February 09, 2010
Blog Topics
General
Contract
Days off Requests
Station Conditions
Apparatus
Chief
Safety/Safety Committee
Dispatch
Welcome
 
You are not currently logged in.
What's New
Brookline Firefighters Rescue Cat

Updated On: Jan 26, 2010 (10:36:00)
Early Retirement Bill

Posted On: Jan 23, 2010 (18:46:09)
Early Retirement Bill
 
The State House News Service is reporting Governor Patrick is filing a bill to be included in a municipal relief bill that would establish an early retirement for employees that have twenty years of service. Their would be a limit on the number of participants. To entice participants, municipalities would be allowed to let them credit three years of unearned service or age., or a combination of the two , to retire with their pension.  To be paid out of the operating budget.

Also:  The Governor filed legislation that will let cities and towns to push off payments to address unfunded pension system liabilities.., State and local pension systems last year absorbed massive investment losses and the Governor is proposing extending pension funding by 10years to the year 2040.

More to follow

Thank You

PFFM Legislative Committee
Health Insurance Reform Update From I.A.F.F. General President Harold Schaitberger

Updated On: Jan 21, 2010 (19:55:00)

Excise Tax Update

January 15, 2010 -- With a health care reform deal announced loudly in the media between “labor,” the administration and Congress on changes to the excise tax provision, I want to provide you a new update today that outlines some of the key elements of that deal and what we know about the potential impact they will have on each and every one of you.

From Day One, we forcefully argued that the excise tax was bad policy and bad politics and that it had no place in any health care reform bill. Not once did we waver from that argument.

Our message was heard and we believe had a significant impact on what ultimately came out of the negotiations between representatives of the labor movement, the administration and Congress.

We believe we can say with confidence that our constant and consistent message resulted in significant changes to the excise tax provision of the reform bill that the House and Senate now must finish debate on and send to the president.

I don’t want to overstate this, but suffice it to say that our hard opposition to the excise tax convinced negotiators to agree to new provisions that, while they fall short of our goal of eliminating the excise tax, these changes do effectively eliminate the burden of additional taxes that would have fallen on our members had the tax remained unaltered.

Based on the initial information we have received from the AFL-CIO on the changes to the excise tax provision, we know that:

• Every health plan covering our members is exempt from the tax until 2018, based on new provisions that collectively bargained health benefits will be exempt from the tax until 2018, as would the benefits of all state and local municipal worker plans even if not collectively bargained;
• The threshold for the tax to kick in on family plans has been raised from $23,000 to $24,000 for all workers, and from $26,000 to $27,000 for our members;
• The cost of dental and vision coverage will be excluded from the cost of the plans when determining if they rise above the threshold beginning in 2015;
• Each year after 2013, the $27,000 threshold for our members will increase by the CPI + 1 percent and will rise even more in high cost states;
• Further, if health care costs rise faster than expected prior to 2013, the initial thresholds will also be increased, as well.

While there’s significantly more to the deal than just these initial bullets, and we are going to do a full and complete analysis over the coming days, we have not been able to identify a single IAFF member’s health care plan that would or will be subject to the excise tax based on these new provisions scheduled to take effect in 2018.

We know there’s a lot more to go in the political process before this bill is finally approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President, but we are pleased that our efforts to protect our members from a severe economic penalty appear to have made a significant impact on what we are told will be in the final legislation.

 

 

 

 

Local 950 Event

Updated On: Oct 02, 2009 (13:58:00)

 

BROOKLINE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

 LOCAL 950 I.A.F.F.

                                        

 

 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Brookline Firefighters Local 950 is raising awareness and money for the Massachusetts Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

 

We will be doing fundraisers throughout Brookline and at many of the local sporting events. Checks can be made out to: Ma Affiliate of Susan G Komen and mailed to Brookline Firefighters Local 950,  P.O. Box 771, Brookline Village Ma 02447

 

We are hoping to present a check to the foundation at the end of the third week of October so if you are willing to contribute, we would appreciate receiving the funds by then.

 

No donation is too small or too big. Cancer has affected all of us. We are hoping that you will join us in raising money to fight this horrible disease.

 

Retired Captain Thomas Fay's Obituary

Posted On: Sep 28, 2009 (10:24:16)

 

Below is a link to the obituary for Captain Fay.

 

http://www.gormleyfuneral.com/Obituaries.html

Action Center
Member Login
Username:

Password:


Not registered yet?
Click Here to sign-up.

Forgot Your Login?
<<  February 2010  >>
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28

Grp 1 Red  Grp 2 Green

Grp 3 Blue  Grp 4 Purple

Action Center
Important Links
Google
Weather Report
UnionActive Newswire
Join the Newswire!
Updated: Feb. 08 (22:01)
Orlando Blizzard!!!
Central Florida Area Local
02.08.10
Sound and Comm Workers needed in Salt Lake City
IBEW Local 48
02.08.10
That Wasn't my Boss. Is it yours?
IUOE Local 70
02.08.10
Save our Retirement Rally at the State Capitol 2/6/2010
Salt Lake Police Association
02.08.10
Town Hall Meetings this Saturday!
AFSCME Local 4041
02.08.10
SEA Safety Committee Participates in Port of Seattle Emergency Preparedness
AFA Seattle
02.08.10
Visit Unions-America.com!
 Top of Page © Copyright 2010, Brookline Fire Fighters, All Rights Reserved.
Powered By UnionActive™
Hide the Right Hand Column