Bunker HIll Volunteer Fire Rescue Company

The Prince Georges County Professional Firefighters Association, Local 1619, has declared all volunteer fire departments in Prince Georges County as "Rival Organizations". Local 1619 is a local of the International Association of Firefighters that represent the career firefighters of Prince Georges County on "employment and work related issues". This action was taken for the sole and express purpose to try and harass and intimidate volunteer firefighters in this county who happen to work as firefighters in other jurisdictions to stop volunteering in Prince Georges County.

Until recently it has been mostly talk, but now the talk has turned into action. On January 14^th of this year, the President of Local 1619 sent a letter to the President of the District of Columbia Fire Department Local 36 charging the members of their local that volunteer in Prince Georges County with misconduct. Their goal is to either have these people stop volunteering in Prince Georges County or have them thrown out of the union.
There are major staffing issues to be addressed in the Fire & EMS Department in this county and for the Prince Georges County Professional Firefighters union to engage in tactics like this is incomprehensible. They are trying to drive dedicated volunteers away. Volunteers who not only do this job for a living, but also choose to do it voluntarily for their community fire stations on their own time. These volunteers along with every other volunteer in this county save the taxpayers of this county millions of dollars every year. For them to invoke these types of tactics to further their own petty, selfish and misguided interest is not only incomprehensible, but a threat to the safety and well being of the citizens of Prince Georges County and to those who visit us.

This issue has been taken to the elected officials and the leadership of the Fire & EMS Department and no one has taken an official stand on it.

I write this to express my outrage concerning this issue and hope that other citizens would be just as outraged as I am. If you are, I urge you to call and or write your county elected officials and the leadership of the Fire & EMS Department and express your concerns to them and demand they take a stand. I am sure that the dedicated volunteers that serve your community would appreciate your support. And by the way, yes I am a "VOLUNTEER".

To: Wayne Curry, County Executive
      Peter Shapiro, County Council Chairman
      Thomas Dernoga, County Council
      Thomas Hendershot, County Council
      Audrey Scott, County Council
      Marvin Wilson, County Council
      Ronald Russell, County Council
      Dorothy Bailey, County Council
      Isaac Gourdine, County Council
      M.H. Estepp, County Council
      Ronald Blackwell, County Fire Chief

I would like to express to you my outrage and disgust at what the Professional Firefighters of Prince Georges County, Local 1619, is attempting to do to the volunteer firefighters of this County. I am sure you are all aware of Resolution 43. This act has one purpose, to get rid of dedicated volunteer firefighters in Prince Georges County to try and force the County into hiring more career firefighters to bolster their membership with more dues paying members and turn the Prince Georges County Fire & EMS Department into an all career department.

What also disturbs me is the fact that these dedicated people, who freely volunteer their time and talents to the citizens of this county, are being harassed while doing so by Local 1619 (harassment in the workplace). Not only are they being harassed while volunteering, now they are being harassed at their places of employment.

The volunteers of this county save the taxpayers, last year over $19,000,000.00 in salary costs alone. Yes there are staffing problems in the Fire & EMS Department, but it is hard to operate a department when it is continuously under funded year after year. This is one of the reasons that the volunteers are so vital to this county. Considering the fiscal constraints of this county, I don’t think that the possible loss of over 150 volunteer firefighters would be in the best interest or safety of the citizens of Prince Georges County.

I also find it disturbing that not one elected official or anyone from the leadership of the Fire & EMS department, with the exception of the volunteer leadership, has come out and given an opinion either way on this issue. Nor have any of these individuals even expressed a concern over this issue. To me what is happening is like someone calling in a bomb threat, telling you exactly where the bomb is, and the people that are suppose to help decide to wait until the bomb explodes before they act.

I do not wish to alarm anyone, although you should be alarmed at the possible loss of over 150 volunteer firefighters. Although Resolution 43 does not affect me as it does the people that I call brothers and sisters who happen to work as firefighters in other jurisdictions, it affects me just the same. For I feel that when they get finished with this round of attacks, they will move on to the next group of volunteers they think they can get ride of. I find it deplorable, despicable and irresponsible that Local 1619 would do such a thing to try and further their own selfish and misguided agenda and put the welfare and safety of so many people in jeopardy.

