I am
sending out this email after spending the day at the Capital where I
attended the Funding Review Panel Committee meeting. I wish that each
and every one of you could have been in attendance. The panel has voted
to study two separate items. The first item is to change benefit
structures for all new hires which we all have heard before and we
expected to come up again. The second item was to look at restructuring
benefits for present employees.
What
does this mean you may ask. What it means is setting a mandatory minimum
retirement age, (and I heard them mention age 60), changing the three
year average and making it a five year average, changing the accrual
rate from 3 1/3 % down to 2 1/2 or 3 %, and who knows what else they
will come up with? Elimination of the DROP? Employees pay a higher
percentage? A defined contribution plan instead of our define benefit
plan?
Of
course none of these things will nor can take place until the
legislature is in session and I assure you that we will be ready to
fight. In mentioning the legislature I feel that it is my duty and
responsibility as your President to educate you on the fall elections.
It is more important now than ever that we elect firefighter friendly
people to office. With that said allow me to say to you that "Tea Party
Candidates are not firefighter friendly". My job is not to tell you who
to vote for rather it is to educate the membership as to which
candidates support us and our issues. I recently learned that a small
group of our members are out supporting Representative Montoucet's
opponent. When I first heard this I thought that the person saying it
was pulling my leg. After I realized that they were not joking I sat
there thinking of how a firefighter in this state could support someone
over a person who has not only supported us 100%, but has been a floor
leader on firefighter issues. It is beyond me to understand the logic,
or lack there of.
I am
asking each and every one of you to look into all of the candidates
backgrounds, their campaign finance reports, their voting record if they
are incumbents, and how they stand on our issues before you make your
decision as to whom you are going to support. Understand that our
futures are at stake. All that we have worked and sacrificed for over
the years is in jeopardy. I truly do not care if the person is a
republican or a democrat just as long as they support the issues that
pertain to firefighters. If you are not certain call the candidate
and ask them what their position is on our issues. Make them answer the
question. You have a right to know and should know before you pull the
lever for a person.
In
closing let me say one more thing. Too often today we get caught up in
what we see on the news or read in the paper. We are unable to see the
forest because the trees stand in our way. Well allow me to clear the
way for you and tell you like it is.
If more moderate/progressives are not elected to the
Louisiana
Legislature in this fall's election cycle, some if not all
of the things that I mentioned above may come true.
Fraternally,
Chad
***emphasis added***
1. Firefighter
Again!!!
Stress
Rank: 200
Stress Score: 110.936
Unemployment: 0%-4%
Hours Per Day: 11
Time Pressure: Very High
Competition: Low
"Firefighters frequently
work irregular or
unusual hours, or remain
on call throughout the
night. They risk heat
exhaustion, smoke
inhalation, and serious
injury while on the job,
and even the state of
anticipation preceding a
major threat can be
highly stressful in
itself. Firefighters are
also sometimes required
to spend long hours
outdoors in bad
weather," says
CareerCast.com.
Because Fire stations are strategically located throughout the city,
firefighters are routinely the first form of life support at an
emergency. Consider there is about a four minute window before brain
damage occurs;...
Read more!
Lafayette Firefighters give
100% when
responding to emergency calls despite;
Staffing
levels constantly below National Standards causes
Rescue
& Haz. Mat truck closures increasing public risk
Increased
responsibilities including medical calls, vehicle wrecks, vehicle
rescues, confined space rescue training, parish wide hazardous
materials & rescue response.
****Please send in pictures of your
Team Inferno event. ****
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refinance a current mortgage.
Through Nationwide Advantage Mortgage, IAFF
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