We recently received a letter from Firefighter and Union Steward Matt Blanchfield seeking to correct an article published in the Albuquerque Journal. As you can see from our forums, it's our policy to put all of the information out there (along with our humble opinion) and let our readers decide and even mix it up.
Albuquerque Firefighters Deserve to be Heard
by Matt Blanchfield, IAFF 244 Steward
I am writing to address facts missed by the Albuquerque Journal in it’s front page article on Monday, January 28th, 2010 and other articles run by the Journal recently about Mr. Diego Arencon, the President of IAFF Local 244. IAFF Local 244 is the union which represents all but one of the firefighters in the Albuquerque Fire Department and all but one of the firefighters in the Bernalillo County Fire Department. It is my hope that the Journal will publish this letter in the spirit of fairness to fully inform the residents of Albuquerque.
I will begin with a quote from Monday’s article, ”The union took the matter to court after Berry objected to the higher salary.” This statement is absolutely not true. The prohibited practice suit Filed by IAFF Local 244 was filed prior to Mr. Arencon having confirmation that his pay was going to be reduced in violation of the current memorandum of understanding or MOU with the city.
IAFF Local 244 filed a prohibited practice suit in Bernalillo County District Court when Mr. Diego Arencon was ordered to report to Fire Administration for assignments to be determined by the Albuquerque Fire Chief, which would not include conducting union business 40 hours per week. Removing the president of IAFF Local 244 from his daily union duties was in direct violation of the long standing practice of city bargaining unit president’s working full time on union business and our current contract. Our current contract states in plain english, “To develop a more cohesive relationship between the Union and the Albuquerque Fire Department ,upon request of the Union President, to place the Union President on a 40 hour work week for union business.” I was present when the information was first given by the Albuquerque Fire Department administration to Mr. Arencon that Mr. Arencon was to have has his ability to conduct union business while on duty removed. It is my opinion, that AFD Administration had no desire for Mr. Arencon to be removed from his long standing union duties, but that decision was not theirs to make. The decision to remove Mr. Arencon from his contractually agreed upon right to conduct union business came from the Mayor’s office.
IAFF Local 244 filed the prohibited practice suit to stop the Mayor’s Office from hobbling our union by inhibiting our ability to conduct day to day business. The city contended that it believed a bargaining unit president receiving his or her regular salary to perform union business was in violation of New Mexico statute. So my question is this, if that is the case why was only AFD’s union president ordered to stop conducting union business while the other union presidents employed by the city continued business as usual? If the Mayor’s Office believed it was against state statute for union presidents to receive their regular pay while conducting union business shouldn’t the Mayor’s Office have ordered all their employees to cease such activities?
The Mayor’s office was attempting to test the waters to see how far they could push IAFF Local 244 by effectively removing AFD’s union president from his ability to represent the union. The Mayor’s Office has attempted to combine the issues of the contractual right of IAFF Local 244’s union president to conduct business with the publicly unpopular idea of paying a union president in excess of his or her regular salary to conduct union business. These are two entirely separate legal issues. It is just a devious strategy on a part of the Mayor’s office to combine the two issues. The city is attempted to conceal their real motives, which are to weaken the city unions. If the city had succeeded in it’s effort to take away IAFF Local 244 president's contractual right to conduct union business while on duty, they would undoubtedly have done the same with the other city union’s presidents.
The Journal also failed to report that Mr. Arencon volunteered to give up his additional pay and the city refused his offer. Instead the city insisted on attempting to get a ruling that it was against state statute for Mr. Arencon to conduct union business even without his additional pay. Albuquerque tax payers would have appreciated knowing that information. And what happened during the hearing? Judge Baca found no discrepancy between New Mexico statutes with union presidents doing union business while receiving their regular pay.
Union business is city business and the city benefits from union business. The Mayor, the CAO, Darren White, the Chiefs of both AFD and APD, the heads of every department and all city managers conduct business with city unions everyday. By the city’s argument all of the before listed individuals would be in violation of state statute when they received their regular pay while addressing any business having to do with unions. The city obviously did not think that to be the case.
