Skinning a Cat
Chicago taxpayers are “hemorrhaging” money, thanks to the “liberal” and “standardless” award of overtime pay to Chicago Fire Department brass that wiped out savings generated by mandatory furloughs, Inspector General Joe Ferguson has concluded.
In a preliminary report issued Tuesday, Ferguson concluded that straight overtime payments to the Fire Department’s 50 “exempt” employees skyrocketed — from $18,516 in 2008 to $311,180 in 2009 and $191,293 during the first three months of this year.
If straight overtime continues at the current pace, Fire Department brass will rack up $765,174 in straight overtime payments in 2010, a 245 percent increase over last year’s “inflated total.”
Labels: fire fighters
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
40 Comments:
Way to beat the system guys. Our exempts are to dum to figure out how to do that. To bad you got caught.
How the hell did the exempt firemen get all that OT? Come on! Shortshanks is not going to be happy.
Wait until they audit CPD's books and see just how much is being spent on W/C's that are being sent out of district and/or area to fill in for other Lieutenants on furlough and such.
Our next time in the media spotlight as the bad guys is right around the corner. It's always been this way. In case you haven't noticed, the police have been the bad guys for quite some time now.
It's just too bad that no media figure will even try to rationally explain why these guys and gals are being sent all over the city. Tip & Clue from me to you, media: Lack Of Manpower.
WTF? Exempt OVERTIME for CFD? With all the MF hours the exempts put in here at CPD, trying to cover that goofy asshole J-Fled's pathetic ass? Outrageous! That's a hole that should be plugged IMMEDIATELY!
I'm all for firefighters getting all they can, but I never understood why they get the "Same as Police" clause. All I can see is they get their great benefits plus whatever we got. I took the wrong test.
Are you kidding the Mayor loves the CFD!!!
CFD exempts bosses don't get to suck the gold brain pensions from the fire pension fund. They were stopped in that attempt. That is one needed change for the police department, throw the exempts out of our pension fund, they should get their highest civil service rank credited and that is it.
My question is why do the firemen get a uniform check the same as ours being that their stuff is all provided for them?I agree w/the earlier poster, I took the wrong test!!
Not surprise at all this is mayor daley city and only he make decisions he is king and no one not one person can stop him these are his firemen and women and these firemen and women don't do anything but call for police to go assist them 99% of the time or they dont respond to call if they dont want to what the h*ll send the police it is good to have clout rules dont apply to everyone and heaven help you if there is a fire they will destroy any thing in site and then leave they get everything from king daley it is time for the city to realized that it time for daley to be removed start fresh. Pres.Obama should pardon miriam santos so she can run .
CFD ain't got no blog ;)
Fire Department Exempts are part of the bargaining unit while ours are not.
Our Exempts receive pensions based on their exempt salaries while their exempts receive their pensions based on their civil service salary not their exempt salary.
The winners at the PD on the furlough policy of the City are the lieutenants and captains who are not exempt! The losers are the exempt members who lose both salary and future pension compensation.
Speaking of pay, Quinn hands out raises
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9GPQ1FG4&show_article=1
can you milk a cat? i guess you can!
Its plain and simple why.CFD local 2 has a manning and no acting clause in their contract.For example when police take time due or there is a medical etc if the manpower is not there they down the car.All CFD units MUST have proper manning and be in service 24 hours a day or its a contract violation and those who would have been paid the OT to be on them will be paid through the grievance procedure.It is monitored carefully through Local 2.
Overtime for C.F.D. exempts? For what? Sitting in front of the firehouse or responding to the ambulance assist! Look around and you will see there are very few fires anymore. Building codes, sprinkler systems, and better construction have made fires a rarity! 8 hour shifts for C.F.D. could eliminate manpower and overtime. It was already investigated and studied and this was the determination.
Their exempts get OT because all the way up to Battalion Chiefs are represented by the Union. Maybe even District Chiefs...check it our
assign exempts as watch commanders
during the second watch and cpd will save alot of money
The mayor does NOT, "...love the CFD," at least not the rank and file. CFD has ALWAYS been too heavy at the top, get some of those loads outta HQ and into the field. That'll take away their "Commander" status and get them back on the street; although not sure I'd want any of them watching my back in a fire.
