Every member is registered
If still have problems, please contact us at
info@iafflocal975.org
Or Call 441-7572
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To present the potential benefits and negatives
of creating a metro AFD Department by
merging with ESD
To summarize the timeline for the project; what
has been accomplished to date and what comes
next
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To educate AFA members on the AFA Eboard
recommendations to the membership for the
ESD merger proposal
To explain the 5 additional surveys which will
prepare AFA for the final vote to be held in
February
Dates for final vote and what this vote means

February 19th through 21st
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There are 3 educational videos; this summary
video and in addition 2 more detailed videos
on the ESD 6 financial analysis and the training
plan for the potential merging ESD firefighters.
Other resources like sub-committee notes and
AFA discussion board can be found at
www.local975.org
4 Stakeholders involved with ESD Mergers
1. Austin Firefighters Association
2. COA/ AFD
3. Respective ESD Board of Directors
4. Respective ESD Labor Association

Local 975
 Our Association grows
 70 more firefighters (ESD 6)
 Our department grows
 4 new stations and creation of Battalion 7
(ESD 6)
 AFA Political Influence grows

Local 975
 Increased promotional opportunities, especially
the day the merger takes effect, but in to the
future as well.
 3 BCs, 6 Captains, 15 Lts, 27 FSs…
 51 promotions in all (ESD 6)
 AFA has a high level of control in the process.
 In the case of ESD6, AFD would gain four
stations immediately instead of possibly gaining
one station every four years over 16-20 years.

City of Austin
 COA anticipates improved service delivery
(particularly close to COA periphery) and
improved continuity of service
 Merging removes an potential obstacle to
annexation.
 The City of Austin annexes, NOT AFD

ESD Board of Directors
 ESD 6 is the governmental agency responsible
for providing fire protection in their jurisdiction.
 As the city annexes their area, they lose revenue
but must still provide fire protection to what the
city does not annex (generally lower value,
higher demand areas).
 This practice has already crippled some Travis
County ESD's, leaving AFD to cover their area
with no compensation. A merger eliminates this
very real future problem for both jurisdictions.

ESD Labor Association
 Long term job security and stability
 Better benefits
 Multiple career paths not available at ESDs

Risks
 Mergers do sometimes fail over time
 Drawing from a smaller pool of candidates
 Trained for a shorter period of time.
 Large and fast changes to a good existing
system can sometimes result in negative
unexpected outcomes
 Personnel integration issues
August 2011 – Letter to AFA membership
 AFA’s position is that the framework of any
final deal would have the below minimum
requirements as a starting point:
1.
4 person staffing (ESD currently rides 3-4 on their
engines)
2.
No negative effect on our pension system (zero
3.
The merger must be financially feasible (we do
costs)
not want to negatively affect the Austin citizenry or
ourselves in the next budget cycle)
November 2011 – November 2012
 Meeting occurred between all stakeholders
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AFA
COA/AFD
ESD Management
ESD Labor
Business Case developed
Work toward meeting the 3 minimum AFA
requirements
Financial analysis materially completed November
2012
3 days of AFA membership workshop to discuss
merger (January 2012). Attended by 120 members.
November 2012 – Current
AFA meeting with Austin City Managers Office
Formation of 4 AFA ESD merger subcommittees
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Seniority, Union Merger, Entry Standards, Training
Surveys and more surveys…
AFA member and ESD personnel presentations
Eboard Recommendations

Future
 View videos and other educational materials
available at www.local975.org
 Take the 5 additional surveys
 AFA membership surveys will be open for an
extended time
 January 26th through February 3rd

Future
 After the 5 final survey results are available,
the AFA Eboard will construct the final ESD
Merger Template
 The Final ESD Merger Template will be put
before the AFA membership for a final vote
in February (19th-21st)
 IF this vote passes, the template will be
forwarded to the bargaining team as a “scope
of work”
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Really a contract for service NOT a merger
ESD would remain in place
AFA Eboard recommendations are for an ESD
merger template NOT an ESD 6 merger
proposal.
The AFA Eboard Recommendations have all
ESD firefighters from all ranks entering AFD as
firefighters
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Originally, the AFA Eboard was going to
recommend that the ESD firefighters enter AFD
close to their current ESD pay,
Now this project decision will depend on the
result of an upcoming AFA survey


The Eboard recommendations are based on
975 Member Surveys and AFA ESD Merger
sub-committee recommendations
The AFA Eboard did include most of the
survey and sub-committee recommendations
but not all of the survey and sub-committee
recommendations
This project is membership driven.
 Much of the work performed by AFA
members working on sub-committees
 After this next set of membership surveys are
completed AFA should be closer to the final
direction of this project.
 AFA members will have the final vote on the
project (vote will be scheduled for February)

Once the AFA membership has determined a
final direction for this project, this scope of
work will be provided to the Bargaining
Team.
 3 other groups of stakeholders need to weigh
in and ultimately decide to accept the AFA
designed ESD merger template before any
merger would occur.