IAFF Local 244 members work for the community on and off duty. Our members recently stood with the community in front of the City Council, all of them off duty, to work towards getting a new paramedic rescue unit added to District 8. IAFF Local 244 helps keep city employees safe by assisting the city maintain a safe work environment and assuring safety equipment is provided and kept up to national standards. IAFF Local 244 members sit on the Albuquerque Fire Department Safety, EMS, Accident Review and various other committees helping the department meet all of it’s goals. One of our members was on television just last night receiving recognition from the Mayor for saving the city two hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually!
The city’s unions insure fair representation to city employees, due process, good benefits, fair wages and much more. IAFF Local 244 members coach and sponsor children’s teams in Albuquerque, volunteer their time, found organizations such as Random Acts. This organization provides amazing community services on their own time and with their own money. The contributions made to the City of Albuquerque by the men and women who belong to unions and work for the City of Albuquerque are huge. The City of Albuquerque is the largest employer in Albuquerque. The city’s unions help the economy which could never be more important than now. Five thousand employees making good wages and having job security contribute a tremendous amount of financial stimulation to the local economy.
The Journal seems to be of the opinion that Mr. Arencon and our former Mayor, Martin Chavez had some sort of secret relationship that was contrary to the best interests of the City of Albuquerque. This assumption could not be farther from the truth. During the years that Mayor Chavez and Mr. Arencon worked together there was not one single issue which came before the local or state labor boards, or before a court; Not one! This absence of expensive litigation is unheard of with a union the size of IAFF Local 244. Mayor Chavez understood that the City of Albuquerque is it’s people, and more than five thousand of it’s people are city employees. Mayor Chavez also understood that he could accomplish a better working relationship with the city’s employees by bargaining in good faith with their unions. Mayor Chavez experienced that by bargaining in good faith with the city’s unions that the city’s employees desired to work with the city on any issue. During the former administration when there were issues that needed to be dealt with, city management and IAFF Local 244 sat down and honestly and openly hammered things out. It appears those days are over.
Since coming into office, Mayor Berry has contracted with Management Associates. Inc. I would like to ask the residents of Albuquerque if they have any idea what Management Associates, Inc. is. I am willing to bet that there are sitting City Councilors who don’t know either. Management Associates, Inc. is a firm known around the State of New Mexico as being an anti-labor, union busting firm. Mayor Berry has contracted with this firm to “negotiate” with the city’s unions and to advise his administration. The residents of Albuquerque don’t know about this because the Mayor has been giving interviews for television telling the people of Albuquerque he wants to sit with the leaders of the city unions and ask us for our ideas on how to address the City’s budget problems. He must have just forgotten to mention that he had already contracted with the most anti-union organization in the state to “discuss” our ideas. The Mayor also didn’t mention that his CAO has canceled multiple meetings with Mr. Arencon. Mr. Arencon has made multiple appointments to do exactly what Mayor Berry stated he wanted to do with the unions, sit down with us and discuss solutions for the city’s financial short falls. IAFF Local 244 wants to work with the city to address the needs of the city, the fire department and union members. The city has thus far refused to meet with IAFF Local 244, but that is not what Mayor Berry is telling the public.
Mayor Berry also failed to mention that he contracted with Management Associates, Inc. for $55,000, which is the limit the Mayor is allow to spend without the City Council’s approval. When Management Associates, Inc. has burned through $55,000 of the city’s money, the Mayor may extend another $20,000 of city funds without the Council's approval. Is that fact something the Mayor desires to keep secret? Management Associates, Inc. has no vested interest in the City of Albuquerque and the unions working together to solve Albuquerque’s budgetary problems. The opposite is in Management Associates’s, Inc’s. self interest. They make money when management and labor fight and that is exactly what they have accomplished in two short months after many many years of positive relations between management and labor in the Albuquerque Fire Department. IAFF Local 244 has never distrusted City Hall more than now. This atmosphere of mistrust is a detriment to the residents of Albuquerque.
