Chapter 5 - THE ROLE OF THE UNION

CHAPTER 5

THE ROLE OF THE UNION

Younger adults entering the work force are often unaware of the background of the labor movement in the twenties and thirties. Large companies and corporations were usually owned and managed by an individual or family group. Remember from American History and Civics names like Rockefeller, Harriman, DuPont and Morgan. Or remember terms such as slave labor, industrial militarism, sweatshops, lockouts, and abuse by supervisors. Decades ago people in the labor forces saw a need to band together for the common good and to achieve certain goals impossible to realize by the individual. They began to formulate groups called labor unions, local unions, the AF of L, the CIO, UAW, UMW and numerous others. One of these of particular interest to firefighters in called the International Association of Fire Fighters.

The IAFF had been in existence for years when a small group of men from the ORFD contacted them about the possibility of chartering a local in Oak Ridge. The IAFF had an industrial branch that negotiated for these groups of workers. Because a private contractor, Roane Anderson Corp., was managing the city for the Federal Government it was not considered a municipality. Therefore because of the uniqueness of the origin of the city it was legal for the members of the ORFD to negotiate a contract. In a sudden move which took the contractor by surprise Local I-46 came into existence. Roane Anderson recognized the union and a contract was negotiated. A few years later Management Services Inc. became the contractor to the Federal Government. They resisted the union organization and decided not to negotiate. After weeks of parlaying some Federal Government officials, possibly including a member of congress, visited Oak Ridge. A meeting was scheduled between the parties. Ottis Beeler was the president of the local at that time. A rumor was being spread that if MSI refused to talk to the union at this meeting Ott Beeler would hand them the resignations of all the union members. It was related that Ott, with a broad grin on his face, walked into the room, took a seat and laid a bulging briefcase onto the table. The briefcase was never opened and the contents of the briefcase was never questioned. A contract was ratified. The contract remained until the Federal Government released the city to the citizens and Oak Ridge became a municipality in 1959. The briefcase did indeed contain the resignations.

Some interesting facts about the early union days. Ralph McMahan and Fred Ingram were two of the people instrumental in organizing the local union. The local came into being in late 1945. The local designation became Local 1346 when the city became a municipality in 1959. The members were no longer employed by a private contractor. Dues checkoff were not allowed early on and the financial secretary suffered much attempting to collect the monthly dues. Later the city agreed to withhold the dues.

Local 1346 has contributed time and money to many local and national charities. Some of the favorite charities have been The March of Dimes, The Special Olympics, and The Jerry Lewis Telethon. They donated a $ 500 college scholarship to a deserving ORHS senior for a number of years. They have sponsored Little League athletic programs and softball and basketball teams and fire service Olympic type competitions for the members of the department.

Over the years the local attempted to talk with city management about wages, benefits and working conditions. The management always replied that Tenn. state law forbids municipalities from entering into a working agreement with organized labor unions. They also stated the city had adopted a procedure of grievance that city employees could utilize. Many efforts had been exhausted filing grievances through the process without success.

In the fall of 1978 the patrolmen of the ORPD had petitioned the city to discuss certain issues concerning wages and benefits. Management refused to talk with them. The patrolmen voted to enter into a job action defined as a slowdown. They would not write traffic citations among other things. Management made plans to suspend the patrolmen involved in the action. The members of Local 1346 voted to enter into a similar action. Before doing so an open meeting with members of city council, the Personal Advisory Board, the city manager, and the chiefs of the fire and police department was requested. The meeting was scheduled. At the meeting a presentation titled THE REAL FACTS was delivered to the large audience. A number of responses came from council members, members of the PAB and questions were presented to city manager, Lyle Lacy. Members of the news media were present. Two Knoxville television stations had reporters and cameramen on the scene. The newspaper and television reporters interviewed the union leaders and the city officials,

After receiving no favorable reply from management the members of the local voted to enter into a job action. This action was to be a slowdown of non emergency activities. All emergency responses were to be handled normally. The non emergency activities included inspection and training activities. The news media was involved daily interviewing first the union officers and then the city officials. We received written memorandums on a daily basis. The tension was growing. The local was having meetings regularly to plan strategies and to keep the members on course. Almost everyone felt very positive about the action being taken. The city manager and his department heads and assistants were also holding meetings to plan a strong action. Primarily because of the favorable press the local was receiving, many citizens were demanding the city manager talk to the fire and police personnel.

Shortly after three p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 1978 Chief McMahan and asst. city manager David Ammons traveled to No. 3 Fire Station to carry out a planned mission that they hoped would result in the suspension and termination of the union leaders. At the same time at police headquarters Chief Smith and city manager Lyle Lacy confronted the leaders of the Police Officers Association as they came on duty at shift change. They presented each member involved with a printed statement which asked that person to sign that he would resume normal duties. None of the patrolmen signed the statement. Three of the ORFD company officers on duty signed the statement. The fourth company officer refused to sign. Every other member on duty refused. Each was presented a prepared ten day suspension notice with termination to immediately follow.

The first members that received the notice began immediately to notify off duty members. As each was notified most began reporting to No. 3 station to receive their notices. This defeated a segment of the city strategy which was to call off duty people in under the assumption that a large fire had occurred and they were needed. The city manager then dispatched his department heads to their people to coerce them into reporting to the fire station to man the 2 trucks that had been retained at Station 3. All the other equipment had been pulled to the maintenance garage. It was reported that this was presented in such a manner that the employees felt their employment was threatened if they refused. This was later proven to be true. The department heads had little success. Two meter readers and a recreation employee reported. The Chief even allowed a couple of people that were not employed by the city to ride the equipment, supposedly promising one of them employment by the fire department at a later date.

