Each month I try to give a positive message to you, our members. For a minute I must deviate from that practice.

How can the EMS Division equate workload issues comparing engines and trucks to ambulances? Absolutely ridiculous. Engines and trucks stay in their own neighborhood, as soon as each call is finished they return to service. Engines and trucks do not transport, come on Rich and Russ, you should know better.

EMS and Fire Suppression can co-exist but not with separate command structures and the philosophy that is currently practiced

Local 798 is also looking into the EMS Division’s refusal to pay probie firefighters at the Fire College overtime when riding the ambulance above and beyond the 40 hour work week.

Change is good for all of us but our firefighters in Paramedic School deal with an EMS Division that changes daily. How can one truly become a paramedic when training schedules change hourly? We cannot seem to find another establishment that takes over a year to get paramedics on line. Again, there must be some continuity in the program. Which leads me to wonder if the Presidio is serious about training our firefighters as paramedics?

I was lucky enough to spend an hour with Supervisor Maxwell from District 10. We meet many politicians in our travels but I have yet to meet someone as fascinating and interested in the brothers and sisters of the Union movement. The Supervisor has a grasp for issues that is very impressive. Driving home I could not help but think that this woman’s star is going to shine bright in San Francisco and California for a long time. In sport terms we are lucky enough to have a major league prospect in our backyard.

March 11 is our St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which I’m sure everyone is aware of. On March 31 the Labor Community of San Francisco is sponsoring a Cesar Chavez Parade in San Francisco. Naturally we were one of the first unions to jump on board for an event to honor the life of a man who devoted his life to working people. Cesar Chavez birthday is now a legal holiday in the State of California. Contact the Union office to make this event a San Francisco Labor Community success.

Contract negotiations have not officially begun. Thirty-four other unions are Charter mandated to have their contracts in place by July, excluding arbitration. Local 798 does not have this language in the Charter. Expect contract talks to start in March.

Local 798 has sent letters and used the Sunshine Ordinance Act to Chief Murphy’s office regarding the removal of T.C.’s and I.D.V.’s on a daily basis. This is a past practice and a true labor issue as of the date of this writing we have had no response from Murphy’s office. The new practice of letting people go home once (if the City is fat) at work is disgusting. We will keep you informed.

To the bravest men and women in San Francisco, keep the faith and remember our friend and colleague, Tony Stefani in your prayers.

John Hanley

Home

Main Menu