By Jane Roh, CourerPostOnline.com:
For more than three decades, Michael Schaffer has willingly run into burning buildings.
He’s performed CPR on children. He’s freed people trapped in crashed vehicles. He’s even rescued cats and dogs.
Last June, the union Schaffer has belonged to for 21 years brought him up on charges for volunteering with the fire department where he resides.
The International Association of Fire Fighters forbids members from volunteering for departments that already employ some IAFF firefighters or are viewed as targets by the IAFF for expansion.
Photo of Michael Schaffer by John Ziomek, Courier-Post.
Schaffer’s hometown firehouse is all-volunteer and employs no union workers directly. But through mutual aid agreements, the firehouse — in the West Berlin section of Berlin Township — makes runs in neighboring towns that employ some IAFF firefighters.
Rather than risk expulsion by his “brothers” for doing something that he loves and that runs in the family, Schaffer resigned last month from his union, Cherry Hill Firefighters Local 2663.
Now, in a department of more than 100 paid firefighters, he is the only career firefighter who is not a member of the IAFF.
But he may not be the only one for long: The union warns it’s bringing other members up on the same charges.
Schaffer said he was a proud union man for more than two decades and he’d love to be a union man again, but he’s puzzled by the IAFF rule that led to his situation.
Violating the rule
Schaffer takes some responsibility for the events that led to his resignation from Local 2663.
“The IAFF bylaws state that career firemen are not allowed to do any kind of duty in another IAFF town. I knew that. It’s my fault,” Schaffer said.
But Schaffer said he wasn’t the only Cherry Hill firefighter violating the rule, which until last summer had not been enforced.
It’s common practice for firefighters who don’t live where they work to volunteer with the station that serves their neighborhood, firefighters say.
For instance, Berlin Township’s lone fire company comprises 50 volunteers, quite a few of whom are career firefighters in bigger towns.
But leaders of Cherry Hill’s two IAFF locals, 2633 and 3198, began issuing warnings last year that a crackdown was under way.
“As union president I’ve sworn to protect and uphold the bylaws,” said Cherry Hill Local 2663 President Joe Gerace in a five-minute interview he said he had to cut short. “If you don’t follow the rules, then you don’t join the union, or you withdraw your membership.”
Schaffer had gone on runs within West Berlin, which was not a violation since it’s all-volunteer. But he’s also gone on runs with West Berlin into nearby Winslow. The IAFF local there not only had no desire to enforce the volunteering rule — it told Cherry Hill’s local that it needed the extra help.
In a letter to Gerace last November, Victor Farinelli, shop steward for Winslow’s IAFF members, wrote: “During the hours that we work, we get little to no assistance from our volunteer stations. We cover 58 square miles with one crew, and for the safety of our members, we need all the help we can get. We really appreciate the professional fighters having our back some days.”
Winslow’s department has 15 career firefighters who belong to the union, and 80 active volunteers.
“While we agree with your thoughts on this subject, please understand that in no way are your members stopping us from hiring more firefighters. We have just hired our 15th firefighter and another is in this year’s budget,” Farinelli continued. “We are new to this, and don’t want to create issues with other locals but instead want to create good working relationships. As we grow, we will be looking for advice and guidance. Please, if you have any question with this matter or any others in the future, feel free to reach out to us directly.”
Farinelli said he never heard back from Gerace.
Gerace would not directly respond to questions about why he chose to enforce the rule when other fire departments do not. He did not respond to follow-up calls asking why he never replied to Farinelli and why he was enforcing a rule when its purpose — eliminating IAFF competition — did not seem to exist.
“I don’t write the rules, I just follow the rules,” Gerace said in the shortened interview. “There are others out there and they’re all coming up on charges. Michael was just the first one.”
Cherry Hill Fire Chief Robert Giorgio said the matter was a labor dispute and did not involve his fire district. He did not return additional requests for comment.