An informational picket was set up at two locations. One on Illinois Av. in front of No. 3 Fire Station and one on Tulane Av. in front of police headquarters. As the word got out into the community people began to respond. Many came to where the firefighters were and asked what could they do. One nurse coming off duty traveled from MMC to the city administration building and laid down in front of the city manager's car and refused to move until he did something about the police and firefighters. She was physically removed by the supervision of the police department.

The union leaders had communicated with organized labor leaders in the city and they had in turn contacted people in the state capital. The city manager called the Governor and requested assistance from the Tenn. National Guard. He was informed that the Guard could only be activated when an uncontrollable riot situation existed. He did state one unit in Knox County would be on standby alert. No other action was to be taken.

Meanwhile at No. 3 Station the fire chief, the operations officer, the training officer, three company officers, and a variety of misfit city employees and volunteers stood by. Fire alarms were coming in all over the city. Brush fires were reported. Alarm boxes were pulled. During the night three fires occurred. The unoccupied Gamble Valley School building burned. The people manning the truck that responded were unable to get discharge lines set up until the fire was totally out of control. Two other fires occurred in residential building that were under construction.

Things had not gone as planned. The city manager decided a new strategy had to be developed. He proposed a 40 day cooling off period. He stated management and the suspended employees would meet and attempt to resolve their differences. The suspensions would be purged from the personnel files of the employees. The local voted to accept this proposal with the assumption that the union and management could have some reasonable dialogue. This did not occur. During the next few days management refused to speak to the employees elected spokesmen but tried to get the employees into individual discussions with department heads present . All involved employees felt this was an attempt to intimidate and coerce them and stated their spokespeople would state their case.

Asst. City Mgr. David Ammons planned to use this series of events as the subject of his thesis for his masters degree. He convinced Lacy the city should consider using a private contractor to provide fire protection for the city. Executives from a firm located in southern Arizona were flown in and wined and dined at the expense of the city. The name of this outfit was Rural Metro. After due deliberation the city council decided this was not the route to take. A lot of pressure had been exerted by the citizenry. The research department of the IAFF Headquarters had gathered a great deal of information that proved this would not be a favorable economic move for the city. This information was conveyed to the citizens and to members of the city council by the local.

Lacy, under the influence of Ammons, then came up with an alternate plan. This was called The Restructure of the Oak Ridge Fire Department. This plan called for the elimination of five Captain positions. By some strange coincidence the elimination process reached back from the youngest officer to the officer that was a leader in the union although these demotions were supposed to have occurred on a merit basis. The older Captains were allowed to hold their rank. Strangely enough the officers who agreed to work during the suspension proceedings were in the group that did not receive demotions. Supervision was to be provided by a Shift Captain who would respond to all emergencies. He was provided a vehicle for personal response.

Another segment of the plan was called The Specialist Program. It called for recruiting city employees from other departments, giving them minimal training and providing them with a vehicle and protective clothing and breathing apparatus. They would respond to alarms while working their regular shift and during the remainder of the 24 hour period from home. This program was copied after a similar program that Rural Metro had adopted in another location. Their program was called The Minutemen.

Tension remained heavy during the 40 day period. Instead of attempting to address the issues that had created the problem, Lacy and Ammons were convincing city council to adopt the restructure program, which they eventually did.

David Ammons displayed his loyalty to the city for providing for his education by seeking employment elsewhere just after receiving his degree. The city had paid for his education and some other employer would surely reap the benefits. Later council addressed this subject in a public meeting. They realized they had been had.

When the next budget was adopted it included a revised pay plan that gave all city employees a sizable increase in pay, the younger employees receiving the larger increase. Over a prolonged period, many of the benefits the local had requested were adopted. Some concerning health insurance for retired employees and overtime issues, among others, have since been adopted by city council.

Chief McMahan retired when he became eligible. Bill Harris became the next chief. During his tenure the Fire Department was again restructured. A company officer position, that of Lieutenant, was created. A qualification exam was given. A show of loyalty for the ex-captains was demonstrated by the rank and file. The only persons applying for the exam were the Captains who had been demoted. Four of the five ex-captains were promoted. The fifth received his promotion as soon as a vacancy occurred. Some amount of justice had finally prevailed. The author would like to take the privilege of making the following personal statement. There is a small group of local union members that I would stand with shoulder to shoulder and approach the gates of hell to do battle with the devil. You know if you are one of those people and I would not embarrass you by placing your name here in this book. I owe you a debt of gratitude for standing with me when the chips were down.

Although the union is not recognized as a bargaining agent for the local members, the positive influence it impacts on management and the community is immeasurable. On a state and national level scores of laws have been enacted concerning the safety and welfare of the fire fighting profession.

Some leaders of the local union surely deserve special recognition for their untiring efforts to make the ORFD a better place of employment. First and foremost would have to be none other than Ottis (Ott) Beeler. Ott led the fight in many battles. He won some and lost some but no one can dare say that he ever backed down regardless of the odds. He had little formal education but he could stand toe to toe and do verbal battle with the most powerful. Others that have led capably are Jim Harris, Don McGuire, Rob Spires, and Gary Terry. And presently Andy Sheets and Mike Collins have been chosen to lead.

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