Resolution No. 30 – Collective Bargaining for Tribal Fire Fighters

Resolution No. 30
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Legislative
Re: Collective Bargaining for Tribal Fire Fighters – Adopted

1	WHEREAS, our nation’s tribal fire departments
2	are responsible for fire prevention and suppression,
3	public education, emergency medical services and
4	hazardous materials emergency response on their
5	respective Reservations; and
6	WHEREAS, tribal fire departments often employ
7	a mix of full-time firefighting, emergency medical
8	service (EMS) personnel and volunteer fire fighters,
9	while also maintaining mutual aid agreements with
10	adjacent fire departments; and
11	WHEREAS, tribal fire fighters have no collective
12	bargaining rights and are “at-will” employees,
13	subject to job termination at any time without
14	reasonable cause or notice; and
15	WHEREAS, due to their “at-will” status and
16	inability to collectively bargain, tribal fire fighters
17	are often denied adequate training and workplace
18	safety protections, as well as fair wages, hours and
19	working conditions, just to name a few; and
20	WHEREAS, collective bargaining not only
21	benefits employees, but society as a whole, thanks to
22	labor-management relations that increase skill levels
23	and reduce turnover; and
24	WHEREAS, this basic process provides a forum
25	where employers and employees can join together to
26	address problems; and
27	WHEREAS, collective bargaining also protects
28	against political patronage; and
29	WHEREAS, ultimately, employers, employees
30	and the public are best served by employees whose
31	first loyalty is to their job, not to a particular political
32	agenda and collective bargaining helps to insulate
33	against such patronage; and
34	WHEREAS, it is in the interest of all fire fighters
35	and the public they are sworn to protect that tribal
36	fire fighters be extended collective bargaining rights;
37	therefore be it
38	RESOLVED, That the IAFF pursue collective
39	bargaining rights for our nation’s tribal fire fighters.

Submitted by: California Professional Firefighters
Cost Estimate: None

Resolution No. 30 – Collective Bargaining for Tribal Fire Fighters

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