I can assure the residents of Albuquerque that the administration of the Albuquerque Fire Department and the Executive Board of IAFF Local 244 want to work together. We are brother fire fighters. We have risked our lives together to protect the residents of Albuquerque. All of us want nothing more than to expand on the excellence of the Albuquerque Fire Department, to better serve the residents of Albuquerque and to be good fire fighters. Chief Breen and every Deputy Chief in AFD were members in good standing in IAFF Local 244 prior to being appointed to their current positions. Actually, one Deputy Chief was an Executive Board member. The unions problem is not with the administration of the Albuquerque Fire Department. IAFF Local 244’s problem is with City Hall and even more specifically with Management Associates, Inc.
The public should also know that since the new administration has taken office, every single workers comp claim filed by an Albuquerque firefighter has been denied. One was denied to a firefighter after being approved by the former administration. Albuquerque is self insured which means the City of Albuquerque approves or denies it’s own workers comp claims. One of our brothers was burned in a house fire this past week. I wonder if the City of Albuquerque will deny his claim? Maybe not after this article! Is this one of the new Mayor’s ideas as to how to balance the budget, by denying the workers comp claims of firefighters? How are we supposed to react to this kind of outrageous situation? What am I supposed to tell my brother and sister firefighters when the physical injuries they sustain on the job are summarily denied after a new administration takes office? What would you think if you were in our shoes? How much would you trust your boss if he was on television saying he wanted to work with you while his people refused to meet with you or even answer your calls, if he contracted with the most well know anti union firm in the state, if he removed the leader of you organization and misled the public as to why he had done so, if he had denied your friend’s medical claims for injuries they received while serving their community? What would you do?
What I did was write this letter to ask for your help. Mayors come and go. The Albuquerque Fire Department has been here one hundred and ten years! The men and women of the Albuquerque Fire Department will respond to your emergencies no matter what the Mayor’s office and Management Associates, Inc. does to us. I ask you to call City Hall and to call your City Councilor to demand that the city use city employees to manage the city. City administration should work with the city’s unions not a legal team who profits from turning our unions against the Mayor. The damage already done with the advise of Management Associates, Inc. is grave. Continuing to do business with Management Associates, Inc. is not the way to handle labor relations within the City of Albuquerque.
I also ask the Journal to give IAFF Local 244 the opportunity present our side of things when it comes to the current and on going struggles between the Mayor’s Office and labor. By doing so the public will be far better informed.
----- Post Script -----
For the record, we don't agree with Albuquerque taxpayers paying for a full-time employee of the union and we never agreed with Mr. Arencon's uber-pay deal cut with Marty Chavez. No other union president receives similar treatment and the position isn't supposed to be full-time.
Be that as it may, yesterday a judge ruled in favor of both parties who subsequently declared their individual victories. Mayor Berry got the money and President Arencon got the time.
The president of Albuquerque's firefighter union isn't entitled to a higher salary because of his role as a union leader, according to a decision issued this week by state District Judge Theresa Baca.
Instead, the president, Diego Arencón, should be paid according to his regular rank as a firefighter first class. The ruling changes his salary from about $81,000 a year to roughly $49,000.
Baca's ruling also says the city must permit Arencón to devote his full 40-hour weekly schedule to union business, as called for in the firefighters' union contract.
On point lost in all of this is that the IAFF 244 president doesn't just represent firefighters in the city, but also those in the county. Yet the city is footing the bill for a full-time union president whose benefits are shared by the county.
39 comments:
I second the comment about using tax dollars to pay for the increased salary. If the firefighters feel an increased salary is justified then pay for yourselves.
This tax payer does not feel that she should pay a Union Boss' salary for 'union' business on City time and dime. He should be a Union Boss paid by the Union he represents or a Fire Fighter IN UNIFORM and posted at a fire station on my dime.
Berry seems to be doing quite a few of these "no-bid" contracts. No surprise. That's how he and his (minority business owner) wife got rich off the federal government.
The city needs to file suit against Lawrence Torres and Diego and make them pay back the money they stole from citizens. The pay upgrade was all illegal and the citizens deserve to get their money back.
Cry baby cry!! Now that the crook of a Mayor Chavez is gone the truth comes out. If you people had to get a real job in the private sector you wouldn't last a week. CRY CRY CRY!!!
