Local 1781 Fights for Better Pay for Firefighters

Union representatives from Local Lodge 1781 are working with union members at the Camino Interagency Emergency Command Center (ECC) to get their dispatch positions upgraded.

“The USDA Forest Service has essentially used an outdated Position Description to classify these positions,” said Local President Erik Holst. He added “The end result is that the Agency ranks these positions as GS-7s. We maintain these positions should rightly be classified at the GS-9 level, a difference of about $3 an hour.”

In question are three bargaining unit dispatch positions – positions that require employees to assume a great deal of responsibility. Not only do they dispatch Forest Service fire engines and law enforcement personnel, but they also work closely with the California Department of Forestry dispatching medical units and handling 911 calls. Holst added, “The dispatch system these people use is a very complex computer-based system that is interfaced with state and federal agencies. Oftentimes at night, these bargaining unit employees are called in and are the acting Center Manager. Throw in the fact that on a day-to-day basis they are potentially dealing with life and death situations, and well, we just don’t think a starting wage of $15.11 an hour is right.”

The position review and classification process was initiated by the employees in October of 2001 and should have been completed by the end of January according to the collective bargaining agreement. However, management now states the review might be completed by the end of March. In the mean time, the employees could be losing $24.00 per day.

“This problem is one of many in the fire management area of the Forest Service,” noted NFFE Forest Service Council Grievance Committee member Randy Meyer. Meyer noted, “All across the board, our fire personnel are underpaid. Our temporaries start at $10 an hour and a starting permanent firefighter at $12 an hour, and for that they put their lives on the line.”