Sisters and Brothers,

As we move into the summer months I wanted to share with you some dates we have for upcoming events.

Extrication Competition, May 17, 2008 Cherry Valley.  Rockford will have a team competing and the event will be in memory of Lt. Don Scott.

IAFF Local 413 Annual Fishing Tournament, May 19, 2008 Lake Waubesa, Madison, Wi.

EMS Week May 19, 2008

EMS Sign dedication May 19, 2008  5:30 p.m. prior to city council.

Memorial Day Parade, this will be the first event that the Pipe and Drum Band will be in full force.

June 9, 2008 We are requesting all members off duty to join us at Chief Robertsons last city council meeting at 5:30 p.m.  We will host a reception at Vinny's on Block 5 following the meeting.

Chicago White Sox Game.  Everyone who helped with MDA in 2007 will have a free ticket to the game.  We will be researching a bus and the costs.  We have secured a ticket for every member who worked.  Date is not certain yet, but it is possibly June 17th tuesday A shift.

We will be talking with Kelli Ingardona and Jeff Poshka on setting a date for our picnic.

National Firefighter Memorial Playday, June 12, 2008 at Prairie View in Byron.

AFFI convention June 11th thru 14th, 2008 in Peoria, Illinois.

Fill the Boot for MDA,  June 28, 2008 Saturday at North Main and Riverside.

Fill the Boot for MDA,  July 26, 2008 Saturday at Perryville and East State Street.

Local 413 Memorial Golf Playday, July 29, 2008 at Prairie View in Byron.

I am sure there will be more to add or some I may have missed.  We will keep you informed.

As exciting as all of this is, I am compelled to report to you that our relationship with the city administration has deteriorated once again.  We have a number of new issues that we will be forced to deal with in the near future. I will keep you updated as the situations evolve.

Fraternally,

E.J. 

City Firefighters Local 413 wishes to thank our partners.

Scandroli Construction,  Joe and Carl Scandroli

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center

For their sponsorship in our latest sign which is a Salute to the Rockford Firefighters during EMS Week 2008.

OSF SAINT ANTHONY MEDICAL CENTER CELEBRATES EMS WEEK

            BY HONORING ROCKFORD FIREFIGHTERS

           OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center is proud of its more than 30 year role in the training of area paramedics and the countless lives they have saved. Established in May 1977, the first class of OSF Northern Illinois Emergency Medical Services (NIEMS) included 18 personnel from Rockford, New Milford and Harlem-Roscoe fire departments. Since then approximately 3,000 people from 55 providers (ambulance services; fire departments; fire protection districts; and regional hospitals) have been trained at levels of first responders.

            Personnel affiliated with OSF NIEMS serve as vital links in an emergency medical services system which provides quality care to the critically ill and injured in the Rock River Valley. Jane Billeter, MD, is the Program Director.

            In recognition of this collaborative achievement OSF Saint Anthony and NIEMS are sponsoring a banner saluting Rockford Firefighters Emergency Medical Services for EMS week (May 18-24) to be displayed outside Firefighters Local 413, 108 S. 2nd Street (across from Rockford City Hall). The banner will be officially dedicated at 5:30 p.m., Monday, May 19 at Local 413. Representatives from OSF Saint Anthony and Local 413 will be available to media.

Fraternally,

E.J.

Sisters and Brothers,

Today I received a phone call from the Director of the City Human Resources department informing me that the city would not be summoning any of our union members to participate in an illegal interview that violates Illinois labor law by participating in the Compensation Study Group.

I also was informed that because of our knowledge of our rights the city has capitulated to all of our informational requests.   At this point because of their reluctant compliance to our legal and lawful requests our attorney has been instructed not to file the Unfair Labor Practice.

It would be easy to be satisfied with their current compliance however complacency is a potentially fatal mistake when dealing with such an adversarial and repeatedly unethical city administration.

There is a line to be drawn between acceptable gamesmanship and the relationship deteriorating actions by  the current city administration and designated negotiators. 

It is difficult if not impossible to move forward when we are constantly being treated with deception and disingenuous rhetoric that lacks integrity and accountability.

It was stated on the news by administrations representative Mr. Patrick Hayes that it is the alderman who want to change the firefighters to merit pay!  If this is true should not the legal director inform the alderman there is a process in place to approach the firefighters and that is at the negotiating table through the collective bargaining agreement and not by a subversive attempt to sidestep due process and established legal precedence.  I have met with multiple representatives from city government who have stated the intent was never to include the firefighters in the study because of their respect for the law and the collective bargaining process.

We have worked diligently to create a relationship with the city administration because that is what is best for the membership, the department and the citizens of Rockford.  It would appear we have not been successful.  In any relationship trust is built by consistency over time and the  amount of time varies by the individual, the organization and by the circumstances. 

With the current climate it will be challenging to establish an environment in which we can proceed in a professional and trusting fashion. It is indeed sad that the optimal tact may always require an independent third party to ensure that the process is not perverted or manipulated to obscure our ethical and just attempts at fair resolutions to our concerns .

In summary, I will continue to ensure that our rights are protected and that we achieve fair wages, hours, working conditions and benefit packages that we have all earned through our hard work and professionalism. 

Fraternally,

E.J.

On Tuesday May 6, 2008 after the Executive Board meeting, I instructed our attorneys to file an Unfair Labor Practice, (ULP) against the City of Rockford.

Your leadership has attempted to gain information regarding the Health Insurance Fund, a fund that we pay money into, and have been denied.

The city states it will not provide this particular or any future information unless the union first stipulates that it will not use it as evidence in the current interest arbitration case.

This is a blatant disregard and perversion of labor laws and a disappointing bad faith position by the city that will not be tolerated by this union.

We have the right by law to information from the city as it relates to our membership. Protecting our membership, our wages, hours, working conditions and benefits is our sworn duty and we are not obliged to make deals, to stipulate to the whims of the city to gain this information.

What we have requested is important to the current interest arbitration case and future negotiations that must begin before September 01, 2008.

Your union has continued to work on the arbitration case to this date. We have and will continue to provide all pertinent information to the attorney to be compiled and placed in a brief for the arbitrator in support all of our stated positions.

We will continue to work up until the time we receive the arbitrators decision. Our actions in no way have extended the arbitrators time to write his decision. If anything our efforts have provided clarity and indisputable facts to our positions and assisted the arbitrator.

I promise you that your leadership will never give in, we will never give up and we will not shrink from any of the challenges that arise.

I will keep you informed as we move forward.

Fraternally,

E.J. Dilonardo