The firefighter is a dangerous career. They should be paid.
Now that Mayor Berry, and Cambell have misled the public by and through the control of the media (TJ Wilhelm, and Chris Ramirez).
When is the City going to come out and be honest with the public, and admit that the pay had very little to do with their true intentions, and more to do with personell vendettas, grudges, and childish games by City Administration, and a few disgruntled, and anti-Union AFD Deputy Chiefs?
Diego, and the Union had offered the pay back BEFORE it was taken. So how can something be taken if it was offered up before a ruling was ever handed down by Judge Baca? And ooh by the way the City told Diego, and the Union Lawyer NO when the pay was offered to be given back by Diego, and The Union Lawyer Fred Mowher. That doesn't sound fiscally responsible on the part of the Mayor and the City legal team.
The Mayor, Cambell, and Management Solutions are trying to incite, and fuel anti-union sentiment amongst the public.
Hey Fire Chief Breen, and Mayor Berry! In light of all the recent pay to play, and political payback for campaign work, and volunteer help, exactly when do you plan to give retired Fire Commander Ted Nee his contract ($10,000-55,000) to come back and teach at the Fire Academy?
Did Nee, and Breen have discussions of this scheme prior to Breen being appointed to Fire Chief? Didn't Nee sit on Mayor Berrys transition team? Didn't Nee have imput on the selection of The Fire Chief? Doesn't Nee own his own company, and now is soon to be a contract employee with the City?
Here's another question from a fiscally responsible taxpayer. Did Nee volunteer/work on Berrys campaign?
I think The Taxpayer deserves to see any and all of Fire Chief Breens city cell phone records, and emails (Freedom of Information Act). The truth of this pay to play scheme more than likely is contained within these documents.
They should tell the Taxpayer how early on in the "process" they (Breen, and Nee) concocted this political payback, and pay to play, and the soon to come "Professional Development teaching contract" at the expense of Taxpayer dollars was in play.
I want to know the answers to these questions. Now that Diego, and his pay is settled let's dig a little deeper, and see where else the "fraud upon the taxpayer" is happening within AFD.
Matt, you couldn't be more wrong Breen and his Deputies couldn't be more anti-union. This did not come from City Hall only. Breen would love to get the union under his control and if you think otherwise, your fooling yourself. Matt, I hope you were being naive when you stated that the fire administration and union want to work together. It would be a shame if you are trying to deceive the firefighters about the contempt that the Chief and his deputies feel toward the union. I choose to think you were being naive. This is going to be a battle, that's for sure, so don't confuse us.
A SCHWAN'S FOOD DELIVERY JOB IS THE ONLY JOB THAT ANY OF THESE PEOPLE COULD GET IF THEY DIDN'T RUN FOR SOME POLITICAL OFFICE OR GET APPOINTED A POSITION.
lOOKMAT THE PHONYS THAT ARE RUNNING THIS CITY.
MARTY MAY HAVE BEEN AN A-HOLE, BUT HE KNEW HOW TO RUN THE CITY.
(And he took care of those who helped him)
I truly don't understand why government employees need unions. They are already paid plenty more than private employees, have more days off, have more benefits & retirement, have an almost guaranteed employment that takes at least a felony to be fired for.
There are no children being forced to work, no horrible working conditions, the pay - see above, the firefighters I've known have lots of do-nothing time.
Unions encourage entitlement attitudes, that's all.
Vicki, not sure where you got you information from but you're wrong. Now get back under the desk where you came from!
I'd like to see any of you slugs work for Fed-ex, UPS, construction, etc. You'd actually have to work! I don't mind you getting good benefits, pay and all of that. But stop complaining. I don't see the whining public employees leaving for greener pastures, because there aren't any. Private employees may make more, but it's because they bust their hump to make it!
I heard Mayor Berry didn't pick Breen because he was an "Expert in the Fire Service". I heard it was because Breen was the "Cheapest".
Typical of a Republican from the construction industry. He didn't pick the "most" qualified he picked the "cheapest".
