We have received many inquiries about our “854 Bulletin” dated January 26, 2006 regarding our position about response times. To be perfectly clear to the membership, we are taking this position to send a loud and clear message to the FDNY and City Hall that we have been without a contract for over three years and we're sick and tired of our dedication being taken for granted.

This union has cooperated with the Dept. on response times, and what did we get in return? The involuntary transfer of a battalion chief in the Bronx. We embraced a management initiative to merge EMS, yet after 4 months, the Commissioner tells us he refuses to bargain over the EMS issue but then attempts to jam EMS into the quarters of E262 without negotiating.

The membership has sent this Executive Board a clear message to preserve our current contract and come back with the best deal possible. The Department has done little or nothing at the collective bargaining table to help us, and in fact, has attempted to stop some of our ideas to create value.

We want the FDNY and the City to realize that it is your dedication to duty that has allowed them to train and teach the necessary curriculums. We want them to realize that without a fair and expeditious contract, that dedication is being strained. We want them to know that without your dedication, without your voluntary agreement to off line duties, FDNY operations will be affected. “We want a contract.”

In order to clarify the letter, let me state the following:

•  We are not talking about PCOT.

•  If you are assigned to an off line assignment, you are entitled to your time off and should not volunteer to work OT in that assignment.

•  If you work the normal chart in the field and are ordered to work OT off the line, please obey the order and call the UFOA immediately. In addition, please make appropriate journal entries. DON'T VOLUNTEER!

•  No Fire Officer should ever make a self mutual to accommodate the training needs of the Dept. Self mutuals are self destructive.

•  Company Officers should NEVER WORK FOR COMP. TIME ! This is a contract violation.