If the Oxford Fire Department becomes a union shop, officials want both the full-time and paid-on-call firefighters represented equally.
The Oxford Public Fire and EMS Commission last week voted 9-3 to “take the official position that (the possibility of union representation) is offered to the four full-time firefighters and all paid-on-call firefighters.”
Commissioners voted 9-3 to “move forward with the union petition, stating that the proper bargaining unit consist of the four full-time firefighters and all paid-on-call firefighters.”
A petition, signed by at least 30 percent of the four full-time firefighters, was filed last month to have the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) recognized as their exclusive bargaining representative.
“If there is going to be a union, we want to make sure that all the firefighters are treated equally and fairly,” said OPFEC Chairman Bill Dunn. “Both the full-timers and paid-on-call staff all entitled to the same rights and protections.”
“The last thing we want to do is create divisions within the fire department,” Dunn said. “Paid-on-call and full-time are part of the same team, one team. We don’t want to split that team up with a union for one group, but not the other.”
According to township Attorney Gary Rentrop, who’s currently handling the union issue for OPFEC, as a result of the board’s decision, the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) must conduct an administrative hearing, probably in May, to determine whether or not the 35 paid-on-call firefighters should be included with the full-timers in the same bargaining unit.
If the hearing concludes the paid-on-call staff should be included, then any petition asking for union representation must contain signatures from at least 30 percent of all Oxford firefighters, both paid-on-call and full-time.
Should such a petition be filed, then either OPFEC could vote to recognize the union or all the firefighters could vote on the union question in a secret ballot election conducted by MERC.
If the hearing concludes there’s sufficient difference between the two groups to justify treating them as separate units, then only the full-timers would vote on the union question.
Paul Hufnagel, field representative for the IAFF and Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, said the union is opposed to including the paid-on-call staff because they “didn’t request to be organized” and they “don’t have the same interests” as the full-timers.
Hufnagel said for most paid-on-call staffers, firefighting is not their main source of income and benefits, it’s a “hobby.”
“Most work jobs somewhere else. Their major employment is elsewhere,” he said.
Oxford’s paid-on-call firefighters are paid between $8.73 and $14.99 per hour per call (depending on education and experience levels). The only benefit they receive is life insurance that covers their death, disability or dismemberment stemming from duty-related incidents.
However, for the full-timers, firefighting is how they “earn a living,” heath care, pensions, etc., Hufnagel said.
Although he’s not exactly sure why OPFEC wants to include the paid-on-call staff in the same bargaining unit, Hufnagel speculated that part of the reason might be to “impede the ability of the full-time personnel to organize.”
Hufnagel noted that Huron Township recently voted to recognize union representation for their four full-time firefighters without a problem.
The IAFF will argue against the paid-on-call staff’s inclusion at MERC’s administrative hearing, he said.
Oxford Fire Lt. Terry Roeher, a full-time firefighter and union proponent, said the paid-on-call staff can join the union if they choose, but, “I don’t see the benefit because it’s not their main job.”
“I don’t know why they would do it,” he said, noting that most of paid-on-call staff have outside sources of income and benefits.
However, for the full-timers, Roeher said, “This is our job.”
“This is how we put food on the table,” he said. “It’s not a hobby for us anymore.”
“I think the (OPFEC) board misread us and took this (union petition) personally,” Roeher said. “We just want a voice.”