PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE | BRIAN K. RICE

Building Relationships, Not Burning Bridges

OUR STATEWIDE POWER STARTS WITH YOU

As this year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what I saw and heard during our recent district meetings. Attendance was strong, the energy was high, and the conversations were real. We held a PAC workshop and a Gubernatorial Candidate Town Hall, but what really stood out to me were the district reports. Repeatedly, we heard examples of locals stepping up — getting involved in city council races, county board of supervisors, and special district races. And every single one of those locals walked away with something bigger than a win: they earned respect.

When you show up, people notice. Whether you replace one seat or an entire board, you’re having an impact on the decisions that affect your members, your families, and your communities. That’s what leadership looks like. But the leadership doesn’t stop when the district meeting ends. It continues at the coffee table, in the station, in those everyday conversations that shape how your members think and how they act. The coffee table can be a place to build understanding and pride — or it can tear down morale, your local, and your relationships in the community.

The truth is, not telling your story doesn’t work. Staying silent doesn’t work. I’ve been in this union for 35 years, and I’ve won more than I’ve lost — but the losses stick with you. They hurt. Still, the only way forward is to keep fighting, keep building, and keep talking. You can’t change Rome in a day, and I have worked to bring the full power of the CPF and its members behind a multitude of important issues. Some issues have only affected one local, while others impact us all, but throughout my time as president, I can unequivocally say that when asked, I have put the full weight of the CPF behind every issue. Whether the request came from Diamond Springs or CAL FIRE, this organization exists to fully support each and every local.

When I advocate, I advocate as if I am a Modesto firefighter, or an Orange County firefighter. I put myself in their shoes because even the most specific or local issue affects us all, and in a statewide labor movement, no one can do it all by themselves. Whether it’s pushing for the 56-hour work week or collaborating to protect the members of Santa Maria, this organization works tirelessly to support all 38,000 members and their families.

This work isn’t about favoring one side or another — it’s about having relationships that move our issues forward and getting signatures across the board. Establishing working relationships at all levels of state and local politics is our lifeblood, and these are what have led to our greatest successes. Any legislation that is hard or worth fighting for has taken every single one of us to get it done.

A case in point is AB 1383 (McKinnor) on retirement reform. It’s going to take every single one of us and every local for the next several months to make sure it reaches the Governor's desk. And that's only half of the battle, as ensuring that the bill is signed is just as monumental of a task. Our success in AB 1383 is going to take focus and significant effort, and we need every single member standing together to push this bill forward. Change takes time, and it takes everyone.

What I need from local leaders right now is simple: talk to your members. Help them understand the work that’s being done and why it matters. A lot of our successes come from working with elected officials who don’t necessarily share all our views or ideologies, but who respect our professionalism and the value we bring to the community. The union isn’t about personal ideology or individual beliefs — it’s about the issues that affect our jobs, our safety, our benefits, and our families.

When information doesn't trickle down to members or misinformation isn't corrected, it creates a void and allows for inaccuracies or rumors to spread. This is harmful to unions and has plagued them forever. And let me say this plainly: in this age of social media, it’s easy to play “keyboard clown.” I could make half of our members cheer with one post — but that post wouldn’t provide a signature or pass legislation. It wouldn’t fix a contract, improve staffing, or fund a benefit. What it would do is poison the well — make it harder for your local to get work done tomorrow.

Think of it like water quality. When the water’s dirty and full of sludge, nobody wants to drink it. But when you work to clear it — to filter out the negativity — it gets cleaner, bit by bit. That’s what relationships are like. If you constantly spew negativity, the water never clears. If you want it clean, if you want progress — you’ve got to get up from behind the keyboard and get involved.

Join your local. Show up. Have those tough conversations. Build relationships, not barriers. The future of our profession — and the strength of our union — depends on it.