International Association of Fire Fighters Fights for Pensions

Add Feedback

Share |

Members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) have found their pensions under attack during the current economic crisis. "They have taken a difficult and cruel economy, they have taken a weak financial market, and they are using the result that it has on our unfunded liabilities and our plan as an excuse to basically gut the benefit structures that we have built over the last many decades," declared General President of the IAFF, Harold Schaitberger.

Lori Moore-Merrell, Ph. D, Assistant to General President of the IAFF stated, "We are having our membership blamed for a lot of the economic crisis in local communities, cities, counties or even states, when many, many times it was the decision makers or certainly the pension overseers."

In many cities, affiliates have had to fight decision makers to protect their pensions. "They are not willing to take a look at, 'Did they manage the funds well?' They are more willing to point to my members and say their plans are overly generous," explained Harold Schaitberger. According to Dr. Moore-Merrell, firefighters are also being blamed, who over many years have made their contributions.

During the recent International Association of Fire Fighters 50th Convention in San Diego, California, pensions were a topic on the minds of the IAFF delegates.  Rick Jordan, a Firefighter with the Medford Fire Department, said, "We're here to support our international delegation to work for us in Washington, to try and get the legislation we need to keep our benefits."

One of the ways that the IAFF is fighting back was by unanimously approving Resolution 24, which reallocates twenty-four cents from current funding and adds eight cents to new funding that will provide resources to help members protect and preserve their pensions. "Everyone's entitled to get benefits packaged so that when they work 25 years, be able to retire with dignity," remarked Frank De Clercq, President of San Diego City Fire Fighters IAFF Local 145.

"We have made our contributions, our people have stepped up, always have held up our end of the promise. We expect local and state governments to hold up their ends of the promise," added Dr. Moore-Merrell.  With the funds from Resolution 24, staff will be hired and affiliates will have access to pension experts and web-based resources. The IAFF will also establish a database of pension data similar to their data base of wage data.

For more information visit www.iaff.org.

Contributors to this story:
Barbara Brooks - Reporter
Ann Zevely - Camera and Editing
Renee Marquart - Text Story



Author:B. Brooks, A. Zevely and R. Marquart - FDNNTV.com