THE CPD use to have the "me to" clause" whatever the CFD got, the CPD got. For the CPD not to have that clause in their contract anymore, ask your negotiator's why they gave that up 2 contracts ago! What did you get for it when you gave that clause up? It use to be what was good for the CPD was good for the CFD and vice versa but not anymore.
25 Year CFD member
Somebody is cooking the books at the CFD.
Luckily our Exempts are "Too Stupid" to figure this one out without getting caught doing something stupid like running traffic control P.O.'s over like in 016!
Great examples of leadership from all Departments in this town!
This City sucks!
Just like the police, the fire dept is way over on exempt, they don't need them all
Read the scum times today and 10 of these idiots were laid-up on medical for total of 1,100+ days! How they make all that extra cash? just magical!
Most of the exempts in the fire department are covered by a contract, they do get gold braid retirement pay and they are paid for overtime, totally different from the police department. I really do not thin this will change anytime soon. The fire department sworn make a great deal of OT. Work a day off and you get 24 hrs at 1 1/2 times. Not bad
Not only do the "Exempt Ranks" get overtime to make up for unpaid days, each and every one of them gets a take home car. Think about that the next time that you have to fill up your tank at $2.99 a gallon!
The only thing these chiefs are exempt from is being treated like everyone else.
-CFD Member
Anonymous said...
CFD exempts bosses don't get to suck the gold brain pensions from the fire pension fund. They were stopped in that attempt. That is one needed change for the police department, throw the exempts out of our pension fund, they should get their highest civil service rank credited and that is it.
7/07/2010 06:07:00 AM
===================================
That is not true. They do get the Brass Bill as long as they are over 55,been a Battlion Chief for 5 years and also Exempt rank for 5 yrs too.
Not ALL Exempts on the CFD get overtime. The only ones that do are the DDC's which would be probably the equivalent to your WC. There is a DDC on duty at all times in each of the districts.
Anonymous said...
I'm all for firefighters getting all they can, but I never understood why they get the "Same as Police" clause. All I can see is they get their great benefits plus whatever we got. I took the wrong test.
7/07/2010 01:29:00 AM
===================================
It's called the "Me too Clause" And the reason why the CFD has it and not the police is because our union put it into our contract and it has to be negoiated out of it. Your union was toooooo stupid to have & keep it in your contract.
Anonymous said...
Read the scum times today and 10 of these idiots were laid-up on medical for total of 1,100+ days! How they make all that extra cash? just magical!
7/07/2010 10:50:00 AM
===================================
The ones that were laid-up are not the ones that got extra money because of the O.T. It was the ones that were NOT laid-up that worked to fill the spots of the guys laid-up that made the money. Plus we had quite a few that got O.T. to do the oral exams for the Lt. Exam last spring. They di it on thier off days.
Anonymous said...
... Our exempts are to dum to figure out how to do that...
7/07/2010 12:25:00 AM
How much Windex do you need when you clean your glass house?
There are quite a few post on here that are wrong.
CFD ain't got no blog ;)
Yes we do. It just isn't as popular as it was about 6 yrs ago.
The Exempt Rank is not part of the bargaining unit. But 1 union represents medics & FF alike up to the rank of Battalion Chief/Field Chief
The Exempt that get O.T. DO NOT have take home cars or get free gas.
The Mayor DOES NOT like us.
The Exempts on the CFD do not lose giving back furlough day towards thier pension. They can pay the difference out of pocket or use thier Deffered Comp without paying a penalty. I think the CPD is the same in that respect.
Dear Scc: I love the CFD-you guys rock! I would rather face a bullet and take my chances then run into a burning building anyday. It's too hot in there and I like 70 degree weather. Anyway, I understood that fire gets first issue, but after that they are on their own, that's why they get uniform allowance. Hey CFD, is that true?
Actually they are not breaking any laws despite what the City may want. The Federal govt. has strict rules on how exempt employees can be furloughed without pay. It sure looks like the city overstepped those laws and rather than this overtime stopping, it would be fair to say that the exempt of this department have a case of unfair labor practices against the city. As the law reads, they too are entitled to overtime since their salaried status as exempt was reduced to hourly wages. CFD can't be punished for this because it's not against the law. They took over $20,000 pay cut along with CPD. I'm sure that money came in handy when the city needed to fund charity programs or the raises of Aldermen who do not take as much time off without pay in mandatory furlough days, or afterschool programs, or tif grants, shall I continue? Yes those type of expenditures are critical I am sure and justify even our being awarded a 2% raise so they can be funded.
