a turd? My copy not at station so I will ask my shift vp
Received via Email: 02-01-13 Just vote it down. Don't let Blank and Hay give up so easily. We're giving up a $10K decision for EXTRA WILL SHOW UP IN YOUR PAYCHECKS.
Received via Email: 02-01-13 Honestly, I haven't looked through it all. I have already found one huge drawback and it's in Article 25 (physicals). All of us spent several thousand of dollars defending Bobby Martin's right not to have to sign liability waivers that let medical professionals off the hook if they injure you or make you ill. The MOU that was signed between the city and L747 should be incorporated into Article 25 as any and all other contract language, permanently!. The copy that Hay and Blank have TA'd (Tentatively Agreed to) reveals that that language is being struck and discarded as if it had never been fought for. The outcome of the arbitration that we all paid for on behalf of Brother Martin yielded a landmark decision. It provides extra protection to every fire fighter in the United States of America. Here's a copy.
You ask, "how does this affect me?" I can address that but I'm short on time right now. Look at the contract and question amongst yourselves everything that's underlined or struck through. Also, dig out the existing contract and look for differences between the two. This is an important time for us, right now. For every one of us, this is our life! We have to be our own best advocates. If you can't come up with a logical explanation to differences, additions or deletions in language, then you need to be at one of the two meeting dates that are displayed on the union's web site. Honestly, though, even that would be pushing it. The city won't incorporate any changes until June and we're rushing a contract out for a vote just one day after the second informational meeting, yet we've failed to send ballots out for constitution and by-laws changes that we legally brought forward to vote on, months ago. Ask "why" damn it!
Fraternally,
Jon Pearl - 9C
Received via Email: 02-01-13 All you blind obedience voters who helped put Barry in office shouldn't have any trouble voting against this contract. Just remember and follow the simple instructions given to you when Barry wanted his healthcare crap passed. He hauled out his number two skank and she spoke the words of the healthcare mantra. "Just vote for it and we'll read it later". Every one of you accepted those words as logical and legitimate coming from a power mad harpie with left wing ties. Now in this case, our case, you merely change one word and it becomes "Just vote against it and we'll read it later". Listen, if it's good enough hoodoo to convince 53% of the American public it's good enough to convince 250 sold out and backstabbed members of SPF&R.
I'ts a sad damn time when the duly elected Secretary/Treasurer and a member of the Executive Board have to go to the city negotiator with hat in hand and ask for a copy of the very contract that the backstabber in the office of President of this Local couldn't or wouldn't provide but asked you to vote on without reading. It would appear that the President is playing with his dick again or maybe the Chief's dick. Not sure which. But one thing is certain and that is the fact that Blank isn't capable of being up front with the members. He doesn't want us to read what he and Little Dick TA'd without you knowing it. He made a promise he can't keep. And that is that he would deliver this Local to the city in a weakened condition and that we would be forced to go for anything the Chief wanted.
Actually he's doing a very good job of it. He runs around blowing smoke up everyone's ass. He lies out one side of his mouth and kisses the Chiefs ass with the other. His skill as a negotiator has impressed a large number of sheep who are willing to overlook his shortcomings and the fact that he owes allegience to someone. Is he beholding to those two retired losers who are more than willing to counsel this weasel of a President? Is he in it to the apathetic ball of "I've got better things to do" losers who support him through their "who cares?" attitude? Maybe he owes his ass to Chief with whom he discusses actions and from whom he takes directions. He owes someone. Someone has organized his entire charade. Someone who knows the workings of the Local past and present. It's gotten easier too. No on-duty member of the Local is anxious to help educate him willingly Some have made an attempt and been sumarily rejected by the little shit.
So go ahead and let yourselves be led down the path of stupidity. There's damn little to be gained anyway with things the way they are. No member of the fire service in this city will have a pension after 2014. Or didn't you read that. Now that the city has eliminated pensions altogether it'll be a cake walk to chip away at the one's who still have one, that being what it may. The state is already entrenched and ready to pass the bill to take away state pensions from the employees. How long do you think it will be before the city sees the light? And if you think you're not being softened up for the kill you're just not very smart. But don't worry. Nothing to get excited about. Mikey will hand us over all greased up and ready for cooking. Why wait? Send the charter back now while it's still in one piece.
Received via Email: 02-02-13 ** All you blind obedience voters who helped put Barry in office shouldn't have any trouble voting against this contract.
Damnit man, your a sad lil POS when you believe all of the problems,in our union and world are the Presidents? WTF, get off of your ass, stop watching FOX and put that energy into our issues. Mitt lost, show your loyalty 747.
Received via Email: 02-02-13 You really want to see BULLSHIT? Make it your mission to take a look at the latest Contract Proposal that is in your station. Every station should have one. If yours has somehow mysteriously disappeared, cal Billy Mott at the Union office and have him send out another. This is Bullshit from front to back. Don't let the idea that this proposal is almost ready to expire and that we will be retuning to the table soon for another attempt for a 3 year deal to be the determining factor. This is Bullshit and that's all it is. I have heard many folks that are in the drop and close to leaving saying how good this is. In reality they know this is the only way they will see a scant few extra dollars in their paycheck and aren't thinking of those of us that will feel the full effects of the ass reaming we will be getting. This is BULLSHIT and everyone needs to see it for what it is. This is what Blank and Hay were put in office for and we are as close to going super nova as we have ever been. This is BULLSHIT, avoid it all together don't even get close enough to step in it. Once the outer crust is disturbed you will smell what the Mayor, Chief Large, HR, and Blank have been cookin.
Received via Email: 02-03-13 2-1-13 #6
Is that all you gleaned from post #5? You're one of the small minded, dumbed down sheep who will follow the person who hollers the loudest lies and will provide free shit for all four of your food stamp generations. You're one of the true believer's that are convinced "there's gotta be a pony in here somewhere". You're willing to overlook all the horseshit to find the free shit. It's time to wake up. It's time to realize that over the next year or two you're going to find yourself being fed so much horseshit you'll be glad to see the sun. And do you know what this Local will do about it? Not a damn thing. The majority of you will resign yourselves to taking what the city gives you and accepting it as the best you could expect. It's obvious you have no balls when it comes to unity against the city. It's also obvious that you as a group have no brains when it comes to the caliber of man or woman who leads this Local. It's been proven for a couple years now that the majority will believe in the lies and failures of the leadership and are lined up with their mouths wide open to get even more. It doesn't matter if it's just more horseshit. And you're too damn ignorant or just plain stupid to even entertain a thought in your pea brain that something is wrong.
Those of you who know but will not act are a disgrace to this Local. You spit in the face of those who before you worked hard to provide what you now enjoy. There are so many things that you don't deserve that are provided for you by the members who worked to get them in the past. Oh, I know you think you're the meanest, badest member who ever walked into a fire station and every thought you have is cutting edge but you're not. You're just another sheep who did and does nothing to make it better. You spew all that rah rah shit about issues and loyalty and getting off my ass. Well sir, I would remind you that sitting one's ass is a daily pastime for the vast majority of this Local. You have no problem giving me shit about the President's but you take no interest in seeing what is right in front of you. As long as you live easy at the station and take home a paycheck you're a happy sheep. Why change that for more or better? You're a loser when it comes to the issues and loyalty you preach to me. You and every other member who would rather just coast with a poser for a president surrounded by other posers who between them can't find their ass with both hands.
And quite honestly you deserve what you get. If you're not willing to provide some intelligence and common sense into your thinkng, how can it be up to the rest of us to do your thinking for you? We all know how to be firefighters and medics. It's the time when we're not doing that when we, as a group, are lacking. When firefighter's were actually firefighters and not two rungs below Paramedic they were focused. They worked under conditions you've never seen. They knew the problem and they made it better. Then you come along and want to tell everyone to have unity, loyalty, and interest in the current conditions. You don't have a clue about those things. And you damn sure don't practice them. So before offering up two OTHER losers as examples of role models and people we should admire it would be greatly appreciated if you would at least refrain from using Frick and Frack.
Received via Email: 02-06-13 I've been going over the latest contract proposal that is in my station and comparing it to the current one we are under now. There is NOTHING there worth my vote. Yeah there is an opportunity to get some overtime pay to the lucky ones. BUT, I am also wondering, where are all of the things that City Council told us to go back to the table and work out during our impasse hearing back in 2011? As I recall we were discussing increased holiday storage, structural fire boots, EMT pay, full stacked pay, DROP extension, higher levels of life insurance, and same sex/domestic partner health ins. What happened? I did not see ANY of these items in this proposal. No pay increase for 3 years, no shorter work week, and a your lower than whale shit attitude by our bargaining team, now thats gotta be worth I guess what? Oh yeah I'm in Twinkyville, ZERO, NADDA, ZILCH. Thank you so much Mr. Mike Blank for all of your help and understanding. I understand there is a Blank check in it for all of us. Drawn on what bank?
Received via Email: 02-06-13 In response to the post of 2-6 who states that their is noting worth while to be found in the 93 pages of emergancy use only T.P. that is being refered to as a contract proposal, I say, Huh? I mean cant you see all of the good unwritten stuff that was discussed at the table between men? Didn't you see the reference of the open checkbook hidden in the pay article? I know you had to see the promise to reintroduce the Random Drug Testing in the 2014 contract, it was hidden right next to the fuck you if you really think the city will hire an additional 25 employees so you can have more time off in the work week section. Are you really serious when you say you have no idea about how the mandatory physicals will be handled when you still want to protect your rights that were proven to be yours in a legal decision? Wow I cant believe you didn't see all that. I mean its right there, just rub a little lemon juice on it and all of those hidden words will pop right out. Remember to use a black light a drop a little acid before you go looking, otherwise you wont see a thing thats not really there anyway. God protects the innocent but idiots are on your own.
Received via Email: 02-07-13 Brothers and Sisters,
Over the past two days I attended both contract explanation meetings. I try to make it a point to hear what I need to hear, firsthand, rather than hearing about it from a third party, later. It’s much the same when I attend Union, FPF District 2, FOP or PBA negotiations. I like to hear the information in context – for myself. With that said, I was hearing some conflicting figures as they pertain to the real value of the contract 'package' that we’re all about to take a vote on. Not knowing for sure what numbers were correct (that I didn't already posses), I emailed Chris Guella to ask if there was a figure that the city had floated out to the union and how they had arrived at it. I also dug back into my email archives to find correspondence from our former Union President, Winnie Newton to your Executive Board.
Here's a short list of some of the items that were in the last series of contract offers before the start of October. For some reason they have evaporated from latest contract offer:
Pensionable EMT Cert Pay $31,916
Full Stack Pay $28,463
Boot Reimbursement $30,000
Life Insurance $25,000
Second Kelly Day
PRICELE$$
Reaching further back - Driver/Engineer pay wasn't even a topic of discussion over the past year.
Have you ever wondered how the city's offers to the rank and file stack up against others in the city?
Per Capita Value of Package Offers at the time of ratification:
SPAFF Supervisors $1,329 per employee
PBA Supervisors $1,240 per employee
PBA Rank & File $1,155 per employee
SPAFF Rank & File $993 per employee
Doh! We haven't ratified our contract and the value keeps going down, down, down.
Below, you’ll find Chris Guella's response to my latest concerns, contained in the email exchange, below:
Date: Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
From: Jon Pearl, C-Shift VP SPAFF
To: Chris Guella, St. Petersburg HR
Subject: 7 Day Work Cycle Valuation
Hi Chris,
Can you please provide me with the overall annual dollar value for the
proposed 7 day work cycle TA'd between the City of St. Petersburg and SPAFF?
Can you also provide me with back-up; IE, actuarial study?
And lastly, can you cite examples of dollar amounts that will be
realized annually per each of the following classifications should the
proposed contract be ratified: top paid Fire Fighter, top paid Fire
Fighter Paramedic & top paid Fire Lieutenant?
Sincerely,
Jon Pearl
C-Shift VP SPAFF
Response:
Jon,
Attached is a spreadsheet showing how we arrived at that annual figure, which is $175,000. The total figure was derived by re-running 3 consecutive payrolls as if the 7-day cycle was in place. We used a sample of 25 employees from all ranks - FF, PM, and LT. Without re-running payrolls specifically for top-paid employees in each classification, we cannot provide an estimate of the benefit they will derive. However, it stands to reason that top-paid employees will earn higher dollar amounts since their base pay is higher. Dividing $175,000 by 300 employees yields an average benefit of about $583/employee/year. Top paid employees will likely be higher.
Hope this helps.
Chris
Received via Email: 02-07-13 Hay is making 71K a year plus another 20K working for us and he telling people that we're getting a 1% pay raise. The way I see it if you take a day off here and there just to keep your sanity the $583 that we're trading our souls for just gets smaller. Vote this bullshit contract down again and agai n and again.
