Get your IAFF Super Bowl XLVII Decals Celebrating the World Champion Seattle Seahawks.

Blue and green IAFF Super Bowl decals are now available for individuals or for your local. Union and American made decals licensed by the IAFF, they will look great on your car, truck, boat or motorcycle. All proceeds from the sales will benefit the Kitsap Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund.

Put together an order for your local or order a few for yourself.  $10.00 per decal + S/H of:

     -$1.00 per order on orders of 5 or less

     -$2.00 S/H on orders of 6-10 

     -$7.50 S/H on orders of more that 10 decals.

 Methods of payment:

     -Cash - Benovelent fund officer

     -PayPal - at www.iaff2819.org, click on the donate button.

     -Checks - payable to Kitsap Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund, PO Box 1604, Silverdale, WA 98383

IAFF Locals can email jwildes@iaff2819.org.  Upon receipt of your order, shipment will be promptly made to you.  Show your support of the World Champion Seattle Seahawks and the IAFF. You must be an IAFF member to buy.  Please include your local number in all correspondence/payments.

It is inconceivable that our members have too many challenge coins - and, it just so happens that our union store has a variety of these coins for sale. 

Recently, the Kitsap Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund commissioned a coin order and the store is one of the easily accessable places to secure your very own copy. Check out our inventory below and contact Owen for a purchase.

Our tried and true Copper Nickle - $10	Our 30th Anniversary Coin - $15
Our favorite Tri-Color Brass - $15	The Benevolent Fund Brass - $20

Save the date. 

Our 2819 Honor Guard will be presenting colors at the Bremerton Ice Areana, 1950 Homer Dr
Bremerton, WA 98310, February 1st for the West Sound Warriors hockey game.

The game begins 7:35pm

The Warriors will be hosting the Tri-Cities Outlaws. Ticket pricing can be found here http://westsoundwarriors.pointstreaksites.com/view/westsoundwarriors/tickets.

Direct questions to Dave Musselman.

There will be beer and a jersey bidding war with proceeds benefitting our B-Fund. Hope to see you there.

Operation Warm in Kitsap County!

On January 15th, our benevolent fund presented winter coats to 55 4th graders as part of the National Firefighter's Coats for Kids campaign. 

Together, $1900 was raised by the Kitsap Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund and Locals 437 and 2819. The money purchased newly made coats for kids attending Armin Jahr Elementary. Each coat was made in the United States. 

Fire fighters from Bremerton and CKFR attended the event as well as several members off duty.

The 2014 Legislative Session kicks off on Monday, January 13. As you may know, the Washington State legislature meets for a 105-day regular session in odd-numbered years when they are writing the two-year operating budget, and a 60-day regular session in the even-numbered years, or “supplemental operating budget” years. This year’s regular session is scheduled to adjourn on March 14. Special sessions have been frequent in recent years, so it would not be a surprise to go into overtime.
    

The membership of the Legislature has been very fluid in both the House and Senate with retirements, elections, and legislators taking other opportunities. The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC), made up of 24 Senate Republicans and two rogue Senate Democrats, gained another seat with the defeat of Senator Nathan Schlicher by Representative Jan Angel in the November 2013 general election. This gives them a three-seat advantage over Senate Democrats. Senate Democrats also recently elected a new Minority Leader after former leader Ed Murray was elected Mayor of Seattle.Taking over for Mayor Murray is Senator Sharon Nelson, who represents the 34^th Legislative District, consisting of West Seattle and Vashon Island.
    
For the first time in several years, the Legislature is not faced with a projected revenue deficit leading up to session. The last revenue forecast in November predicted a $25 million surplus of revenue over existing spending obligations. While it’s a welcome relief to not face additional cuts, $25 million is a drop in the ocean (just 0.008%) of a $33 billion-plus budget. This tiny fiscal cushion will not allow the legislature to restore any of the deep cuts they have enacted to dozens of worthwhile expenditures over the past few budget cycles and will likely result instead in a status quo supplemental budget given the partisan divide. Keep in mind: teachers and state employees have not had one cost of living increase for the past six straight years!

The recent Machinists–Boeing conflict has led to speculation that labor is in for a tough session. Many Republicans, including the State Republican Party, are promoting the idea that Washington should become a “right to work” state. For those who don’t know what that means, it’s a requirement for unions to represent workers even if the workers choose not to pay dues for that representation, which essentially guts the union and transfers all the power in the collective bargaining relationship to employers, resulting in lower pay and fewer benefits for workers statewide. In addition, with Boeing, the largest private employer in Washington, shifting its employees to a 401(k) Defined Contribution (DC) plan from a Defined Benefit (DB) pension plan, Republicans and other friends of Wall Street who seek to destroy public employee DB plans and convert them to similar DC plans are licking their chops.

As for the WSCFF legislative agenda, we will provide updates on specific issues through the Legislative Updates on our website (www.wscff.org) and at the 2014 WSCFF Legislative Conference. We encourage you to sign up for the Legislative Updates as they are the primary method for the Legislative Team to communicate with the WSCFF membership.

To sign up for the updates, log into your account and go to the “Account Settings” link from the home page. Below your personal contact information, you will find “Mailing Lists.”  Check the “Legislative Updates” box, and then hit the “Save Settings” button.  If you have any trouble with this process, please contact the Council office.  Someone is always available during business hours to assist. 
    
The WSCFF Legislative Team is responsible for the day-to-day lobbying in Olympia and around the state. It is comprised of WSCFF President Kelly Fox and Legislative Liaisons Geoff Simpson and Michael White. The Legislative Team is directed by WSCFF resolutions and the WSCFF Executive Board.

The Hammerhead Wrestling Tournament concluded tonight with the retiring of the colors by your 2819 Honor Guard. Seen here are Cooridinator Ryan Crosby, Lt. John Warnke, FF Trevor Stanley, and FF Shawn Mahoney.

For those that aren't aware, IAFF Local 2819 & Bremerton 437 sponsored a total of three mats at the tournament. Our locals understood the importance of recognizing this local athletic event which focuses on individual fortitude, team comaraderie, and community spirit.  

Their website has more www.hammerheadinvitational.org.

Our Honor Guard has been representing our local for 13 years. We've recently invigorated its corps and supported the absolutely awesome dedication to its success as demonstated by its cooridinator, Ryan Crosby.

What does that really mean? Well, over the last few years, we've developed policies for the Honor Guard, Union Badges, and an LODD program; issued 2819 badges; upgraded the uniforms; and invested in the implements used to present colors. 

We have done this to demonstrates our pride as a union, honors our brothers and sisters who have fallen, and protects the pride and tradition of the past as well as preserves its future.

And the program has been busy. In 2013, we attended numerous local events, aproximately seven LODD services, and maintained honor at former Fire Chief Steve Bigelow's memorial service. 

While this is a great subject of conversation, it's also a call to arms. There is no maximum limit to members willing to be a part of this elite corps and we partner with other Kitsap locals. It takes dedication and embodiment of certain tradition, but it is worth it.

Contact Ryan Crosby to learn more.