January 2, 2019
I would like to start off by wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. Let’s use this time to reflect on the past years successes and failures and hope to learn from them in order to make 2019 your best year yet.
BITS:
I’m proud to report that the amount of restricted personnel, as well as the length of restrictions is down drastically. While there will always be outliers, fair and timely discipline is and always should be the goal to correct any issues that do arise. I hope this year brings no one to my office for any formal discipline. We can hope.
Arbitration:
Currently we have multiple issues in various stages of arbitration. The 1-12 rule, Unfair discipline, Restriction, are just a few. While it is always the goal to solve any issue with the department through discussions, sometimes we don’t view an issue in the same light and it must be fought in an official arena.
12 Hour Tours:
The program is two and a half years old. While expansion hasn’t moved as fast as we hoped, it has expanded by about 35% and as of now talks are still on going to increase the amount of stations currently in the AWS. Our feelings are clear, increase in the program helps alleviate current staffing issues as well as helping our members with a schedule they can plan around. The department is still sticking to their ability to fill unscheduled vacancies. We are still engaged with both the department as well as OLR. Hopefully 2019 with bring not only expansion but permanency.
Kurland Group.
January 15 is the next court date. We will be exiting the foil stage shortly and moving on to both the discipline aspect and pay practices.
Michael Greco
Vice President