Way to cut the other 16 candidates off at the ankles Breen. Did you let anyone else know you were gonna ask/agree to take the job at a discount rate or did your "buddy" on the transition team suggest that to you?
Vicky is right on the money. Watch Stossel sometime and quit drinking the union Kool aid
Vicki - That's why they have those benefits. When things were more about the whole than ones self union officials actually fought for the workers. In private industry, that is not the case. I've been on both sides and I am in a professional position. Go Unions!!!
P.S. my Dad was a firefighter - and yes he had some do nothing time, but when he was engaged he was saving lives and property, so give the firefighters a break and the honorable cops. It's their leadership that should GO!!!
To Vickie: You are truly misinformed. First of all city employees (rank & file) are not paid more than private sector workers. I have been with the city for 10 years and still am not making what I did when I left my private sector job, I'm close, but not there yet. And yes, we do have excellent retirement, paid vacation & sick days. But we earn that time. Nothing is a given and we can be denied the use of vacation at any given time if it is in conflict with scheduling, our co-workers' vacations, or the public's needs. There is no guarantee of continued employment with the city -- most of us have to be background checked periodically, even non-public safety positions. You only hear the media's version of "felons" getting to keep their jobs. That is sensationalized by the media and is not reality. You seem to watch so much TV, & you obviously believe everything you hear, that I think you're the one with lots of "do-nothing time".
As far as our Unions go, they do not make us entitled, but since city employees are covered under a bargaining unit, the Union is obligated step in for us when we are being treated illegally, unfairly, or if the city is in violation of the bargaining contract. And BTW we pay Union Dues for this service, it is not free.
You need to get your facts straight, Vicki before you go shooting off your mouth about things you know nothing about.
Vicki, I think you need to stop and think about what you just stated. Yes, federal, state and local government jobs do often pay more than private sector jobs-and yes they are more secure than most. But ask yourself WHY? It is BECAUSE they are union jobs that they have less danger, and adequate compenstion (pay, sick leave etc.). If we would all just sit back and trust government administrations to "do what is right" without union representation we would ALL be working dangerous jobs for $6/hr and when we would get injured and didn't report to work: they would just FIRE us and get someone else to do it. Unions are not EVIL...they are FAIR. The mayor's CAO's Fire and Police Chief's pays arent negotiated....HMM but when the rank and file gets (negotiated) reasonable raises and increased safety in working conditions WE ARE GREEDY?? They all forgot where they came from and how they expected to be treated -that in order to make city business as defendable and honest as possible IT SHOULD BE DONE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE .... NOT WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF CONTRACTS. ALL unions realize the tough times were are in and want to help. We can only help if we are allowed to be heard and compromise. Most of the public doesn't realize how much Public Safety has compromised akready because when YOU call 911 a fire truck or police unit shows up just a fast. So when we take a stand you automatically call us overpaid and underworked. Sign up for a ride a long with APD and AFD..THEN tell us what you think.
I'm gonna vote for Sarah Palin and the revolution! Why, because republicans and democrats are going to drive this country into the ground and I would rather it happen sooner with her in office than have to pay taxes for these guys to haggle for more tax payer money.
Amazing, paid enough. You must be blonde. How much are they worth when you need them. Maybe they should wotk on commission like the private sector. I fight 10 fires this month and was paid enough so I'll just skip the one at your house. No horrible working conditions? Try prying bodies out of a car just creamed by a plastered private employee on his way home from happy hour.
As a retired employee of the city (25 years), I know that Vicki is right. City employees have it made. Get to work late long lunches no bottom line to worry about (just raise more taxes.) Supervisors want to be liked so they don't make anyone work! Most of my co-workers did little work but were proficient at complaining. It seemed that they spent more time trying to get out of work than just doing their job!!
"There are no children being forced to work, no horrible working conditions, the pay - see above, the firefighters I've known have lots of do-nothing time"
Of course there used to be horrible working conditions, terrible pay, and child labor. This of course went away because of labor movements.
Here's my proposal, you get rid of the entities known as "corporations" and we'll get rid of labor unions. Until then, deal with it.
