Board Members
By Jennifer Gomori, MAFF Editor
Newly elected MAFF Executive Board Vice President Jeffrey Gaglio of Detroit EMS Officers Association brings over two decades of Union experience to his position.
“I started with the UAW back in the day. When I came to the Detroit Fire Department, I became a Steward under POAM for the Technicians group for 14 years,” Gaglio said.
Gaglio, the Local Union President for Detroit EMS Officers Association for over two years, didn’t hesitate when MAFF Labor Relations Specialist Jim Steffes invited him to seek the Executive Board vacancy in 2021.
“If I’m going to be a part of something I want to be fully involved,” he said. “I have qualities I can bring to the table and help out other local bargaining units. A lot of the locals at MAFF deal with Paid-on-Call. I’m actually a full-time Public Safety Employee. The fact that I deal with my Employer on a daily basis, I think that helps.”
As a Steward, Gaglio was remotely involved in contract negotiations through fact finding and polling local workers about their concerns. More recently, he’s been sitting at the table during contract negotiations.
He worked his way up to leadership positions at the Detroit Fire Department, beginning as a Basic EMT and then working as a Paramedic for 13 years. “I was promoted to Lieutenant, which is Assistant EMS Supervisor, and then Captain, which is the EMS Supervisor,” he said.
By Jennifer Gomori, MAFF Editor
MAFF Executive Board President Jeff Craig has seen many changes over the past two decades, but one thing that hasn’t changed is having a strong Union to back members, whether they’re paid-on-call, full-time, part-time, or auxiliary Fire Fighters.
“MAFF labor representatives come from the public sector and have had many years of previous work experience to help solve labor issues that arise,” Craig said.
Craig has served as Macomb Township Firefighters Association Paid-on-Call and Auxiliary Local Union President the past 18 of his 21 years of service with Macomb Township Fire Department.
“I’ve been MAFF Executive Board President since 2009,” he said. “I get along very well with all the guys and gals that work there.”
Craig’s Union background at Ford, Chrysler and a small engineering consulting firm prompted him to take on the two President positions. “I have a labor relations background from my full-time jobs,” Craig said. “I’ve worked in automotive for 35 years. I’ve been on both sides of the table, as a UAW member and the management side as a supervisor, but it doesn’t matter. You’re sitting at the same table.”
“What I learned is Union officials who treated us like garbage were not usually very effective,” Craig said. “At the time I took over the Local, we had a strained relationship. I helped build a strong relationship with our members and management, solving problems on both sides. I wanted to make sure the guys got treated fairly. Sometimes egos get in the way of better judgment, but there are no kings or queens here. Everyone must follow rules and regulations at work. Building a strong relationship with your opposing partner is the best way to do business.”
The Michigan Association of Fire Fighters Executive Board Members
Executive Officers
President:
Jeff Craig
Macomb Township Firefighters Association
54111 Broughton Rd., Macomb, MI 48042
Vice President:
Jeffrey Gaglio
Detroit EMS Officers Association
2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226
Secretary:
Tracy Camelet
Livingston County Paramedics
1911 Tooley Rd., Howell, MI 48855
Treasurer:
Mike Smith
Wixom Firefighters Association
1345 Wixom Rd., Wixom, MI 48393
Executive Director:
Fred Timpner
Michigan Association of Fire Fighters
667 E. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 109, Troy, MI 48083
Executive Administrator:
Julie Palmquist
Michigan Association of Fire Fighters
667 E. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 109, Troy, MI 48083