At a time, particularly since September 11^th, when firefighters from not only the United States but from all over the world are coming together as one. When the President of the United States is calling for "All"-American citizens to give up to 4000 hours of volunteer service and he specifically stated volunteer fire departments in his State of the Union address. Here in Prince Georges County we have a group, Local 1619, who chooses to do just the opposite. They choose to try and get rid of volunteers. And what is ironic about this is that many of their members volunteer in other jurisdictions. If it is good enough where they live, why isn't it good enough here in Prince Georges County? The International Association of Firefighters has members that volunteer all across the country, why is it that it is only the Prince Georges County local that is trying to get ride of volunteers?

Over the years, knowing full well the manpower problems of this department, Local 1619 decided to concentrate their efforts on better financial rewards for their members instead of addressing the manpower issue. Now that they have one of the best pay and benefits packages in the nation, they are going to try and get ride of the volunteers to try and bully and force the county government into hiring more dues paying members for their organization no matter what the cost. It is easy not to worry about how much taxes would have to go up in order to replace the volunteers, the stations and the equipment that the volunteers own when you choose not to live in this county.

General Order 5-13 of the Prince Georges County Fire & EMS Department says its purpose is to establish a policy concerning "work place conduct", work place security and safety standards.
It's objective is to ensure the highest standard of "health and safety" for "all members" and the general public and to provide for the "efficient and effective operation" of the Fire Department.

The action of Local 1619 does not conform to any of these. It is not very healthy or safe for a volunteer to have to worry day after day about either losing benefits by getting thrown out of the union where they work for not quitting volunteering, or, losing benefits worked for volunteering by choosing not to quit volunteering.
It effects the efficient and effective operation when tensions are high between the career and volunteers over the actions of Local 1619.
In no way does the actions of Local 1619 conform to being courteous, fair, impartial or dignified in their relations with the volunteers, whom they call "rivals."

I would like to leave you with 2 paragraphs taken from a letter received by one of the volunteers under attack from their IAFF Local in Fairfax County Virginia. I think it pretty much sums up the intent of Resolution 43 and the threatening harassment these volunteers are being subjected to as eluded to earlier in this letter;
As a member of a labor organization such as ours, I am sure you understand the problem with perpetuating a system that directly and negatively affects the establishment of jobs. As an active member of a Volunteer Fire Department, you are part of such a problem. Continuing your membership as a volunteer firefighter severely detracts from the effort put forth by the affiliate Local in that jurisdiction to increase the number of jobs for firefighters.
The affiliates Local being of course Prince Georges County Local 1619.
I urge you to disaffiliate yourself from that organization as an active member within sixty (60) days if you desire to continue your association with the Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters Association and Paramedics.
The organization being the Prince Georges County Volunteers.

Although not a popular thing to do in an election year, I implore you, take a stand on this issue. Let the volunteers and other concerned citizens know where you stand on this issue. Let them know if their efforts are at least appreciated. You are the leaders, take the lead.

On February 20, National Volunteer Fire Council Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg sent a letter to the President of IAFF Local 1619 in Prince George's County, Maryland in response to actions the union is taking to prevent career firefighters in surrounding jurisdictions from volunteering in the County. Local 1619 is giving these firefighters an ultimatum to either stop volunteering, or give up their union membership.

On behalf of the nation’s nearly 800,000 volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue personnel, I write to you today to express my disappointment with IAFF Local 1619’s continuing efforts to prevent career firefighters in surrounding jurisdictions from volunteering at fire departments in their local communities in Prince George’s County.

I am specifically referring to the January 14, 2002 letter that IAFF Local 1619 sent to neighboring chapters that contained a list of their members who are in violation of the unfair union rule enacted last August. That rule, Resolution 43, prohibits career firefighters in other jurisdictions from serving as volunteers in Prince George's County.

