PRESIDENT’S REPORT

 

MAY 2007

 

 

v     Negotiations – Currently there are no negotiations ongoing between the Union and the City. Both the City and the Unions are waiting for an outcome of the lifting of the wage freeze proposal by Mayor Brown. We will continue to pursue all of our arbitration and legal options.

 

v     Advisory Panel – The Executive Board will convene a panel of legal, union, political, and financial experts to gather, discuss and advise us on moving forward.

 

v     Promotional Exam – The City has hired E.B. Jacobs to develop and administer the next set of promotional exams. The City is hoping to have the Division and Battalion Chief’s exams in October 2007, the Lieutenant’s and Captain’s exam in December 2007, and the Firefighter’s entrance exam in February of 2008. E.B. Jacobs will be contacting the administration with the request to canvas members of the department with a written questionnaire. This questionnaire will be used to develop the exam for each position. The City will be required to pay those members selected to fill out the questionnaire at the overtime rate. As of now, the Chief’s exam will consist of an assessment center, in-basket, and an oral presentation. Lieutenant’s and Captain’s exam will consist of a written exam and an assessment center (oral). To date, there is no bibliography available; however, we have asked that a list of the study materials be made available as soon as possible.

 

v     TeleStaff – The City is currently working on implementing TeleStaff into the Fire Department with hopes of implementation in January 2008. We will have those members charged with the administration of TeleStaff available at the June 14th general meeting to make a presentation and answer questions. A brief explanation of TeleStaff: It is designed to assist departments with manpower and accountability. TELESTAFF IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE USED AS A TIME CLOCK OR A SWIPE CARD. Payroll will be submitted electronically by company officer. The current ratified overtime procedure of June 2006 has been programmed by personnel at TeleStaff. Chiefs and Company officers will continue to report manpower; however it will now be done electronically. Members can check on their overtime status from any computer. Mutual trades will be allowed. For more information on the company, members can go to their website at www.pdsi-software.com . Included is a press release about Buffalo – go to the pressroom tab on the website.

 

v     Control Board – Next meeting will be held in the Central Downtown Library on Tuesday, June 5th. Lifting of the wage freeze will be discussed. Nothing is for sure, but this is the first time the Control Board (by way of the Mayor) has openly discussed the possibility of lifting the wage freeze. There may be a motion to lift the wage freeze at the next meeting or this may just be the start of open discussions. As we have been previously told, and the Governor has recently announced, they do not wish to lift the wage freeze until the unions are under long term contracts.

 

v     Retirement Seminar – Once again Local 282 will conduct a retirement/pension seminar on Friday, June 15th at the Hyatt Regency from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Representatives from the pension system, as well as financial and insurance consultants will be available for consultation. Any member interested in a private, 20 minute consultation with the State Pension Rep., must be at least two years within retirement. Please call your District Trustee to sign up. It is the member’s responsibility to confirm that he/she is scheduled for a private consultation. Scheduling will be done on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

v     Tier 2 – The extension of Tier 2 has been passed by the NYS Assembly and the Senate and signed by the Governor.

 

v     Taylor Law – The two year extension has also passed both the Assembly and the Senate and has been signed by the Governor.

 

v     Safety Ropes – The NYSPFFA has introduced legislation which would require all municipalities to provide safety ropes and system components that meet the standards of the NFPA.

 

v     Retirement Upgrade – The NYSPFFA has introduced legislation increasing the maximum service retirement benefits for Tier 2 Police and Fire which would increase the number of years from 30 to 35 to be used in the calculation of retirement.

 

v     Heart Bill – The NYSPFFA has introduced legislation to amend Disability Retirement and Social Security Law by restoring language that expressly provides that an impairment of health caused by diseases of the heart that result in disability or death is also presumed to be the natural and proximate result of an accident.

 

v     Call Ins – The Call In Committee recommended to the Executive Board that no changes be implemented at this time. Of the 9 proposals submitted to the committee, 4 would not be allowed by the retirement system, 4 recommended that the system remain the same, or go strictly seniority. The remaining 1, which recommended reducing the number of steps from 5 to 4, was rejected by the committee. The Division Chief’s have been notified that any member wishing to work back to back overtime will be permitted to do so as long as it does not exceed 24 hours. This can be any combination of regular shift and overtime. Once again, all overtime accepted will be counted and all overtime refused will be counted. Phil Ryan and his committee reviewed the overtime records in April and found no major discrepancies with the exception of Lieutenants who are behind all other ranks. Believe it or not, the members complaining the most either received as much or more overtime as others, or refused or traded their overtime.

 

v     Dues Assessment Vote – Dues assessment vote to assist the last class did not pass.

 

v     Driver’s License – Possessing and maintaining a valid New York State Driver’s License is a condition of employment with the Buffalo Fire Department.

 

v     2% Litigation – City has appealed the ruling and we are awaiting a court date in Rochester, most likely in late 2007.

 

v     FLSA Lawsuit – We are still in the discovery phase – the City is slowly giving us information for this case.

 

v     M.O.C.H.A. Lawsuit – Depositions continue, and then there will be summary judgment followed by the trial.

 

v     Doctor’s Note Grievance – We will meet with the City in early June to discuss the amount of time each member will receive as a result of the grievance settlement.

 

v     September 11th – Any member who had worked on the pile in New York City and wishes to fill out a World Trade Center Notice application, must do so by June 14th, 2007 (please see sample copy attached). You can download an application at: www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/forms.

 

v     I.O.D. Update – Majority of members reporting injury on duty are now being approved by the City. Those being denied are due to a lack of medical documentation or are heart, lung, or cancer related issues which are not recognized by the City. However, all claims should be submitted so New York State will be notified as heart, lung, and cancer related issues are recognized as disabilities by the retirement system.

 

v     100 Club Bison Baseball First Responders Appreciation Night – This year’s event will be held on Friday, June 22, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. There are a limited number of tickets available to our members after June 1st. Contact your District Trustee for tickets or additional information.

 

v     Local 282 Family Picnic – Will be held Monday, July 30th at Darien Lake. Further details will follow.

 

v     New Website – Any member wishing to post an event on our new website should email the webmaster: webmaster@buffalofirefighters.com. Any member who has not forwarded an email address to the Union office should do so as soon as possible: buffalo.firefighters@verizon.net.

 

v     Open Enrollment – Health Insurance open enrollment will continue through Saturday, June 2nd. Every member must re-enroll even if you do not intend to change health plans. Log on to:

                                               

www.eElect.com

                                                Enrollment # 15193

 

 

 

            Fraternally,