The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) recently held a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol to raise awareness of the severe issues facing the federal wildland firefighting workforce. The event was hosted by U.S. Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA). Speakers included Reps. Porter, Joe Neguse (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-VA), as well as NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin, Kevin O’Connor of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), Bobbie Scopa of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters Association, William Bowser of the American Federation of Government Employees, and NFFE-IAM Wildland Firefighter Justin Brown.

All speakers discussed the crucial work that wildland firefighters undertake, despite unjust wages, staffing shortages, and poor workplace conditions. Members of Congress advocated for bipartisan support of President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget, which includes funding for new pay tables, healthcare and mental health programs, and enhancements to housing for wildland firefighters. Many speakers asserted that without significant change, the wildland firefighter workforce would see even more workers leaving the service, putting communities and lives at risk.  

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An internal organizing effort conducted by the Organizing Department at National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM Federal District 1) Locals in Louisiana and Oklahoma has grown the IAM by more than 150 members.

The newest members include healthcare professional employees at NFFE-IAM Local 1956 in Shreveport, LA and U.S. Army federal civilian employees at NFFE-IAM Local 273 in Fort Sill, OK.

Internal organizing, which focuses on engaging workers who are represented by the union but haven’t signed up to be members, is critical to growing bargaining power.

“Our organizing team is laser focused on growing our union in both numbers and strength,” said IAM Organizing Director Vinny Addeo. “We look forward to continuing these efforts and bringing stronger collective bargaining power to members across many different sectors.”

The effort was led by IAM Organizing Department Grand Lodge Representative Juan Eldridge, with assistance from Organizing Department Special Representative Chris Casteel and Grand Lodge Representative Sonny Martinez. NFFE-IAM Business Representative Jerry McCarty and NFFE-IAM Local 1956 President Cassandra Buckhanan assisted in the campaign.

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This week, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) responded to correspondence from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack with a letter outlining solutions and next steps to help alleviate retention problems among federal wildland firefighters. The proposed solutions include permanent pay raises, increased funding and staffing, and the development of a robust occupational series, among other things.

“NFFE, Secretary Vilsack, and other leaders within USDA have a great working relationship and a commitment to reforming the wildland firefighting workforce for a better future,” said President Erwin. “However, it was necessary to share the concerns that we were hearing from our members on pay, the occupational series, and other issues. As we begin making policies to resolve these issues, it is critical that we address each problem as best as possible, and that we do it right the first time. We are confident that Secretary Vilsack will join us in implementing solutions that NFFE wildland firefighters have recommended to meet the challenges we see today.” 

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Last week, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives requesting that members of congress vote for the Preventing a Patronage System Act (H.R. 302) expected on the House floor this week. The bipartisan legislation aims to protect the merit system principles of the federal workforce by preventing the U.S. president from requiring political loyalty from the apolitical career ranks of federal civil service. The bill was drafted in response to the establishment of Schedule F during the last presidential administration, a new classification of political employees that can be hired into permanent positions without regard to existing laws governing federal employment and accountability.

“Federal labor, executives, and professional associations all agree with political appointees from former Democratic and Republican administrations that this bill is critical to ensuring the government remains in the hands of the American people and not some political despot, even if that despot is a president,” said NFFE-IAM Executive Director Steve Lenkart. “This bill describes an incredibly wonky policy issue that is difficult for the average American to embrace, but should the day arrive when federal workers are forced to genuflect before a corrupt system or leader, we will all endure a brutal and horrifying crippling of American democracy.”

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Last week, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, USFS Chief Randy Moore, and Undersecretary Homer Wilkes outlining recommendations to permanently fix the housing situation for Forest Service employees. NFFE-IAM gathered data on specific housing issues from its members working for the Forest Service, as well as solutions that employees recommended.

There are several changes that the Forest Service can implement immediately to improve living conditions in the short term that are identified in the letter, including expediting repairs for government housing, adding simple amenities and new furnishings, waiving rent payments for housing that is below living standards, establishing housing stipends, purchasing campers, and building new housing.

In the longer term, the letter suggests making permanent, adequate, and affordable government housing available for all Forest Service employees, including space for workers’ families. Further, the letter recommends standardizing housing requirements so that all housing has proper amenities, furniture, Wi-Fi, heating, and air conditioning, allowing for safety, privacy, and respect for workers.

“Fixing the housing problems in the Forest Service will require allocation of additional financial resources, however, this is necessary for the agency to attract and retain the workforce it needs to accomplish its critical mission,” continued President Erwin. “The current state of housing represents a certain degree of neglect via programmatic funding to maintain housing conditions and adjust for modern life, such as access to electronic communications, or in the interests of family responsibilities to prevent firefighters from choosing between a career or a family.”

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Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the First Responder Fair Return for Employees on Their Initial Retirement Earned Act (RETIRE) (H.R. 521) 417 to 0 in a bipartisan display of support for injured federal first responders. The bill requires agencies to place injured first responders who return to work with injuries into “equivalent positions” as they held before, thereby protecting their employment and accelerated retirement status. In addition, the act prevents first responders from losing thousands of dollars from forfeited retirement contributions that were paid by the employee at a higher than the standard rate under their “6(c)” retirement system.

“NFFE-IAM has been advocating for this fix to 6(c) retirement for years now,” said NFFE-IAM Federal District 1 National President Randy Erwin. “We are exceedingly pleased that Congress acted to preserve the employment and retirement classifications for injured first responders. I appreciate the leadership of Representative Connolly and Chairwoman Maloney for their leadership on the bill and for calling it to the House Floor under a suspension of the rules for quick passage. I urge the Senate to pass the accompanying bill and put it on President Biden’s desk as soon as possible.”

