Walton Deputies To Unionize.

[Bob Wells]

Yes Andy it does

No Unit members may participate in any strike against the Fire District by
instigating or supporting a strike. Any violator is subject to the penalties provided​

within Section 447.507 Florida Statutes

 

[SoWalProfire]

FF2 and SoWalProfire, I note your "thanks" to beachmouse for the above post. Therefore, I know you have read my simple and very direct question that can be answered yes or no. Does your contract prohibit a work stoppage or strike by firefighters and EMS personnel? It is a simple question.

Andy,

Sorry, I didn't see your question until you reposted it. The answer is yes. And even if it did not, Firefighters would not strike. We signed on to Help people, not leave them hanging in their time of greatest need.

 

[leo101]

Is it just my imagination or are the major pushers of unionization of the sheriffs office, fire fighters?

 

[Bob Wells]

As others have stated there may be some intimadation/ fear if a Law Enforcement Officer were to appear to support this effort. As for me, I will assist these Deputies in anyway I can and will attempt to put out information to the Deputies and public so they may also make an informed decision about the process. Like it or not, as a taxpayer/ voter I do still have my right of free speech. If your concerned about your future you should think about it.

 

[idlewind]

I'd like you to introduce you to my father then. He'll talk your arm off if given a chance but is otherwise harmless, even if he was a 30 year member of the allegedly evil NEA.

Spent all that time as a teacher in an inner city school district where the politics and bull flows freely from the central office. He loved his job for the first 25 of those years, but then new leadership came in and effectively took away any sort of ability individual schools had to discipline students.

What got him to finally take somewhat early retirement was getting attacked by a student. The principal of the school expelled the student and told the student that if they wanted to finish high school, he'd have to go to an alternative school. The school superintendent overruled the principal and ordered that the student who tried to hurt my Dad be allowed back in the school after a two week suspension.

Dad called his union rep, and the union rep not only got the lawyers involved so that the original expulsion would 'stick' but they also got my Dad to file criminal charges against the student after school district administration had put pressure on him not to file. If it hadn't been for the union, that thug would have been in a position to really hurt my father the next time he got mad.

Thank you for the story. I am glad someone stood up for what was obviously best for not only the teachers but the other students. The superintendent should have been voted out the next election.:angry:

 

[SoWalProfire]

Beachmouse, thank you for posting your experience. I am Glad that ultimately your story had a happy ending.

I will suggest that if the Labor/Management relationship in that school district had been as close as it should have been, it would have been much easier to recognize the potential danger they faced not only as a school district but as a team, this important decision would have been made much sooner and without the added expense to both parties that resulted from the use of lawyers.

It is incumbent on the leadership of both entities to recognize potential threats to the service level and collectively find and implement timely and concise solutions.

 

[beachmouse]

In Dad's district, the superintendent was appointed by the school board rather than elected. I'm coming to like electing the super better- so many of the appointed ones are nomads who are always looking to move to the bigger district (and bigger $$$) instead of actually caring about the district they're supposed to be working in right now.

 

[crazytimes]

You are really miss informed

My understanding is that our deputies are among the highest paid in the area already, so it would appear they are doing ok for themselves without the cost of union dues.

More like the lowest. No raise this year. And there was not one last year. If they are so highly paid than why do they have to work details or a second job to make ends meet?

 

[WhoDat1]

Idlewind....you try surviving in an area where most houses are over $250,000 on thirty-two grand a year...ONE income families and single parent families are the ones really suffering. Deputies that are married suffer as well, but less. I work so much that I rarely see my kids...I don't get over time when I work over and have recently been ordered to burn my comp time and holiday time up so that they don't have to pay me for it in January.

Union or not, its got to stop. I'm told Firefighters, God bless 'em, start off at more than forty grand. ROOKIES! I've been doing this for over a DECADE! and make thirty two!
The firefighters on this site are simply trying to help their ellow public safety workers. In my opinion, my brothers CAN speak for me! Thanks for all your comments FF2 & Profire.

 

[Bob Wells]

I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with you all, you let me know when and where.