A rare contested race for president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has given its members a clear choice between a union traditionalist from Boston and a progressive activist who backed massive labor protests against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker a decade ago—and then joined electoral efforts to oust the anti … The union endorsed Biden on the day of his campaign launch, the first major national union to back the former vice president. By Cameron Gerber on November 17, 2020. Local 22 members protested and national IAFF leadership spoke out against the union’s September endorsement of Trump. The union also donated $5,000 to the Biden campaign and spent nearly $75,000 in outside spending to support him in 2019, throwing a critical lifeline to a campaign that faced persistent challenges from the progressive left. #16 Mahlon Mitchell – General President Candidate IAFF 2020 | Fire Fighter Union Election. “While the IAFF helps support candidates who support our issues at the federal level, our focus isn’t solely on those races,” says General President Harold Schaitberger. Suncoast, FL Local 2546 worked successfully with the IAFF to elect several candidates to state legislatures, as well as fire fighter-friendly candidates to many fire commissions and city councils. One of the biggest challenges was putting the brakes on the PSO proposal in Hamtramck, Michigan. Harold Schaitberger, the president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, announced his decision to forgo reelection in an email sent Tuesday morning to union members, putting an end to his 20-year tenure as the top honcho of a labor group that represents more than 300,000 members. The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) was a major supporter of Biden’s presidential race, backing the … All rights reserved. Al was one of the best President’s of the UFOA not to mention a great leader of Ladder 43 located in Spanish Harlem. Ed "Edzo" Kelly, is a candidate for General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). One of Joe Biden's closest labor allies dropped his reelection bid as union president amid a federal probe into allegations that he illegally siphoned more than $1 million from the union treasury. This approach helped defeat the ballot measures 61-38. Daniel Coughlin, an IAFF firefighter in New Haven, Connecticut, said many rank-and-file union members have always supported the president even if the national union does not. He will step down from office after the union's January election. “You’re going to see, ‘Run Joe Run,’ the gold and black ‘Firefighters for Biden,’” IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger told NBC News on … "I don't think it's unexpected—something had to be done. There are other rats that were complicit in his actions that need to be smoked out.". He's a proud New Yorker — and by that he means, New York City. “Whether its local, state/provincial or federal elections, our union’s participation in the election process is paramount to our success in winning better pay and benefits for our members,” says 12th District Vice President Walt Dix. The IAFF leadership believes Biden and the Democrats are the best choice in 2020 for union firefighters and labor, in general. It is our duty at HFFA to ensure that these candidates have earned our endorsement. Regardless of political party, HFFA and the IAFF work with decision-makers to improve the lives and livelihoods of its members — selecting the candidates who will have our backs. IAFF 55th Convention News COVID-19 Resources COVID Vaccine Information Grant Assistance for FP&S (Deadline February 26) and SAFER (Deadline March 12) Financial Fitness for Fire Fighters 2020 Media Awards Contest Winners Sign Up for IAFF SMART I cannot stand by and allow our union to become even more divided.". 940 talking about this. He recently graduated from Cornell University, where he studied government and history. I couldn't see him surviving this, one way or another," he said. “And nowhere was that more evident than in Frisco. The union leader's exit is a major loss for the Biden campaign, which counted the Schaitberger-led IAFF as one of its most loyal labor allies. “For six decades, IAFF members have been at intersections across America with their fire boots to collect donations for MDA,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. This entry was posted in 2020 Election and tagged 2020 Election, IAFF, Joe Biden, Labor. As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to transition into his role as chief executive of the U.S., a prominent organization representing the nation’s firefighters is celebrating his victory — and its involvement with his campaign. The firefighters and paramedics union in Philadelphia broke with the International Association of Fire Fighters to endorse President Trump in the upcoming election, according to a report. 2020 Orange County election results The election day count is complete, though some ballots remain to be counted. Bookmark the permalink. These successes include helping Frisco, TX Local 3732 elect a fire fighter-friendly candidate and send another to a run-off election with good momentum. Simpson’s Alma Mater to Host Panel Discussion with Founder of Scandal-Plagued Lincoln Project, Lincoln Project Founder Paid Off Mortgage Days After NYT Reported on Weaver Scandal, Dem Megadonor’s Son Launches Senate Campaign. Rachel M. Cohen. There's no accountability and, that, in my view, has harmed our great union," he said. The IAFF worked with affiliates on dozens of local ballot initiatives, referendums and tax measures. Running for General Secretary Treasurer, IAFF Currently serves as IAFF 10th District VP (Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico and Guam) Was President of Local 112 and also was a Station Steward, Executive Board Director, Vice President and Lead Negotiator with Local 112 Was a VP of California Professional Firefighters "After dedicating almost 50 years of my life to this wonderful