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As we close out February and begin the Jolly month of March we have much to look fondly on but even more anxiety as we hear about the budgetary problems and uncertain changes in our EMS delivery system. As I go around visiting the station and shifts in Battalion 2 the three major areas of concern surround the state of our truck staffing, the state of our EMS delivery system and lastly the pay comparison for keeping our compensation within the 95%-105% of average pay corridor.

As we have seen from the County Executive, there is virtually nothing in his budget that we, as a union, have been pushing for - not safe staffing, not any system changes, not a pay study. In short, Tony Griffin has done little more than afforded us false hope and broken his promises. President Niemiec has responded with a sense of reality to the situation, but in no way will this Union lay down and take nothing for all of the work we put into improving our sitation and leading with practical solutions.

We are still pushing forward with our pay raise proposal of 1% in July and 1% in January 2009 with the development of a 25 year step. We most certainly will not stop pushing for the decrease of the ramaining 40% social security offset for service connected disabled retirees and the elimination of the sunset clause on our D.R.O.P. program. This is the plan you Executive Board has adopted and is lobbying the Board of Supervisors for approval in this difficult fiscal year.

Please feel free to ask questions about this plan or any other item relevant to your job when I stop by and visit you in the near future.

In solidarity,

Matthew Lopez
Battalion 2 Representative