HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0091.018 2016-2018 P/GPEC/AL FG
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Murashige, Laura
From: Celeste Nip <nipfire@hawaii.rr.com>
Sent: Monday,April 10, 2017 5:03 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Hawaii Fire Fighters Associations Testimony to Finance Committee on Bill 11 -April 11,
2017
Attachments: 2017-0411 County of Hawaii County Council Testimony on Bill 11.pdf
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1
HAWAII FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ARE FIGHTERS LOCAL 1463,AR-cm
A ' 5 1018 PALM DRIVE,HONOLULU,HAWAII 96814-1929
TELEPHONE(698)949-1566 FAX:(66 6)952.6603
WEBSITE:www.hawaiiiirefighters.org
COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawaii
April 11, 2017
Committee on Finance
Testimony by
Hawaii Fire Fighters Association
Bill 11: Establishing an Operating Budget for the County of Hawaii
For the Fiscal Year July 1,2017 to June 30, 2018
The Hawaii Fire Fighters Association (HFFA),Local 1463, IAFF,AFL-CIO, represents more than
1,900 professional and 800 retired fire fighters throughout the State,which includes more than 330
Bargaining Unit 11 (BU 11) members serving in the County of Hawaii Fire Department. Highly trained
BU 11 members provide both Fire and Emergency Medical Services,Advanced Life Support(ALS)and
Basic Life Support(BLS)on Hawaii Island, Within the HFFA membership,the Hawaii Fire Department is
the only Fire-EMS based system. It is a very cost effective system and ensures that the residents of and
visitors to Hawaii Island receive the best fire protection and highest level of emergency medical care. In
addition to fire protection and suppression and EMS services,the highly trained BU 11 members also
provide all-hazard rescue responses, and Hazmat responses on the Island. Our members run in and
respond when others are running out.
The HFFA supports Bill 11 with some caveats. To update the Committee and members on the
arbitration proceedings, as you are aware,the HFFA is awaiting the Arbitration panel's decision of the
BU 11 contract,which is expected to be issued sometime this week. There are some tentative
agreements which were signed during the arbitration process and they are non—cost items. Other
items such as meal allowances and the Rank-for Rank program remains in place. The Panel's award will
address two remaining issues,wages and duration,to which may require adjustments to the Hawaii Fire
Department's Budget as reflected in the current version of Bill 11.
HFFA will update the members of the Hawaii County Council as to the final terms and conditions
of the arbitration award as they become available. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.