A Little Fishing Story
By Jim Wimberly
November/December Fire Connection
A song played on the radio a few days ago that I've heard a number of times but never really listened to until then. I'm not sure who sings it, but one verse of the song makes an interesting point. It goes something like this: "it's not having what you want. It's wanting what you've got."
After hearing those words, I couldn't help but think how easy it is to get caught up in a cycle of negativity, always focusing on what we don’t have and forgetting what we do. For example, unlike thousand of General Motors employees, we still have a job. Although we’re hopeful to see enhancements to our pension plan, at least we’re not facing another Enron debacle. And most would agree even on our worse day, working for St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue is still one of the best jobs we’ve ever had.
Granted things could always be better. But, improving the quality of our department involves more than just financial gain. Increasing wages and benefits is not the only answer. Much of what we enjoy about this department goes beyond dollars and cents to include intangible benefits such as the camaraderie we have with one another; the time our schedules allow for us to spend with family and friends, and the sense of pride and satisfaction what comes from working together to save a life or battle a structure fire. For many of us, that’s what attracted us to this profession and this department. If we keep these important aspects of our job clearly in mind it will help us maintain our sanity and prevent us from turning on one another. That’s all the more important as we face the uncertainties of our contract negotiations.
To help put things in perspective, let me share with you a story that has been told thousands of times with many variations. This version was shared among friends in Benin, a small West African village.
A fisherman returns home in his pirogue [very small wooden boat] and is met by a foreign expert serving in this developing country. The expert asks the fisherman why he is back so early. He replies that he could have stayed out longer but that he had caught enough to care for his family. “And now, what do you do with all your time anyway?” the expert asks.
The fisherman responds: “Well I do a little fishing. I play with my children. We all have a siesta when it gets hot. In the evening, we have supper together. Later, I get together with my friends for some music, and so on.”
The expert interrupts: “Look, I have a university degree and have studied these matters. I want to help you. You should stay out fishing longer. You would earn more and soon be able to purchase a bigger boat than this pirogue. With a bigger boat, you would earn still more and soon be able to build up a fleet of trawlers.”
“And then?” the fisherman inquires.
“Then, instead of selling fish through a middleman, you could negotiate directly with the factory or even start your own fish-processing plant. You would be able to leave your village and move to Contonou, or Paris, or New York and run the whole thing from there. You could even consider putting your business on the stock market and earn millions.”
“How long would that all take?” the fisherman asks.
“Perhaps 15 to 20 years,“ the expert answers.
“And then?” the fisherman continues. “That is when life gets interesting,” the expert explains. “Then you could retire. You could move away from the hustle and bustle of it all to some remote village.”
“And what then?” asks the fisherman.
“Then you have time to do a little fishing, play with your children, have a siesta when it gets hot, have supper with the family, and get together with friends for some music.”
Perhaps, the lesson here is as simple as: Don’t loose sight of what’s most important. The fact is, we’ll get through the current round of contract negotiations and a few years from now we’ll think back to this time and consider what we’ve gained and what we’ve lost as an organization. My only hope as we go through the bargaining process is that we all check ourselves periodically, so as not to devalue and cheapen the professional relationships we have with one another and loose sight of what’s really important to this organization – the people.
Response...
I think these words might have been saved from the paper, if 'daily' there were a little less blurring of the lines.
Involved parties encompass the following entities:
-City of St. Petersburg
-St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue
-St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue Personnel
-St. Petersburg Association of Fire Fighters - I.A.F.F. Local 747
-Bargaining Unit Members - That would be 100% of the eligible voting members in good standing
To wit:
Not a single member of the bargaining unit, bargains with the 'department' so there should be no real credence given to the notion of an interdepartmental 'rub-mindset' being driven by negotiations. We're all on the same team. The better the pay raise that the bargaining unit can secure, the better the yield that typically results for upper management also. We understand that and don't have a problem with it. There's nothing to fix here -- even with the inclusion of a fine parable such as the one written above! If there are members of St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue's management team who feel the pressure of negotiations, take solace in the fact that we do to, but it doesn't involve YOU! In other words... it's not about YOU!
You want to help? Don't help this way! The road to the poor house is paved with good intentions.
The only two "organization(s)" that the bargaining unit members concern themselves with when negotiations are under way, are S.P.A.F.F. and the City of St. Petersburg -- no others. A visit to a Union meeting would make that abundantly clear to a visitor. St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue is never mentioned! Period!
S.P.A.F.F. bargains exclusively with the City of St. Petersburg. When doing so, bargaining is between the bargaining unit members and the city; not between employees and the city. We're held to a different standard when we negotiation as Trade Unionists!
With that said...
If we continue to fight for pay, time and pension incentives commensurate with other departments of our size, performing the workloads that we do, mitigating the hazards that we do, and acting in the professional manner that we've become accustomed...
We'll see a $70,000,000.00 pension deficit evaporate-
We'll make more money-
We'll work fewer hours-
We'll retire earlier-
We'll retire healthier-
We'll live longer-
and in that...
"Have time to do a little fishing, play with our children, have a siesta when it gets hot, have supper with the family, and get together with friends for some music-"
Well, what do you know... You were right all along!
-Editor