The National Volunteer Fire Council views your union’s actions discouraging citizens from selflessly serving their community as an attack against the spirit of volunteerism that our country was built upon. These actions are also contrary to President Bush’s recent call for every American to commit to the service of their neighbors and their nation by volunteering in their local communities.

In addition, we fully agree with Raymond Sneed, President of the I.A.F.F. Local 36 in Washington, DC, when he said in a February 1 Gazette article that your union is mistakenly trying to improve personnel difficulties by moving against volunteers. In the article he said, “You cannot solve the staffing problem in Prince George's County by attacking the volunteers."

Once, again we would like to express our disappointment with the policy and the actions your local union has taken and urge you to reconsider.

Please help NVFC support you, the volunteer, click here membership.html for more information.

I would first like to say that I think the job you are doing running the country is outstanding. These are difficult times and you seem to have risen to the challenge of dealing with the attacks that we are facing in this country today.

Attacks come in many different ways and by many different people. My purpose of writing you has to deal with another kind of attack being perpetrated on a particular group of people. This attack is happening right outside your back door in Prince Georges County, Maryland.

The attack I refer to is an attack on citizens who volunteer their time to help their local fire stations and communities by a local of the International Association of Firefighters which represents the career firefighters of Prince Georges County, Local 1619, and the International Association of Firefighters. Because these volunteers happen to work as career firefighters in other jurisdictions, Local 1619 and the IAFF are trying to force them to stop volunteering on their own time or give up their union cards.

At a time when you yourself are advocating citizens to volunteer, "My call tonight is for every American to commit at least two years -- 4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime -- to the service of your neighbors and your nation."

And you specifically stated fire departments in your State of the Union address, "One purpose of the USA Freedom Corps will be homeland security. America needs retired doctors and nurses who can be mobilized in major emergencies; volunteers to help police and fire departments; transportation and utility workers well-trained in spotting danger."

While you are advocating for citizens to volunteer, we here in Prince Georges County have Local 1619 and the IAFF trying to penalize individuals for doing just that, VOLUNTEERING.

Prince Georges County has over 150 people who work as career firefighters in other jurisdictions who volunteer their time, experience and expertise to the citizens of this county as volunteer firefighters. Most of these people do so because this is where they live, grew up and love what they do. Some of these people have over 20 years of volunteer service to their communities and local fire stations. This is well above what you are asking.

Local 1619 have declared all volunteer fire stations in Prince Georges County as "Rival Organizations". This was done by a resolution passed at the 2000 convention of the International Association of Firefighters. The purpose of the resolution was to make it easier for Local 1619 to bring members of other locals of the IAFF up on charges if they volunteer in Prince Georges County. Not only do these volunteers get harassed by the members of Local 1619 while volunteering, but now they are being harassed at their places of employment.

Local 1619 have sent letters to each of the Locals that these volunteers are members of and are charging them with misconduct and violating the IAFF Constitution and By-laws. They are being forced to make a choice, either continue to volunteer and be thrown out of the union or quit volunteering and remain a member of the union.

If thrown out of the union these people stand to lose some benefits they rely on such as supplementary health and life insurance provided by their union dues.

Here in Prince Georges County we have a program called LOSAP, Length Of Service Awards Program. This program gives a volunteer who achieves 25 years of active service to the volunteer fire service a type of retirement payment once the individual reaches the age of 60. This would have to be given up if forced to quit volunteering.

As you can see either way they lose if forced to choose between volunteering or remaining a member of the union. It is my belief that Local 1619 is doing this in order to try a back door approach of trying to force the Prince Georges County government into hiring more dues paying members for their organization instead of addressing their manpower issues through the labor negotiating process used by any other labor organization.

It is a fact that as a labor organization Local 1619 does not like people who volunteer here in Prince Georges County. And if successful in their attack on members of other IAFF locals who volunteer here I believe they will come after people affiliated with other labor unions that are affiliated with the AFL-CIO and try to get rid of them. And what I find ironic about this situation is that many members of Local 1619 volunteer for the local fire stations where they live.

