MPFFU

May 23, 2013

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2012 Candidate For "Statewide Offices" Questionnaire

Dear Candidate for State Representative;

The Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union plans to endorse and support candidates who support issues that promote a safer Michigan. In addition, candidates for office need to support, protect, and advocate the advancement of firefighters and paramedics in the performance of their duties. Therefore, it is important that the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union has a clear understanding of your position on these issues.

The deadline for returning the questionnaire is June 15, 2012!

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at 734-675-0206 or email: markdocherty@comcast.net

Sincerely,
Mark Docherty, President
Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union

Please Note * Required Field

* Date:

* Candidate Name:

* Office Being Sought/District:

* Campaign Committee Name:

* Campaign Address:

* City/State/Zip:

* Campaign Manager:

* Phone (Home):

* Phone (Campaign):

Fax (Campaign):

* Email (Campaign):

* Incumbent:

Yes: No:

* Political Party:

* Candidate ID: (supplied by MPFFU)

1. Heart/Lung, Cancer and Infectious Disease Presumption

As fire fighters, we are aware that ours is an unusual profession with unusual risks. We acknowledge the risks and work to make our occupation as safe as possible. However, when one of our members is struck down by an occupational disease, we want to make sure that they and their families will be provided for.

One of the ways we accomplish this is through the workers compensation system. Fire fighters are exposed to carcinogens at every fire they fight which has been reflected in research studies that have shown that fire fighters are at a higher risk than the general population for developing heart and lung ailments, certain types of cancer, and contracting infectious diseases. However, due to the nature of such ailments, it is often difficult to prove that they were occupationally related. This is why the MPFFU supports the maintenance and expansion of disease “presumptions” within the workers compensation act.

A presumption places the burden of proof on the employer or insurance carrier to establish that a disease was contracted outside the workplace. Fire fighters already enjoy a presumption for heart and lung diseases for over 40 years. In the 1997-8 Legislative Session, a bill to add a presumption for certain types of cancer passed the House and Senate unanimously, only to be vetoed by the Governor. We are currently working to add a presumption for certain types of cancer that fire fighters are at higher risk to contract due to their jobs.

* 1. Will you support legislation to support and expand presumptions for fire fighters in the workers compensation act?
Yes: No:

Comments:

2. Fire Service- Based EMS & Fire Fighting
Fire service-based emergency medical services (EMS) systems are strategically positioned to deliver the best time critical response and effective patient care. Fire service-based EMS provides this pivotal emergency service while emphasizing responder safety and cost effective operations. Due to the training, expertise and equipment of fire service-based EMS responders, they are capable of simultaneously securing a scene, mitigating the hazard, triaging, extricating, treating, decontaminating (if necessary), and transporting the patients who have been injured to an appropriate medical facility. Timeliness is a critical component of EMS and statistics have proven that a fire service-based EMS is the most effective model.

* 2. Do you support the fire service-based EMS?
Yes: No:

Comments:

3. Consolidations of fire departments vs. Cross Training Police Officers as Firefighters (PSO)
Due to the states’ economic challenges, there have been a lot of communities that have had discussions about the need for consolidation of local government services. However, police unions have been pushing for the consolidation of police and fire departments into one unit to maintain their jobs. We believe that consolidation of fire departments, if done appropriately, can create efficiencies and strengthen the number of fire fighters in a community. However, the cross training of police officers as firefighters has not only provided NO cost savings to communities, it also degrades the level of fire service in the process.

* 3. Do you support legislation in Lansing or in your community, which would require the cross training of police officers as fire fighters?
Yes: No:

Comments:

4. Public Act 312 - PA 116 of 2011
Due to the fact that firefighters perform a vital service to the public, it is unlawful for any firefighters to participate in a labor stoppage or strike as a tool in collective bargaining. As a way to resolve a labor dispute fairly without striking, Michigan adopted Public Act 312 in 1969. PA 312 provides for binding arbitration to settle disputes between labor and management. Both sides present their case and an impartial arbitrator settles the dispute. This system has worked well for more than forty years.

In 2011, the Michigan legislature tried to repeal PA 312 but failed. Through months of education and negotiations, the legislature passed an update to the process of PA 312 which was signed by the Governor and given PA 116 of 2011. The MPFFU wants to maintain this progressive and fair solution as part of the process in resolving labor contracts for firefighters in Michigan.

* 4. Do you support the continuation of PA 312 in its current form?
Yes: No:

Comments:

5. Pension tax exemption
Approximately 80% of all fire fighters and police do not collect Social Security benefits as a result of their city opting out of the benefit. When the legislature passed Public Act 38 of 2011, the act imposed a tax on pension and retirement benefits, which did not include an exemption for those individuals who don’t collect social security, despite social security payments being exempt for all others.

* 5. Do you support an exemption for fire fighters and police officers who are not covered under Social Security during their government employment and so do not receive Social Security payments from that employment?
Yes: No:

Comments:

6. Emergency Manager – PA 4 of 2011
To deal with the number of communities facing a financial crisis, the Governor proposed and the legislature passed legislation giving an appointed official not elected by the voters of a community the right to impose what level of emergency services the municipality should have. We believe that tools should be in place to deal with the financial distress of cities but that contracts should not be broken rather the Emergency Manager should need to renegotiate with the employees.

* 6. Would you support modifying the current law to allow for the collective bargaining to be protected when an Emergency Manager is brought into a city?
Yes: No:

Comments:

7. Right to Work
So called “Right to Work” legislation has been enacted in some states, and has been introduced in various forms in both the Michigan House of Representatives and the Senate, including a “Right to Teach” bill that would single out teachers. All of these pieces of legislation would effectively gut collective bargaining rights for workers.

* 7. Do you support such legislation for Michigan?
Yes: No:

Comments:

8. Collective Bargaining
Many bills that have been introduced or passed over the last year and a half have eroded the rights of public employees to bargain certain issues. Do you support the right for public workers to negotiate for wages, hours and working conditions as currently allowed through the Public Employee Relations Act?

* 8. Do you support such rights for Michigan’s workers?
Yes: No:

Comments:

9. MIOSHA
There has been some talk about abolishing MIOSHA and just relying on OSHA to provide for worksite protections. This would eliminate many protections that benefit Michigan workers, making worksites more dangerous.

* 9. Do you support the elimination of MIOSHA?
Yes: No:

Comments:

Additional Comments: