September 18, 2009

Brothers:

I am pleased to announce that the amended version of HB 1828, which the PPFFA worked on, adapted and fought for, has passed the Pennsylvania Senate with a vote of 32 to 17.

The vote was a clear result of the political activity of our membership.  The PPFFA Executive Board, Trustees and Staff worked endless hours on the legislative process that brought the bill from a piece of legislation that would have decimated our pensions to a labor friendly vehicle to assist our municipalities and protect our pensions.  Clearly, this victory would not have been possible without your efforts and the efforts of our members, their families and friends.  In the near future we will get more information on the PPFFA web site about the vote.  Please feel free to contact me or any of the PPFFA Officers or Trustees for more information. 

Again, thank you and congratulations.

Fraternally:

Art Martynuska

President

Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association

The revised version on House Bill 1828 was passed by the Pennsylvania Senate yesterday with a vote of 32 in favor and 17 against.

This HB 1828 orginally left the Senate several weeks ago unfriendly to firefighters and decimating our pensions. The hardwork of this Local and the firefighters across this state has helped change this legislation into a more friendly bill. It was your attending the rally in Harrisburg, your sending emails, and placing phone calls that changed this legislation. Additionally, the PPFFA Executive Board is to be commended for their hard and tireless work on this legislation as well as many of our other leaders from our other Locals across the state. They spent many hours away from their families and the job the last several weeks to defend a benefit that we hold so important and unthinkable of lossing. It is their hard work and yours that made this happen.

This is only the beginning of a long road, and there will be many other challenges, both politically and legislatively. However, we as firefighters, brothers can stand together to achieve our almost anything.

I would like to remind our membership to contact your State Senator Sean Logan, State Rep. Bill Kortz and Marc Gergely and thank them for their support on this important piece of legislation.

Jerry Tedesco, President, IAFF Local 10 

It is with deep regret that the McKeesport Firefighters IAFF Local 10 announces the passing of Former Deputy Fire Chief Peter Margliotti. Pete passed away Sunday, September 6th at his residence. Pete served in the McKeesport Fire Department from 1961 until his retirement in 1981 as a Hoseman, Driver, and Deputy Fire Chief.

Visitation will be held at the Jaycox-Jaworski Funeral Home, 2703 O'Neil Blvd., McKeesport, PA 15132 on Tuesday, September 8th from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. and on Wednesday, September 9th from 2:00 to 4:00 & 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 10th at St. Patrick's Church, 310 32nd St., McKeesport, PA 15132 the service is scheduled for 10 A.M.

A firefighter Service will be held at Jaycox-Jaworski Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 9th at 7:15 P.M. Those particpating in the service should gather at the funeral home at 7:00 P.M.

For additional information contact the funeral home at 412-664-4489 or the fire station at 412-675-5021.

The McKeesport Alliance Church at 938 Summit St., McKeesport, PA 15132 will be hold it's annual First Responder Recognition Service. The service will be held on Sunday, September 13th at 10:45 A.M. This service has been held in the past on Memorial Day weekend and has also recognized Veterans at the same service. However, due to the large response from both First Responders and Veterans over the years the service had to be separated to recognize each group separately.

The Service will be conducted by Pastor Doug McCracken, Pastor of the McKeesport Alliance Church and Chaplain of the McKeesport Fire Department. Pastor McCracken is also the 2008 reciepent of the McKeesport Firefighters IAFF Local 10's "Richard Jones" Award voted on by the members of the Local for dedicated service to the community and the fire department.

For questions about this service contact the church at 412-678-1162 or office@mckalliance.org

As you may know, last week, the Pennsylvania State Senate passed House Bill 1828, the so-called "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act." Unfortunately, before passing H.B. 1828 - which was originally intended to save the City of Philadelphia from its current financial crisis - the Senate added an amendment that will do irreparable harm to the pension benefits of all Pennsylvania fire fighters.

Under the Senate-passed version of H.B. 1828, your right to collectively bargain over your pension benefits will be eviscerated. The new version of the bill will also give the state permanent control over any municipal pension plan that is currently underfunded.

This new version of H.B. 1828 will be voted on by the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives on Tuesday, September 8. If the House passes the bill in its current form, not only will your collective bargaining rights on pension benefits disappear, but fire fighters across the state will also see pension benefits either frozen or significantly cut.

We simply cannot allow H.B. 1828 to pass the House. President of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association Art Martynuska and his team have been lobbying aggressively in Harrisburg to make sure that this disastrous bill does not become law, but they need your help!

Attached to this email is a document with additional information on why H.B. 1828 is so disastrous for Pennsylvania's fire fighters and other public employees. 

Should you have any questions or need assistance finding/contacting your State Representative, please don't hesitate to get in touch with either President Martynuska at (814) 525-0536 or amartynuska@ppffa.org or your state District Vice President.

Thank you and stay safe.


Fraternally,

Harold A. Schaitberger
General President

That's why I'm writing you today to ask that you please contact your State Representative immediately - either by phone or email - to urge the rejection of H.B. 1828 as passed by the Senate. At the very least, the Senate's amendment to the bill MUST be removed. 

Click here to find your State Representative and his or her contact information. You can search for your Representative by either zip code or county.