2018
CONTRACT
“The biggest thing in the contract is we’ve got a section talking about negotiating for full-time. To be able to negotiate and create some full-time positions for the department would obviously be huge for the department. We were not able to staff 24/7 because of the retention crisis so we had to bring in auxiliary,” said Lt. Brad Rennells, Northfield Township Fire Fighters local union Vice President. “I’m happy we did make it easier for an Officer to get a bonus. You had to make 30 percent of runs to get a bonus. They weren’t rewarding you for your extra duties. If you have a full-time job and a family, 30 percent can be difficult at times, especially when you only need 20 percent to keep your job. We got (the Chief) to agree to a tiered system. As long as you make the department minimum of 20 percent of the runs, you can get a bonus.”
“There was discussion back and forth trying to reach agreeable language that dealt with union security,” said MAFF Labor Relations Specialist Joe O’Connor. “The Chief is looking at hiring some people full time. If the Chief wants full-time Fire Fighters, we’ll have to negotiate their wages, hours, and terms of employment. We agreed to meet with the Employer and try to negotiate full-time positions.”
Contract Duration: 3-year agreement, ratified August 2018, and effective 7-1-18 to 6-30-21.
Wage Increases:
POC - $20.50 effective July 1, 2018, $21 effective July 1, 2019.
Duty - $15.50 effective July 1, 2018, $16 effective July 1, 2019.
Training - $13 effective July 1, 2018, $13.50 effective July 1, 2019.
Probationary II - $13 effective July 1, 2018, $13.50 effective July 1, 2019.
Probationary I - $10 effective July 1, 2018, $10.50 effective July 1, 2019.
Wage Reopeners for all Employees July 1, 2020.
CONTRACT
“We got 8 percent (wage increases) spread over four years and we were able to get percent increases for command officers,” said Marc Abdilla, Van Buren Firefighters Association President. “The Employer increased their percent into our retirement by 2 percent. We got the only full-time employee’s information to mirror other full-time employees in the area ... with time off and tuition reimbursement. They increased his banks and his ability to cash out three days per year. We went from four employees to five every shift (adding) one supervisor per shift. Jerald (James) did a great job and MAFF did a great job for us. We appreciate it.”
Contract Duration: 4-year agreement, ratified Dec. 14, 2018, and effective 1-1-18 to 12-31-21.
Wage Increases:
3% increase effective Jan. 1, 2018.
3% increase effective Jan. 1, 2019.
1% increase effective Jan. 1, 2020.
1% increase effective Jan. 1, 2021.
• Plus Step Increases by Title:
Sergeants receive 1% additional increase above Fire Fighters.
Lieutenants receive 3% additional increase above Sergeants.
Captains receive 5% additional increase above Lieutenants.
Battalion Chiefs receive 8% additional increase above Captains.
• Signing Bonus of $300 for full-time Employees and $250 for Paid-on-Call Employees.
After an oft-times contentious lame duck session that saw the GOP-controlled 99th Legislature pass several controversial pieces of the legislation and an all-night session, lawmakers wrapped up their work for the year and the 99th Legislature came to an end. Karoub Associates lobbyist Emily Laidlaw was named Policy Director for Governor Whitmer’s Administration. Laidlaw was instrumental in developing Karoub’s Education Practice. Gov. Rick Snyder has signed several bills including a huge $1.3 billion spending bill that includes $69 million for the Renew Michigan Fund for hazardous waste sites, a new revenue stream ($114 million in FY 2019 and $143 million in FY 2020) for roads, $19.3 million to fight PFAS and $40 million for a new Capitol Visitor Center at the Capitol. Snyder also vetoed 56 bills in his final days of office. Gov. Whitmer started her term, naming the state’s new Budget Director, Treasurer and she appointed new state department Directors, including Col. Joseph Gasper as Director of the Michigan State Police. Detroit developer Dan Gilbert's attempts to revive no-fault auto insurance reform failed to make it out of the Legislature during the last day of the lame duck session. Although the Senate passed legislation that would make all limited access expressways 75 miles per hour and all non-city highways 65 miles per hour, the House stopped the legislation from moving forward. For more details on these and other legislative issues, click here for the January 2019 Karoub Report.
MAFF members are being asked to contact their legislators today to oppose legislation introduced Tuesday, Nov. 27 to increase the cost to public employees for their healthcare. HB 6531 from State Rep. Lower and SB 1209 from Sen. Pavlov were introduced to amend the Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act by dropping the hard cap down to $12,500.
MAFF encourages its members to call the following offices immediately to express their opposition to this lame duck legislation.
Rep. Lower: (517) 373-0834
Speaker Leonard: (517) 373-1778
Sen. Pavlov: (517) 373-7708
Sen. Majority Leader Meekhof: (517) 373-6920
The 2018 Michigan General Election results for Nov. 6 are available on the Secretary of State website with length of elected office terms, number of votes per candidate and percentage of votes each candidate received. The site also details voter turnout for all 83 Michigan counties.
- Democrats take top offices, but Republicans maintain control of State House, Senate in midterm election
- MAPO releases 2018 General Election endorsements
- MAFF actions support Van Buren Firefighter’s claim of excessive discipline
- Unemployment drops to 4 percent, non-medical marijuana a hot topic, legislators hit campaign trail
- No straight ticket, ballot proposals set in November election
- MAFF fire departments host 2018 Fire Prevention Week activities
- State plans to close Ojibway prison, debates planned in governor's race, online sales taxes may fund roads
- Message from the Director 2018
- Record turnout in primary election as Governor, legislature races heat up
- Register now for free Friday Grievance Seminars