Received via Email: 02-07-13 We're rushing to vote on this offer so that Blank and Hay don''t have to work so hard to keep guys like John Pearl from educating those who believe these two idiots are telling the truth. They're both full of shit and they change their stories frequently. The only reason you rush a vote with changes that won't even take effect until June is to keep people from hearing the truth not the truth as told by these two liars.
Received via Email: 02-07-13 I’m going to make some predictions for the future of this Local.
First, I predict that this contract offer is going to be ratified. Not because it contains any kind of breakthrough language but because Hay and Blank are frustrated, delusional and uneducated in all aspects of how to negotiate a contract, thus the reason they’ve been smearing lipstick all over this pig.
I predict that the city will move quickly to get us back to the table after ratification. With the smell of blood fresh in the water, their first order of business will be to demand mandatory, suspicion less drug testing. Blank has been spreading the word around as if it were something positive to look forward, too. It’s as if he thinks drug testing and negotiating for a reduced work week are somehow synonymous. He’s about to be schooled (at our expense) that the two are actually mutually exclusive.
I predict that the city will offer a pay raise ‘only’, in return for mandatory, suspicion less drug testing. With the ratification of this contract offer the city will have effectively bought half of our bargaining power at a very cheap price. Given the fact that Guella has made it known to Blank and Hay that “The checkbook will be open!” members will be clamoring to ditch further efforts to gain a reduced workweek in favor of more instant gratification.
I predict that Blank will continue to make further inroads to aligning Local 747 politically with the PBA, who has already endorsed Bill Foster. Mike likes to be liked and is desperately in need of affirmation.
I predict many members claiming “victory” and “Three cheers for Mike!” While the rest of us testify to the fact that so many of the meaningful changes that we had hoped to see come to fruition years earlier, are still only one contract away (again).
I predict that behind the closed doors at HQ, individuals will be laughing at how easy we were to manipulate because it's far easier members not to give a damn, to play Xbox all day, work a second job, organize their sock drawer, roll over and go back to sleep, show up late only to leave early, promise but not deliver, talk shit with half the facts, plead ingnorance, claim they 'don't do' politics, look the other way, leave others to do the heavy lifting, claim they did their part by paying dues, etc., etc...
We'll get 'em next time, tigers.
Jon Pearl - 9C
Received via Email: 02-07-13 It's time to dump these guys Pearl. What you say is true. I hear that Hay's trying to work MAN TO MAN with Chris Guella and I think that's a joke. Hay doesn't know who he's playing with and Gualla has shown his hand time and time again that he don't work for us or care about us. I can also tell he doesn't like working with them like he didn Winnie because Winnie never backtracked and Guella always knew where he was going. Like Guella said before I'M NOT SURE YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU WANT.
Received via Email: 02-07-13 I don't think people in the stations understand what's really going on. Hay told everyone at the stations that we were getting a 1% pay raise. If I don't get one can I sue the union? It doesn't look to me that were only getting $580 or less and even less with no overtime and time off. If some of you don't know what to do with your ballots, hang on to them. I'm betting more info is going to leak out about this bullshit. What losers.
Received via Email: 02-08-13 I know the folks in the stations dont understand. I wonder if they know that the real plan is to offer up the great 7 day work cycle when they return to the table. Do they also realize that the Random Drug Testing did not disappear, it too will be back on the table in just a couple months. All of this is in exchange for the words that dont even promise or guarantee a pay increase of any kind. I hope some of our blinded members start seeing a light real soon.
Received via Email: 02-10-13 I see that one of our members that is assigned to a 40 hour schedule in EMS is working overtime but has choosen to receive community service hours (che) instead of pay. Where is that found in our contract? I wonder if President Blank will allow for this violation of our contract to happen? Oh I see Blank is off on sick leave again. There must be another softball game that was necessary for his attendance. Oops if he raised a question about our contract he would be branded as one that fights everything. Boy we sure wouldnt want someone that fights for us, would we?
Received via Email: 02-10-13 That's comp hours. It is same as pay. Earn time and a half for each hour worked. Used as vacation time which they have no problem getting off or dicking around and not using any time at all
Received via Email: 02-10-13 Got my ballot in the mail today and I'm voting this turd of a proposal down!
Received via Email: 02-11-13 "That's comp hours. It is same as pay." So the question is, where are comp hours addressed in either the rank and file or the supervisory unit contracts? Go ahead and look its not in there. Just another example of how fire admin misuses their power to do what they want without bargaining. They give it to only those they deem as "entitled". This is just another example of undermining the contract and they will continue to do so as long as dumb and idiot are not watching the hen house.
Received via Email: 02-11-13 Remind me again why I'm voting on this **again** when this offer contains less than the last? Oh yeah, Blank and Hay are getting tired of working for it but not tired of taking our money. Remember, Blanks free ride is over in October.
Received via Email: 02-11-13 I got my ballot in the mail also and I will too be voting this piece of shit down. I hope people understand, if we voted the last one down, how could we possibly vote this one in. Its worst than the last one!!!!!!!!!
TEAM: You two guys have obviously been talking without permission.
Received via Email: 02-11-13 I'm glad to see that all these members recognize the violation of the contract. They're astute at finding the things that are wrong or unlawful and pointing them out. Unfortunately they, and the vast majority of the other members, are not willing to do anything about it. That's where the breakdown occurs. "Move along. No BALLS to be seen here, folks." I don't know how many of you watch wrestling but if you do you're familiar with a little fool name Robbie something that dances around and shows his ass and talks crap. His partner is a really big bufoon with muscles beween his ears that backs up whatever garbage comes out of Robbie's mouth. This pair of idiots is exactly the same as the pair of idiots that are in charge of this Local. They push their moronic trash talk and their bully actions on everyone. And everyone knows it's all bullshit but no one takes it seriously. Unfortunately the two Robbies in our Local don't get taken seriously either. The rest of the members just let them run all over the place and do whatever they want and go, "who cares?". They're like two small children playing dress up. And the rest of the members let them get away with it. "Keep moving folks, no BALLS to be seen here." You pantywaists are pathetic. Downright gutless and truly deserve every last loss of benefits and years of no pay increases you encourage. Dismal failures at the very least. Go suck your thumb on your second job and quit posing as men and women of a proud and honored profession.
Received via Email: 02-13-13 The prevailing trend amongst people in the stations that I have talked to has them scratching their heads about this new proposal. Overwhelmingly, people are asking, "this is the best they could come up with after the last offer?" Sounds like the message is getting out or some are finally waking up and seeing a severe lack of negotiating experience from our union leadership.
February 16, 2013
Here at Us vs. Them we're dumbfounded when we hear members talk about the City of St. Petersburg as if it were some kind of benevolent father who is always ready, willing and able to reach out; to go above and beyond to help make it right by its Fire Fighters, especially when any one of them is injured in the line of duty. Brad Westphal is one of those Fire Fighters who knows all too well that behind the benevolent father's velvet glove lies an iron fist.
For months the City paid a private investigator to follow and take video and still pictures of Brad in settings as private as his backyard to trips to his Doctor or simply going to the store. This was all in an attempt to keep from paying Brad what was owed to him as a Fire Fighter injured in the line of duty.
Brad and his attorneys have been to court on several occasions fighting for benefits owed him. This past month Brad found himself back in court one more time to recover a year's worth of lost wages that the city refused to pay him. Take a look at the video from the Florida 1st District Court of Appeals and you'll get a sense of just how far the City of St. Petersburg will go to keep one permanently injured Fire Fighter from a year's salary. See if you get a sense of what the judges think about the City's treatment of a "catastrophically" injured Fire Fighter.
Received via Email: 02-18-13 After looking at my Insurance packet, I have come to the conclusion that this packet was probably in the process of being assembled while negotiations for this super deal were still being discussed. So my question is, Was this ever discussed during any of the sessions? I have heard that while United was having their squabble it was spoken over because of the concerns. So did anyone on our side think a couple of weeks into the future and seek any protection? Is this why we were rushed into being asked to vote on this POS? What else will be uncovered in the up coming days that will confirm that our President has no clue?
Received via Email: 02-18-13 It appears that our President and EVP cant be bothered with whats best for us, only whats easier for them.
Received via Email: 02-19-13 If you plan on voting no for this POS contract proposal, you need to get your ballots in the mail by Friday Feb 22nd. Don't be one of the ones that forgot, didn't think your vote matters, or let the fact that your only going to be around a little longer. Vote this thing down AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN. The city doesn't seem to think we are serious so let's make sure we tell them with a resounding NO. This is not just about the Physical, its about principles and fairness. IN this city your just a slave with a payroll number. Let's not take another beat down from the carriage Master. Find your ballot, mark the reject line, put a stamp on it and put it in the mail. Do it now, your loved ones will be happy for your decision. Do it, DO IT NOW!!!!!
TEAM: But won't the Mike Blank, Steve Hay & Chris Guella 'Man Triangle' be crushed?
Received via Email: 02-20-13 So there are members being lead in a round of dancing in the streets over the recent winning decision of the arbitrators award agreeing that the supervisory unit members deserve the DROP extension. Lets take note of one important FACT. The Rank and File members still do not have it. Is it coming? I only know what I was told and that was that when the city negotiator was promising the nego team that the check book would be open in 2014 he also mentioned that if the award came back in the unions (supervisors) favor then the city would of course "gift" it to the rest of us (rank and file). Well we havent seen the open check book yet and I havent seen any gifts left on my door step either. I do know this, if we are granted what we already knew we should have, and we currently have our steps, and we currently have a legal decision protecting ourselves from giving up waivers with no fear of discplinary actions. And for this we are being offered no pay raise, no added r days, no other monetary benefits. And in the mean time we are experiancing increased costs to our health care, soaring fuel prices which will add to our food bills too, and our tax rates have increased thereby reducing my take home pay. My question again is, WHY WOULD ANYONE VOTE FOR THIS LOSING CONTRACT OFFER? i am totally baffled by this.
Received via Email: 02-20-13 team, I think a better term for the 3 would be mangina's. No offense to the woemn, mothers,and sister out there.
Received via Email: 02-23-13 If this contract goes down in flames, which I pray for daily, I would so much to be in the Union Office Tuesday when the ballots are tabulated. I can only imagine that a no vote would be all the excuse the Mayor and his henchmen would need to close up that invisible checkbook. But it would just be another broken promise to be added to the ever growing list of lies. Then will will see how much "gifting" will come our way.
Received via Email: 02-23-13 Blank is taking credit for anything and everything. I hope this contract passes just so everyone sees what's in it. Nobody apparently cares about the fact that the majority of it was written by the city. Like Nancy Pelosi says, you've got to pass it to see what's in it.
Received via Email: 02-25-13 RE: 02-23-13 #1. "Gifting" is a less than completely descriptive term for what you predict. "Fisting" would be more appropriate.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 You spineless fu**s. You vote in a contact that is half of the one you voted down last time. Nothing pensionable and work week don't start to June or July. You are all truly idiots. I hope I can eat crow when the city supposedly opens their checkbooks
TEAM: Well, we're guessing you know what that's all about:
285 sent 214 returned. 75%
147 Accept 68.7%
67 Reject 31.3%
Belly up to the bar, boys. The checkbook is now open!
Received via Email: 02-26-13 This isn't a good contract offer, it's really a terrible one. The reason that the vote went the way it did is because Blank and Hay had so much free time on their hands that they got out and sold it. I hope it's everthing everyone wants it to be because we've sent a clear message that we're for sale and at a bargain rate. Mike and Steve, this is your pony.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 Lets see if I can straighten this out. We approved a contract that lets the funkin begin immediatly and has no scheduled time or even mentions a kiss afterwards. Also can some one tell me how long I will have to take my own physical from my own Doctor? That important information was absent in the copy of the proposal that I saw.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 A perfectly deserved legal win to protect your rights, thrown away. All in the name of stupidity and a couple hundred dollars. Yes Virginia we do believe in Santa Claus.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 2-26 #3 You're so right on. The majority of our membership will take just about any answer so long as they think there's some scraps left over for them. We have no leadership so we have no union. Blank and Hay are going to have us right back to the table bargaining for the next shit contract offer before election day rolls around. If we agree to a contract before Kriseman or Ford run for office you can stick a fork in it, we'll be dead for years to come.
TEAM PREDICTIONS
We will take a small GWI in trade for drug testing and the membership will overwhelmingly vote YES for it.
Hay will never get a chance to sell the 7 day work cycle back to the city for a 48 hour work week as he's planned.
We will never be offered the 48 hour work week. We prove every day
that we are no longer bargaining from a position of strength.
We will end up spending more money to defend members on the basis of the Martin decision AGAIN!
Members will continue to receive overly heavy handed discipline for which Hay is not equipped to defend against.
