Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York

65-2 #2 January 14, 2003

Union & Health Issues, Events, Fundraisers & Benefits

Contract Retro $$$, Deferred Compensation (457) & 401K Impasse for Police Unions UFA Calendars & Parking Placards No Manning Reductions in January Delegateâ€™s Advisory Committee for Political Action: Need Officers Documenting Your Problems -- First PESH Violations Filed Marc Shaw: FDNY Doing Nothing 95% of the Time? 2003 Delegate Seminar UFA Media Package with WFAN & the NY Jets

Events, Fundraisers & Benefits:

Lt. Steve Halliday Fundraiser Assist a Brother's Son in Need The Circus is Coming To Town in March Free Marriage Conference in Hershey Valentine's Day Weekend MCU Scholarship Applications Begin Annual Hunter Mt. Ski Races on Feb. 4 & 5 Check Out HEAT USA Benefits Cruise with FDNY Football Team in 2004

Contract
The results of the Delegates Roll Call vote on the proposed contract at the 1/9 Union Meeting was: 9 against, 1 abstain, 5 absent and 362 in favor. Notices were sent last week to each memberâ€™s home containing the terms of the proposed contract and the mailing date of the secret ballots, which mailed on Monday, 1/13 to each memberâ€™s home. In accordance with the UFA constitution, the ballots shall be opened and counted by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) on January 23rd. If you did not receive a ballot by the afternoon of January 15th, immediately contact the AAA at 800-529-5218, M - F, 9am - 5pm, and a ballot will be mailed that day to your home. Only active members in good standing shall be eligible to vote. The proposed contract shall be deemed ratified if approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of valid ballots counted by the AAA.

Retro $$$, Deferred Compensation (457) & 401K
The City has informed the UFA that Retro Money will be included with the February 28 paycheck. However, CFR-D, chauffeur, additional grade and night shift differentials will be included in a later check. To adjust your deferred compensation (457) & 401K deductions, which must be done over the telephone, you must first get a PIN # by calling 212-306-7760 and have it immediately mailed to your home. Donâ€™t wait! You can call between January 27 and February 7 to change the deducted deferred compensation (457) & 401K percentage amount for the retro check. You can put up to 50% of the check into deferred compensation (457). If you also have a 401K, you can put a combined total of up to 70% of your paycheck into it, not exceeding $12,000 ($14,000 if over 50 years old) for the year. All dates are tentative. The UFA will notify the membership immediately if the City informs us of changes of dates. More detailed info to follow.

Impasse for Police Unions
At this time, the PBA has not been able to reach an agreement with the City regarding how their 1.5% Unit Value Benefits are to be used. Also, the DEA and SBA have not come to agreement on each of their respective entire contracts. It appears that all three of these unions will reach impasse.

UFA Calendars & Parking Placards
UFA Calendars were distributed at the 1/9 Union Meeting to each company Delegate, one per company member. Parking Placards were either mailed out to each Delegateâ€™s home prior to the end of 2002 or were distributed at the 1/9 Union Meeting, two per company member. Members assigned to details must contact their assigned company Delegates to receive placards and calendars, as they have been accounted for that way. The UFA is only providing Placards & Calendars to Delegates. Reminder: UFA Placards are for UFA membership use only! Contact your Delegate to get your Calendars & Placards.

No Manning Reductions in January
After Steve Cassidy met with Mayor Bloomberg on December 30th to discuss the Fire Department budget, the unfavorable manning court ruling and other issues, he has agreed not to implement the manning reductions in January, but has reserved the right to revisit the issue in the future. Firefighter sick leave percentages have been decreasing recently, and if this trend continues, the Mayor has indicated he will refrain from making these manning reductions. Steve Cassidy has agreed to meet with the Chief of the Department to discuss the current sick leave situation.

The average medical leave is around 8.5%. It only needs to be above 7.5% for the Department to reduce manning to 4 firefighters in an additional 49 engine companies. It is the unionâ€™s position that the WTC medical leave is what has caused medical leave to exceed 7.5%.