We the taxpayers should have been told about this before having to read it here or hear it on the news. Double the pay give me a break. You must think everyoen is stupid. It's nice to see the city take a stand for what is right. How many other undrhanded deals do we still don't know about. The council should back it a crime to do this. We are waiting for some leadership out of the council.
Firefighters do get paid pretty shitty. $16/hour I think it is currently. But they get 8 mandatory OT Hours each week, right? And they DO get paid to sleep, eat, workout, hang out all day and then finally they get to go.... take a drunk to the hospital or bandage someone's booboo.
Their job is boring and mostly easy petty shit. But when I am hurt I am glad they will be there to help, so yeah why not a raise. Make it $18, because there's no real danger in their job until a house is burning with a kid trapped inside still.
what ever happened in Vegas is not going to stay in Vegas.
Count on it !!!!!!!!
For everyone who thinks being a public employee and especially a firefighter is so easy, AFD hires every year. Come on down and join us. My self and fellow brother and sister firefighters have come though our academy at over 30 and over 40 years of age! If it is such a cake walk, come on! If our pay is so amazing, try out! Oh, its hard to get hired by AFD, you say? We know, many of us took years and years to get hired. Some AFD firefighters tried out 8 and 9 times while holding down their prior jobs. If us lazy firefighters can do, surely you locked on private industry employees will have no problem. Can you live on $8 bucks an hour for a year and a half while you are not a permanent employee? Can you run 10 miles and preform the back breaking work we do in one of the tuffest fire academies in the nation? I was a private business man with 160 employes in 3 states prior to joining AFD. And, I know for a fact I made more money than those who made the comments on this site bashing firefighters have ever dreamt about. I know myself and many men and women who would destroy the fools who are so ignorant on this site in sports, physical fitness, business and any work environment. For those who don't know and never will, we choose to serve our community for much more than our pay. And, our pay is good because we have the balls to fight city hall and demand the wages those of you who who are jealous envy. So, once again if you are so talented, organize where you work. Stop running your mouth and go get what you envy us for. You say that its hard too start a union. I know. I founded IAFF Local 4297 while I was a Los Lunas firefighter. It was hard, people got fired, the benefits to my children were removed, we had to sue and fight. But today, those men and women who are firefighters in Los Lunas make over $30,000 a year, more than double what it was 6 short years ago before they were unionized. I want to say, very clearly, that I respect every man and woman who works for a living no matter what their job is. I also respect and know what it takes to start a business from nothing devote your entire life to it and become a millionaire, because I have do so! We the firefighters the Albuquerque Fire Department just want the public to know the truth and the Mayor's office is not telling it to you.
PS- Don't be afraid to put your name on what you write.
Matt Blanchfield
AFD Firefighter
IAFF Local 244 Steward
I have nothing, nothing against firefighters, I have nothing against police officers or any other safety department. They should be paid more than some of less dangerous city/state positions. I have never worked in a government job (by choice) so have never needed union representation. (Go figure).
My question is/was why are unions necessary? This is our government, we elect these leaders (not the staff.) One of the anonymous posters clearly pointed out that the system is so corrupt that outside sources are necessary to represent the governments own employees against itself. Thank you for that clear, yet sad, clarification.
I do not retract my statement on government bloat & entitlements, look at our pay for play governor & legislature and apparently city officials. If we were ever given such a choice, most if not all citizens would vote to increase AFD & APD wages, not line the fat cat administrator's pockets.
ONCE AGAIN the Albuquerque Journal prints whatever it want in order to make a story and NOT just to report it! The Journal is such a rag I do not believe anything I read in it, pro firefighter, antifirefighter, the Journal will print what it want to MAKE a story. Does anyone believe it any more??????
So dangerous being a firefighter, fix computers, drive around the city to pick up dirty gloves, two officers for three carpenters. Set up a ladder for a dumpster fire! wow, as soon as I am related to some one I will be a ZERO TOO!
To the person who wants Sarah Palin as president OMG!!!! How dumb are you? "Hopey changey" wow that took some real intelligence. You and the "Tea Party" need to find a new country.
You can get hired by AFD if you have a relative working their. If not, it is hard to get hired. Plain and simple!