Money vs. help
Union members acknowledge that volunteer firefighters are a touchy subject. The point of the union rule is to eliminate obstacles to IAFF expansion, but towns such as Winslow and Berlin Township insist they cannot afford the salaries, pensions and benefits demanded by mostly career departments such as Cherry Hill’s. Nor, they point out, would residents and taxpayers stand for the additional expense.
“Especially with the economic times, if we went to a paid department, it would kill our town with taxes. People would have to move out,” said West Berlin Fire Chief Joe Jackson.
Jackson, who is also Berlin Township’s police chief, said he backs Schaffer in this dispute.
“The IAFF’s official version is that they do not want their members working for entities they view as competition,” said David Finger, spokesman for the Washington-based National Volunteer Fire Council. “If there were no volunteer firefighters and no private ambulance services employing their members on a part-time basis, then those communities would have to look for full-time firefighters to cross-train their personnel and provide more emergency services.
“I don’t know if they would acknowledge that as a motivation,” Finger said. “They would say it’s a health and safety issue.”
Most communities in the United States are protected by volunteer firefighters, whom Finger says save taxpayers $40 billion every year. All cities and most large towns like Cherry Hill, however, depend on an almost entirely paid service.
The national IAFF declined to comment on the matter.
Standing strong
Schaffer must still pay $35 out of every pay period to the union because of contract obligations, though he receives none of the union benefits. He said he harbors no ill will toward the IAFF, but hopes union leaders rethink their approach to enforcing the rule.
“I don’t work for the union. I work for the fire department. This in no way is going to affect my job at all,” Shaffer said. “I don’t feel any repercussions so far. I stood by what I thought was right.”
His backers have some pointed words for his predicament, however.
“He loves doing his job and he does it 24 hours a day,” Jackson said. “In lieu of going through the process of being brought up on charges, he decided to take a stand. He believes the union should not tell him what to do when he’s off duty.”
His father, Michael Schaffer Sr., started as a volunteer firefighter at age 16 in 1963. He retired from the Cherry Hill Fire Department in 1992.
“Guys for the longest time could be a career firefighter in Cherry Hill and volunteer for their own communities to give a little back,” recalled the elder Schaffer, who praised the township’s fire department and Giorgio’s leadership.
“The union took it too many steps too far,” he said. “Not one firefighter responding to an emergency alters the hiring procedure for that municipality.”
Also on STATter911 …
- Lancaster mayor threatens suit over claim of ‘two-hatter’ harassment. Says IAFF is disrupting mutual-aid. Union denies charge & believes city is violating ruling. Both city trucks broken. – December 8, 2010
- Termination letter for career firefighter is signed by 13 of his colleagues. – January 21, 2012
- Lancaster fire union official’s testimony: Volunteers are unreliable & you can’t count on them to protect your life. – March 13, 2012
- Union Fire Company in Bensalem, PA suspended. Township blames leadership. News reports cite April water supply issue & other problems. – June 13, 2011
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Resolution 43
I have nothing but praise for him. Sometimes in life you have to take a stand for what you believe in. I to was a proud Union member until the local I worked for, IAFF2057, Orlando, FL, built a new Union Hall using non-Union contractors. Their reasoning, “we cannot afford to use Union contractors, they are too expensive”. That was it for me. I resigned and was forever shunned for taking a stand. And by the way, I contacted the International and just like in this case they had “no comment”.
3, 2, 1… liftoff
Here we go…..
This is why unions up North seem ridiculous to the public! Mr.Rules you sound like a great big control freak, do people take you seriously or do you just love your position of “power”?
Jackasses in the union dont realize what Career FF’s bring to combination or volunteer stations is their constant experience and training which helps raise the caliber of the non-career stations. Damn… dont we all bleed red, cry the same tears, and have the same flag on our coffins for fighting the same fires that we are putting out because John Q Public called 911 wanting help?????? Ego’s and Attitudes…thats all it is… Death dont care if you are paid or volunteer your time… and its about time that some folks figure this out……
Nice one-sided article. There is more to the union’s mission than promoting expansion. The union’s job is protect the welfare of its members and to represent them in the quest for fair wages, benefits, and job security. How can they argue on behalf of maintaining a member’s pay, benefits, and position when the same member is willingly doing the same job for free somewhere else? Remember the career guys in TX who were killed while working as volunteers in a neighboring community, and were denied their career benefits? The union is trying to avoid that situation and protect the member and his family, not to mention saving themselves the headaches of such a situation.