We have a unique system here in Prince Georges County, a career/volunteer system. During the day, 7AM through 5PM, Monday through Friday, the stations are staffed mostly by career firefighters while the volunteers are at work. But from 5PM to 7AM Monday through Friday and on the weekends and holidays, the stations are mostly manned, around 90% by volunteers. We have one station that is 100% volunteer. They have no career staff at any time and are operated solely by volunteers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and probably have the best manpower statistics in the county.

This issue has been taken to the local elected officials and the leadership of the Prince Georges County Fire & EMS Department. And with the possible loss of over 150 volunteer firefighters they have chosen to remain silent on the issue except to say that it is an issue with the local labor union and there is nothing they can do to get involved.

I have been volunteering for over 20 years, and although what Local 1619 is doing does not effect me as it does the volunteers they are forcing to make a decision on whether to volunteer or remain a union member it affects me just the same. For I am also a tax paying citizen of Prince Georges County and I am outraged at the tactics being used by Local 1619 to try and pursue their selfish and misguided agenda. Not only is it deplorable for an organization to act this way but to try and force over 150 people out of volunteering and putting the lives and safety of the citizens of the county and the people who visit us in jeopardy is reprehensible.

Volunteers account for roughly 80% of the fire service across the country, and although I do not know the exact numbers a large portion of the members from the IAFF volunteer at their local fire stations. If this act were to spread across the country, what effect would this have on the readiness of the fire, rescue and EMS services if and/or when the next terrorist attack occurs? From where I sit it doesn’t look good. You are correct in asking citizens to volunteer, but when they do they should not be penalized or discouraged from doing it.

I thank you for taking the time to hear what I have to say. I just thought you should know that while you are advocating volunteerism, there are organizations out here that are trying to discourage it. I would ask that you emphasize to all organizations, now is not the time to be thinking of just yourselves and what is best for you. Everyone should be willing to help their neighbors any way possible and volunteering is one of the best ways to do this.

I would like to express to you my disappointment at the path you have chosen to take your organization. I am disappointed that you have chosen the path of recklessness and divisiveness to try and further the goals of your organization. At a time when the President of the United States is calling on all Americans to volunteer their services to their communities, you, your local and the International Association of Fire Fighters have chosen to discourage and penalize people for doing it.

I am not naive enough to believe that everything between the career and volunteer personnel of this county would or could have been perfect. But I also believe that working together on the issues that affect both sides could have made this the best place to work for both career and volunteer.

After visiting with many friends who work in all career departments and after spending 8 years in an all career department it baffles me to try and understand why anyone from L-1619 would want to treat the volunteers in this manner. The volunteers that supply your members with all of the comforts of home while they are working. Members of all career departments have to pay for amenities out of their own pockets, if they have them at all. Amenities your members enjoy free of charge courtesy of the same volunteers you now call "Rivals".

Take a look around at the difference in the quality of apparatus used by career members of departments that have to rely on the local governments to supply apparatus and I think you would agree they are not as good as what the volunteers supply your members.

Why then do you find it necessary to attack the people who supply you all of these comforts and amenities?

I have been a volunteer in this county for over 20 years. I am a past President of the Mount Rainier Volunteer Fire Department and a current member of the Prince Georges County Fire Commission. I think I have a pretty good grasp of what goes on in the fire department and the county government, especially when it comes to funding. Do you really think they will hirer enough personnel to replace over 150 volunteers if your actions are successful? The actions you are taking will not only jeopardize the rest of the volunteers and the citizens of the county, but the members of your organization as well.

There is no doubt there is a manpower issue in PG County. I agree there needs to be more career personnel to make up for the lack of volunteers in some areas. But to attack us and try to force us out instead of trying to work with us is mystifying to me.

I agree with a lot of the other issues L-1619 has with the volunteers, but never have I seen L-1619 approach either the volunteer Association or the Fire Commission to try and work out the problems. The usual tactic is to attack the volunteers. And let me tell you now that all of the issues you have with volunteers, you have most of the same issues with your own people.

You yourself and many of your members were once volunteers in this county, what has changed since then?