Yeah I do want to be paid! Can you deal with a child asking if Mommy is going to be Ok? What about a mom asking if her Child is going to be Ok when all you see is a mangled mess that used to be a child? Now try and go home to your own child with some ounce of sanity. Everyone wants to complain about police and firefighters when they have no idea at what a firefighter and police officer deal with. Yeah I chose to be a firefighter and knew it would be hard, but tell me could you look your spouse/child in the eye and tell them you might not be home tomorrow, all for $18 an hour? Stop complaining about your public service and be thankfull for them all of the time like you are when it is your emergency!
Jason Valles
Vicki,
Are you serious, while I appreciate the support you appear to give to your local police and firefighters. If it were not for the unions we would get screwed and the fat cats would have thier pockets lined more than what they are. Chiefs are appointed by the mayor and serve at his pleasure. So no matter how good his intentions are he is looking at keeping his jobs. Unions ensure that we are treated equally and fairly.
Whoever wants the Tea Party folks to leave should be hung. People are free to believe whatever they want here, that's the beauty of America. Though NObama wants you to only think his way. The Tea Party group, like the Green Party and everyone else, want what they think is best for their country. Plain and simple. Those trying to expel dissidents of any banner are no better than the Third Reich or the Bolsheviks. The only people who need to leave are the uneducated Hollywood crowd who swore to do so if Bush was re-elected. I was raised to be a man of my word, so those people should head elsewhere and see how great the rest of the world is.
It is amazing to see all the negative feedback about our public servant (police and fire). If you think the job is so easy try out it is open to all the public to try out people try out 8 or 9 times because yes we do have great schedules and retirements, and yes we do have down time, but its amazing how little you think about it at 3am in the morning when we are called to save someones life or pull someone out of a car that was crushed. I wonder if any of you complainers have ever had to tell someone their loved one is dead and you did all you could do and they didnt make it. Most of us got into this profession to help peolple in need most people only work 40 hour weeks and get overtime for time over that. AFD works an average of 56 hours a week and do not receive time and a half for over fourty nor do we recieve overtime pay for it. Instead of complaining about how easy we have it sign up and try out if its so easy to get up at all hours of the night and have to be able to function or people die fill out the application. When my crew shows up and saves your family members life all that down time we supposedly have is null and void. AFD hires usually once a year go apply.
Last comment.. very well said. Seriously, I am sick of any negative comments about police and fire, hell, even corrections for that matter. These are hard jobs to earn and even harder do do 20-25 years in. I can remember at one point far back in the past when people loved and respected us.
Ok, all you haters.. you can suck it, cause I'll be retired at 44 years old and you'll still be livin with mommy. Don't hate just cause some of us had a little motivation and didn't want to work for 7 bucks and hour for 20 years like most of you.
Ok, all you haters...
No offense , but you will probably be one of those retirees begging to be rehired. Sorry, but 30k isn't a lot to live on. Believe me, you will still be working til around 60-65 at APD or somewhere. Now, Darren and Ray will be able to retire and live on what they make. Unfortunately, they should both be fired. From what I read on hear you cops are all jealous of each other. Seems like when one of you does fight back they are attacked by the rest of you. I believe the majority of cops are good and there for the right reason, but there are a bunch that are punks and corrupt. Sorry, but that's the truth.
Ok, all you haters...
I went to college and make a whole lot more than 7 and have massively saved for my retirement, so don't be to cocky about retiring young. Trust me you'll be looking for a supplement to that PERA retirement. My guess is that is why there is all the double dipping. Not to burst your bubble, but more construction workers die in the line of duty than police officers and where would the world be without them? We are all important.
i agree that firefighters are a bunch of crybabies. u guys had it made when Marty was in office now that they are taking all ur money and trying to distribute equally instead of giving it all to u. My garbage man has a truck that leaks oil up and down my street with no AC what makes u any better than them? Sure there are bad seeds whom destroy the city image but i would rather have a bad seed than a thief and u Arencon know who u are.By the way i'm all for unions think everyone should be unionized the thiefs are the rich the private sectors underpaying employees. Unions take back all u deserve what u can get from those thieves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post a Comment