I did the same thing many years ago after being harassed by our union president. I was working part-time in another city staffing an extra ambulance once or twice a week. After receiving call after call from him to make a decision I finally told him my family comes and he could remove me from the union. Then the harrassing phone calls started about me still having union license plates. I told him I was supporting the union with the plate fee and he told me he was going to turn me into DMV if I didn’t change them. I’m a proud scab along with many others in my department, I receive the same benefits the union fights for but I don’t get to go to the union banquet and I don’t get free legal representation which is a joke at best anyway. I once sat on a grievance panel as a union member and had our union lawyer actually start to grill me about what I witnessed. I looked at our county attorney and told him to get him in check before I do. IAFF does wonderful things don’t get me wrong but the politics they support along with dumb rules makes me glad I’m not a member.
A unoin may be out there to protect the members but let us not forget why we are brothers in the first frigin place. We are there cause we want to protect the people. The union should abolish the stupid rule and allow paid FFs to help their volunteer brothers. The key word here is brothers. We all do the same thing and just because one side gets paid they are suppossed to be better. This would be true if in the middle of the night they came into comunities that don’t have the money for paid depts and responded to all the calls there. But they cant possable do that.. The volunteers cover way to vast an area of the USA. The union leaders need to set a president for the country and bring us all together. Little boys and girls grow up wanting to be us. Its one of the prodest professions you caan do in this country. Do you think the public will look at it the same when they know a paid member lives in thier comunity but wont offer to help..
Since Cherry Hill is one of the best paid departments in the country with health care to match, I would hope that Michael Schaffer gives back any pay increases or health care benefits that he received as a member of the collective bargaining unit. When you signed on with this department you knew they were union and that there was rules and now you don’t like the rules so you take your ball and go home after benefitting from being a union member. Quit Cherry Hill, give the job to someone who will follow the rules, and go and support your family on the volunteer salary if you love it so much.
I believe the reason most of us joined the fire service was to aid our neighbors, friends and the everyday public we don’t know in their time of emergency crisis. When someone calls the FD, they could care less whether you’re getting a paycheck or not. PLEASE, let’s not forget why we CHOSE to become firefighters and what our duties and responsibilities are to the public. I belong both to a union and a volunteer fire company. Their is both professionalism and unprofessionalism on both sides. If you are doing it for the right reasons(which I admit,some are not), it shouldn’t matter. Resolution 43 doesn’t take in to account the many jurisdictions in the country who can’t afford full time departments without placing a great burden on their taxpayers. Just the same, the volunteer fire companies should be held to higher standards in regards to training, professionalism, and accountability of their departments.
When a MAYDAY is transmitted and one of the brothers pulls you out, is it really going to matter whether they are a union member or a volunteer??
Mike, sorry your going through all this. Glad to see your still doing what you do best. Stay with it, brother!
To the rest of my brothers in South Jersey(some of whom we trained as volunteers together way back when), glad to see you’re still doing the job and remembering your purpose.
Jerell Thomas
IAFF Local 1563
Seat Pleasant Volunteer Fire Co
WOW Tom u r a real idiot!! Here is a man with back bone enough to do what he wants to do and enjoy it and u have to bring yor little panties in a knot to the table and cry. Sorry but the Volunteers run that place. Go home and man up!!
“Man” YOU are a real idiot!! Tom is a man with back bone enough to do what he wants to do and enjoy it and you bring your little panties in a knot to the table and cry.
“Man” – hey look it works both ways! Just because people side with the union doesn’t make them wrong.
This is truely sad. As hard as it is to get volunteer fire fighters, you would think he would be commended not punished!!!!
