SECRETARY-TREASURER’S DESK | MIKE LOPEZ
A look back with an eye towards the future
The busy holiday season is now past us and hopefully you were all able to take a break from work and spend some time with your family. For those of you that worked over the holidays, we thank you and your families for your service.
These past couple of years have been exceptional and that’s thanks to CPF staff and members across the state, who have been so supportive of CPF and its mission to build a better life for California firefighters and their families.
We faced some challenges in the last few years and nothing was more challenging than the destruction of the town of Paradise. The loss of life and property caused by the Camp Fire was on a scale unlike anything we have seen. Our California Fire Foundation stepped up in a big way. The foundation was on the ground and distributed SAVE cards, valued at $250, to survivors days after the fire broke out. As more donations came through, the foundation immediately distributed the funds directly into the hands of those affected by the most destructive fire in state history.
As our members work nearly year-round to respond to the “new normal” of fire season, our foundation has taken a larger role in assisting survivors in the aftermath of these all too common disasters. We are proud of our growing work with our members and the communities they protect.
CPF President, Brian Rice, has spent this last year standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our members across the state. From Union City’s threat to close fire station 30 to Placentia’s blatant attack on firefighter pensions and benefits: Where there was an attack on firefighters’ livelihoods and safety on the job, Brian made it his mission to advocate for our rank-and-file sisters and brothers. Beyond fighting for our own labor rights, Brian stood with labor organizations against threats to our working sisters and brothers across industries. An attack on union workers anywhere is a threat to union firefighters. When the rights and benefits of other union workers are stripped away, it’s only a matter of time before we become the target. It’s important that we stand strong with unions across the board and fight to protect the dignified livelihood of all union workers.
The most productive and meaningful times over the last year have been our visits to fire stations across the state. These visits allow us to hear directly from members on the issues or ideas they would like to see CPF champion. We are able to bring those conversations back to Sacramento and turn them into political and legislative action, as we did for our members in Solano county where privatization was threatening 911-dipatch. In response, CPF sponsored Senate Bill 438, keeping 911-dispatch in the hands of sworn public employees, which was signed into law by Governor Newsom. Your voice matters in charting the path forward and member-to-member outreach keeps CPF’s vision grounded in the needs of the rank-and-file.
The new calendar year means new officers are being sworn in across many locals. Some new officers are taking roles they have never had before, and we are here to help. If you are someone who is new to union leadership, please reach out to CPF for help in understanding your new role.
My thanks to all of you. Here’s wishing you a safe and productive new year. This Spring, the CPF convention will be held in Carlsbad. It's the place where your voice is heard, as delegates from throughout California chart the CPF agenda for the coming years. To learn more, talk to your union leadership. Good luck in 2020, and I look forward to what the future holds for CPF.