union, I have decided not to run for re-election as your General President," Schaitberger wrote in the email. Ballots will be mailed out on Oct. 14, and must be received by Nov. 3. In addition, assistance to affiliates included campaign strategy and planning, messaging, literature design, digital assistance, targeting voters and video production for several campaigns. "Unions, especially the IAFF, have been neck-and-neck with the Democratic Party, but there's a lot of blue collar regular guys and girls who are pro-Trump," he said. Schaitberger denied the corruption allegations against him in the email. This information is a public record, which can also be found on www.UnionReports.gov, which is a government-run website. Included in those victories are campaigns that increased funding for our members’ fire departments, established binding arbitration, halted attacks on our members’ schedules and ended efforts to create a public safety officer (PSO) program. Kevin Lamarque / Reuters Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to International Association of Fire Fighters members at at a union conference in 2015. Instead, he maintained that he has wrongly been made the "stalking horse of much of the false information, division, anger and rancor" that have caused division in the union. “While the IAFF helps support candidates who support our issues at the federal level, our focus isn’t solely on those races,” says General… September 18 2020, 3:00 a.m. Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, speaks during the IAFF Legislative Conference in … The IAFF assisted in more than 50 candidate elections,  claiming victory in 65% percent of these races. Schaitberger, for his part, has attempted to beat back pro-Trump elements in the union and pledged to "do everything in my power to help Joe Biden become the next president.". Those efforts helped pass 23 local ballot measures, while only seven fell short. He hoped Schaitberger's resignation would pave the way for a more accountable union leadership that could restore trust. 350 Sparks Street, Suite 403 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1R 7S8 Phone: 613.567.8988. Choosing Edzo is choosing a corrupt, fear-mongering, anti-union future for our union. “Much of the work to keep our members safe is done at a local level, and the IAFF has made it a priority to provide the resources our affiliates need to be successful in local elections.”. Frank Ricci, a senior strategist for the Yankee Institute and former IAFF local president, said the union, as well as federal investigators, should continue to scrutinize Schaitberger's financial dealings. OREGON FEDERAL OFFICE U.S. Senate. For Oregonians, Oct. 13 is the deadline to register to vote in the November 2020 general election. IAFF President Harold Schaitberger has been accused of financial misconduct, including improperly withdrawing $1 million from union pension coffers and using union funds for personal expenses. International Association of Firefighters General President Harold Schaitberger (C) embraces Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden during a … Local efforts did not end on Election Day. Being elected as this great union’s General President, and that election was by acclamation. Yuichiro Kakutani is a reporter at the Washington Free Beacon. Kelly, the union's number two and a top candidate to replace Schaitberger, employs a top staffer who is aligned with Trump and fundraised for the Republican Party. "This IAFF is too important. He rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant at Station #1 in Wisconsin’s capital city of Madison, where he still serves..... No comment As the race for the White House has dominated headlines since Election Day, November 3, the IAFF successfully helped many affiliates secure important victories at the ballot box to improve working conditions. Coughlin said the announcement did not come as a surprise to most of the rank-and-file members since they did not see how the union president could survive the scandal. CREDIT: Fox News screenshot The International Association of Fire Fighters, a labor union representing more than 300,000 firefighters and emergency medical service providers, endorsed Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign on Monday. © 2021 International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, CLC. "I think [Schaitberger's exit] might give the men and women of the international a little hope that someone is out there looking out for them after all.". bill - 9.29.2020. 8th District Vice President Mark Sanders says, “With the help of the IAFF, Local 750 President Andrew Oleksiak and Brother Jon Krajewski did a great job engaging the community. IAFF released a video endorsing the former vice president in his 2020 run. Hours before Joe Biden hits the campaign trail for the first time as a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, the former vice president landed his first major endorsement. ... 2020 Election News Donald Trump Pennsylvania Philadelphia Philadelphia Firefighters Union the 2020 Election. His exit may dampen the union's support for Biden, especially since many rank-and-file members objected to the endorsement. I know Al Hagan for over 40 years and if he says the IAFF needs transparency be sure the IAFF needs full transparency. Oct 1, 2020 All CPF Priority and Sponsored Bills Signed by Governor At the end of an interrupted legislative session, CPF is proud to report that every bill both sponsored or considered a top priority for the organization has been signed by Governor Newsom and passed into law. Local 3732 President Matthew Sapp recognized that and began working with the IAFF to build the needed political capital more than one year before Election Day. When Biden announced his candidacy for the 2020 election, the IAFF endorsed him the same day. Biden Has Earned 11 Pinocchios From Fact-Checkers During Coronavirus Crisis, FACT CHECK: Stuart Stevens Says ‘Washington Insiders Threatened’ by Lincoln Project, Biden Nixes Union Contract With Pro-Trump Labor Group, Biden Nominee for Top State Dept Post Contributed to Book About How ‘Israel Lobby’ Controls American Politics, Michigan Removes 177,000 Voters From Voter Rolls After Legal Challenge, Biden Makes History: First President in 40 Years to Punt on Contacting Israel, Biden Aide Who Threatened to ‘Destroy’ Female Reporter is Protege of Notorious Sex Pests Halperin, Lauer, Bloomberg Fires Dozens of Journalists After Wasting $1 Billion on Failed Vanity Campaign, O.J. It also shows the resources available from our International union when it comes to helping our locals.”