California Local President Back to Work
IAFF’s Emergency Dispute Fund provides assistance
Another IAFF
member is back on the job after being wrongfully fired by city
officials. When he lost his job, the President of Compton, CA
Local 2216 Tony Branson immediately called upon the
International for assistance. The IAFF answered that call by
making all of its legal resources available.
“I said at our Convention in Boston that the
IAFF’s guiding principle is that an injustice to one of our own
is an injustice to all, and we are going to fight that battle
for our members,” says IAFF General President Harold A.
Schaitberger.
Branson’s problems with Compton Mayor Eric
Perrodin began in 2001 when Local 2216 endorsed incumbent Mayor
Omar Bradley in an election. When Perrodin won the election he
vowed that the IAFF affiliate would suffer severe repercussions
for supporting Bradley.
Perrodin made good on his threat in 2003 after
three new city council members, all of whom supported the mayor,
were elected. Four fire fighters were ultimately displaced from
their positions. Branson was one of the four. In November 2003,
he was placed on administrative leave when the city claimed he
“misused union leave time.” A month later he was fired.
He immediately contacted 10th District Vice
President James Ferguson.
“From then on,” says Branson, “the IAFF never
left my side.” Branson and two other members who were caught in
the crossfire with Mayor Perrodin applied for both Emergency
Displacement Fund (EDF) grants and support from the IAFF
Guardian Policy. All three were awarded EDF grants from the
International.
On October 6, 2004, the arbitrator in Branson’s
case ruled the city’s claim that he improperly used union leave
time was not valid and he was reinstated with full back pay and
benefits.
Local 2216 member Ray Renneker’s case is in
arbitration and member Nikos Hatzakis’ is in Superior Court
because his case included a demotion. Retired member Gary
Hopper, who had been promoted to captain and then demoted for no
apparent reason, won his case and is now receiving Captain’s
grade retirement pay.
“We’ve made it clear to employers that if you
screw with one of ours, you’re going to deal with the wrath of
all of us. “That’s why this International put its full support
behind brother Branson. And now, he’s going back to work,” says
Schaitberger. Branson and the other members affected by the
conflict with Mayor Perrodin are not letting the unjust
situation get them down. “You can’t let situations like this
scare you away from political action,” says the president of
Local 2216. “It’s the only way to secure better benefits and
working conditions for your members. There are laws out there to
protect you. You have to trust that.”
Perrodin reports he will not run for
re-election.
What If It Happens to You?
IAFF members can learn from Branson’s
experience. If it happens to you, there is something you can do,
and the International is there to help. Depending on the nature
of the case local affiliate have two options:
By
an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 42-1 on June 20, the
Committee approved legislation to guarantee the rights of
firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical service
workers in all 50 states to collectively bargain for better
wages, benefits and working conditions.