When I think of all the career people that I have known that have ‘scabbed’ in someone else’s trade in their off time,or had their own business that didn’t have union workers, it shows what a joke some of this stuff is. Add to that supporting a Marxist for President and the IAFF gets 0 support from me.
This is internal business and is of no concern to the media. They are an organization that has rules, if you don’t like the rules quit. Plain and simple, people want the benefits that the union brings but it comes with a price. Don’t belong to the union and fight your own fight, settle your own contract, protect your own job.
Joe Gerace has just proven that the IAFF and Cherry Hill Fire Department for that matter in Camden County NJ (just wanted to make that clear)has no brotherhood. Good luck with your intentions Joe, whatever they might be.
Tom not IAFF, you are a joke. New Jersey is not a “Right to Work State” so I dont know how Mr. Schaffer is still employeed as a FF, not being a member of a union in a union shop. That being said, Union’s have their place, at work, not off duty. If a union backs a candidate for public office are you not allowed to vote for who you want to be elected? Yes. Why is that? Because I vote on MY time NOT theirs. Once again the IAFF forgets where most of their membership probably came from, VFD’s. Like most business’s, and yes they are a business, they are there to make money to support the heads of the business, I’m sure if you told the BOD of the IAFF they had to buy American made vehicles only, because they are union made they would go right out and trade the BMW’s Benz’s etc in on Chevy’s. Your respose has Union member all over it, I applaude Mr Schaffer for having the backbone to stand up for what he believes in.
Union Member, it is NOT internal business. THe second you cashed your TAXPAYER provided fatcat pay check, everything that you do while dealing with fire or union business is a PUBLIC concern and should be under the sunshine laws. YOUR mafia backed union (afl-cio) is taking protection away from a community that needs it because it cant afford to pay “protection money” to union thugs. Thats what the sometimes excessive union demands come down to…a protection racket. If I were the US Attorney General, Id start an investigation. This is nothing more than racketeering on the publics dime! I am a member of a union, but I dare them to tell me what I can or cant do on my own time.
Mainstreet Citizen if you feel so strong about what the union does then you should quit. We don’t need people like you.
Hey… Just a thought like that, as I’m very far from you guys and I think here in Canada (Quebec at least) things go different.
Instead of hitting on the volunteers, could’nt the IAFF try and get those guys on their side in some ways? Has there are many more volunteers then carreer, they sould try and see the opportunity there.
No?
IS every union firefighter who works a part-time job or “side job” a bonafide union member in that job? NO FER CRISSAKES!!!
ANd the union doesn’t choose to cahllenge that do they?? NNNOOOOOOO.
That exposes these unions for exactly what they are…VoLUNTEER HATERS.
Oh and yeh I’m a card carrying union member for 29 years.
Who cares? He’s not missing out on anything. Oh, I forgot, he might have to give up his cool license plate and scrape the sticker off of his car. What the hell has the union done for any of us lately? Oh, I forgot, they endorsed Osama.
This is not Resolution 43 you retards from PG and D.C. It is a standing by-law and not a Resolution.
When the IAFF starts enforcing the rules 100 % across the board, then I would be a little more understanding but they dont use union labor for THEIR projects, they also dont require that their members be members of the other unions like the plumbers union, electricians union etc. How many of those career guys have side businesses? LOTS. Just look at the parking lots at the paid fire stations. First thing you will notice is that there are no “beaters” parked there. The job pays very well in most places. Second thing you will notice is a lot of work trucks that belong to the firefighters who work there. They cut out a lot of jobs for the members of the other unions but starting their own non-union business and under-bidding their union “brothers”. Either you are union or you are not. WHAT if the AFL-CIO demanded that all of you union member firefighters who had side jobs and businesses, stop working these other positions because its costing those union members work? ITS EXACTLY the same thing the IAFF is demanding here. You want YOUR members to toe the line as long as it lines the IAFFs pockets and damn the OTHER members of the AFL CIO! Its all about the money and nothing else. Public service dosnt matter, community protection dont matter, your IMAGE dosent matter, its all about the money….thats all they care about.
