Transcript to view cover letter and information regarding dues increase.

Dues Increase…Why?
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The Oakland Fire Department has twenty-four engine companies staffed with four fire suppression personnel. We have
seven trucks, three of which are staffed with five personnel and four staffed with four personnel. We have three battalion
chiefs on duty running three battalions consisting of twenty-five fire stations. We have ARFF rigs fully staffed and protecting
the airport. We have an arson investigator on duty every day of the year around the clock. We don’t have these numbers
because city administration believes that this is what we need. We have these numbers because of hard-fought negotiations
that have enabled all of us to remain safe and effective in our emergency responses. More stations open means less Code 3
travel and more personnel on scene quicker to mitigate emergencies. This is not only good for the citizens of Oakland, it
also benefits us as firefighters. Our current agreement with the city says that this will remain the case through July 1,
2017. After that date there is absolutely no guarantee that the city will keep these numbers the same. On the contrary, in
the past we have seen station brownouts, flexible deployments, and even closures in order for the city to cut funds to the
fire department.
The dues increase will enable us to do many things. It will enable us to keep pace with the monetary needs of the California
Professional Firefighters and the International Association of Firefighters. It will bring us closer to the funding levels of the
cities in our universe and California. But, most importantly it will greatly aid us in our battle to keep our stations open and
keep minimum staffing intact. We have filed a ballot initiative that lets the citizens decide the future of public safety in
Oakland. This initiative will require a lot hard work and a lot of money to be successful. This is an investment in the future
of public safety in Oakland and an investment in our safety as firefighters. The executive board strongly urges all members
to vote yes on the dues increase vote taking place at the end of January.
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Thank you,
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Jim Whitty
Secretary/Treasurer Local 55
Dues Increase Discussion
Annual Costs for affiliation memberships to
Local 55 – fiscal year 2012-13
California Professional Firefighters
$105,846.12
International Association of Firefighters
$119,423.64
Additional Costs to pay for political
activity in statewide elections
• 2011 - CPF received an additional $31,000 from
Local 55 to beat Meg Whitman.
• Local 55 absorbed this cost without a passthrough or an assessment to members.
• 2012 - CPF passed an additional assessment of
$90 to all its members to fight “Paycheck
Deception” legislation.
• Total cost to Local 55 was $72,630
• Again this was absorbed without a pass-through.
IAFF and CPF per capita increases
• In 2004 our monthly payment to IAFF was
$6,446
• We now pay $8,984 per month.
• In 2004 our monthly payment to CPF was
$5,868
• CPF now costs us $8,497 per month
Our Issues
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Maintaining minimum staffing past 2017
Maintaining our 52 work week
Maintaining benefits levels
Funding possible future arbitration issues
concerning pay and benefits
All of these issues cost money. The main fight is
to maintain minimum staffing levels past 2017
Fire and Emergency Medical
Protection Initiative
• November 2014 Oakland Ballot Initiative
• Maintenance of minimum number of engines
companies, minimum number of truck
companies, battalion chief coverage, arson
investigators and ARFF rigs
• Maintenance of minimum personnel to staff
those rigs.
• Neither a tax nor assessment! Requires no
extra money from taxpayers
Cost of ballot initiative
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Extra money to political advisor
Extra money to legal counsel
Extra money for media expenditures
Extra money for signature gathering
Estimated costs are $200,000
Dues Increase
• Our current union dues are the average of 1% of a
top step firefighter for all local 55 jurisdictions, i.e.
Alameda County and Oakland.
• This equals $86.97.
• We also currently pay $10/month for political action.
This reverts to $5/month when the political fund
reaches $150,000.
• Grand total for Oakland dues is $96.97 per month.
Dues Comparison
Berkeley Fire Local 1227
Dues:
PAC:
Legal:
Arbitration:
Total
$84.43
$15.00
$10.00
$10.00
$119.43
Dues Comparison
Fremont Firefighters Local 1689
Dues:
$143.42 per month
$25 is for their political action fund
Dues Comparison
San Jose Firefighters Local 230
Dues:
Includes:
1.466 of top step firefighter
$200.37/month
Political Fund
Arbitration Fund
Legal Fund
Negotiations Fund
Dues Comparison
San Francisco Firefighters Local 798
Dues:
1.15% of Top step Firefighter
$121.61/month
Dues Comparison
Vallejo Firefighters Local 1186
Dues:
$234.00/month*
*Includes political action.
Dues Comparison
Contra Costa Firefighters Local 1230
Dues:
Between 1.1 and 1.5% of Top
step firefighter.
Currently $123.90/month
Dues Comparison
Alameda City Firefighters Local 689
Dues:
1.25% of Top step firefighter
Currently $117.90/month
Bigger jurisdictions not in our universe
• Los Angeles County – 1.33% of top-step
firefighter
• San Diego City – 1.5% of top step firefighter
PLUS $86.67 per month for one year to defeat
mayoral candidate Mike Aguirre
• Long Beach – 1.25% of top step firefighter
PLUS automatic IAFF and CPF pass throughs
Dues Comparison
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Berkeley
Alameda City
San Francisco
San Jose
Fremont
Contra Costa
Vallejo
Current Local 55
$119.43
$117.90
$121.61
$200.37
$173.42
$123.90
$234.00
$96.97
Dues Comparison
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Berkeley
Alameda City
San Francisco
San Jose
Fremont
Contra Costa
Vallejo
Local 55 @ 1.25%
$119.43
$117.90
$121.61
$200.37
$173.42
$123.90
$234.00
$118.71