We will spend more money on attorneys fees in the next several months than we did in the previous year.
While Blank doesn't have the courage to come out and say it,
he believes we should follow the PBA and help to re-elect Bill Foster. We will.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 Ok, I'll admit that I copied this from up that page. How much of this are we getting?
Pensionable EMT Cert Pay $31,916
Full Stack Pay $28,463
Boot Reimbursement $30,000
Life Insurance $25,000
Second Kelly Day PRICELE$$
Received via Email: 02-26-13 what a fuc*** up dept we have.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 Dont throw that "we approved a contract" shit on me. Full blown idiots approved that piece of shit and I take no credit for it. Thanks for the a** reaming. What a bunch of Mutt butt and ball lickers.
Received via Email: 02-26-13 WE ARE FUCKED, WE ARE FUCKED, WE ARE FUCKED, WE ARE FUCKED, WE ARE FUCKED ..............................................................................................................................................................................................
Received via Email: 02-27-13 You pantywaists are pathetic. Downright gutless and truly deserve every last loss of benefits and years of no pay increases you encourage. Dismal failures at the very least. Go suck your thumb on your second job and quit posing as men and women of a proud and honored profession.
Received via Email: 02-27-13 Do you all realize that anyone not in the DROP are screwed. Your pension benefits are under attack and you just gave the city the upper hand against you
TEAM: Sheep don't understand English.
Received via Email: 02-27-13 We dont need no extra entitlements. We are now going to be making a killing on the extra OT we will be gifted with the 7 day work cycle.
Received via Email: 03-01-13 I'm probably the only person on the planet that's ashamed and disappointed in this Local. Maybe not but it sure seems that way. As usual there's a shitload of lip flapping going on and damn little spine being used. What will it take to make you city teat suckers realize that dangling off the city's skinny teat is not what those of us who made this Local great had in mind.
Now before you start your perpetual rant and whiny dog and pony show, let me point out that I know this isn't your daddy's fire department any more. It's a new day. You have collectively invented the conditions you cry about on an almost daily basis. No one has EVER worked under the most terrible of conditions that you do. The things that you deal with have never before been experienced by members of this department. You, as a group, are experiencing things never before known and therefor I should shut the fuck up and leave you alone. Poor you. Fuck you. The whole bunch of you couldn't muster the backbone of even one of us old guys.
Oooooh, if you were here Tully I'd punch you in the mouth. Yeah, I'll bet you would. That's exactly what a coward does when they can't justify their condition. Punch the opposition shut. We had your ilk on the job back in the day. (I love using that term because I know it inflames the weak minded in the group) WE ignored them just like folks do today. You're a big man wanting to punch someone who has the balls to tell the truth but YOUR SPINE GOES SOUTH WHEN IT COMES TO STANDING UP TO THE CAUSE OF ALL THE THING YOU BITCH ABOUT. You gutless fuck.
And you know what? You sissy mary's like what you float around in every shift. YOU LOVE IT !!! You're just happy to have a job, aren't you? Just happy to have the security THIS job provides but not willing to stand up when you get shit on. Oh, you run your mouth and stomp your feet but even YOU KNOW IT'S JUST FOR SHOW. You don't really want to make TOO much noise or the Chief will notice and maybe single you out. PUSSY !!! Gutless but happy as a clam.
Let's see, you watched your pension get gutted, the Drop plan take a beating, no pay raises, no shortening of the work week, and all sorts of other things that you cry and beat your chest about but DO NOTHING TO CONFRONT. Sit in your cubicle and watch porn on TV and play with your IPhone. That's about it. And then tell your friends how tough it is to be a fire fighter. POSER. LOSER.
Received via Email: 03-01-13 NOT OF MUCH USE TO ANYONE. But that paycheck, more than what you were making at Target or Wally World, comes in every two weeks. That's what you get paid for doing as little as possible on the job and bitching about it 24/7 to anyone who will listen.
You keep playing the role and acting like your important and the city will keep on showing you what a fool you are every two weeks and especially at the bargaining table. How's if feel to be the result of the fucking your elected moron took at the bargaining table? Are ya proud? Are ya happy? Oh, I bet you are. And I'm positive that there won't be any changes in the near future. Nope. It's almost TOO easy now.
Let me be the first to wave good bye to the last remnants of not only the spine of the Local but also to the spine of each and every member OF the Local. It was the last to go right after intelligence, brotherhood, fortitude, dignity, and pride. Don't worry, they won't be back any time soon. You don't give a shit anyway, do you? Keep suckin' that city teat. It's all you deserve.
DICK TULLY
Received via Email: 03-02-13 After all of this shakes out, what troubles me the most is that this union still bends over backwards to make sure that the newest hires on the job still get to see their pay increase annually by protecting their steps raises. When is the last time a new hire was seen around the union hall? Attending a meeting beyond their first time to get voted in? I say the rest of us deserve something too. Chris Guella listen up, lets take the amount of dollars from the steps and divide that out amongst everyone as a bonus, The newbies will still get some as well as the rest of us that havent seen an increase in 3 years. Couple that with the promised land and 2014 could be the year that makes SPFR famous. I know it will fly because we are that stupid. For a mere pittance you could trample eveyones civil rights, get the mandatory drug testing, and probably take away a few other well deserved benefits. I say give it a try. All thats required to make this work is some more Kool-Ade for Blank and Hay, and they will do there best to present it just as they are told.
Received via Email: 03-02-13 Just think, if we are able to get what we deserve as suggested in the above post, can we blame it on Tully too?
Received via Email: 03-02-13 I sure we will want bonuses in the near future. We are screwed
Received via Email: 03-04-13 Let me remind you. Winnie just got Dunedin 1%+2% COLA, 2%+2% COLA & 3%+2% COLA for the next 3 years. That's 12% boys. Dumb and Dummer are way over their heads on this one.
Received via Email: 03-04-13 Of course we want a bonus. The whole reason we voted this POS in was so we could get some shit flowing. So lets get shit on and get something for it.The city says they cant dip into their ever growing savings surplus, hell I've been living out of mine for the past 18 months.
Received via Email: 03-07-13 Bonus, Bonus, Boneus, Bone-us, BONE US
Received via Email: 03-08-13 Can anyone tell me if the Captains and DC's really got the 2 extra years added to their dROP? I've been asking and none of them seem to know. Also rumor has it that Capt LeCroy is working a deal out with HR to pay him more money to shut him up. Why did we as a group pay for the legal dealings and then let him make his own choice as to what is right or wrong in his eyes? I dont get it.
Received via Email: 03-08-13 Funny thing going on today. It seems that Blank and Hay are out patting each other on the back in front of the troops while showing everyone that they have just signed an MOU that states that the city is going to honor the MOU that was written and signed 1 and a half years ago by Winnie. What a concept, take credit for something you had nothing to do with in the first place. Also, wasnt it Billy Mott that put out a letter to us stating that this was how it would shake out? I seem to remember he caught hell from MTB and his troop of followers for not knowing what had been written, and from the one and only Chris Guella. Oh yeah, take a look at the first MOU signed by Newton and then at the one signed by Blank and you will see that they were BOTH signed by Mr. Guella himself. So I guess the REAL Union Leaders from the past evidently knew what they were talking about back then and now we all know it.
Received via Email: 03-10-13 So, 3 fire units taken out of service Saturday due to short staffing. So how do we get the extra overtime in the 7 day work cycle when the department wont hire back to staff vehicles? What a deal we voted for. SIMPLETONS TRUSTING MUTTS and IDIOTS!!!!!!
Received via Email: 03-15-13 What makes our current situation even worse is the fact that MTB's term is up in October. He will be going back to the table next month or so to try to give away another 3 year contract before his term is over. Then what? Whomever replaces his sorry ass will have to endure 2 years of insults because of what the Blank one allowed to happen.Unless we stop this train wreck now we can all start wearing diapers.
TEAM: Listen. The membership is acting as if they're in diapers now. Biggest complaint with Winnie... he wouldn't come out and hold everyone's hand and tell 'em it was going to be all right. Biggest complaint with Hay and Blank... they'll tell everyone whatever it is that they want to hear based on a narrowly focused, uneducated shot in the dark. Hay and Blank are not critical thinkers. Instead of trying to be proactive, these two base decisions on emotion, leaving our entire organization to be reactive. Members don't want to do any more than pay dues. In doing so, they leave their future in the hands of two guys who are serious about doing as little as possible and wearing a title.
Received via Email: 03-16-13 So let me try to get this straight, during the station visits by Blank and Hay, wE were told trust them "this is the best we are going to get visit". that was backed up with assurances that with this the checkbook would be openedfor our next contract in 2014. With the 2 current quotes by Chris Guella, the Lead Negotiator for the City, that have been printed by the lying ass St. Pete Times where Chris has told the Service workers union No and if you feel lucky punk, go for it, I hav ta ask, where do we stand now? I am beginning to think that the SPT in is danger of losing the title of Lying Ass to our very own President Michael T. Blank and EVP Steve Hay. Did they get this promise in writing? Will the Rank and File of this local finnaly see a raise? What will we lose in 2014 which btw starts in 7 short months? Does this mean that the city will return to the table and live up to their promises or will we finally realize that this wasnt about Winnie after all and deduce that this city really doesnt care about its work force. We have just been shown this in the Brad Westphal rulings and now I hear that retired Capt Steve LeCory has not been given his due as called for in the drop extension findings. These are serious questions that really need to be answered by the 2 greatest salesmen since P. T. Barnum. I hate it that the members of this union are being thought of as suckers especially when that includes me. Maybe those names on the ever growing SCAB list have something on the rest of us.
Received via Email: 03-16-13 As posted above "Maybe those names on the ever growing SCAB list have something on the rest of us." Yes, they do, President Blank and EVP Hay love them all and even do them favors and go on trips with them. They know that the rest of us are still on a sinking ship that is about to take it death roll soon. I can just imagine what the name of the offical firefighters bargaining group will be called after the fall of IAFF Local 747. I see Mutts, Idiots, Liars, and Fools local 1. Thats not the MILF I prefer but its what we had better get used to.
Received via Email: 03-18-13 The way this administration is handing out displinary time off we will never be able to say that we made anything extra by voting for a 7 day work cycle. God takes care of idiots and he must be working double overtime watching over the Blank one. I wonder if Blank negotiated an increase to a 7 day work cycle for God too?
Received via Email: 03-19-13 I don't know Dr. McKalip, candidate for City Council, District 4, and I will state up front that he's probably a very qualified candidate and a very qualified physician who desires making changes that would benefit everyone concerned.
That being said I would respectfully and quietly remind the members of this Local that there are things that should be remembered about various other political wannabes who, when vetted by the now defunct screening committee, said they only wanted to support fire fighters and the fire service and would speak for us and be our voice on the City Council.
Then, when called upon to support us, they either came down with lockjaw or made overtures in support of the fire fighter's contract knowing full well that they were outvoted in the opposite of what we needed. One thing that is paramount in dealing with these people is that they can talk out of both sides of their mouth and are readily proficient at it.
Take, for example, Dr. McKalip's statement that ". . . all I want is common sense reforms to protect the workers' benefits but also citizens from tax hikes." I don't know if that's the exact wording of the statement made by the good doctor or not. But if it is then only a small amount of reollection on the part of the members would produce the fact that in most instances a tax hike and a pay raise go hand in hand.
This city has always used the threat of a tax hike to influence not just the Council but also the public when it came to not giving not only the fire fighters but all city employees increased benefits. It doesn't seem reasonable that anyone on the Council could influence the mayor to change the way the city treats it's employees. But when running for the office of councilman or mayor, for that matter, they all come with hat in hand and profess to be our biggest supporter and only want "common sense" reforms to "protect the workers".
This is not to say that *every* member of Council has been our enemy. There have actually been a few who spoke up and were infuential in our gains. But damn few. And they were long ago and far away. Today you, as a member of Local 747, are being guided and represented by the least informed and the least qualified person in the history of this Local. And he, being supported by his minions, has determined that vetting potential political candidates is worthless. I have to admit that we have few victories in the past when it comes to supporting the right candidate but eliminating the means for at least speaking with the candidate was and is just another example of the poor, if non-existent skills of this president.
At this point in time it is absolutely necessary to remain politically involved. Otherwise the mayor will see that you no longer have a dog in the fight and that you're emasculated to the point of total submission. The police have made gains since this mayor has been in office. Why? Because they supported the mayor when he ran for the office. We, however, did not and have paid over and over again for that. However, it doesn't mean we were wrong in supporting a different candidate. We supported the person who the screening committee felt was the most qualified to be the Mayor. As you can see by the history of the current mayor, we were right all along. This alone should demonstrate to each of you how the political end of this whole thing works. You *must* be on the winning side to "win". It's just that simple.