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Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Federation of Federal Employees applauds the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 2499, the Federal Firefighter Fairness Act. Introduced by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), the bill establishes a presumption that federal firefighters with at least five years of service who develop serious health conditions, such as cancers and long-term illnesses, did so due to on-the-job exposure to smoke and other hazardous materials. The legislation also includes proactive measures to ensure that diseases suffered by federal firefighters are better reported and studied.

“For over 20 years, NFFE has advocated for legislation that guarantees federal firefighters who develop severe illnesses resulting from their service to the country receive adequate workers’ compensation benefits,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “This issue finally has the bipartisan support necessary to be passed into law, and we are grateful for the leadership of Representatives Salud Carbajal and Don Bacon in advancing the bill through the House. We urge the Senate to take action on the bill quickly, and deliver a necessary benefit for our brave federal firefighters who risk their wellbeing protecting the nation.”

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Ahead of another intense wildfire season, roughly a dozen NFFE-IAM firefighters, who service government-owned land, forests and parks, spent this week in Washington, D.C. urging lawmakers to address critical concerns such as an urgent need for wage increases amid increasing costs of living, improved health and wellness coverage, and better working conditions.

“We need to make changes right now. That starts with a $20 per hour base minimum wage,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “The President increased the minimum hourly rate to $15 last year, and for that we are grateful, but more work must be done.  Applications for employment are down 40% or more and we are losing experienced firefighters to state and local fire services.  It is becoming impossible to recruit and maintain the qualified workforce needed to address longer and more destructive fire seasons every year.  It’s putting more pressure on those who are working and they’re suffering, which is why are here in D.C.”

Robert Beckley, a NFFE-IAM National Vice President and Montana native who began fighting wildfires in 1975, says climate change has made the terrain more vulnerable to intense wildfires.  These fire are hot enough to effectively kill forests by ‘sterilizing’ the ground, preventing regeneration on swaths of land that cover 100,000 acres or more.  

“With climate change, with drought conditions, with insect infestation that damages trees, I’m noticing the lands are getting hotter and more trees are dying and rotting,” said Beckley. “That’s creating more fuel on the ground. When there’s a fire, it’s harder to control, it’s harder to put out and it demands more attention and more resources.”

An additional concern is seasonal NFFE-IAM firefighters, a significant portion of the workforce, many of whom have limited access to health insurance and are not eligible for government retirement. Retirement benefits for full-time firefighters, which require 20 years of service, does not cover seasonal NFFE-IAM members even if they worked 20 years of equivalent time simply because they are not full-time permanent employees.  

“The wildland firefighters are often on their own after they are injured,” Beckley continued.  “It is especially hard for seasonal firefighters who have no insurance or retirement to fall back on.  For seasonal and full-time firefighters, it’s the same hot, dirty, nasty job that takes its toll on a body and mind.”

NFFE-IAM says the visits in Washington, which included meetings with representatives from the White House and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, were productive.

“This is a bipartisan issue. We’re ready to work with members on both sides of the aisle to get things done this year,” said Erwin. “Every office that we visited understood our needs. Now it’s important for them to push legislation and get firefighters and our national landscape the help they need.”   

Great to have @NFFE_Union wildland firefighters at the @WhiteHouse today!

Thank you, @Richmond46 and @EDinkelSmith46 for hosting these essential workers. https://t.co/knFKndnV5s

— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) March 17, 2022

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The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) recently applauded the Biden-Harris Administration for implementing pay raises to guarantee all federal employees earn at least $15 per hour. The Office of Personnel Management announced that agencies are directed to make pay adjustments by January 30, affecting nearly 70,000 civilian employees.

Nearly 70k federal workers are getting a raise, including the wildland firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect this country. Thanks to @NFFE_Union who never gave up the fight to get these workers a much-deserved raise. https://t.co/wNYqMXTWPf

— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) January 24, 2022

“This is a tremendous stride towards ensuring all federal workers are paid a living wage that allows for them to provide for their families,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “No employee working for the federal government should be struggling to make ends meet. As these pay increases take effect in the coming days, there is no doubt that these workers will be given some much needed and well deserved relief.”

The pay adjustments will increase wages for more than 56,000 workers at the Department of Defense, as well as many employees at Veterans Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, among others. Roughly 130 wildland firefighters will have their pay increased to at least $15 an hour, a policy which NFFE-IAM has been pushing for over the past several years.

“Since our first wildland firefighter bargaining unit was formed, this union has been advocating for federal wildland firefighters to be fairly compensated for the grueling and life-risking work they do to protect our country,” continued President Randy Erwin. “Early in his presidency, President Biden promised to ensure no federal firefighter was paid less than $15 an hour. Today, the President fulfilled that promise. Not only for our wildland firefighters, but for all government workers.”

“This administration understands that a strong, apolitical federal workforce is critical to maintaining a democracy that is open to everyone. From day one, President Biden has been committed to preserving and advancing the interests of government employees. We are grateful that the President’s vision for the federal workforce is coming to fruition with momentous executive actions like those announced today.”

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NFFE-IAM stands in solidarity with an alliance of nearly 300,000 federal workers across the country who support the three recent nominations to the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA).

NFFE-IAM is part of 30 labor unions that make up the Federal Workers Alliance (FWA), an organization of unions that represent federal workers across the country. Under the FWA umbrella, these unions have united in backing Ernest W. DuBester’s nomination and former NFFE-IAM General Counsel Susan T. Grundmann’s nomination as members of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) along with Kurt Rumsfeld’s nomination for FLRA General Counsel.

Based on their distinguished professional backgrounds, the hope is that these three candidates would restore much-needed balance back to the FLRA board, which has recently supported decisions that hurt federal workers rather than protect their collective bargaining rights.

The letter was sent directly to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), which is scheduled to take up the nominations in the very near future.

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