Delegateâ€™s Advisory Committee for Political Action: Need Officers
Working with our local politicians and community has been helpful in keeping our firehouses open -- for now. With these urgencies still in mind, the Delegateâ€™s Advisory Committee for Political Action still needs officers. We continue to ask each Battalion Delegate to provide our Legislative Chairman, Jim Slevin, with at least one interested person. Call or fax the memberâ€™s name, company & phone numbers. Tele: 212-683-4832; Fax: 212-683-0710. Interested members can also call us directly after informing your Company Delegate. Help us to make a difference for you! See 65-2 #30 of 2002, paragraph #4, if you need additional info.

Documenting Your Problems -- First PESH Violations Filed
Issues with the Medical Office, Health & Safety at work, Quartermaster, violations of the Cityâ€™s contractual obligations or any other problems must be effectively addressed by the UFA. Due to the written documentation members have now been providing the UFA Health & Safety Office with, the first PESH / OSHA violations have been filed against the Department. This shows how written documentation is -- without question -- a key ingredient to getting your problems solved. The best way to help us continue to achieve this is to mail, email or fax (212-683-4768) us a description of the issue, then call to verify that weâ€™ve received it. If it is a more complex issue, a call prior to sending the info will allow us to direct you as to how to prepare your documentation and what needs to be described. It all starts with providing us the necessary documentation we need to go to bat for you!

Marc Shaw: FDNY Doing Nothing 95% of the Time?
Not true! Many of the following duties are performed every tour and others are done multiple times weekly. We are the only City agency that does not employ janitors and administrative personnel to take care of each facility. Who does all this work? You! The next time you are asked what we do by anyone, including the media, keep this list handy:

Roll Call (20 min), check boiler (10 min), check heating fuel (10 min), inspect apparatus (60 min), inspect tools & equipment (60 min), official drills (60), informal drills by members (60), firehouse general maintenance (60 min), investigate public complaints (60 min), public fire safety education (60 min), house watch, alarm monitoring, phones and security (24 hours), visitor assistance (60 min), probationary member training (60 min), building inspection (3 hours), test hydrants (3 hours), multi-unit training (90 min), fire, medical and other emergencies (2 hours), CFR-D recertification studies (2 hours), meal (60 minutes per 24 hours, that usually is not taken). This list is by no means all-inclusive. Add additional items as you see fit.

2003 Delegate Seminar
In accordance with the UFA Constitution, a seminar site was chosen by a majority vote of the Delegate body. The 2003 Delegate Seminar will be held May 6 through May 9 in Atlantic City at the Trump Taj Mahal. The May 2003 Union Meeting will also be held at the Taj Mahal during the seminar on Friday morning, May 9.

UFA Media Package with WFAN & the NY Jets
On January 3 & 4, the UFA teamed up with the Jets and WFAN for a media blitz during the game and on radio. We received twenty 60 second commercials and literature was handed out to all spectators at this highly publicized game. The response was excellent. The UFA will continue to look for additional opportunities to get our messages out to the public.

Lt. Steve Halliday Fundraiser
Lieutenant Steve Halliday suffered burns to over 50% of his body at a fire in Queens. Due to an almost miraculous recovery Steve has left the Burn Center on January 6 and will be entering a rehabilitation center for several months. He will have an extended period of recovery at home for 1 - 2 years. He will of course be receiving his FDNY salary but his wife will not be able to work. She needs to remain at home to assist Steve during his extended recovery. Mrs. Halliday's salary supplies a substantial percentage of their family income. There is no practical way for them to replace this missing income. The members of Engine 1 and Ladder 24 so far have contributed $25,000.00 to assist the Halliday family. The members of Engine 1 and Ladder 24 are respectfully requesting your company, if at all possible, to contribute ten dollars per member to Lieutenant Halliday. Or whatever your company can contribute will be greatly appreciated. Make checks out to Engine 1, Ladder 24 Memorial Fund with a note requesting that the funds be dedicated to the Halliday family. Send checks to Ladder 24 at the quarters of Engine 26 at 220 West 37 Street, New York, NY 10018. The Fund is non-profit, and has donated over $200,000 to the families of deceased members and to other firehouses to help defray the great expenses incurred as a result of 9/11. Contact Capt. Don Atlas, L-24, Gr. 12 for info.

