PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Your Association never stops improving their members’ working conditions and compensation. On July 1, the members of the TPFFA will elect the next executive board. These 15 people you choose will be tasked with negotiating our next collective agreement.

From the crazy days of amalgamation and the Teplitsky Award to the freely negotiated contract ending December 31, 2023, in the history of Local 3888, there are six collective agreements and one interim award. Each deal contains its own unique relevance contributing to the evolution of our profession and our Association.

As the sole bargaining agent for Toronto Firefighters, there is an immense responsibility on the TPFFA to represent the interests of our over 3000 members while understanding the impact any deal could have as a trickling effect across the Province and Country.

Local 3888 is the largest Fire Association in the country, so it is reasonable to think that our contractual advances often set trends across the province; for example, the introduction of the 3-6-9 increments.

Did you know that the 3-6-9 increments originated with an agreement between the City of Toronto and the Toronto Police Association? The TPA achieved the breakthrough entitlement based on the city’s fear of losing Toronto police officers to other municipalities. At the time, the fire service didn’t have a retention problem, so creatively, the 3-6-9 increment was tied to recertifications like the DZ requirement. Unlike today, there were no standards within the fire sector, and if someone wanted to leave their municipality to work for another, it wasn’t common practice. Considering certification is now a reality and the number of newer members seeking re-employment, this issue will undoubtedly be discussed at the bargaining table in 2023.

Our goal will always be to be the highest paid firefighters while maintaining the best benefits levels in the fire service. The key to achieving these goals is staying current with arbitrated awards and freely negotiated agreements throughout the OPFFA while putting in the work in preparation for bargaining.

Take a moment to consider that a firstclass firefighter made $62,397 in 2002, while today, a first-class firefighter makes $109,338. When a bargaining team looks at wages, there is much to digest and consider. It starts with looking at our comparables. A comparable is historically the police or fire services that are similar-sized. The bargaining committee creates charts with information on our comparables, highlighting their wages, benefits, and the term of their contract.

It is always important to know who has started negations and where things are trending. However, it is equally essential to beware of the terms of contracts. Preparation is the key to success.

Firefighters have always enjoyed great benefits, which is one reason we take strong measures to protect them. However, through the years, municipalities have reduced benefits by changing benefits carriers. Your Association has filed multiple grievances in defence of maintaining the levels we have earned. During the next round of bargaining, comparison charts, as explained above, will be utilized to track benefits entitlements looking at where fire and police unions were able to find increases since our last contract. Our goal will always be to find improvements without giving up the things we have earned.

Have you ever looked at our CA and noticed that many articles have remained the same since our first contract? It is interesting to look back and follow the progression of language changes while understanding the importance of knowing the history and intent behind each word. Many grievances are decided in our favour because of our strong language. Each contract year, the bargaining committee reviews the current CA and previous CAs to make sure the information is up to date and continues to be effective. Through the contract term, your Executive has noted areas where we need to improve language, including wording that needs to be added, like including new federal or provincial designated holiday entitlement language.

Many lessons have been learned through the years, and Local 3888 will be prepared to address the number of end-ofpast practices that the city has historically put forward. We may even have a few of our own this time around. Strategically, many of the MOAs signed in the past term will expire at the end of our contract giving the negotiating team the ability to continue the directions established or recreate a better process.

There is no secret that labour relations could be better. However, with the way the senior leadership in the city rolled out the mandatory vaccination policy and the total disregard shown to all unions when the clock started ticking on benefits verification, it is hard to think either party will be in a position of trust.

Ultimately, it is the membership that sets the direction. So shortly, a union notice will go out requesting you to make contract submissions, followed by a general meeting for all to vote on what the bargaining team will bring forward in the next round of bargaining for Local 3888.

A lot of work lies ahead for the next bargaining committees. Fortunately, this is not our first go around, and we have never stopped preparing.

Kevin McCarthy, President Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888