04/29/08

Every Member is requested to email your Senator.

Dear Members,

 President Major Respectfully Request a mandatory call from all Local Executive Board Members to contact both Louisiana Senator’s concerning the, Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. All contact information for both Senator’s is listed below for your convenience. Please encourage your membership to contact both Senators office’s concerning this very important issue. This is a numbers game and we need as many phone calls and e-mails as possible.

 If making a personal call the information that will be required is your name, affiliation (La Firefighter), and the bill number (S 2123). Ask the Senator to support public safety by voting for S 2123. If you are going to e-mail the Senators office you should address the letter as such:

Cut and Paste this letter into an email.

Date

The Honorable (Full Name)

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

RE: Senate Bill 2123 Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act.

Dear Senator (Full Name),

Louisiana's fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel risk their lives every day to protect the public. They deserve the same right to discuss workplace issues with their employer that the federal government already grants to most employees.

The bill gives maximum flexibility to states to craft their own laws giving fire fighters and police officers the ability to sit down and talk with their employers. The bill does not require public agencies to agree to anything, and does not empower a third party to compel agencies to do anything it has not explicitly agreed to. The bill explicitly protects right-to-work laws like the ones in Louisiana. Public safety collective bargaining and right-to-work can and do co-exist. For example, fire fighters currently enjoy collective bargaining rights in right-to-work states, such as: Florida, Oklahoma and Idaho.

Just as important as what the bill requires, is what it does not require. The bill does not allow public safety officers to strike; does not require binding arbitration to resolve disputes; does not take away authority of states and local jurisdictions to have the final say over all public safety decisions; does not require any specific method to certify unions; does not infringe on the rights of volunteer fire fighters; and does not mandate compulsory unionism.

Please support and consider co-sponsoring Senate Bill 2123 the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Address

Rank, Department

General guidelines for writing your own letter.

·      Your purpose for writing should be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If the letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g., House Bill: H.R._______, Senate Bill: S. ______.

·      Be courteous, to the point, and include key information, using examples to support your position.

·      Address only one issue in each letter: and, if possible, keep the letter to one page. 

The IAFF has made this issue their number one priority which will affect most locals in the south. Please, let’s support those that have worked hard by doing our part in order to receive this great benefit.

Fraternally,

Terry Castille

4^th District Vice President

(337) 344-2384

castillefire619@cox.net

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Contact Information for Senator Mary Landrieu’s Washington D.C. and District Office’s and email address:

 Washington, DC

724 Hart Senate Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Voice: (202)224-5824
Fax:(202) 224-9735

Email Senator Landrieu

New Orleans                              

Room 326, Federal Building
707 Florida Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Voice: (225) 389-0395
Fax:(225) 389-0660

Baton Rouge

Room 326, Federal Building
707 Florida Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801

Voice: (225) 389-0395
Fax:(225) 389-0660

Shreveport

U.S. Courthouse
300 Fannin Street
Room 2240
Shreveport, LA 71101

Voice: (318) 676-3085
Fax:(318) 676-3100

Lake Charles

Hibernia Tower
One Lakeshore Drive
Suite 1260
Lake Charles, LA 70629

Voice: (337) 436-6650
Fax:(337) 439-3762

 Contact Information for Senator David Vitter Washington D.C. and District Office’s. If you would like to e-mail Senator Vitter, you will have to go to his website at:

http://www.vitter.senate.gov/.

Washington, D.C.
516 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4623
Fax: (202) 228-5061

Acadiana
800 Lafayette St.,
Suite 1200
Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337) 262-6898
Fax: (337) 262-6373

Baton Rouge/River Parishes
858 Convention St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: (225) 383-0331
Fax:  (225) 383-0952

Central Louisiana
2230 S. MacArthur Dr., Suite 4
Alexandria, LA 71301
Phone: (318) 448-0169
Fax: (318) 448-0189

Northeast Louisiana
1217 N. 19th Street
Monroe, LA 71201
Phone: (318) 325-8120
Fax: (318) 325-9165

Northwest Louisiana
920 Pierremont Road, Suite 113
Shreveport, LA 71106
Phone: (318) 861-0437
Fax: (318) 861-4865

Southeast Louisiana
2800 Veterans Blvd.,
Suite 201
Metairie, Louisiana 70002
Phone: (504) 589-2753
Fax: (504) 589-2607

Southwest Louisiana
3221 Ryan St., Suite E
Lake Charles, LA 70601
Phone: (337) 436-0453
Fax: (337) 436-3163