Now that Council positions, and soon the Mayoral position, are up for grabs it has never been more important that you make every effort and take every opportunity to make your voice heard. And don't fall for the diatribe that comes your way. And since you no longer have a PAC you should and will have to do this for yourself. Don't roll over for smooth talkers who promise you the moon and then shove it up your butt when the chips are down. And before you jump on the bandwagon with the cops, think about what that says to the city. You're signaling that you're finished and you would like to scrape up the crumbs left by the current winners in the game. When you stop and think about it . . . I guess it's about all you have left.
Dick Tully
Received via Email: 03-28-13 Hey Dick Tully, are any of the Departments up your way hiring?
Received via Email: 03-28-13 So Blank and Hay are going to come around to the stations to convince us whether we like it or not. This ought to be good cuz neither one of them can speak without bullshitting.
Received via Email: 03-28-13 Response to 3-28-13 = #1
You are way, way over qualified to fight fire here. They just had a "class" of eight or so people go through "training" for the fire department here. They're so proud. The class members are now part of the volunteer fire department. From what I've seen and read about it, the one thing the fire department here is good at is saving the foundation. Considering, of course, that it's concrete. They're basic water lobbers who don't do interior attacks and stand at a safe distance and lob water. Usually because by the time the "driver" of the nearest engine gets the truck to the fire, and then makes an attempt to fight the fire, it was all but out. And he's the only one that gets paid. So far, and as far as I know, they haven't saved a single dwelling or business in the nine years I've been here. If you came up they'd no doubt make you the Supreme and Honorable Fire Department Leader. If that possibly speaks to your ambitions then have at it.
I guess I shouldn't say stuff about people who volunteer to toss water in the direction of the fire but there is something about it that I don't get. If you don't get paid and you never save anything then just what was the purpose? Recognition. The fundamental basis for nearly all actions and thinking of the homo-erectus. But once that's over there isn't much left. I admire people who are willing to take risks and all but if you're looking for a paycheck . . . this isn't the place to be. As a matter of fact we just had our insurance go up because our fire rating went down. Living here demands that you be proficient in putting out anything the starts burning and making sure that everything is fire proof. There's not a department within 50 miles that's worth applying to because they're all volunteer. The ironic thing is that all the pee wee volunteer departments have some of the finest equipment around. But by the time they gather enough people to do anything the whole emergency is over.
This is why when some of the politicians shoot their mouths off about eliminating a paid force for fire fighting and using volunteers I just laugh. As far as fire fighting goes you belong to a great department that employs a force that has never been surpassed. Some of the other stuff isn't so great but as far as doing the job . . . there's none better than you. When it comes to giving the public what they pay for whether it's fire fighting or medical emergencies you guys are the best. You don't wanna come here. This place is for old farts who are retired and have nothing to prove.
Dick Tully
Received via Email: 03-29-13 President Nit, and EVP Twit met with the cities negoiator today to discuss the hour accurals for the Supervisors. I guess they got short changed on the way the city figured it out and they want it back the way it was. Anyways, the Mayor sent in his boi to tell them NO because it wouldnt be fair to the rest of the city workers who work less hours. Then the mayor approved a 20 hour vaction BONE US but only to those that have more than 20 years. But Wait, the Mayor then proposed that for that good boneing he would like to see the Captains give up their ability to use the unused DC vacation slot. Wow i am surely glad this Mayor is going to finally start treating us differently when we finally hand him the keys to our union office. Hold the phones, did anyone see the story about how the Westphal decision could now be in jepordy? It was rumored that the city was going to fight the decision, but I guess in a way to take some of the heat off the Mayor, they have convinced the League of Cities and Chamber of Commerce to do the dirty work instead. Holy Bat Shit, heres another alert. The Mayor has also refused to make Steve LeCory whole as was awarded by the arbitrator. They want to bring the arbitrator back so the City can make another presentation for the arbitrator to base his award on a much smaller figure than what Steve L. has told them he would accept. Here we go again, the Mayor didnt Honor the contract provisions of the DROP extension in the first place resulting in many legal bills to the Local membership and to the tax payers and now once again he is refusing to follow the direction set forth in the Arbitrators ruling. I can see why we would want to pay the Mayor today so he can pay us with future DIS HONORS later. MTB and Steve Hay, if you can Read this and FULLY comprehend and retain what you have just read, Please explain to us again why the 2 of you have made your decision to back someone with such dishonor and hatred towards this Fire Department? I really need to hear this "I Love You" over and over. This Strong Mayor has screwed us during his last term on the Council and he has continued during this 4 year term. I cant see giving him another chance.
TEAM: The mayor is sitting on the city's treasure chest and he's not so stupid as to believe that we are really supportive of him by handing him a $500 check and endorsing him. He's going to see The Blank and Hay working for him and that'll be that! BOHICA (Bend Over Here It Comes Again)!
Received via Email: 03-29-13 My, oh my. Ok, who spilled the beans about the Mayor fleecing the tax paying citizens of St. Petersburg? Damn, they set a budget that requires a tax hike, then they choose to protect certain homes all of the time and others when they feel like it. All this is being done while the Chiefs go home each night and weekend, and Union President Blank routinely calls out sick and plays softball. I now understand why duh Blank-one and Hay-see my turd would want to keep this disgraceful Mayor at the wheel of this train wreck.
Received via Email: 03-29-13 Remember back a couple years ago when the story hit the news and DC Johnson was drawn and quartered? Now it has come to light again and MTB is even quoted. Wait a minute Micheal, we are supposed to be snuggling up and sucking off the Mayor. Again I have to ask, Was it really winnie? I just dont know how we can back such a loser.
I'm pissed. Thankgod MTB knows how lucky we've been without brown out emergencies.. WTF?
Received via Email: 03-30-13 What happened with captains and DC's negotiations on Friday my little babies? Looks like the mayor isn't paving too smooth a road for the boys who are working a backroom deal with him. Seems like the mayor is the only one that doesn't know we're all in his corne giving it the old college try. What a bitch eh? Why didn't you bring Rich Johnson in to pitch your deal. For all we know he couldn't do any worse than the two bungling idots taking our dues money every month. Here ya go Rich. This one's for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04KQydlJ-qc
Received via Email: 03-31-13 I can't remember this union being in such back shape and it's not because we can't get a contract but because we've got two guys running it that are convinced that they are the only ones who can get one for us and the hell with what the membership thinks. Last time I looked, it was every dues paying members union not Blank and Hay's.
Received via Email: 03-31-13 I emailed Rep. Kriseman. Told him how disappointing The leaders of 747 are to many of us. I will be holding his signs, working the phones, and donating what extra $$, ( very little ) I have to support this supporter of public servants. Not allowing a time proven interview of candidates is close to illegal in the work of Collective bargaining. Or should I say a slap in the face to those of us that understand what being politically active means. Blank & Hay are a disgrace to all of us. The way they are trying to sneak in their agenda is ludicrous. Your lil SOP committee may try and change the rules and bi laws of our local, but remember the membership must vote your rag in. Lets see, humm no one can run for office unless they are currently taking it in the lips, I mean a blankhay ass smacker. You are so obvious in your f'ed up ways it is sad. We will not forget your B S come next election MB & SH. You truly suck. FTM..
TEAM: That's great news Bro'/Sis'. Everyone needs to get on the stick and work for a man who has never forsaken us in the past twelve years as both a city councilman and state representative. The wheels are starting to come off of the Blank and Hay wagon. You can't operate in the shadows for very long before someone shines a light on your dishonesty. Blank and Hay have had a run of success in their past efforts by going around to the stations and telling their stories to an audience that refuses to attend meetings where the veracity of their tall stories are able to be challenged.
Upon returning from Tallahassee, Hay immediately said that he and Blank needed to get out to the stations to explain the unexplainable and if the members didn't like it, we could vote them out of office. While there are some serious dumbasses on this job that play chess with checkers pieces just like Blank and Hay, the majority will recognize that not screening two candidates for the most important political position affecting our lives is a deceitful act against every dues paying member. Hay and Blank have taken the easy road by not giving the election of Mayor, a single thought. They've bought into the PBA's thinking, but why? Because these two geniuses think he's going to win - not because Foster shares our beliefs or goals. And if they tell you it's because the PD and FD should be voting for the same guy - good. Let them vote for Kriseman along with us. Kriseman always voted affirmatevely for PD while in office and knows that not all the officers are blind followers. We don't need to vote for a mayor who continues to show us the back of his hand just because Blank and Hay want to take the weasel's short cut that requires no hard work on their part.
No matter what these two fools do, if all of the rest of us just remember to always DO THE RIGHT THING, There's no shame.
Received via Email: 04-01-13 didn't give him the $500 maximum but I did give him something. You can put in one of the boxes that your a local 747 member. The most important thing I think is to tell other members about this.
Received via Email: 04-04-13 Well it appears that trying to be honest and building trust with the city has only resulted in us taking the bone up the ass again. I may be wrong but when I sat in on the explination meeting and listened to the 2 biggest liars in the history of our union tell us how much better off we will be and how the sun was going to come up each morning, we were told that the annual physicals would begin during the 3rd quater of the budget year to coincide with the big time 7 day work cycle. With all that said I have to raise this question? Who is watching the thiefs and Liars in Admin? Why is there a new memo out stating that Physicals will begin May 14th? I guess the Blank one and the Hay seed dont give a f**k about us afterall. Of course some of us already knew that while others are finding it out way to late.
TEAM: So you're saying if Blank and Hay had demanded that it be written down, we could avoid all of this?
Received via Email: 04-04-13 My guess is that tomorrow, as soon as the President and his cum bucket boi hear of this travisty, they will be on the phone giving the Mayor the what for over this blatent injustice. Im sure it will be corrected by lunch time or before another $1,000 bill from the attorney.
Received via Email: 04-05-13 Did any of you Blankhay'ettes, notice yet another victory for our Union Brother's & Sister's up in Dunedin? Congrats to them all, and their negotiator, Will Newton on getting a decent contract approved by their council! Hummmmm ya think we could get a guy like that Newton fella to represent us?
Received via Email: 04-05-13 I repeat my plea, Whos watching the office? President Blank is now doing everything he can by visiting with anyone that will listen that Winnie is out to rule the world and run the Locals out of money while he's doing it. Great, in the mean time what is he doing about the 2 memos that have come out about the Physicals? The first one says they are starting 2 months earlier than what was voted on by the membership, and now a new one that has more language in it than ever before. This building a trusting relationship with a vengeful Mayor is turning out real well. In the mean time, why is it that only MTB has a problem with what retired member Newton is doing for other locals? MTB and Hay are totally againg the possibility of Unions banding together for their own survival that it pains him to see a chance of it happening.
Received via Email: 04-05-13 The Mayor has told MTB that if a county wide union were ever made, it would spell doom for the fire chiefs that have come up with the multitude of reasons of why a county wide fire department wont work. So please for the sake of Jimbo do nothing Large, MTB go out and continue doing what you do best. Sell the evil lies of the Mayor and his bois. In the meantime ask yourself this. Why is it that this city constantly says that they would be better off running our own show, but Chief large has no problem being a part of the Florida Fire Chiefs Association? Why would he be interested in being a part of a team when he says WE are better off in our incestuous shells?
Received via Email: 04-06-13 4-5 #2 I'd like to weigh in on something you mentioned. I've also heard that there's a story being propagated amongst our membership that the reason Largo has come forward at this time to attempt to generate some interest in a countywide union is because they're suddenly broke. As I heard the story, Winnie is now the Largo Professional Firefighters business agent and he's supposedly spent all all their money in defense of their contract and their pension. In all reality, it wouldn't be the first time that a union ran out of funds attempting to defend (with pennies) what could be lost in dollars, but ladies and gentlemen - the story is a total fabrication and I'll tell you why in just a minute.
A few years back Winnie invited past Local Union President-turned attorney, Jim Brantley, to travel from Lee County to speak to all of the Locals in Pinellas County at a meeting that he had set up. Jim had successfully merged several smaller Locals into a single 1800 man union. Billy Mott and I later traveled down there to attend a labor seminar that Jim was holding at their office. They operate out of a two story office in a business park where they employ not only an office staff, but three individuals who do telephone solicitations on their behalf. After paying the solicitors their salary and full benefits the Local nets about $100,000.00 in funds that they use for charitable giving. Their giving back to the community helps a lot of disadvantaged people and it buys the Local credibility that they couldn't otherwise buy with a $500 (max) political donation to any politician. All of the Locals combined into one large Local whose union presidents each became District Vice President's under a single Union President. Rather than starting with a totally new Local and Local number. they chose to merge existing Locals into the oldest Local with the lowest existing Local number from their consortium to operate as. When we (Local 747) proposed the idea of joining forces a few years back, we were hopeful that we might be able to enjoy the same privilege. Local 747 is an old WWII Local number and one of three airplane Locals in the state. The others being Pensacola L707 & West Palm Beach L727. I'm telling you all of this to let you know that this is not a new idea and it's one that has a lot of merit. A few years back when we were going toe to toe with some of the not-so-friendlys at the County Commission, one of them let it slip that we were too fractured with too many different messages and that if the 1200 fire fighters in Pinellas County ever got together, we'd be unstoppable. Well, fire fighters being fire fighters, they chose to dismiss the idea as having little merit. That and the fact that folks didn't know what we were ultimately going to be called, who was going to pay the cable bill if the union didn't do it anymore and what color our tee-shirts were going to be wearing.
