OPEB & Lame Duck Update

Last December (2017), many of you joined us on the State capitol lawn urging the legislature keep its promises. You have worked hard for your pension and health care benefits and those promises must be kept by legislative leaders. Because of your calls, e-mails and action, we were successful, and the legislature passed legislation to implement recommendations from the Governor’s task force report on local government retirement pensions and health care.

It has been nearly a year since those recommendations were passed and signed into law. We wanted to provide you with an update of how that law is working.

The recommendations that were passed and signed into law by Governor Snyder are still being implemented. It will take nearly a full year for the entire law to be implemented and for local governments to comply with the reporting requirements and follow the steps outlined in the new law.
Despite the law not being fully implemented, we are seeing very positive signs from local governments that they are following these new recommendations.
Since passage of this law, over 380 municipalities have made voluntary contributions to their benefit systems
Since passage of this law over 200 municipalities have made individual contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
Many local governments are currently creating corrective action plans and working with the MI Department of Treasury to ensure there is path forward to fund the benefits that have been promised you.

We have been actively involved with State officials in the implementation of this law and making sure public safety has a voice at the table. We will continue those efforts daily for you.

Now that Election Day is over and legislative lame duck has begun, we would like you to save the following dates: November 27-29 as well as December 4-6, 11-13 & 18-20. We will provide regular updates if there are any legislative threats that we need your engagement on!

ELECTION REPORT

By now you know that almost all of the candidates endorsed by the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, from the top to the bottom of the ticket, were elected to office on November 6th. The entire MPFFU membership should be proud of the role our organization and its members played in getting these great candidates elected. The MPFFU is also grateful for the assistance provided by the IAFF to many of our endorsed candidates.

But our work is just beginning now that we have new friends in Lansing and Washington. We must continue to be politically active and get to know these newly elected officials as well as their staffs. You may also find some doors now open to establish a better relationship with incumbents that previously refused to meet with you. Stay involved - Stay active!

Meet your 2019 House and Senate Members

MORE info can be found on the MPFFU MEMBERS ONLY FACEBOOK PAGE

JOIN OUR MPFFU MEMBERS ONLY FACEBOOK PAGE

Weathering the Storm: What the MPFFU Has Done for You in Lansing?

Members sometimes ask, "What has the MPFFU done for me?". You can find out by watching this previously recorded webinar presented by MPFFU Lobbyist Melissa McKinley as she walks you through the trials and tribulations we have been through in Lansing over the past eight years. This will be an in depth look at the program she presented at the MPFFU Convention in Bay City. At the conclusion you will have a good idea of one aspect of what your state union does for you every single day.

Attached here you will find written summary of the information contained in this webinar.

What's New at MPFFU A021

IAFF Peer Support Class

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Download:

Charity-Ball-Announcement.docx

Fire Fighters Assistance Program

Confidential FFAP Hotline: 1.888.731.FIRE Available 24/7

Free CONFIDENTIAL telephone assistance for MPFFU members, retirees, and their families

Get answers to your questions and concerns.

Find resoucres for information, treatment, and support.

Know your conversation is confidential.

Get referrals to quality professional care.

Click here for a recent article about suicide in the fire service.

MPFFU License Plate

The main office of the Secretary of State will now contact the MPFFU to verify your membership as an active member or retiree in our organization prior to mailing your new or replacement MPFFU license plate. Please call 734-675-0206 if you have any questions.

If you see a non-member with the MPFFU plate on their vehicle, please contact the MPFFU with the plate number. The SOS will require the non-member to return the plate within 30 days.

	Contact Information for Local Union Executive Board Members
	You can access the most accurate contact information for local union officers from the IAFF website by clicking on this link. After you log-in, click on Dashboard, then Officer Resources and then Affiliate Directory.. You can search by local name, local number, by state, or by the officers name if you know it. This data is updated daily.