Hello:

As a former IAFF member I would like to question if anyone has experienced Deputy Chief's being unionized in this state. At TONIGHTS City Council meeting I may be voted in as Deputy Fire Chief. My position as Fire Chief (and Police Chief's) positions were terminated from city government in favor of the public safety administrative concept. I get to remain as Fire Chief until a new deputy is appointed possibly tonight. The city manager wants to yet post outside of the department for deputy fire chief, the Public Safety Committee wants to approve me. Both issues are on tonights agenda. The deputy fire chief position description is the same as the fire chief position was but at $4K less a year. The new "Director of Police Fire Services" is now my boss and after tonight my rank may be deputy fire chief. What are FLSA implications for this salaried position? One issue is that they (city manager, Director) now would want me to be "available" weekends, etc. to come into work on the duty shift to alleviate OT paid to local members for working if someone calls in sick or is on leave time and places us below minimum staffing of 4 on duty. I'm against that as it will only provoke the local into more time-wasting action and I get to work weekends without a schedule of when, how, how long, etc. They would also consider me as a part of the daily shift staffing during my "regular" workweek hours. No compensation is being offered for my OT if I would be called in to maintain minimum staffing levels.

I was not in favor of this concept nor the training of cops to be firefighters as we learned of back in January. Our union (Local 604) addressed this and recently got the cops (Teamsters) to drop this issue from the cops contract recently approved agreement with the City.

Thanks!

Please call me at 906-863-5702 8-5 CST (I would call you right back if you desire not to pay for the call) or e-mail: firepros@aol.com

Ted J. Pagels, Fire Chief Menominee, MI

-- Ted J. Pagels, Fire Chief (firepros@aol.com), October 16, 2000