So why now and why Largo? Largo recently learned a couple of important lessons. They didn't have any politics working for them (much like SPB) and their chief was backing and promoting Pinellas County's proposed EMS plan, so they were pretty much stuck dead in the water. Knowing the situation they were in with politics, Winnie told them to pick the member in their city commission that was giving them the most trouble and run someone against him or her and they did! The union ran a high school friend of their union president who lived in Largo and likes politics. In fact, they ran his entire campaign and he won! He's the one voice of reason for the union on the commission and he's managed to get the other commissioners to look at things in a different light. Their PIA chief is now gone. The union and their new best friend also managed to convinced the other members of the city commission and the Mayor to reverse their position on backing the County's EMS plan. There was no magic at work other than hard work and following the IAFF's proven political strategy.
Largo sees themselves as being on a roll but they also see complications ahead. All of us know what Pinellas County is all about. They want to run an EMS system but they don't want the liability of owning one. If you haven't seen it yet, take a gander at the latest offering from the SPT: http://tinyurl.com/c7y9p5s
Where's all this going? Largo's bank account is doing fine. After comparing their dues structure to the other Locals in the FPF 2nd District, they decided that they needed to pay themselves first. They increased their dues-giving to help pave their way to success. Are they broke? Nope. But if they were broke it's not because of the story that someone on this job is spreading about Winnie Newton. He's their business agent and he hasn't charged them a dime to get them on the right track. Facts trump a bullshit story any day but an even better story lies with the fact that the unionized fire fighters all around us are starting to realize that together we can beat any foe. Ask 'your' union President and VP what they thing about consolidating into one big L747.
Fraternally,
Jon Pearl - 9C
Received via Email: 04-06-13 Jon, you say Largo didn't have any politics working for them and we all saw what happend to St. Pete Bch.. What do you think is going to happen to us when our own city council who is actually on our side figures out that we're not going to screen for mayor so that we can hand pick Foster? We;re essentially excluding one guy from our process who's a democrat and guess what??? the majority of our council is democrat. How can Blank and Hay defend this position? We're about to throw all of our hard work away because Blank and Hay say that Foster;s going to win because he's never lost. Has Kriseman ever lost? Does he have half the people up his ass because of his secrecy with MLB? Excluding the people from voting on the pier? Largo is moving forward and we;re going the other way.
Received via Email: 04-07-13 4-6 #2 Truthfully, I don't think Council is going to react very well. We, as a union always demand fair play. We demand that the city fathers follow the rule of law yet we pull this? How will anyone respect us or our word? This is disastrous. You know as well as I do that when you roll the dice with your own life, 'you' suffer the consequences of your own indifference. Because Blank and Hay are cheating a man out of a process that he rightfully should be allowed to compete-in, yet telling those running for Council seats that we're still screening for 'those' positions; it won't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Local 747 is playing dirty by turning its back on a good man who has never turned his back on us.
You ask how Blank and Hay can defend their position? Hay says it best. "If you don't like it you can vote me out of office." Brilliant!
We're an IAFF affiliate. From bottom to top, our union operates as a representative form of government. If you don't like what you're seeing happen before your eyes, it is your duty to make phone calls and show up for meetings and demand that Rick Kriseman be able to participate.
And to my knowledge - No. Rick Kriseman has never lost an election and he's not facing the uphill battle that Foster is.
I've got more to say on the subject and I will, but as the C-Shift Vice President.
Fraternally,
Jon Pearl - 9C
Received via Email: 04-08-13 Well this ought to be good. You better watch out Pearl. Hay's telling everyone that the union operates exactly like the FD and you broke the union's chain of command. Last time I looked, the union was run the exact opposite way by FF's and not by its officers.
Received via Email: 04-09-13 I wonder what Hay will do, since Billy Mott didnt follow their chain of command when he retired?
Received via Email: 04-09-13 NEWSFLASH HAY.. The Union does NOT run like the FD there is no fuckin chain of command. Any officer can speak for the good of the membership, you as an example speaks out of the backside of your head, ass. You say one thing, then F the member's views and wants. You say vote me out of ya don't like them!?! Man you are out of your league. Avoid any further embarrassment, resign now. You can go about your ass slapping at ole now little 6. FTM, & FU!
Received via Email: 04-09-13 When you have a membership that is A. so unwaware of the dangers around them and
B. so wrapped up in listening to and believing snake oil salesmen tell them how much better it could be and
C. never asking how Blank and Hay how they were going to accomplish all that they promised while being lazy and uneducated
are you really surprised at hearing that Blank and Hay never thought we'd catch them cheating Krisaman or us.
St. Petersburg mayor wins endorsement from police and fire unions
Received via Email: 04-13-13 I drove by and there were hundreds of cops and FF's standing around proud to be with Foster.
Received via Email: 04-13-13 The GD FINO's, Blankette and hayless have drown yet another union appearance by standing like lil fluff boys beneath silly billy at straub park. SHAME on you two assknockers. Your a disgrace to The IAFF and firefighter's everywhere. FTM F U!
Received via Email: 04-13-13 Received via Email: 04-13-13 "I drove by and there were hundreds of cops and FF's standing around proud to be with Foster". Question, Are you serious or making shit up? Are there any photos that have been posted showing this memorable sell out?
TEAM: There was no memo, no email, no web announcement, no phone call & no chance of that ever happening.
Local 747 members 'roll out' in droves to support Mayor Foster
Received via Email: 04-13-13 Foster, Really? You GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!!!!!! Sorry we F@&%ED you Rick K.
Received via Email: 04-14-13 Not for nuts but if nothing else the membership gets to see what cheaters Blank and Hay are.
Received via Email: 04-14-13 I wouldn't worry about anything Blank or Hay are doing. They're too stupid to pull much of anything off that counts without the memberships help and I don't see that happening.
Received via Email: 04-14-13 4/13 #5, we did not F Rick K., blank did. He knows all was done unlawfully. Show your support of a candidate that has always supported us at city level, and Representative too. Sign up wear your yellow IAFF shirt and stand with the real candidate.
Received via Email: 04-16-13 Kriseman or Ford will be a better choice for Mayor. The current "mayor" is a second rate lawyer that hates unions, and civil servants. He calls us, Heros to try and win the heart and make us forget how much he dislikes us. Imagine if we had actually had candidate interviews! What a great 2 out of 3 choice we would have had.. Oh wait a minute that means someone would have to get off their knees for a minute to hear them answer questions.. fairy tale world of The Brothers Blank .
Union meeting this Thursday night @7:30 p.m.
Why wait for the icecube salesmen to visit your igloo when you can buy the product where it's made!
Is St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster in trouble?
The incumbent leader only captured 28 percent of voter support when pitted in a three-way poll against challengers Rick Kriseman and Kathleen Ford.
Ford pulled 27 percent; Kriseman, 23 percent. Another 21 percent of voters are undecided.
The automated telephone poll of 479 registered St. Petersburg voters was done Monday by StPetePolls.org and commissioned by political blogger Peter Schorsch, who runs SaintPetersBlog.com.
What is it that Winnie taught us? Oh yeah. Don't come out too early for a candidate. Blank and Hay have royally fucked us this time. Recall!
Received via Email: 04-19-13 A real Union makes a good choice: (FromRep.Krisman's site)
Friends,
I am proud to announce that the West Central Florida Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO) has endorsed my campaign for Mayor of St. Petersburg.
I have a track record of standing up for working class people in St. Petersburg and throughout the state. As Mayor, I will continue to fight for a strong middle class and a robust economy that treats people fairly.
There is no doubt that this campaign is gaining momentum day by day.
Thank you,
Rick Kriseman
Received via Email: 04-29-13 Supervisors unit negotiations session, Tuesday April 30th. MSC building room 800 @ 13:30 hours. Come see how hard Blank and Hay fight for those they kiss the ass of the most.
Received via Email: 04-29-13 I hear that Blank and Hay are going to unleash their secret weapon tomorrow. They've been keeping it on the downlow but supposedly Richy Johnson has worked the numbers for the 2nd r day and the mayor won't be able to resist giving it to us once he sees the awsome force that he's up against. Billy Mott you better watch out. Richy's going to come gunning for your position.
Received via Email: 04-29-13 Thats funny, Billy Mott is part of the negotiating team that is made up of those that dissed him during his retirement party. Pay backs could be hell. LMAO.
Received via Email: 04-29-13 As usual the joke will be on them. This is for the supervisory unit ONLY. But you really wouldn't expect them to know that would you? What they have to show the Mayor is that we can do without 7 more people per shift. Be very careful what you wish for.
Received via Email: 04-29-13 FYI, Billy Mott's term is not over until October 2014. The Cryin Pussy Richy Johnson will have quit 3 more times by then. Dont forget, its an election year and Mayor wanna be is starting to promise the world. So far MTB has stated that the checkbook would be open for FY2014, the suplemental plan retirees would be getting their bluemoon COLA, and now MTB is believing that he will get to play Sappa Clod and deliver the extra r-day. Should I start holding my breath yet?
Received via Email: 04-29-13 Personally I don't think it's a good idea having anyone not in our bargaining unit wpeaking on our behalf. Too many of the chief officers have said that they are getting the extra R day because of their superior knowkledge and education so right off the bat they're telling everyone of us that their shit don't stink and if we want what they've got, go become a chief. Fuck that and thuck them.
Negotiation
Session #1 for SPFR Rank and File members for FY2014 will be held:
Wednesday May 15th@ 13:30 in room 800 at the Municipal Services Building.
Session #8 will also be held for the Supervisors Unit immediately after.
C'mon down and watch the Captains and DC's try to pry open the Mayor's checkbook for a 9th time in a row. Watch the rank and file bargaining unit work to get an additional Kelly day in spite of reading newspaper articles containing text such as the following: Talk of deeper budget cuts has prompted fears of more brownouts, or possible layoffs, putting certain neighborhoods at risk. Some City Council members were unaware of the practice until reading the story. We don't know about you but we're stoked!
Received via Email: 05-02-13 Appearently Frick and Frack aint putting all of their trust in Richey Johnston. I hear that Mike Moore was in the office last week filling the cavities of the idiots with a bunch of history and numbers. Unfortunately the dolts cant remember shit and even when they write it down they cant find it again. So I guess all of Moores secrets are still forgotten history like they were before. So the FD brains have schemed on another revised policy to screw the Lts out of their contractual right to work overtime in place of a mandatoried firefighter by adopting a new not enough staffing matrix. If it takes 72 bodies to run all of the current equipment at 3 on fire apparatus (E's and T's) and 2 on each rescue, and 1 ea for the 2 DC's, Lr, and squad, then what does the new number of 68 get us? I know squad and T OOS. I'm glad that Blank and Hay jumped all over this concern of the Lts not getting to work OT. They went right down to the city and demanded something be done. Well they fulfilled that one by doing something that they couldnt envision because they just aint that smart. Plus they are still of the impression that this newer kinder gentler union is getting us somewhere. Oh yeah dont forget that they are also getting brain freeze by sucking off the Mayor. All they end up with is a headache.
TEAM: This is all too simple. This mayor has never done anything in the least for us and never will. He found two suckers with title's to back his campaign and they can't name three good reasons for what they've done. Local 747 is a rudderless ship, adrift on a sea of "Why didn't we see this coming?"
Received via Email: 05-04-13 The priority list of blank & blanker is screwed to say the least. Oh my, the LT's need overtime, but its OK to downsize minimum staffing and not say a peep to the clueless downtown guys.. Why the F*#@ would anyone want the old angry Mike Less to have anything to say to the current day Union?? You ass knockers should be paying Winnie Newton, then we may actually make some forward progress. To Mike Less, your time has passed please leave.
Is it election day, ( union & city ) yet?? F Them All
Received via Email: 05-07-13 Yes MiKe Less please leave. You ole has been.
Okay, so tell us again how broke this city is...
