RFB - Remember Fallen Brothers - Today is a day of remembrance, sacred in the long history of our proud profession. To remember those brothers who, despite nearly insurmountable odds, got off their rigs and went in and up so that frightened, injured, and panicked civilians might live.

However, it is not only sacred as a day to remember those lost. It is sacred as a day to remember those who survived. Those who persevered. Those who carried on. It was a day that every core tenet of true firefighters was on display for the world to witness as they carried out one of the greatest firefighting and rescue operations that our profession has ever seen. Our world - our American way of life - changed irreversibly on September 11th, 2001, and we owe it to every hero of that day, living and gone, to never forget.

Come join the team and help represent Local S-6 at the Special Olympics Plane Pull 2024! Link to joining and donate! It goes down on September 7th, 2024 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport located at 7109 Longfellow Ave S, Minneapolis MN, 55423

Check out the Team and Donate Here!

Local S-6 Membership,

As the climate of hiring for the fire service has shifted in recent years, so have recruitment and retention practices. With more full-time firefighter jobs created across the Metro, filling and maintaining our ranks at MSP Airport Fire has proven difficult. Simply put, new recruits and current members have more options; today’s firefighters know their worth and know their careers are portable to other departments. It’s only been recently that we’ve hit fully complimented shift staffing after years of struggling.

One idea floated by the MAC (to recruit and retain) was increasing vacation balances by giving credit for (approved) years worked at other full-time agencies. On the surface, this idea appeared simple and a win for all parties. However, the execution proved far more complicated as the details were hammered out and the months dragged on.

After numerous Labor-Management meetings, it was clear the MAC had a change of heart and refused to honor their word and finalize the deal. After much discussion with the labor body, it was decided to file a grievance against the MAC and move forward with arbitration if necessary. This was not a decision taken lightly, but the fallout of not honoring the original deal impacted 14 current members and set the stage for future bait-and-switch offers.

Our grievance elevated to an arbitrability hearing that took place in April with President Dan Olson and former Fire Chief Bob Koenig testifying on behalf of Local S-6 (under the guidance of Attorney Jim Michels). A ruling was delivered this past week and unfortunately, Local S-6 lost the hearing. The full ruling can be accessed in the Meeting Minutes tab under Member Resources. To say the Executive Board is disappointed is a gross understatement.

However, although the ruling was not in our favor, it’s critical to emphasize the importance of standing up for what’s right, holding the MAC accountable for not honoring their word and supporting our membership under difficult circumstances.

As always, the Executive Board is available for questions and discussion.

Respectfully,

President Dan Olson