How about this? Lets abolish all volunteer firefighters across the country….all of them…thats what the IAFF has stated they want…and then raise the taxes to astronomical levels to pay your union enflated wages…..and see if you have the backing of your true employees, the American taxpayers. In my present position, Im represented by the AFL CIO…but Ive got a non-union worker whos screwing me out of hours…..and the union does nothing. Why am I paying $45 a month to the union? Beats the hell out of me. Its extortion as far as Im concerned. Its a union shop so I got to pay to play. The union has never done one damn thing for me, except take my money and laugh when I needed them. Screw them and all the commie backed, mafia protected union leaders. Lets go back to getting paid for what you are worth, not what a lawyer can extort from the negotiators.
We are very very close to a taxpayer revolt in this country..and we will remember the ones that helped derail the train. I would anticipate an anti-union stance when the time comes…and maybe even laws barring all public employees from being union members. You take public paychecks, you should have to answer to the taxpayers, not to a union president who is completely out of touch with reality, sitting in his plush union provided offices in Vegas.
union supporter you have it wrong. You should call yourself jock supporter. u 2 need to grow up and let the real people fight the fires. wah! wah!
Look at the iaff and building trades union.There is a big differents.The building trade union has there B.A./B.M. come out to jobs all the time to make sure everybody is safe and doing there job on the clock.They also know they do side jobs just for extra money.I.A.F.F how long did they know? Why do they care after hours? They got there money and already spent on junk.The story is the I.A.F.F needs to see how the building trades do it.Thats a union iaff is just a name with a sticker that goes with it.
So what exactly does it mean when they say he is being brought up on charges? Does this union have some legal right to fine him or something?
Some unions are their own worst enemy, especially with bs rules like this one.
Some of you commend Mike for standing up for what he thinks is right. Well I commend the Union for standing up for what they think is right. What most posters on here fail to realize is that there are two sides to every disagreement. It’s nice to see though that Mike, when he feels betrayed, goes staright to the media. Poor poor Mike. I do commend him for making a choice though. He must either follow the rules of his union or face the consequences, in this case, quitting rather than go through the union disciplinary process. What’s next for Mike? He’s probably close to retirement, so then he can dedicate ALL his time to his volly company and take out his grudges on IAFF career employees everywhere.
To Mainstreet Citizen: Do you have ANY clue what Unions do? You are showing your ignorance with your post. Fire Department union members ARE accountable for their actions and performance. THAT has nothing to do with being a member of a union, whose job it is to negotiate wages and benefits and, more importantly, to represent employee’s interests in departmental matters.
Why is it that volunteers and anti-union career fire fighters come out of the wood work when something like this happens. This is a union matter. These people are acting as though Mike is in legal trouble… Charges? Charges? What the heck, they can’t place charges on him! Get a grip people, this is a union matter – a private matter that Mike decided to make public. He is correct, he does not need to be part of the IAFF, but he can’t be both. It’s as simple as that. It is his choice. Volunteering doesn’t make him a bad person, it prevents him from being part of our union, which is a private organization. Volly’s have their clubs and we have ours. Think about it.
IAFF for ever you are clue less, i was not betrayed by any one it was my decision to quit the union, and i firmly stand behind that decision, whether people think its bad or good and i did not run to the news papers, they called me actually so get your information correct mr union firefighter. I hold no grudges to my former union never did never will. and yes i broke the union rules at times. My stance is this the IAFF or any UNION can not tell me what i can and can not do when i am off duty,and like u i dont get paid by the union i get paid by the fire deptartment i work for or the the fire commission. and yes i am close to my retirement, i will not bash other IAFF members or hold grudges, MR IAFF FOREVER you do not know me very well i know what BROTHERHOOD is you do not
Mike, I am a member of retired member of local 359 and volunteered at a local department, my hometown, and NEVER was told I had to give it up. They appreciated my experience and sharing it. I say B.S. to your union, they have no clue!! These people calling don’t know the difference when you pull up if you get a paycheck or not. MANY of our FF’s in Local 359 volunteer and NOTHING IS or WILL be said!!! You are 100% right and I pay Union dues too Mr. IAFF so throw me off the bandwagon too. I paid Union dues for 32 years, and still do. We took an OATH to protect and serve. You’re probably one who would drive by a house full of people on your off day and ignore it because you’re not getting paid. You IAFF punks make us sick.