Enterprise Funds: An $80 Million Surplus
Unlike the General Fund, Enterprise Funds generally pay for themselves by charging users for the services they provide. The City’s Enterprise Funds provide residents with running water, sewage treatment, trash pick-up & disposal, stormwater management, and many other critical services. Enterprise Funds account for almost 60% of the City’s net assets (3). They are often much more financially secure than the General Fund—in large part because they do not have to rely on unpredictable tax revenues.
The City has established policies for the minimum amounts of money that they’d like to have in each of the major Enterprise Funds at any given time. These amounts are called the “target fund balances.” Target fund balances are set as a percentage of the annual budget for each fund. The targets for the three biggest funds are:
Water Resources Fund: 25%
Stormwater Utility Fund: 16.7%
Sanitation Operating Fund: 16.7%
Water Resources: Excess $70.9m (over and above the $25.7m Reserve Target)
Sanitation: Excess $5.9m (over and above the $6.4m Reserve Target)
Stormwater: Excess $4.9m (over and above the $1.7m Reserve Target)
The City’s estimated fund balances exceed targets by a combined total of $81.7 million for these three funds (4). These excessive fund balances are not unique to this year’s budget. Last year, they exceeded targets by even more: $92.8 million in total (5).
Received via Email: 05-14-13 Make sure you fill out your questionaires for the upcoming negotiations that start tomorrow. MTB and Steve Hay made many phone calls to the Mayor to make sure they understood him right. Be creative and do a few write ins. The topics they picked are the same things we have been asking for for many years. Lets not forget, the Mayor has spoken and he has made it known that the checkbook would be open. He did not however, neccesasarily mean you.
Received via Email: 05-14-13 What questionaire are you talking about??? Nobody I've talked to has seen one and even if I got one today are Blankmind and Hayseed going to have time to do anything with them before this meeting tomorrow? Sounds like a stroke of genius to me. Glad I voted for Winnie. The rest of you who voted for anybody but Winnie got just that. Anybody.
Received via Email: 05-14-13 You really think they sent the questionaires out because they really cared what you think? Nit and wit are going to the table tomorrow to cow tow to the Mayor, period. When will we realize that WE are not in this to win.
Received via Email: 05-15-13 Aren't these the two guys who were going to put out the newsletter that supposedly EVERYONE wanted? So far I haven't seen much leadership from their position at the rear of the pack.
Received via Email: 05-15-13 Questionaires are for girlymen. We don't need no stinkin questionaires. We're gonna do like the captains and DC's, were gonna go in there for 7 times straight and ask for the same stuff 7 different ways but with Richy Johnson doing the begging.
Received via Email: 05-15-13 Can anyone tell me if there were enough people at todays negotiations meeting to help haul away the boat loads of cash that the Mayor heaped upon us? When will the reduced work week begin? Can I expected to see my EMT cert money finally go into my pension? Hot about the extra money for the boots? Driver Certification? Holiday storage? elimination of the stack pay penalty? Help with my health care when I retire? Please, someone give me the great news as to just how kind and generous our Mayor is since he has scamed away the endorsement of our Local.
Received via Email: 05-18-13 Didnt need anybody to tote the money. The team cant tote their own water.
Received via Email: 05-19-13 Has anyone ever used the advanced pay option that is currently in the contract and has been since forever? If you have call Frick and Frack and let them know that it is something worth keeping. This is yet another no cost item that the Mayor that Frick and Frack have choosen to support wants to take away. The Mayor wont give us shit that costs money and he doesnt like us to have things that dont cost anything either. I am so glad I understand were he comes from.
Received via Email: 05-23-13 are there still videos of the recent contract meetings I can't seem to find them, the ones I do are old...thank
Received via Email: 05-27-13 Dont forget, the bobble heads are going back to the table this Friday the 31st at 10am to get the latest corn cob shoved up their asses in the name of our good mayor.
Received via Email: 05-27-13 From what I'm hearing, it wont be the Mayor that will be doing the shoving. Lets ALL be there to see the great Negoiators in their true dont give a shit about you form. Maybe William Shatner will be there to guide them right into oUranus.
Received via Email: 06-01-13 If this didn't make you at least smile for a few seconds you are still under a rock. "More than 150 people were seen coming and going from Bill Foster's fundraiser Thursday night at Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill." That statement is laugable. Ferg has that many people come in and out every day.
The TBT author who thinks 150 people showing up for a fund raiser in a city of 250,000 is just past delusional. Then, if you read the blurb closely, the author says "people were seen coming and going...". With that many people strolling in and out just who was it that was counting? And how did the author know they were all Bill Foster supporters? What a joke. I would have believed it more had the writer said "More than 150 people, and three mental trolls from the Fire Department, were seen coming and going from Bill Foster's fundraiser Thursday night at Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill".
Also, if you're paying attention, you realize that Kriesman is not Mr. Popularity. His waffling on issues is going to be his downfall. People aren't going to vote for someone who can't make a decision for fear of alienating some of the voters. Too Bad. It would appear we need to keep a "wait and see" attitude about the Mayor's race. It's definitely going to get dicey. I don't agree with the method of choosing a candidate through the "me too" method employed by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and prematurely jumping into an endorsement before the facts are known could be more than disastrous for us all. Our leadership has the mentality of "Ooooo, shiny".
Then we have Kathleen Ford. A savvy, no BS kinda lady who doesn't play well with others. As a candidate she leans a little like Kriesman toward wishy-washy right now. But this race is going to get a lot more attention in the near future and showing all your cards at the beginning leaves you
nothing to play later. It appears she is prepared for a good fight and if people are worried about losing the baseball team . . . get over it. That braying failure of a Mayor in Tampa is going to get the team one way or another. It's not a St. Pete. team anyway. It's the Tampa Bay Rays. Why is everyone acting as if it belongs to St. Pete.? St. Pete. provides a stadium. That's it. And then there's the money that will be gleaned when the team leaves and has to pay the fines for breaking the contract. That's like free money. You remember money, don't you? So to fault Ford for being less than ecstatic over the loss of a pseudo baseball team is counter productive and premature.
So what we have here right now is a giant cluster ****. There's no clear future winner but there IS a clear future loser. The same loser that's been screwing not only the firefighter's and medics but ALL city employees. And now he wants to employ smoke and mirrors by supposedly offering a petty pay raise to all city employees. Talk is CHEAP. And to believe that Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were so prophetic as to determine the phony generosity of the same loser who's been screwing us for four years or so would be asinine on our part. They don't recognize a good lie when it's right in front of them.
So where does that leave us as employees? And what can we expect to gain from supporting any one of the three? Well, just as an aside, we have two fools dangling off the nutsack of the fire chief who think we should vote for the incumbent mayor so that we can lick the boots of the police. We have a mayor who is so desperate to get re-elected that he'll actually promise pay raises that we all know we won't get. We have a politician who looks electable but has some flaws. We have a candidate who has proven herself in the past but is being cagey with her intent. If I had to Pick I'd say Wengay Newton is the obvious choice.
Carpe Diem, Tempus Fugit
TEAM: See what we just poste over on the Open Wounds page,
Received via Email: 06-01-13 dont know how this is possible, but while the Union President and his cheese dicks were out sucking off the Mayor today 6/01/13, truck 1 sat OOS. How can this be? I guess the great OZ isnt going to shower us with anything worthwhile until he gets the BIG NUT.. MTB, S.Hay, M. Sweet, and President Mike Moore can only do so much.
If this is any indication of how much the Mayor likes us, we are truely screwed.
"They don't recognize a good lie when it's right in front of them.", As pointed out before, when you are a cronic Liar and the only friends you think you have are too, A lie is all you have to look forward to so you make the best of it.
TEAM: Whew! Someone who gets it.
St. Petersburg's African-American vote aligns with candidate Kathleen Ford
Several months ago Michael Blank and Steven Hay made the conscious decision to avoid screening by committee, Mayoral candidates who have long supported Fire Fighters. They were not forced to do this, they chose to do this and in doing so cheated every member of the St. Petersburg Association of Fire Fighters out of their representative vote by a committee of their peers. No one should ever choose a candidate - especially a candidate who has a track record on non-support of Fire Fighters, based solely on their belief that "incumbents never lose in St. Petersburg." This incumbant has shown absolutely no evidence by word or by deed that he is running for office and is in trouble and in need of our support. What did we get out of the most recent contract that we ratified? What have the captains and DC's gotten for their efforts? For a guy who values Fire Fighters, the evidence is scant.
Kathleen Ford and Rick Kriseman deserve not to be ignored. As friendly, viable candidates who deserve our support - they deserve not to be ignored. Kathleen and Rick have always been champions of our cause. How many of you remember Kathleen standing up for us two impasse hearings ago? And when she ran for Mayor we came very close to getting her elected! Rick has been our friend on city council and in the House of Representatives. Bill Foster talks a good talk (not really) but ask most cops who they're supporting! Bill Foster's notion that having both public service agencies in his corner has garnered him no traction whatsoever and certainly hasn't gained us a more respectable position within the community by having our President and EVP jump out on their own to support him.
Don't believe for one second that no one has noticed the situation that President Michael Blank and Executive Vice President Steven Hay have placed this organization of Fire Fighters, in. State and local politicians are watching closely to see if the membership has within in it, the character to do what needs to be done to clear our good name.
If, as a member, you should receive the call to Do The Right Thing - just do it!
Received via Email: 06-10-13 I think you covered all the fine points without call Blank or Hay out so I will. Mike Blank and Steve Hay your both in way over your heads. When Kathleen wins, your both gone and so is Jimmy.
Received via Email: 06-11-13 Is there anyway you can call for the resignation of Hay & Blank?
Received via Email: 06-11-13 1st 6-11 Sure. You can ask for anybody's resignation but what compelling interest would they have in resigning when they actually believe they're doing yeoman's work? Not for nuts but they've managed to find their way to the union hall most days to collect a pay check. Why would they ever leave? Embarrassment at doing a poor job? Lying to the membership about screening Kriseman, privately? Believing that a seven day work cycle means money in the bank or more money in the bank with even fewer hours worked with the advent of another R Day? Blank and Hay already take enough shit from me to choke a horse yet they continue on like they're actually effecting some kind of positive change. Cutting edge union work, if you will. You can't fix stupid by merely pointing it out to the stupid. It's akin to pointing at a ball and telling your dog to look at the ball. Instead he looks at your finger.
Stand up at the next union meeting and call them out. Be a martyr. Be like the famous martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said,
"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil:
God will not hold us innocent.
Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
What he said.
Fraternally,
Jon Pearl
"Never slit your own throat. Make 'them' slit it." (I said that!)
Received via Email: 06-12-13 Brother Pearl you always tell it like it is. Few are willing to say anything in the firehouse for fear that they'll offend someone. Too bad, I feel offended everyday that so many were so uninvolved as to believe there was someone better than Winnie and Rick to fight for us. Blank and Hay have no plan for our future except to follow the cops. Great plan. What's next, apply for food stamps?
Received via Email: 06-13-13 For those interested, There will be a fund raiser and BBQ at Del Holmes park for Rick Kriseman on Sunday June 23rd. Bring some money to help purchase a one way train ticket for Foster.
TEAM: Booya!
Received via Email: 06-13-13 Just in case your still wondering, This is what Mayor Foster STILL thinks about us. This is $11.1 MILLION DOLLARS that was written off years ago, but it will NOT be used to help the budget, city employees, or taxpayers.
Received via Email: 06-14-13 So when is the next bargaining session? I want to be there when the mayor hands over the keys to the city because he's in such big trouble. Then again Blank and Hay could just stay on schedule and haul ass through the process like the last time where nearly ever article that THEY signed off on was the city's. People who don't pay attention to their future shouldn't get to vote on theirs and mine.
Received via Email: 06-16-13 How much is Little Mike Stupid making every month in union pay? Do you really believe he earns it? He uses more pool time than any other president before him and accomplishes less. Yet we pay him big bucks to do it. He spits in your face every time he's off on pool time for some frivolous bullshit. He's got an ego as big as that worthless mayor. Oh, and let's not forget our illustrious advisor and mentor Mike Moore. I guarantee you he's up to more than meets the eye. We pay Frick 24 grand a year. No wonder he can afford to get married. And we pay Frack another 16 grand a year. And what have we gotten in return? No, really. What the hell can you point to that either of these two fools have gotten for the members? That's right, not a damn thing. And that's 80 grand you'll never see again and it's going up. Do you have any idea what could have been done with 80 grand? A helluva lot more than these two produced. it doesn't matter if you l
ike them or not. The question is what have you gotten for 80,000.00 over the past two years. Anything? Anything at all? That's right. There's nothing to show for it except a giant abuse of pool time and a fat pay check rewarding the accomplishment of nothing. We're not only generous but monumentally fucking stupid to boot.
Received via Email: 06-23-13 You guys are all wasting your time even thinking about talking to Blank or Hay about anything. Those two are stuck on stupid.
