California firefighters are well-trained, well-equipped and well-compensated.
We have job-safety, workplace and Workers’ Comp protections that are second to none.
Nobody gave us these benefits. They were fought for and won by our unions.
If you ever find yourself asking “What’s the union done for me?”, consider what we’ve won:
1939: Heart, lung and hernia presumption -- First in western U.S. and first for California public safety group)
1948: Vested pension rights aka “The California Rule” -- First won through lawsuit filed by Long Beach Firefighters, still the most sweeping legal pension protection in U.S.
1959: Right to organize -- First public employee class to win specific right to unionize
1970: Local binding interest arbitration (Vallejo) – First local entity to win right to take disputes to arbitration
1978: Comprehensive PPE standards -- First statewide PPE standards in the nation
1982: Firefighter cancer presumption -- First in the nation to provide presumptive Workers’ Comp protection for firefighters
1982: California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) -- First, and still the only, public employee apprenticeship program in the nation
1984: Personal Exposure Reporting - First and still the largest documentation of firefighter exposures to cancer-causing chemicals
1992: Pension Protection Act (Prop. 162) – First voter-approved protection against state raids on retirement funds. Written and circulated by California Professional Firefighters and CPF affiliates
1999: Optional 3% at 50 retirement – First benefit of its kind in the nation
2000: Statewide binding interest arbitration – First in California (overturned by CA Supreme Court)
2002: California Firefighters Memorial – First firefighter memorial to include a depiction of a fallen firefighter
2003: Terrorism Consequence Management -- First terrorism response training specifically targeting firefighters. Funding won by CPF, training offered through Cal-JAC
2004: CPAT Testing Centers -- First central testing location for firefighter candidates (through Cal-JAC).
2008: Firefighters Bill of Rights – First comprehensive bill of rights protecting firefighters against unfair, arbitrary or excessive discipline
2016: Behavioral Health Conference -- First joint labor-management gathering to address PTSD and other behavioral health issues in the fire service.
2019: PTSI Presumption and Confidentiality — Most sweeping firefighter behavioral health protections in the nation.
Every day, our unions are fighting to protect these hard-won benefits and protections.
Fighting against long odds, big money and bitter, hostile management and political leadership.
These same hostile forces can take it all away if we don’t stand together.
Success is only as big as the commitment and solidarity of our members.
Because the union is all of us.