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The 5 additional surveys will begin next week
and will cover the following areas of the
Eboard recommendation:
Seniority
Union Merger
Entry Standards
Training
Upcoming ESD Firefighter Pay Scale

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Seniority: Maintain system as it exists
currently with seniority accrual beginning with
Austin Fire Department hire date.
Promotion Eligibility: Maintain the
requirement of two years in classified rank
with the Austin Fire Department prior to
promotional exam eligibility.
Promotion Tie Breakers: Maintain current
system with final tie breaker being rank held at
ESD
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Vacation Selection: Maintain system of
selecting vacation dates as it currently exists.
Force Reduction: Maintain current civil
service order of release and rehire for any
future force reductions.
UNION INTEGRATION & APPEALS

Merging ESD members will have the opportunity
to join Local 975 upon completion of their
probationary period. Merging ESD employees
shall integrate into the Austin Firefighters
Association (Local 975) using the same procedure
as regular candidates hired by the Austin Fire
Department with the exceptions as follows:
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The ESD labor organization shall absolve all
debt prior to becoming members of the AFD.
The ESD labor organization shall keep all assets
prior to becoming members of the AFD.
A merging ESD member shall have the ability
to grieve/arbitrate the matter of termination
only.
The person wishing to arbitrate their
termination shall bear the cost of all of the
proceedings.
STATION ASSIGNMENTS
Merging ESD employees shall receive a station
assignment upon completion of the AFD Training
Academy through the normal AFD station
assignment process. The exceptions below shall
remain in place until successful completion of their
probationary period.
STATION ASSIGNMENTS
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Merging ESD employees shall not receive an
assignment to any fire station located within the
former ESD's response area.
Merging ESD employees shall not be grouped in
one geographical area but shall be dispersed
throughout the entire department.
Merging ESD employees shall not be assigned to
the same unit on the same shift.

Physical ability tests:
o
o
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CPAT
12 METS
Incumbent medical
Psychological/enhanced criminal
background check
Minimum experience of 2 years in a Travis
County ESD.
TCFP Structure firefighter Certification
Utilize AFD Hiring Process???
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There should be a preparation packet delivered
to the ESD firefighters while still employed at
their ESD - Time Frame (3.5 – 4 months)
Upon entry into the AFD lateral academy ESD
firefighters will be expected to be prepared to
quickly start further familiarizing with skills
because they were introduced to the skills
during the Preparation Period
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The ESD firefighters should attend an lateral
training Academy at Shaw Lane as AFD
employees assigned to a forty-hour week.
The lateral academy will include 360 hours of
instruction – 10 week academy period
The ESD firefighters should be tested on all
initial cadet and PFF skills while in the
Academy
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There will be more scenario based training than
the previous lateral class (113) allowing for
more evaluation of understanding of AFD
Policies
The exams to complete the ESD firefighters'
Probation should consist of maps, resources
and/or target hazards. They should not,
however, test on Policies, as this has been
completed during the Lateral Transfer period


There will be more scenario based training than
the previous lateral class (113) allowing for
more evaluation of understanding of AFD
Policies
The exams to complete the ESD firefighters'
Probation should consist of maps, resources
and/or target hazards. They should not,
however, test on Policies, as this has been
completed during the Lateral Transfer period

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Each probationary module, would be practiced
and be tested by their Captain.
The practices are required and test results
would be placed in RMS
No test on skills at the end of probation.


Review Upcoming ESD firefighter pay scale
survey question
www.local975.org

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Please, EVERYONE, watch the videos, review
the materials and take the upcoming surveys.
Vote in February on the Final ESD Merger
Template
This up/down vote will decide if the AFA
membership chooses to venture down the
road of creating a metro fire department or
not