Received via Email: 06-23-13 Here is a choice differant than the one made for us by Blank & Hay. I know he will do more for us than Foster. Use your own judgement.
Rick Kriseman
Law requires we ask for your employer and occupation. If you don't have an employer or are retired, ...
Received via Email: 07-01-13 This just in, the next negotiations session for the Rank and File is tomorrow July 2nd at 1:30 in room 800. Rumors has it the city is going to tell MTB how much money the Mayor is going to reward us with. Then it will be up to Steve Hay and Mike Blank to divide it up as they see fit. Damn now I wish I would have gone on that walk Saturday. Or was it last Saturday?
Received via Email: 07-01-13 Isn't my 1% raise supposed to kick in this month? Lord knows I could use it to pay rent. 1% was what EVPH was selling right?
Received via Email: 07-01-13 Yeah, dont look now but this is the same idiot that will try to figure out how to divide the cities next offer equally. Lets see, 1 for u 3 for me, 1 for u 3 for me. Yeah this will turn out to be a real hooterville comedy.
Received via Email: 07-02-13 Unless you all are blind, the,"mayor" is ramming election time politics down, or up yours. Why now does this so called leader see the need to keep funding parks, the arts, and us? WTF. He stated in today's paper, since the great recession is over, what recession ?!? Not all lawyers are bad but this one is an absolute wing-nutt. A leopard can't change it's stripes, no wait a skunk..
Right along those lines, hay & his helper blank will gladly add that special additive to your punch bowl. You can't believe a lie, and all those mentioned above are great at doing just that. Say NO to them, vote in either candidate that wins the primary, Kriseman, or Ford. Both will do us all so much better.
Received via Email: 07-02-13 Ford will finally come in and do the firefighters a great favor by changing our leadership back to sensible citizen based and firefighter friendly competent leaders. Sorry good ole boys, time to hit the trail.
Received via Email: 07-02-13 For those of you who couldn't make it to today's negotiations, the glass is still half empty. The Mayor has offered us the same 2% pay raise that is being offered to everyone else in every other bargaining unit around the city. We know this to be true because it was asked if this was the city's best and final offer. Chris Guella said that for all intents and purposes (I'm paraphrasing) that it was, because they've pitched the same deal to everyone else, already. Oh... and in case you're wondering, we're talking about a 3 year contract with a single 2% GWI for the first year. The other two years we'll resort to endless groveling for someone's attention. This tactic has become the new norm. How many of you realize that the contract offer than this Local ratified several months ago contained one lonely article that was offered up by Local 747? All the rest of the articles in the package were city proposals! I guess if I were the Mayor and I had done a great job of infiltrating nearly every article with language benefiting the city, I'd be glad to offer up thee year contract offers containing a single year's GWI - time and time again.
You may be wondering if the subject of a reduced workweek came up. Why, yes it did! If we wish to reduce our work week from 52 to 51 hours, we can simply buy it from the Mayor with that phat 2% pay raise. Want more? Pay more. Simply sign away a couple more years of pay raises and our dreams of being at parity with the Captains and DC's will be realized. Did you read what I said? We can't get the Mayor to offer us a GWI for three consecutive years but somehow if we want to reduce the workweek down below the 51 hour mark, we can buy those hours with pay raises that no one's even mentioned, yet. Funny, eh?
While you and I are making a fleeting attempt at a 48 hour workweek just like the Captains and DC's have, they've managed to broker a deal to up their accruals, netting senior members of the supervisory unit a benefit worth approximately $800.00 per each. Net result: Captains and DC's gain back an additional $800.00 benefit per senior member while continuing to enjoy their 48 hour workweek. Conversely, we'll have to PAY $1.5M to realize the same benefit?
Hey... I almost forgot to tell you that there's more good news. The Mayor's looking to hire five more Police Officers. He didn't offer to hire any more Fire Fighters, just Police Officers. Suffice it to say that it's good to know that Mayor Foster's still got our back. We can't keep all the stations staffed but come Rays game days the streets are ripe with Police Officers acting as crossing guards pushing crosswalk buttons!
All of these great offers coming our way from Mayor Foster, while President Michael Blank and EVP Steven Hay continue to fully support him by campaigning with him on weekends while front-line, mission-critical fire units are regularly browned out. What the hell are we thinking? Isn't it obvious to any of you that we're being played the fool? President Blank and EVP Hay have already T/A'd (Tentatively Agreed to) half of the articles the city has put in front of them. They've held back little! They keep trying to convince Mayor Foster that they're gentlemen of their word but their word is no good because they lied on us and our good name by fraudulently anointing Mayor Foster as the Second Coming without screening any labor friendly candidates for Mayor. We have had our reputation tarnished and we have been shamed by liars.
Personally, I'd wait to see what a new Mayor brings to the table before pissing away too many tomorrows.
Look for me on a street corner behind a Ford or Kriseman campaign sign.
Fraternally,
Jon Pearl, C-Shift Vice President - SPAFF
Received via Email: 07-03-13 Hopefully anyone reading this who was foolish enough to believe that Foster would take care of us if they voted for him will FINALLY see the truth. He is a magnanimous prick that never gave two shits about us. Stop fooling yourselves. Whats worse is HQ is right on track with him. Thanks for everything. Its nice knowing someone has our backs. NOT! pknuck
TEAM: Members were sold a bill of goods by management, Patty. "Anybody but Winnie and Rick" was their battle cry! While Rome wasn't built in a day, it didn't fall overnight, either. It's obvious that we're going to have to get our collective noses bloodied some more before we realize that we've been lied-to on several levels. What's currently being perpetrated against us, you wouldn't let a car salesman get away with, yet we pay monthly for the privilege. None the less here we sit learning life's hard lessons after voting into office two inept individuals who are untrained in the art and discipline of negotiating for and protecting our contract. The damage that they're doing will take many years to repair and can only be accomplished with the help of a friendly face in the Mayor's office. While a checker board and a chess board look the same, city negotiators keep showing-up to negotiate by putting their chess pieces on the table while our two guys keep saying "King me!"
Received via Email: 07-03-13 The Mayor has announced that EVERY City worker will receive a 2% wage increase. Hum, I thought only those that offered daily hommage to the Mayor and turned over the reins of the Union to the Chiefs would get the best treatment. The Mayor also states that he is set to add 5 new police officer positions, but if the firefighters want to reduce our work week by 1 hour, we have to pay for it by giving up our pay raise to hire the 6 positions necessary. Lets see we work 52 hours a week and the cops work 40. We fund our COLA the city pays for the PD's. FD units sit OUT OF SERVICE regularly while PD has so many you cant count them. FD has Mandatory annual physicals, PD voluntary up to the first 40, if they can get that many. Hey, are we really that stupid that we still believe Foster is treating us fairly?
TEAM: We're glad to see that honest, hard working union members are realizing what's going on but it's not enough to use this platform to expose it. Talk about it in the stations. Talk it over with the new guys. They're the most impressionable and vulnerable to the bullshit pitchmen
Received via Email: 07-03-13 Is there anything the E board can do to hire Winnie to bargain for us again?
Received via Email: 07-03-13 Lets see, the E board is made up of 8 elected officers. Blank, Hay, Mott, Nolshiem, Sweet, Pearl, L. Wilson (S. Pasadena), and D. Smith (Lealman). With the continued attacks and attempts to unseat those that were in office under Newton, it had better happen soon. Personnaly I dont see it standing a chance with the ones they already have the deck stacked.
Received via Email: 07-03-13 Some one on heresaid the union was like an old tree that had been struck by lightning and was rotting from the inside out. 11A is one of the most fucked up groups on the planet and cmoore is right in the middle of it with blank and they're lining him up to run for A shift VP. If the A shift votes for another guy who wants to be promoted who do you think he's going to work harder for, you or the chief? Hay is a lt. who sides with management all the time. Sweet wants to be promoted in the worst way and will do what it takes for him to get promoted. I think it's up to the A shift to keep the tree from rotting all the way down to the ground.
Received via Email: 07-03-13 If you mean the last 10% of the tree then it's too late. The top 90% is already gone. That tree died two years ago. It's amazing how much this Local is run just like America these days. The President of both lie, manipulate, and have visions of grandeur. They both surround themselves with loyal followers who will do anything and everything the leader says. And just like the one in Washington, the one in St. Petersburg is bent on destroying the values that have at one time made this Local great. And he'll get away with it over and over and over. Because just as the "voters" in America got duped the voters in the Local got duped just as badly only on a smaller scale. And we will all continually pay the price for being manipulated so easily.
The future of this Local is already in the crapper. Not that anyone gives a shit. Just like the public the members have no balls and even though they talk a good game there has only been one or two members with enough spine to even challenge the pseudo president. Just as the Republican party talks tough and struts around and does nothing so do the members of this Local. So get used to the way things are now because they're going to get worse. There will come a day when you'll WISH things were as good as they are now.
I'm sure each and every member is very proud of the job being done on their behalf at the bargaining table. 2% for the last four years and two more years of nothing. And you expect the next person who becomes Mayor to save your sorry asses. I can't see any reason they should be any different when it comes to this Local. After all, you won't even fight for yourself. It's easier to let someone else take care of you than to do anything for yourself. The finest group of losers on the planet.
And I'm sure some of you think that the mayor will somehow see the light when the magnanimous leader of the firefighter Local, through skilled bargaining and presentation of facts, will somehow cough up some dough in addition to the 2%. It's not gonna happen. That 2% is the last increase some of you will see for the rest of your career. And that's what you deserve. You elected him and support him and that's what you should be happy with. If you're not happy with it then you're the worst kind of hypocrite. Just like the Republican party you talk out both sides of your mouth and then do nothing.
The future is bleak for this Local and it's all because you followed a liar and manipulator into the jaws of the city. Not many have had the fortitude to challenge the loser that's president and his gang of three for over two years now and the one's that did made a good case against him and were ignored by the members. That's unfortunate because it speaks to the intelligence and the values held by the members. In the end you've gained nothing. And all the things you ranted and raved about as being terrible and unacceptable are now resting nicely in your contract.
You could save a lot of time and money by not bothering to send anyone to the bargaining table. Those that go are worthless and are in the pocket of the fire chief so why bother. Sending that bargaining clan to the table is nothing more than an exercise in futility. You would think that having gone as many times as they have they would have learned something about the process. But no, instead of learning they've instead managed to remove all the members from the Union team who even had a clue about negotiations. Your best people are in the stations and no longer working for you. How's that for smart thinking on *your* part? Aren'tcha proud? No, I suppose not. Too pathetic for proud.
Dick Tully
Received via Email: 07-04-13 Dick lives 1000 miles away and can see better than most living for the chief's next few words.
Received via Email: 07-04-13 So, the new policy has arrived that has screwed us over again. The paramedics should be in an uproar over this one. Even the new hires will see the effects of this one. No more cash so you cant swap out of class. 480 hours sounds good but it is still 10 shifts, you work for someone for 240 hours (10 shifts) and then you receive the payback of 240 hours (10 shifts) that equals 480 hours. Read the memo and the policy along with the form. As usual Admin hid all of the details in 3 different places because they know we wont go out of our way. Its also a rumor that Blank and Hay had a lot to do with this bullshit. Somehow 2 weeks ago they defended their agreement with the Mayor to back him based on doing the right thing for 300, what happened now with this one? This is the 2nd time in 10 years that there has been changes to this policy, how many more times will Admin fuck us over just because they want to?
Received via Email: 07-04-13 Admin gets away with anything they want, because you folks put anybody but Winnie in the office of President.
Received via Email: 07-06-13 hey its Saturday everyone ready to go and march with foster hay & Gump?
Received via Email: 07-13-13 With the huge response from last weeks march I'm betting another HUGE turn out of ass suckin' yes boys/ Making us proud.
Received via Email: 07-13-13 Hellooooooooooooooo is anybody home at the union hall with half a brain???
We've just had our swap time cut and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
We're having people being manditoried again left and right but not always at time and a half and it's not being bargained for and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
We've got more and more engines running as ALS rigs with a driver emt and a officer emt and sometimes the officer takes half of the pittance of pay and gives half to the driver and somethimes not and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
We haven't had a pay raise in years and the dick for a mayor that we've got wants us to pay with our pay raise for an extra R Day that the captains and DC's got for nothing and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
Our medics and drivers are getting written up in record numbers and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
Our medics need an extra vacation slot and now on top of that they're told they can't swap time for pay and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
Medics who are preceptors were told years ago that they wouldn't be paid to be preceptors but they'd get educational leave but the chiefs keep using it all up before the medics can use it and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
Anybody that matters already got their education (just ask around HQ) and this prick Bill Foster cuts off all educational leave and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
Our medeics who are being QAR'd are suddenly being subjected to discipline and told that the chief can change policy whenever he wants and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
We show up for negotiations and act surprised that Guella doesn't actually offer us 2.5% after he said 2 - 2 1/2% but instead offers us what everybody is going to get whether or not they back this prick Foster without having to lift a finger at the bargaining table and as usual Blank isn't doing dick about it.