. By the start of 2020, the International Association of Fire Fighters already had donated $5,000 to his campaign and raised another nearly $75,000 from outside sources. The top two winners then move on to the general election ballot — even if they're both from the same party. “A successful campaign starts long before voting begins,” says 11th District Vice President Sandy McGhee. Each morning and weekday evening, we'll email you an exclusive summary of the news and exclusive, original reporting from the Washington Free Beacon. To request IAFF assistance, contact your local’s District Vice President. He criticized national union executives for fostering a culture of corruption. "The innuendo, baseless allegations and misleading accusations. Source: LM forms filed with the Office of Labor-Management Standards. The internal probe, which the Washington Free Beacon first reported on, alleged that roughly $6 million in union funds had disappeared during Schaitberger's tenure. “And that is something Suncoast, FL Local 2546 President Phil Vets took to heart, successfully using IAFF assistance in campaigns for state legislature and fire commission.”. IAFF Local 22, which represents more than 4,700 emergency responders in Philadelphia, endorsed President Donald Trump hours after Schaitberger sent his email to the union membership. Schaitberger's fall from grace started in March, when an internal probe led by the union's second-in-command Ed Kelly found that he misappropriated millions of dollars from the union pension fund. He previously served as editor for The Cornell Daily Sun. Candidates must understand our issues and will work with HFFA on important labor matters including … The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 22, ... IAFF general president Harold Schaitberger expressed his own displeasure for the endorsement, according to The Inquirer. Yuichiro Kakutani - September 29, 2020 3:05 PM. He also has a deep affection for the work you do.” We have choices for General President in the upcoming election. Speaking before an IAFF audience in Iowa this January, Schaitberger referred to Biden this way: “His policy issues are consistent with us, and his track record is stellar. Mahlon Mitchell became a firefighter at age 19. 2020 Election Firefighters Call For Change As Feds Probe Union Corruption Key Biden ally allegedly took $1 million from union pension fund. Jeff Merkley (D) is seeking a third six-year term. Harold Allen Schaitberger (born June 24, 1946) is an American labor leader who has served as General President of the International Association of Firefighters since 2000.. Harold A. Schaitberger is the ninth president in the IAFF's 100-year history, and was the first to have been elected by acclamation in 2000. Respectfully, Jack Culkin 2020-04-03 16:48:54 "Schaitberger ending his failed reelection campaign should not close the door to wider FBI investigations. Tallies are also available from Los Angeles , … The FBI launched its own corruption probe into the union in September, causing many dues-paying firefighters to lose faith in the organization. YouTube page opens in new windowFacebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new windowPinterest page opens in new windowFlickr page opens in new windowIAFF PodBean Podcast, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS. Fox News host Brian Kilmeade grilled IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger on Monday. 2020 GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS. For Local 750, communicating the dangers of the PSO model  was complicated because of language barriers in the community. "It is clear President Schaitberger’s and his cronies' personal greed, scandals, and schemes has fractured the IAFF’s influence," Ricci said. Biden has been supporting firefighters for more than 40 years, said Schaitberger. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 22, which represents firefighters and paramedics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, declined to rescind the endorsement of President Donald Trump in a 1,444 to 782 vote, the union announced Wednesday. And that was key for their endorsed candidates.”. Election Could Reshape Labor Movement. As the race for the White House has dominated headlines since Election Day, November 3, the IAFF successfully helped many affiliates secure important victories at the ballot box to improve working conditions. The General Election is Tuesday, November 3, 2020 with polling locations open from 6:00 AM until 6:00 PM. Jul 21, 2020 CPF Fire Wire: Surviving COVID-19 The IAFF membership isn’t universally buying that message. The union did not respond to a request for comment. But with assistance from the IAFF, Local 750 rose to the challenge, creating campaign mailers and social media communications in English, Arabic and Bengali (the most-commonly spoken languages among residents). The union's leader, Harold Schaitberger, has been urging Biden to run for president in the 2020 election. It would be challenging to find a stronger labor ally in the U.S. Senate than Merkley. Early voting in person is now open in Hamilton County at select locations through November 2. IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger Decides Not to Run for Re-Election. International Association of Fire Fighters. Candidates endorsed and supported by affiliates also had a good night. He can be reached at kakutani@freebeacon.com.