My question is,if a paid firefighter off duty is driving in A.C. and find a kid hit by a car and pinned under.To not break the by-laws do they keep driving since its in another local or do they help?
Mike Schaffer,
You absolutely correct that the union can not tell you what to do when you are off duty. You had a choice to make and you made it. The union did not force you to make that choice, YOU made it. I for one am glad that you are gone and out of my union. Unions don’t need self-serving people that enjoyed pay increases, safe retirement, and health care benefits for their families. Enjoy retirement while your union fights to keep that benefit for you. Enjoy retirement while your union fights to keep your health care benefits for you. Enjoy retirement!
Eric,
I would hope the paid firefighter would help because if they did not, that would be against the law, not union by-laws!
Now how is it a union fire house can have a non union fire house help them? Winslow twp. calling West Berlin.If a paid fire house is asking for help,then does that mean they can’t do the job with out help?
Mr.Anonymous, pretty bold of you the come on and hide behind a name and not to identify your real name, all of a sudden its your union, u are right i made the choice, to leave the Union. And i am by far not a self serving person, your so called union is telling me what to do when i am off duty, there is no union out there that does. I know u work the same shift i do u proablly have a part time job were u are taking a job away frome some one else but that is over looked, so why should what i do off duty be an issue i dont really think by me going into another town to fight a fire, who is relying on our mutual aid for help is really the issue here is it. so i guess be me going that town its stoping that town from hiring a firefighter, again as u leave your firefighting job in the morning and go to your vollunteer work remember u are taking a job away from some one. in closing i am not retired yet almost just think if i re join the union that would really piss u off
It’s funny Montgomery County and PG County tried this with DC guys. It never made the Union Magazine and then quietly dissappeared.
A few years ago my department stopped us from volunteering. My department is different from most areas, as we were able to volunteer in the same county in which we work. This was a result of our union saying the county was in violation of FLSA law. This lasted about 9 months, until court decesions in other areas forced the union to back down. Also if you chose to not become a member of the union you still need to pay a fee for the unions work in negiotations. I support my unions work but I also support my right to volunteer.
How is a non union firehouse able to help a union firehouse Eric ? Easy answer there, Winslow Twp. realizes that they need help regardless of the FF’s status of vol or paid, and Winslow should be commended for their stance. Its unbelievable that in this day and age, there are still FF’s out there who are that ignorant to the times. And for Mr. Anonymous, the union DID force him to make a decision, the rule was never followed or obeyed by several other Cherry Hill members, and now all of a sudden, they decide to enforce it because other Unions were calling and complaining about Mike responding into their towns as a volunteer. Get a set President Gerace and stand up for your member, Mike, like your suppose to and protect him per your union rules, which he paid for, and tell the other unions to mind their own business. If the IAFF rules state that ALL members are NOT to volunteer, then why are there other members from all over still volunteering, including the BEST FD, FDNY, their brothers volunteer in teir home towns without issue. Seems as if these locals in S.J. pick and chose.
Mike, you did the right thing. The union thought they were “going to show you” and make you quit volunteering. Obviously you have more sense than that. I could care less about my union and in fact I did the exact same thing you did when I worked for a dept. in a right to work state. What a joke. These days it’s about how big of a IAFF sticker you can get on your truck window. Guys walk around telling people how awesome they are because they’re paid and how much the volunteers suck when got into this job by volunteering in the first place. They definately forgot where they came from.
The union should also forbid their members from serving in the National Guard and the Reserves. Those selfish scabs in the Reserves and Guard take full time jobs away from members of the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Coasties. I go to the airport and spit on them when I see them walk off the plane, and I shout, “Scabs” at them.
