BRONX ST. PATRICKS'S DAY PARADE

We would like to take this opportunity to invite the entire membership to march in the 1st Annual Bronx Saint Patrick's Day Parade to be held in Throggs Neck. The parade will take place on March 14, 1999 on the corner of Lafayette and Tremont Avenue. Assembly will be at 11:00 a.m. and the parade will kick off at 12 noon sharp. The 9:00 a.m. mass will be dedicated to Saint Patrick and held at Saint Benedict's Church, 2629 Otis Avenue (adjacent to Engine 89 and Ladder 50). At 10:00 a.m. a complimentary breakfast will follow the mass in the Father Albert Hall underneath Saint Benedict's Church. Please come join the FDNY Pipes and Drums in this wonderful celebration!

CHAUFFEUR PAY EXTENDS TO TAC UNIT

The UFA has successfully negotiated for an expansion of the chauffeur pay differential to Tactical Support Units. This amended PAID 2-98 is effective back to February 19, 1999 and is outlined on recent Department Order #19 of 1999.

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PAY BACK THOSE SELF MUTUALS
The grace period allowing a member to owe a self mutual payback past 90 days without restrictions has just ended. If a self mutual is owed exceeding 90 days, you become ineligible for minimum manning overtime until repayment. You can still work 'other' O/T or RSOT, but why limit yourself! There are several thousand outstanding tours owed by firefighters. If they are not paid back and this new restriction doesn't reduce the many outstanding tours, we may be jeopardizing yet another good benefit. Don't spoil a worthwhile program.

CREDIT CHECK HURT BY UNPAID L.O.D. MEDICAL BILL?

This complicated problem can be avoided if you approach each step correctly from the beginning. When seeking medical treatment for a line of duty injury while out in the field (hospital emergency room) or after getting written authorization (for follow up treatment) from the Bureau of Health Services, comply with these instructions:

a) NEVER give your home address
b) NEVER give your firehouse address
c) NEVER give Headquarters

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS GIVE:

FDNY BUREAU OF HEALTH SERVICES
9 METROTECH CENTER
BROOKLYN, NY 11201

Please remind each other out there at the next 'job'. If you do use your home, firehouse or headquarters address for medical treatment pertaining to a line of duty injury, both you and your credit rating will suffer a living hell trying to rectify the billing through the compensation desk. Please try to etch 'BHS, 9 METROTECH CENTER, BROOKLYN' into the back of your mind, and save yourself a few headaches. (Copied from delegate manual, W-16)

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UFA PENSION & PRE-RETIREMENT SEMINAR

The next UFA Pension Assistance Seminar by Lou Sforza will be held Tuesday, March 23rd, at 7:00 P.M. at the UFA office located at 23rd Street and 3rd Avenue - 4th floor meeting room. Call Debbie Lynch at (212) 683-4832 to register.

S.O.C. GRIEVANCE

The UFA has aggressively defended a petition challenging arbitrability filed by the City against the UFA's grievance to insure that roster staffing overtime is offered to SOC units on a yearly schedule instead of the random quarterly basis which is available now. If successful, the UFA's grievance should result in more minimum manning overtime in SOC units to meet minimum manpower needs.

CFR-D GRIEVANCE

A hearing has been set for June 4, 1999 regarding the UFA's efforts at gaining pay for additional truck runs not included in the recent department order authorizing CFRD payments for ladder companies in certain situations (i.e.: force entry, trauma, multiple trauma). We will also continue to argue the exclusion of rescue and marine units from pay eligibility.

FIREHOUSE VISITS

The UFA has filed a grievance challenging the department's recent order directing firefighters to succumb to BITS interviews in firehouses without UFA or attorney representation.

QUEENS TRUSTEE - IMPROPER PRACTICE

An improper practice was filed by the UFA and Queens Trustee Tom DaParma challenging a battalion chief's disrespectful treatment and discrimination against the UFA.

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Fraternally,

WILLIAM F. MIRRO
Recording Secretary,

KEVIN E. GALLAGHER
President