International Association of Fire Fighters

International Association of Fire Fighters. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is a labor union representing firefighters and emergency medical technicians in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1918, the IAFF is affiliated with the AFL-CIO and has over 300,000 members, including those from New York City Fire Department and Los Angeles Fire Department. The IAFF is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and is led by Harold Schaitberger, who has been the union's General President since 2000, working closely with other labor leaders like Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO and Mary Kay Henry of the Service Employees International Union.

● History

The IAFF was founded in 1918 by a group of firefighters from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, including Samuel Gompers, who was also a founder of the American Federation of Labor. The union's early years were marked by struggles for better working conditions, higher wages, and greater benefits for firefighters, with support from other labor unions like the United Mine Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The IAFF played a key role in the development of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which established minimum wage and overtime protections for firefighters, and worked closely with politicians like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. During World War II, the IAFF supported the war effort, with many firefighters serving in the United States Armed Forces, including the United States Army and the United States Navy.

● Organization

The IAFF is a democratic organization with a General President and a General Secretary-Treasurer who are elected by the union's members, including those from Local 718 and Local 1014. The union has a Executive Board that is composed of vice presidents from each of the IAFF's districts, which include District 1 and District 2, and a Board of Trustees that oversees the union's pension fund and other benefits, such as those provided by the IAFF Foundation and the National Fire Protection Association. The IAFF also has a number of departments, including a Legislative Department that lobbies for firefighters' rights, a Communications Department that produces the union's newsletter and other publications, and a Health and Safety Department that provides training and resources for firefighters, in partnership with organizations like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

● Membership

The IAFF has over 300,000 members, including firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and other emergency responders from the United States and Canada, such as those from the Toronto Fire Services and the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services. The union represents members from over 3,000 local unions, including Local 22 and Local 94, and has a diverse membership that includes women and minority firefighters, with support from organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the League of United Latin American Citizens. The IAFF provides a range of benefits to its members, including health insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance, as well as training and education programs, such as those offered by the IAFF Firefighter Assistance Program and the National Fire Academy.

● Collective Bargaining

The IAFF is a strong advocate for collective bargaining rights, and has negotiated contracts with municipal governments and other employers on behalf of its members, including those from the City of New York and the City of Los Angeles. The union has a team of experienced negotiators and attorneys who work to secure better wages, benefits, and working conditions for firefighters, with support from other labor unions like the Service Employees International Union and the United Auto Workers. The IAFF has also been involved in a number of high-profile labor disputes, including strikes and lockouts, and has worked to resolve these disputes through arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, with the help of organizations like the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the National Labor Relations Board.

● Political Activism

The IAFF is a politically active organization that lobbies for firefighters' rights and interests, with a strong presence in Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the United States, including Sacramento, California and Albany, New York. The union has a PAC that supports politicians who are friendly to firefighters' issues, including Democratic Party and Republican Party members, such as Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell. The IAFF has also been involved in a number of high-profile political campaigns, including efforts to pass the 9/11 James Zadroga Act and the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, with support from organizations like the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

● Charity Work

The IAFF is involved in a number of charity initiatives, including the IAFF Charitable Foundation, which provides financial assistance to firefighters and their families in need, with support from organizations like the United Way and the American Red Cross. The union also supports a number of other charity organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Burn Foundation, and has a long history of participating in charity events, such as the Fill the Boot campaign, which benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, which honors firefighters who have died in the line of duty, with support from organizations like the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The IAFF's charity work is an important part of its mission to support firefighters and their communities, and is carried out in partnership with other labor unions and community organizations, such as the AFL-CIO and the United Service Organizations.