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MAFF
Settles Contract for the Macomb Township Fire Fighters
Association
The MAFF recently successfully negotiated a Collective
Bargaining Agreement for the Macomb Township Fire Fighters
Association, which runs through June 20, 2008.
Highlights of that contract include:
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The
probationary period has been reduced to 18 months |
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A
formal Stand-By-Call-In Procedure has been developed
and agreed to. |
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There
are now mandatory tone-outs and minimum standby
duty pay. |
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Change
in pay increments increased to 1/4 hour. |
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An
objective promotional procedure. |
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Increased
Life Insurance Benefits and improved Duty Uniform
language has been added. |
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6
paid Holidays at time and one-half. |
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Duty
Uniform language to include $100 towards boots |
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An
increase in the Annual Bonus for Alarm Response
from $250 to $1,500. |
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Annual
Officers pay: 14% increase for Captain, 27% increase
for Lieutenant, 27% increase for Sergeant, and a
39% increase for Medical Training Officer, all beginning
the first year of the contract. |
The
MAFF continues to seek improvements for this as well
as other member departments.
Northfield Township Fire Fighters Settle Contract
MAFF
represented the Northfield Township Fire Fighters in
their recent contract negotiations and were able to
settle on a 5-year contract. Mike O'Lear and Troy Scott
represented the MAFF and were able to hammer out the
following benefit improvements:
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A
10% raise over the life of the contract. |
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A
$100 signing bonus for every member. |
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A
$100 bonus for all current and future EMTs. |
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All
firefighters wishing to take EMT classes will have
to cost paid for by the Township. |
Al
Sperle, President of the Northfield Township Fire Fighters
Association credits the MAFF representatives for the
new contract. "They were very professional and
straight forward in how they pursued the Association's
demands. No concessions were made and everybody is very
happy with the outcome."
Atlas
Township Fire Fighters Settle Contract
The patience of the Atlas township fire fighters was well
rewarded when months of negotiations ended successfully
with the issuance of an Act 312 award by Arbitrator Donald
Burkholder.
This is a first-time contract for the paid on-call Atlas
fire fighters.
This is the very first written agreement. The arbitrator
awarded the Union all of the economic issues they were
seeking.
Issues:
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Wages.
Significant improvements of over $3,000.00 in the
pay scale over the life of the agreement. Improvement
in the stipends paid to the Lieutenant, Captain,
and Assistant Chief positions. Full retroactively
on wages. |
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Guaranteed
time-and-one-half for all hours worked on a designated
holiday. |
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A
grievance procedure ending in binding arbitration. |
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A
formalized promotional procedure that levels the
playing field for all persons competing for promotions. |
Great
start for a first time contract. MAFF never gave up
and neither did the membership in the support of the
Union. The employer counted on the membership and or
the Union in giving up and not wanting to spend the
money to fight. Big mistake, long hard fight but in
the end the membership's perseverance paid off with
a big win.
The Township was counting on the membership giving in
on their demands, and on MAFF not continuing with their
fight. The Township was wrong on both parts. John Feldmann,
lead negotiator for the Firefighters said: "We're
happy we chose MAFF, and we believe we have the building
blocks and foundation in place for future agreements."
He attributes the success to the hard work of MAFF's
representative, Joel Felt and Jim Thompson of the Firefighters
who initiated the process on their behalf.
New
IRS Rates for 2005
Mr. Scott Hallberg and the MAFF accountants, Calibre
CPA Group, have made available the new rates for
withholding taxes as well as limits for contributions
into retirement accounts, such as qualified Deferred
Compensation plans. This is good information for
MAFF members to have in order to plan for retirement.
You can visit the Calibre on-line at www.calibrecpa.com. |
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