If you were to put an end to this unjust attack today I believe it would take some time to get over what you have done but I believe everyone would eventually put it behind them. And this I hope you will consider.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns and opinion on this issue. If you would ever like to discuss any issue please feel free to contact me.

Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20071

RE: Article in Monday's (February 25) Metro Section: "Local Firefighters Could Face Choice Between 2 Passions"

The International Association of Fire Fighters' (IAFF) policy that its members turn in their union cards if they continue to volunteer their services at fire departments in other jurisdictions is nothing but a membership drive that the IAFF is asking local taxpayers to fund. The vast majority of local governments depend on volunteer or combination paid/volunteer fire departments. Most volunteers derive a sense of fulfillment by performing such a crucial service, while local governments and their tax-paying residents benefit from affordable fire protection. By depriving local fire departments of their volunteers, the IAFF hopes to get more members as localities lose volunteers and are forced to hire paid firefighters. The cost to taxpayers could be staggering.

The IAFF's policy only gives the union a black eye. Despite the cynical comment by the head of Local 1619 in Prince George's County that they aren't against volunteerism, the local's campaign against volunteers comes during a period when America is renewing its commitment to volunteerism. Judging from the reaction of some of the union's own members, the policy doesn't even sit well with them.

We have a serious problem of epidemic proportions on our hands that is not unique to Local 1071 and is being addressed by the New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters. There are currently (8) IAFF Locals in Monroe County now besides ours and they are as follows;

Bamard	IAFF Local 4030
Brighton	IAFF Local 2223
Gates	IAFF Local 3792
Henrietta	IAFF Local 3738
Lake Shore	IAFF Local 3981
Monroe County Airport	IAFF Local 1613
North Greece	IAFF Local 3827
Ridge Road	IAFF Local 3794

By serving as a volunteer Firefighter you are in violation of the IAFF Constitution and By-laws, Article XV, Section 3. You could be subject to charges being brought against you from the IAFF affiliate which could seriously impact you and your family. If you have any questions contact an Executive Board member. Remember, we are a LABOR ORGANIZATION!

The Locals listed above will be engaged in ongoing negotiations with their respective Fire Commissions for the rest of their careers. When you give away your services or get paid, receive a pension, car or an other benefits to these towns, your are hurting your brothers and sisters at the bargaining table. As a Union Firefighter in the City of Rochester you are members of Local 1071 and as a member you enjoy one of the best, if not the best, collective bargaining agreements in the entire State of New York. The City of Rochester hasn't endowed us with pay and benefits. Local 1071 negotiates for it for our members each and every time.

If you don't understand this simple fact and all of the negative implications it has against your brother and sister firefighters then you should consider your own economic well being.

Fire fighting is a dirty and dangerous business and not just an extension of an Explorer Scout Merit Badge program. We want you and your families to fully understand what will happen if you are seriously injured as a volunteer and have less than 10 years in the N.Y.S. Police and Fire Pension System. You must have at least that amount of time to receive an ordinary disability pension from the System that employs you. Can you and your family survive on the compensation you will receive from the Volunteer Fire Commission you are serving? An ordinary N.Y.S. disability pension is 33% of your pay. If you have less than 10 years it is zero, nada. Do you understand what 0 means to your family's well being? This is bad news for all of you volunteers no matter what fire district you are volunteering in. We fully understand that many of you were born and raised in these suburbs and that has been acceptable. However, things change and now there are IAFF Locals where they have never existed before.

For those of you who are volunteering in districts with IAFF Locals, you must realize that the career firefighters that are employed there have organized into a Local within the IAFF and are trying to secure some of the advantages in life that you have come to enjoy! It is a noble thing by volunteering your training and time and you are serving your community in which you are residing in.

In reality, you are actually inhibiting your local department to grow as it should to meet the demands of the citizens. You enjoy excellent pay and benefits while your actions, outside of your employment are negatively impacting the growth and prosperity of your career brothers and sisters. These affluent suburbs with growing populations must and will come to grips with the reality that their citizens need full time career firefighters. You should be working to help them understand that as they work through their growing pains and not scabbing them at the bargaining table.