I agree with the union. I don’t want to raise my children in a neighborhood where private citizens want to come together and try to help their neighbors. I told my doctor that if I need an operation I don’t want any blood that has been donated by one of those do good community activist types. And I am not taking my children to the “Free Library”, after all I only want a library that is open to the public. And those nurses, doctors, fire, and EMS personnel who volunteered on and after September 11, they make me sick with their callous disregard for the sanctity of a Union shop.
This nation was not founded, and our liberty was not secured by individuals banding together to fight for our freedom. Those militias were all Union shops, and they always made sure that they negotiated a new contract before going into battle.
If I recall correctly, Thomas Jefferson demanded payment upfront for writing the Declaration of Independence.
I also hate George Washington for refusing to take a salary during the Revolutionary War. He took away a paying job from a deserving general.
Unions, like any organization are only as good as their leadership. I’m sure there is more than one side to this story, but unfortunately, I don’t have the patience to listen.
Mr. Schaffer, thank you for your service.
Sorry Mike.I’ve ran fire and E.M.S for over twenty years.I seen my share.I always hear paid guys are better but,but,out of my years I got hurt once.That is when a “firefighter PAYED loss a roof ladder from a second floor.There was no warning,look out,nothing!I was knocked out into burning wood for about afew sec. When I regained the officer just looked. No mayday nothing.He is with the local,had the training,and an officer.He also had no clue on what to do.Now I run with two houses in two countys.So put the bs out the window.If people have too much time to bitch and find falt,That person must have no life.Go out,get a girl friend/boy friend.I RUN AS A VOLUNTEER I RUN CALLS WITH PAID GUYS.WE HAVE NO PROBLEMS WORKING SIDE BY SIDE.AND WE ALL LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER!First its all over the news about the vol. in cherry hill now its mike.Stop the back stabbing,grow up.If mike stays in maybe he can run for office.One more thing by-laws is not the bible,it can still be changed,if everyone works together.
I live in an “at will” will state and as such unions have little power (with the exception of unions in the transportation sector which are covered by federal law). The department I worked for was not union department but had we been I would have joined, I think they have merit in most cases and the good out weighs the bad. We are all indebted to the IAFF, whether we are members or not, as it has led the way on many initiatives that have benefited everyone in the fire service, both paid and volunteer. The union the right to make whatever rules they wish to make for membership, as do all organizations, and enforce those rules to the extent they see fit. Having said that I wonder if a city fire department dictated what a firefighter could or could not do off duty how hard would the union fight back? My guess is it would be a big deal to the union. I also find it interesting that unions in the South are not dead set on enforcing the rule in question. I think it because most of us in the South realize that if we do not volunteer with our local department the safety of our friends and family are at risk. I for one couldn’t stand by watching someone in harms way knowing I have the training and experience and could offer aid were it not for a union rule.
Hey Joe, the “best” FD, FDNY, isn’t in the international. They saw through the BS and quit.
The issue I have is this, I’m in the IAFF in a town that employs 11 per shift. The city next to us has around 30 of their firefighters who reside in my town. If they decided to volunteer , why wouldn’t my town think of getting rid of our career dept when they can get off duty career guys from other towns to volunteer. This is way that rule is there……I don’t feel the IAFF should tell you that you can’t volunteer in an all volunteer town but you shouldn’t do it in a town that has a career dept……
Don’t like the Union?…. Don’t join. I bet your tick house would tell you the same thing if you joined them and later told them you’re not working Bingo or giving the required hours to the stattion. The Union won’t tell you what to do. Only help you with the decision.
What about all you Union FF guys who do part time work as masons, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc? You guys are hypocrites and scabs. You’re taking away jobs from those trade unions. I bet you won’t give that up if the IAFF told you to, would you? No, you’d quit the union like this guy did. What’s the difference?? There is none as far as I am concerned.
FDNY is in the IAFF.