The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina weighed heavily on the minds of Fire Fighters and other union members gathered for an election rally Thursday. They said the disaster teaches an important lesson.
At the rally to support labor-endorsed mayoral candidates Peter McLaughlin and Chris Coleman, members of Fire Fighters Local 82 in Minneapolis and Local 21 in St. Paul had hoped to hear a speech by International Association of Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger. But at the last minute Schaitberger was called away to support Fire Fighters in the Gulf Coast area.
"I've talked with a number of our members down there," said Joe Conway, IAFF 5th District Vice President, who filled in for Schaitberger at the rally. Members are working around the clock, he noted, "at the same time, many of these Fire Fighters still don't know the state of their homes or possessions, or sometimes the whereabouts of their families."
Schaitberger went to Baton Rouge, La., to set up a command response headquarters at the Carpenters' building to help coordinate the work of the Fire Fighters, the union said.
Meanwhile at the rally at the Ukrainian hall in northeast Minneapolis, Fire Fighters passed the hat to raise money for hurricane victims. McLaughlin and Coleman said the hurricane provides a sobering reminder of the need to maintain adequate public services.
"There is a lesson in this for all of America and there's a lesson in this for the Twin Cities," said McLaughlin, the DFL- and labor-endorsed candidate who is challenging incumbent Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. "And the lesson is: you can't cut corners on safety."
During his tenure as mayor, Rybak has cut staffing in the police and fire departments, including shutting down three ladder companies. At the same time, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Bush administration have slashed public safety funding for local communities.
Good public safety "doesn't happen by accident and it doesn't happen by saying 'No new taxes,'" McLaughlin said. "It happens by making an investment and making a commitment as a community."
Coleman, the DFL- and labor-endorsed challenger to St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, also emphasized that theme. He and former St. Paul Police Chief William Finney criticized Kelly for understaffing the police and fire departments. Kelly has cut engine companies, provided no overtime budget for firefighting and has only three Fire Fighters on a rig ? one less than the federal standard.
"We're going to get more people on the rigs," Coleman promised. "We're going to get full staffing."
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The current disaster on the Gulf Coast ? and the flood and fires in the Red River Valley a few years ago ? remind everyone of the importance of public safety, he said.
"This is serious. This is lives," he said. "I will never forget you when I am mayor of St. Paul."
For more information
The AFL-CIO's Union Community Fund is helping victims of Hurricane Katrina. For more information, go to this link.
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The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina weighed heavily on the minds of Fire Fighters and other union members gathered for an election rally Thursday. They said the disaster teaches an important lesson.
At the rally to support labor-endorsed mayoral candidates Peter McLaughlin and Chris Coleman, members of Fire Fighters Local 82 in Minneapolis and Local 21 in St. Paul had hoped to hear a speech by International Association of Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger. But at the last minute Schaitberger was called away to support Fire Fighters in the Gulf Coast area.
“I’ve talked with a number of our members down there,” said Joe Conway, IAFF 5th District Vice President, who filled in for Schaitberger at the rally. Members are working around the clock, he noted, “at the same time, many of these Fire Fighters still don’t know the state of their homes or possessions, or sometimes the whereabouts of their families.”
Schaitberger went to Baton Rouge, La., to set up a command response headquarters at the Carpenters’ building to help coordinate the work of the Fire Fighters, the union said.
Meanwhile at the rally at the Ukrainian hall in northeast Minneapolis, Fire Fighters passed the hat to raise money for hurricane victims. McLaughlin and Coleman said the hurricane provides a sobering reminder of the need to maintain adequate public services.
“There is a lesson in this for all of America and there’s a lesson in this for the Twin Cities,” said McLaughlin, the DFL- and labor-endorsed candidate who is challenging incumbent Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. “And the lesson is: you can’t cut corners on safety.”
During his tenure as mayor, Rybak has cut staffing in the police and fire departments, including shutting down three ladder companies. At the same time, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Bush administration have slashed public safety funding for local communities.
Good public safety “doesn’t happen by accident and it doesn’t happen by saying ‘No new taxes,'” McLaughlin said. “It happens by making an investment and making a commitment as a community.”
Coleman, the DFL- and labor-endorsed challenger to St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, also emphasized that theme. He and former St. Paul Police Chief William Finney criticized Kelly for understaffing the police and fire departments. Kelly has cut engine companies, provided no overtime budget for firefighting and has only three Fire Fighters on a rig ? one less than the federal standard.
“We’re going to get more people on the rigs,” Coleman promised. “We’re going to get full staffing.”
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The current disaster on the Gulf Coast ? and the flood and fires in the Red River Valley a few years ago ? remind everyone of the importance of public safety, he said.
“This is serious. This is lives,” he said. “I will never forget you when I am mayor of St. Paul.”
For more information
The AFL-CIO’s Union Community Fund is helping victims of Hurricane Katrina. For more information, go to this link.