About Us

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the Pasadena Firefighters Association.  Hopefully, we’ll be able to provide you the information you’re looking for. If not, please feel free to contact us in our “Contact Us” section.

Description

Here is our “legal” description per our Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Pasadena:

“In accordance with State law, the provisions of the Employer-Employee Labor Relations Resolution No. 555 and the secret ballot election conducted on June 19-21, 1978 in conformance with Section 3507 of the California Government Code ( the Meyer-Millias- Brown Act), the City recognizes the Union as the exclusive representative bargaining unit for the following classifications: Fire Captain I, Fire Engineer, Fire Fighter I and II, and Fire Prevention Specialist.

Such representation shall include all matters relating to employment conditions and employer-employee relations, including but not limited to, wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.”

What it means

Part 1

In the first part of the agreement, we are recognized as the exclusive representative bargaining unit for all firefighters. This tasks us with the responsibility of bargaining our contract and is contained in our Memorandum of Understanding or MOU. Our present contract is in effect until June 30, 2017. For a copy of our present MOU click here.

Part 2

In the second part of the agreement, it states our representation shall include employment conditions. Employment conditions are a rather broad term, however, we view the most important aspect of employment conditions as Safety.  Firefighting is a dangerous profession. Across our great Country approximately 100 firefighters are killed in the line of duty per year. Many, many more are injured and unfortunately cannot continue in the career they worked so hard to attain and loved so much. Aside from injuries many more die per year or are disabled by cancer. In many cancers, firefighters are up to 3 times more likely to contract the disease than the general population.

Part 3

Additionally in the second part, the agreement includes employer- employee relations.  Through good employer- employee relations the Association can work together with the City to minimize the dangers firefighters face everyday through adequate and safe staffing as well as good training and equipment . This does not benefit just the firefighters and their families but the community as well. By minimizing our instances of firefighter deaths, injuries and cancers, the community benefits from lower costs but more importantly from increased safety from fire, disaster and other emergencies through better staffed, trained and equipped personnel.

Organization

The Pasadena Firefighters Association is made up of a 10 person Executive Board representing approximately 150 members. The Executive Board is made up of a President, Secretary/ Treasurer, 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents and 6 directors. The Executive Board members are elected by the membership and are made up of active duty firefighters.