Assist a Brother's Son in Need
Fifteen-year-old Aaron Gill, son of our brother Firefighter Paul Gill of Engine 54 who made the supreme sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001, needs your help. He is on dialysis daily and needs a kidney transplant. Anyone with information on how to assist moving Aaron up on the waiting list, please call Joe O'Brien at E-91 at 212-570-4291 or at home at 718-352-1634.

The Circus is Coming To Town in March
The Widows' and Children's Circus Benefit is on March 16, 2003. A special performance by Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus will be presented 11 a.m. at Nassau Coliseum.Organize a group of your family, and friends and enjoy a fun day at the circus. Anyone who has purchased a ticket is invited to come to the arena one hour before the performance for a chance to step inside the three rings, wing on a trapeze, walk on a low wire, try on costumes and learn other tricks from the performers. Tickets are $10 and up, depending on seat selection. Tickets need to be purchased through one representative in your firehouse in order to directly benefit the Widows' and Children's Fund. Make your house list and have your representative contact Lou Nicolosi from L-125 at (516) 932-9438 for all info. Tom DaParma, Queens Trustee, can be reached at 212-683-4832 if you require additional assistance.

Free Marriage Conference in Hershey Valentine's Day Weekend
The events of the past 17 months have certainly taken their stress toll on your families & relationships. Couples interested in improving their relationship can take part in a "Family Life, Marriage Conference" the weekend of Feb. 14-16 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Hotel accommodations are available at the Best Western, across from the conference center. Couples will be lectured on ways to express forgiveness, resolve conflict, develop communication skills and achieve intimacy. The weekend is free to all FDNY personnel. For info contact (Union, NJ Fire Dept.) B.C. Tom Byrne at 908-233-8675 or 908-482-9470 no later than January 20th.

MCU Scholarship Applications Begin
The Municipal Credit Union is offering college scholarships to students whose parents or grandparents belong to MCU. The program awards 33 scholarships of $1,000 and two at $5,000, which are based on academic performance, extracurricular activities, an essay question & a teacherâ€™s reference. Applications available at all MCU branches, on-line at www.nymcu.org, or call 212-693-4900. Must be returned by Feb. 3.

Annual Hunter Mt. Ski Races on Feb. 4 & 5
The popular FDNY Hunter Mountain Ski Races takes place on February 4th this year. The next day, the 21st annual East Coast Firefighters Ski Races (ECFSR) take place at Hunter Mt. The date is Feb. 5th at 10 a.m. Register for the (ECFSR only) downhill races ASAP online at www.HunterMtn.com/fire.htm. Pre and post race parties are at Slopes. Hotel rooms are still available by calling 518-589-5006. Checks are payable (for ECFSR only) to Hunter Mountain, P.O. Box 295, Hunter, NY, 12442, Attn: Joe Jove. For additional info call 518-263-4223.

Check Out HEAT USA Benefits
Oil prices are rising again. Before winter 2003 strains your wallet, consider calling HEAT USA which has arranged a fuel savings program for all active and retired members. All members receive a free service contract. This firm donates the $25 membership fee to our Thomas Elsasser Fund, which provides assistance to the families of Firefighters who died non-line-of-duty while on active service. HEAT USA serves the tri-state area and is one of the nation's largest fuel buying cooperatives. Call (888) HEAT-USA or (888) 432-8872.

Cruise with FDNY Football Team in 2004
The FDNY's Football team is planning a SuperBowl cruise aboard Carnival's Victory. The ship departs from Miami on Sun. Jan. 25, 2004 and returns Sun. Feb. 1, 2004. The ship provides a luxurious week of cocktail parties, sit-down and buffet meals, casinos, and Las Vegas shows every night. There are three pools on board, duty-free shopping and plenty of on-board activities. For info & reservations, call Twins Travel Service at 866-292-4547 (Message Center) or 718-382-4111. E-mail TwinsTravel@aol.com. Major credit cards accepted.

Fraternally,

Joseph A. Miccio
Recording Secretary,

Stephen J. Cassidy
President