Monday, December 6, 2010

Help My Brothers Out..

I need to be very careful what I type in here to insure that I am not in the unemployment line also. For those of you that live in my area you already know what is going on since it has been the main attraction in the papers and news for the last 11 plus months. For those of you that do not live in my area then I will tell you that I have been a Harrisburg Pa fireman for more than 20 years know. Because of decisions NOT MADE BY THE FIREMEN the city finds itself in debt by almost $300 million dollars. It was decided that it would be fixed on the backs of the hard working firemen so effective January 1, 2011, 10 of my brothers will be laid off. These guys worked hard to get this job, passing numerous tests waiting long periods of time, completing a fire academy and most of all uprooting their families from their homes and moving them into the city as a condition of employment. Our work schedule will also be changed to 24 hours on and 48 hours off raising our work week an additional 14 hours per week. Along with the downsizing to three platoons nine officers will be demoted. I would like to point out that this is all in violation of our contract.

Please if you live in my area work, play, live or visit Harrisburg please sign our petition to attempt to stop this. Someone is in the Union Hall 2048 Derry Street every evening from 4 to 7 p.m. and firefighters are out walking door to door in all neighborhoods, one can also be found online at http://www.saveharrisburg.com/. Feel free to write city hall and the local rag we call a news paper. Our men did not create this problem, in fact you will see none of our names on the documents to borrow all the money that put us here. I really do not see why we need to be the only ones to feel the pain when the FOP, ASCME, and managers in city hall do not miss a beat this holiday season.

Please do not believe everything you see and hear on the television, for some reason they all appear to be on the take. We have presented cold hard facts about just who did create this mess and why our overtime is so high along with many other items to channels 43, 27, 8, 21 and the bathroom wipe my ass with it Harrisburg Patriot but for some reason the never air or print any of it. Yet just this morning (SAT.) channel ABC 27 Dennis Owens was quick to point out that we (HFD) were given a four year contract extension by Mayor Steven Reed before he left office tying the hands of Thompson and creating her more heartache. Why do they never mention that the other two unions were also given extensions or even that ours does not go into effect until January 1, 2013, so how is that effecting us now. I will not even go into the differences between the contracts and what the police get compared to us. But if you visit the cities web site the contracts are on there.

Because of my work schedule and other commitments and the lack of anyone looking at my site anymore with the exception of Sparky this will be my last post for some time. I will start posting again sometime in the future so please stop back from time to time to check.

Thanks
Tired, pissed off, confused and just plain fed up, Brad

8 comments:

Woody said...

I always check everyday Bradley... Take the time off and hope to see you back soon... and I was number 138 to sign the petetion...

I hope it helps buddy...

Sparky said...

Hang in there brother. I will sign any thing you want me to sign.

Ranger said...

I feel for you man. City hall needs to be trimmed like a tree, (START AT THE TOP NOT THE BOTTOM.)
Hang in there.

Tracy said...

Hang in there, Brad. Even down in Shippensburg, we're supporting all you and others do for the city. Stay strong and be safe!

Coy Hill said...

What a crock! That's how they all do it; start cutting at the bottom and never ever reach the top where the real money could be saved. Screw the working man, lay him off, and then blame him for being lazy because he is drawing unemployment.

Hope things turn out better than it looks now.

bobshank said...

Brad, I happily signed the petition to save the firefighters in Harrisburg. My parents worked in the city for many years, I had a good friend living in the city, and we do still visit the area often. You are all in my thoughts and prayers!

Willard said...

Very discouraging to read this, Brad. I don't know what to say that hasn't been said already by other respondents. It seems that the news only reports what it wants to.

Willard said...

Just signed the online petition.