Date: December 11, 2007
From: Edward A. Kelly, President Local 718
To: Roderick Frazer, Fire Commissioner
Subject: Strategic Planning Committee
Commissioner Frazer,
I am writing to inform you that Local 718 is regretfully withdrawing support for the Strategic Planning Committee due to a lack of respect for our membership, and their elected leadership. The Strategic Planning Committee, as recommended by Mayor Menino's Review Panel, called for “including the framework for a joint health and safety committee”. This framework, defined in Article XIX, Sec. 4, of the collective bargaining agreement between the Boston Firefighters Local 718 and the city of Boston, states “The Fire Commissioner and the Union shall establish by mutual agreement a joint …committee consisting of representatives of each party for the purpose of recommending sound…practices and rules.”
Clearly your appointment of a 13 member committee, without input from the Union and only one seat designated for a Local 718 appointee, abandons the Review Panels intent for “institutionalized strategic planning that supports open communication” and “that fosters the development of a consensus agenda ”. Although not a reflection of any member previously named, you're appointing four rank and file members of Local 718, without input from the elected leadership, is weak attempt to circumvent the Panels recommendation that the committee consist of “ representatives of the Boston Fire Department's Leadership, the Union, and the City of Boston.” How you conclude that a member appointed solely by management is considered a Union representative is an insult to our intelligence. This is not a ship!
Your assertion that any Local 718 appointees would be “stooges” for the Union is insulting not only to the elected leadership, but the membership as a whole.
I take this time to remind you that any progression of this Department toward improving the delivery of fire and emergency response services to the citizens of Boston has been through the hard fought efforts of Local 718 members- often in spite of those charged with that duty! Look no further than the hazardous materials training which was provided by the International Association of Firefighters; and the Special Operations training facility which was donated through the efforts of Local 718 members; including the extensive renovations which made that training facility adequate. Those renovations were done with donated labor and materials by the Ironworkers Union, Carpenters Union, Sheet Metal Workers Union, and Sprinkler Fitters Union, at the request of Local 718. And the used furniture and materials that Local 718 members scrounged from sympathetic friends at Donohue Furniture, State Street Financial, the Hynes Convention Center, and the Home Depot. Or the Rapid Intervention Training Program developed voluntarily, on their own time, by Local 718 members and whose props were built by off duty Local 718 members.
We are forced to resort to these survivalist methods for training because neither the City nor the Department deems firefighter training a worthy expenditure. Apparently you seem to have forgotten the hard fought lobbying efforts by Local 718 and the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, whose efforts are solely responsible for the $2.25 Million in state funding awarded in 2007 for hazardous materials and firefighter training in Boston (a figure which dwarfs the city's investment).
Your approach to the establishment of this committee exhibits an underlying disrespect for the membership of Local 718, which spawns doubt in my confidence of your ability to lead this Department.
On Behalf of 1500 Proud Boston Firefighters,
Edward A. Kelly
President
Boston Firefighters Local 718