I'm sure I haven't hit on half the stuff that's not being brought to the table and if you want to jump in and add to the list go right ahead. I'm sure some of you can come up with a bigger list than I have in 10 minutes. Foster needs to go, Large needs to go and Blank and Hay needs to go. FTM
Received via Email: 07-15-13 I don't care who runs for what office. Just don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining. Lately I've taken a lot of piss and it's getting old.
Received via Email: 07-24-13 Everyone open wide. The mayor is gonna shit down you throat on Friday.
Received via Email: 07-25-13 Just one more day you new age suckers. Wear a dirty shirt on duty tomorrow in case of splash.
Received via Email: 07-26-13 Today's the day. Feeding time. Now form a line and no pushing and shoving. This is the only time you're going to get fed without having to give something back. Those of you new to this process, those without five years in grade, will be first to receive your valued 2% token award. Those with experience will recognize your actions and follow suit. Be ready when your turn comes around as this is a fast process and should not take long to process. Bend over and prepare yourself for your annual screwing with a 2% kiss on your cheek. "Thank you mayor and chief Large, may I have another?" "No, you cannot !!!" "Only when you recognize that I, the mayor, am your god and will be worshiped as such will you reap the benefits enjoyed by the cops." "I still say that you should be happy a hell you even *have* a job let alone having the balls to ask for more than the other hard working public employees." "Now bend over and open wide." "That's it, you gut less little puke." "Big Bill is gonna make you squeal, honey."
Received via Email: 07-26-13 You should have gotten 2.5% a year for the past four years but nobody had the balls *or* the skills to go get it. Now you send Dumb and Dumber to respond to a piss ant 2% offer from the city that the floor sweepers at the library are getting. But I know it's not a good time to negotiate anything more since there's no doubt that if there was more available the mayor and council would see to it that you got it. After all, they have your best interests at heart.
Most of you who've never had a job other than this one can't believe your good luck. Close to 60 grand a year and only work one day out of three. A pension. A DROP plan. And as little work as possible unless called to a fire scene or a medical emergency. You've never *had* it so good. Who needs a Union to negotiate for them when things are already better than you ever imagined they would be? If it weren't for this job most of you would be shagging fries in a fast food joint.
Since you've never worked where you were represented by a Union and had a bargaining agent do your talking for you it's not surprising that you think Blank is a genius. It's understandable since most of you don't have the spine to stand up like a man and talk to the boss. Blank doesn't either but he has you fooled and for $2,000 a month it's like heaven. He got *his* raise when he took over as president of the Local.
Today, apparently, is the day Blank and all the other Blanks go to the bargaining table and listen while the city tells them how much any new benefits will cost and why there isn't any more than 2% in the budget for a pay raise. A grand summation of blatant lies and underhandedness yet all of you will willingly hang your heads and say thank you. Beaten down again by a conglomeration of vindictive mayor and a bargaining agent who can't find his balls.
But tomorrow is another day and the paychecks just keep on coming. The chance for an increase escapes once again. The brownouts will continue. The overtime will soon be unbearable. The discipline will continue to be over the top. Everything you whine about on this site will be incorporated into your contract. And yet there's not a whimper from any of you. Not the first one.
I think you've already shit the bed on the mayor's race in more ways that one. And all that support that you thought was coming from the council has evaporated like the smoke Blank blows up your collective asses. You complain about the old timers not protecting you in the past. Protecting you from what? You're too damn lazy to fight for anything other than another day off. If it wasn't for what the old timers had in place for your do nothing asses you'd still be working for script. And yet you have it better than any of those who earned what you enjoy as an employee of the SPF&R today. You're ungrateful and lazy and actually deserve less than what you didn't earn.
How many more years will you keep taking the same paycheck home and working under the same thumb of the chief and the mayor before it gets unbearable? Because that's how long it's going to be before anything changes. And please don't think if the current mayor is defeated without your help that the new one is going to shower you with anything other than the SSDD. It'll be excuse after excuse why you need to work and shut the hell up. Your voice doesn't count.
Dick Tully
TEAM: Glad you could attend the meeting, today, Dick. It's really something when you can see if for yourself. Seeing is believing!
Received via Email: 07-26-13 I had a very interesting conversation with someone who was at nego today. They said that Blank was so confusing to listen to that he confused Guella and himself at the same time. again and again. Hay supposedly told Guella that we could help pay for a 48 hour week by increasing the manditory OT. Let me guess...........I'll only get manditoried once every 3 weeks during my R day cycle. You can't make this shit up.
Received via Email: 07-27-13 Bwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa........Nope, you can't make this shit up!!!
Received via Email: 07-27-13 Dick lives 500 plus miles away and he makes more sense than most of the morons on the job. Our dream Union Pres would be you brother Dick Tully. The current Union Leadership are not much better than our lame brain Div Chiefs. Liars and self serving. Yeah all of you.
TEAM: Ouch!
Received via Email: 07-27-13 The FY 2013 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant application period will open on Monday, July 29, 2013, and remain open for 30 days. Congress has approved $337.5 million in SAFER funding to rehire and retain fire fighters. Of that $337.5 million, $20 million is set aside to hire military veterans with an extra year of funding for each veteran hired.
The SAFER program has put thousands of fire fighters back to work, giving a much-needed boost to public safety in countless struggling communities. Municipalities with fire departments facing reduced emergency response capabilities in particular should apply for SAFER funding. The IAFF urges affiliates to work with their fire chiefs and local lawmakers to file for the grants. City management must submit the application, but the IAFF is available to assist your community in applying for the grants.
These Get Ready Guides will help you be prepared to submit your application:
• 2013 SAFER General Get Ready Guide
• 2013 SAFER Hiring General Get Ready Guide
• 2013 SAFER Recruitment & Retention Fire Departments Get Ready Guide
• 2013 SAFER Recruitment & Retention Interest Organizations Get Ready Guide
SAFER self-evaluation sheets have been developed based on the scoring criteria used by peer reviewers. These tools will help you assess your readiness to apply for a grant.
• 2013 SAFER Recruitment & Retention Interest Organizations Self Evaluation
• 2013 SAFER Hiring Self-Evaluation
• 2013 SAFER Recruitment & Retention Fire Departments Self-Evaluation
System for award registrations (SAM) is a requirement for all applicants. Please click here and complete the SAM registration as soon as possible. SAFER applicants that have not completed the SAM registration process, or have not completed the required annual renewal and revalidation of data, will not be eligible to be awarded.
For questions about SAM, contact your State Assigned Grants Management Specialists.
• SAM registration requirement alert notification. Learn more.
• Register your organization in the System for Award Management (SAM), You will not be awarded a grant unless you are registered in SAM.
• If your organization is already registered, no action is required until that registration has expired.
• If your registration is expired, validate and update your information at SAM.gov.
The grant application process requires a significant amount of time to properly complete, therefore, the IAFF recommends that affiliates submit a draft version of their grant application to the IAFF Grants Department well in advance of the application deadline.
For more information, contact the Grants Administration Department at (202) 824-1575 or email grants@iaff.org.
Received via Email: 07-28-13 My intel says that the union put the following on the table in exchange for the additional rday:
>>>reduction of vacation hours which means 56 less hours per year
>>>loss of one FF vacation slot to medics
>>>loss of the first pay raise in 4 years
>>>loss of step raises for those still in the step
>>>ok with the necessity of having to work additional overtime to cover the additional 7-8 people off each and every day
>>>on top of all of this the city will not commit to a % for the 2nd and 3rd years
Can this get any better?
PD still has their take home cars.
Capts and DCs still have their reduced work week and still call out sick.
HQ still comes and goes as it pleases using already understaffed shift personnel to keep their desk chairs warm, and now we will get to run at least 2,000 more calls because your Mayor, Fire Chief, and Union President dont give a shit about us.
TEAM: Great compilation.
Also, please note the following: Trading a GWI for another Kelly Day = guaranteed loss in pensionable income into retirement. Our DROP benefits are based on top pay. And if Bill Foster chooses not to hire more firefighters (the budget is already set) to make up for staffing losses, mandatory OT just before your Kelly Day will become the norm. Taking an additional Kelly Day and then being forced to work more hours outside of your regular schedule means more hours worked in a year that are not guaranteed payable at time & one half rate and they are not pensionable. The notion of an additional Kelly Day is to reduce your stress and physical & mental fatigue. St. Petersburg has been and will continue to be a city that treats its firefighters with half-measure benefits that need constant attention when not bargained-for properly.
The Captains and DC's gave up a pay raise in the first year of their contract to get the additional Kelly Day. The offer currently being made to all of us essentially says that the Captains and DC's will get their 2% GWI (if that's how they vote) but all of us who perform the heavy lifting have to pay with an additional year's loss of GWI plus - causing an even larger pay and benefits gap between the two units. These half-measures don't promote unity amongst the two units - they seek to create more internal conflict.
Received via Email: 07-28-13 The only time I caught Blank on TV we were all sitting in the firehouse watching a county commission meeting and he got up and said I AM NOT WINNIE NEWTON. I'm not shitting you, I have witnesses. He's good ab softball and bad at bullshitting his way through life. That's all.
Received via Email: 07-28-13 Question: How many of you who voted for Michael Blank and Steve Hay think they are capable of defending us like this? Nope, never happen. Other than what the Mayor said There was not a single joke made or humorous moment during the entire 11 minute interview.
Received via Email: 07-29-13 Is it true that at the last negotiations session all of the great proposals that guarantee us losses in every column were presented by a Chief? Why? When did we elect a Chief as our negotiator? Oh yeah, when we gave away the keys to our souls by electing Chief Large as our new President. This is assinine. I cant imagine how this is being allowed to happen. Let the chiefs negotiate for their contract if they want to, but leave the Rank and File unit alone. Just another example of how Blank and Hay are willing to let someone else do the work because they both realize that they have no clue.
Received via Email: 07-29-13 I bet the old pension guys will be happy to give up a few more annual raises in order to see their working brothers and sisters score another R day.
Just like when they voted to keep their pensions and set up a supplemental program for new guys, it's all about taking care of the people that are going to be out there protecting us for years to come.
Go team!
Received via Email: 07-29-13 7-28 #2 Maybe a better question is this. We know Blank can't keep a single thought straight in his head but he can start a FB page just like Miami. He can announce brownouts daily just like Miami. He can organize daily demonstrations just like Miami. Am I being unfair or am I telling the truth and your ust avoiding the 800 lb. elephant in the room? To do all that he'd have to come out against a mayor and a fire chief who are both anti labor and he doesn't have the guts to do what needs to be done. Where are Winnie and Rick?
Received via Email: 07-29-13 Hey Large you want to be popular with the firefighters, then get us an R day like the DCs have and a 2% raise like they are getting. You may then have some respect. Until then Faggitaboutit !!!
Received via Email: 07-30-13 How do you folks like the added overtime and the mandatory overtime that has been shovled on you lately? Now just think, under the Richie Johnson plan on page 2 that you never saw, his proposal has us filling in for the additional 7-8 people that will be off each day. Lets see, at 12 hour shifts that works out to 14 more overtime slots each and every day. Oh yeah thats gonna be a hoot. Steve Hay told the HR guy at the negotiations table last week that we wont mind working more hours to get some more time off. WTF did he just say? How does a proposal for a REDUCED work week require anyone to work more hours? To recap, this extra time off will cost us, a 2% pensionible wage increase, no steps for those still in that range, no increases to the premium pays, a reduction of 56 hours in our annual vacation earnings, reallocation of the 10 vacation slots taking 1 from the FF and adding 1 to the medics. Richie Johnson sez we are willing to give up a pensionible wage increase that will compound for the rest of your life and trade it for non pensionible forced overtime. I hope we aint that gullible. See this for what it is, just another way to get the slaves to work harder for less.
Received via Email: 07-30-13 Everybody needs to take a step back and ask yourselves when anyone on management's side of the table agreed to anything that the weakest union leader in Pinellas County has proposed during his two year term. Ask yourself what Blank has done in two whole years. You're drawing a BLANK aren't you? There's nothing there. No record of achievement or advancement whatsoever. Real people in the real world don't take him seriously so they don't take us seriously. We're getting nothing and going nowhere with Blank and Hay in office.
Received via Email: 07-30-13 oh just wait till Oct 1st that's when the ot will really be going then
Received via Email: 07-31-13 Vote NO on this contract offer. We are giving up WAAAAAYYYY more than we are getting. Oh, and once you give it up, YOU'LL NEVER GET IT BACK! True story.
