Zack Privette, President of Columbia Professional Firefighters Local 1055, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the importance of political endorsements, the challenges of contract negotiations and the power of worker-led political action. Privette shared insights on the union's endorsement process, recent contract negotiations and the value of electing labor-friendly candidates.
The Columbia Professional Firefighters' endorsement process has evolved to focus on candidates' actions rather than party affiliation. Privette emphasized the importance of looking beyond surface-level support for firefighters and digging deeper into candidates' backgrounds, campaign strategies and potential effectiveness in office. He highlighted the union's recent endorsement of Vera Elwood, a candidate with a history of union organizing, as an example of their thorough vetting process. Privette explained how this approach has helped the union avoid past mistakes, such as endorsing candidates who later worked against the interests of firefighters.
Contract negotiations have been challenging due to frequent changes in fire department leadership. Privette described negotiating with five different administrations in seven years, each with different priorities. He said that recent negotiations have improved, thanks to a new, more supportive fire chief. The union negotiates wages annually, allowing it to address ongoing staffing shortages and other critical issues. Privette noted that while the department is technically short about 50 people, they've been able to make it work, but more funding is needed to address the nationwide firefighter shortage.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) provides extensive political training for union leaders. Privette highlighted the IAFF's unique political training academy, which teaches members how to manage campaigns and run for office themselves. He said this training has helped Local 1055 improve its political operations and candidate selection process. Privette also emphasized the importance of electing labor-friendly candidates at all levels of government, from city councils to federal positions, to ensure firefighters' interests are represented and protected.
Listen to the full episode to learn more about the Columbia Professional Firefighters' political strategy and their efforts to improve working conditions for firefighters.
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