U.S. House of Representatives Gives Fire Fighters Collective Bargaining Rights

July 1, 2010 -- The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill to give collective bargaining rights to fire fighters and other public safety officers.

The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act assures that fire fighters in every state will have the right to talk to their employer about how to improve public safety and do their jobs more safely. The initiative was included in a supplemental appropriation bill adopted by a vote of 239-182.

“Seventy-five years after passage of the National Labor Relations Act, fire fighters are a step closer to having the same rights that workers in the private sector have had since 1935,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.

While most fire fighters and law enforcement officers are already provided bargaining rights under state laws, too many public safety officers do not have the ability to present ideas about how they can better protect the public safety. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act will ensure that every state allows discussions between first responders and the agencies that employ them, and will promote productive partnerships between labor and management.

Collective bargaining is especially important in light of the fiscal crisis facing many localities. Over the past two years, fire fighters have offered millions of dollars in concessions and given back raises and benefits previously agreed to in order to prevent cuts that would undermine public safety.

The Senate will take up the measure following its July 4 recess.

Here is the IAFF update on Healthcare reform

 http://www.boisefirefighters.org/articles/HealthCareReform.pdf

Breaking News: Health Care Update

With the Senate’s decision today on reconciliation of the health care reform bill, I want to provide some perspective on the year-long effort.

I believe that one of the most important elements of the reform bill is that the excise tax will not affect you – not today, not tomorrow and not in the future. We stood our ground because we knew we were right. Due in large part to our strong, consistent opposition, the excise tax was modified repeatedly and watered down drastically.

No matter where you stand on the larger reform effort, please know that we worked very hard to insulate you from that unfair tax, and we were successful. Despite what you may have heard, despite the dire warnings and misstatements, fire fighters will keep their current health care and their taxes will not go up.

Here are a few key points: The excise tax:

• Has been scaled back significantly and won’t even take effect until 2018

• Was modified so it will apply only to those with the richest plans – $10,200 for an individual and $27,500 for families

• The tax threshold for health plans that cover fire fighters and others in high-risk professions is even higher – $11,850 for individuals and $30,950 for families

• Will not be applied to dental or vision coverage

While we focused on the excise tax, that is just one element of a broad legislative overhaul, and the truth is there are many changes in the bill that we can support. The major changes ensure that:

• Health care coverage is extended to an additional 32 million Americans

• Ever-rising health care costs will be contained

The reforms also have major implications for the fire service. We all know we can’t afford to continue serving as the primary health care provider for people without insurance, and expanding coverage to the uninsured will help address budget shortfalls at fire department nationwide.

The bill also outlaws some of the worst practices that insurance companies have engaged in. Under the new law:

• Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage because someone has a pre-existing condition

• Insurance companies are required to cover the full cost of preventative care, including annual physicals and children’s immunizations

• Insurance companies are required to cover dependent children until they are 26

Changes to Medicare also are important because we have members who one day may enroll in that program. Those changes ensure that:

• The Medicare drug benefit for senior citizens is expanded, and effective July 1, will provide a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs for the low-income elderly

• The gap known as the “doughnut hole” in Medicare prescription drug coverage will gradually close and provide the estimated three million senior citizens who fall into that hole a $250 rebate

• Medicare will be overhauled so it delivers health care to senior citizens more efficiently and at a lower price

The reform effort has addressed many of the monumental problems afflicting health care in our country for too long. By substantially watering down the excise tax, extending health care coverage to many of the uninsured, improving Medicare for senior citizens and reining in insurance companies, we corrected some of the worst elements of our health care system.

We also know the bill is not perfect and more needs to be done. But this is a good start to improve the delivery of health care, access to health care and to contain costs.

The health care system had become unsustainable, and allowing this crisis to continue was not a realistic option. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office found that the long-term fiscal outlook for state and local governments is very bleak, entirely due to rising health care costs. Even if the economy makes a strong, sudden recovery, health care costs would force cities to continue making deep cuts in fire department budgets.

These changes will help address that crisis.

Fraternally,

Harold A. Schaitberger
General President

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