CFD Has as many exempts as the Police Dept w/1/3 the manpower. Bunch of clout clown do-nothings making 6 figures plus. Only in Shitcago...
"The Mayor DOES NOT like us (CFD)."
Well if that's true, we'd better start working TOGETHER to unseat Tricky Dick Daley!
"The mayor does NOT, "...love the CFD"
Baloney, he's had a warm woodie for fireman every since he was a kid running down to the corner of
35th& Lowe to ride the fire engine.
Weeeeeee!!!!
My question is why do the firemen get a uniform check the same as ours being that their stuff is all provided for them?I agree w/the earlier poster, I took the wrong test!!
All our stuff is not completely covered. We are only issued 2 shirts and 2 pairs of pants, we have to buy the rest. White shirts and t-shirts wear out and stain fast. We are issued our turnout gear, but all other tools we have to buy. I also buy a new flashlight every 2 years, new gloves yearly (the ones they issue us are CRAP), misc tools we need I buy whenever they rust out, rescue ropes they won't issue us, my own radio holster, actually, I spend my entire uniform check on firefighting related gear.
Overtime for C.F.D. exempts? For what? Sitting in front of the firehouse or responding to the ambulance assist! Look around and you will see there are very few fires anymore. Building codes, sprinkler systems, and better construction have made fires a rarity! 8 hour shifts for C.F.D. could eliminate manpower and overtime. It was already investigated and studied and this was the determination.
Are you serious? How in the world would 8 hour shifts save the city money? Firemen currently work far more hours than a 40 hour employee works, which is 2080 hours a year BEFORE vacation time, etc. Overtime costs would TRIPLE, they would have to hire and promote hundreds of firemen to cover the lost hours, training and scheduling nightmares, etc What study are you talking about?!?! Do ANY fire dept work 8 hour shifts? ANY? I wonder why. 10 years ago, the city paid a private firm to study the entire Fire Dept, including an hour change when the City wanted to switch firemen to a 1 on/3 off schedule. That would cost the city hundreds of millions, and an 8 hour change would be completely cost prohibitive. Maybe there are no fires in Northbrook where you live where they have sprinklers that you are talking about, but here on the West Side fires are pretty common. Turn on a scanner instead of 'looking around'. Stroke. Next time check your facts. I know you're not a cop because we've been sticking up for each other a ton lately.
Deputy District Chiefs are an exempt rank that is on 24 hour platoon duty. They have to pay them overtime if they work a platoon other than the one they are assigned. They are the only exempts that get paid for extra days because they already work a couple hundred hours a year more than 40 hour employees. For instance, some weeks if they work Sun, Wed, and Sat, that is already 72 hours a week, add in an over time day and thats 96 hours. That article is misleading, there HAS to be a DDC on duty in each of the 7 districts around the clock. They take furlough days during the week at 8 hours at a time while the District Chief is on duty, and then the DDC comes in when the DC leaves.
Anonymous said...
CFD exempts bosses don't get to suck the gold brain pensions from the fire pension fund. They were stopped in that attempt. That is one needed change for the police department, throw the exempts out of our pension fund, they should get their highest civil service rank credited and that is it.
7/07/2010 06:07:00 AM
===================================
That is not true. They do get the Brass Bill as long as they are over 55,been a Battlion Chief for 5 years and also Exempt rank for 5 yrs too.
=================================
They also have to be born before 1955, there are few left. The CFD Brass bill is due to be re-negotiated.
Anonymous said...
"The mayor does NOT, "...love the CFD"
Baloney, he's had a warm woodie for fireman every since he was a kid running down to the corner of
35th& Lowe to ride the fire engine.
Weeeeeee!!!!
7/08/2010 01:02:00 AM
The CFD hates Jane Byrne. The mayor also hates Jane Byrne. The mayor loves the CFD because they hate Jane Byrne, if for no other reason.
Post a Comment
<< Home