Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Fire Brass Resignations

  • Thirty-two members of the Chicago Fire Department’s brass resigned their exempt positions Monday and returned to rank-and-file status in a fight over pay and benefits that will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
    The bosses will return to their career service ranks of battalion chief and, in one case, paramedic field chief, but will continue to “act up” in their exempt positions.

    That means the 32 will now be eligible for overtime, holiday pay, duty availability, hazmat and other forms of supplemental and specialty pay afforded to members of the rank-and-file.

    They resigned en masse at 8 a.m. Monday. They represent more than half of the brass on the fire suppression side of the Chicago Fire Department but just one of roughly a dozen bosses overseeing emergency medical services.
What's the solution? Bankrupt another pension system:
  • ...the state pension code doesn’t allow exempt fire officers to earn pension benefits based on their current salary. Instead, their pension benefits are based on the lower salary of their most recent union-covered job.

    All of that can result in a loss of thousands of dollars in pay each year for exempts — sometimes $20,000 or $25,000, sources say.

    Pending state legislation known as a “brass bill” would allow exempt fire employees to earn a pension based on the pay for their current jobs.
We all see where the CPD brass is draining the pension at a massive rate due to political promotions - they did nothing to earn an exempt pension except exploit the right connections, sleep with the correct person, or be part of the lucky sperm club. Now CFD brass want the same thing - a pension based on political considerations rather than earned.

We were actually hoping that the CFD system would be forced on the CPD brass.

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53 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

All this does is end the ponzi scheme sooner.

6/20/2017 12:07:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This has been going on for awhile. The city hung CFD brass out to dry when they agreed to the 55 and out healthcare deal. The CPD 55 and out deal was anybody from PO to the Superintendent. The CFD deal was from firefighter or ems to Battallion Chief. Above Battalion Chief no benefits from the city when you retire. So they ask for a demotion to the rank of Battalion Chief rank so they can get the health care deal and get the hell out at 55 or above.

6/20/2017 01:12:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The state is bankrupt.
The city is bankrupt.
Your pension plan is bankrupt.

Do you really think you will collect any thing at all when you retire?
I don't.

6/20/2017 02:38:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Homa isn't near retirement. He's only 52-53 years old.

He married the right gal and that's how he got his promotions...look up her family.

6/20/2017 06:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At least they are sticking together
Can 32 cops even agree on lunch?

6/20/2017 06:37:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Me too clause my ass...

6/20/2017 06:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Chalkie said...

Pigs get "FAT"

Hogs get 'SLAUGHTERED"

6/20/2017 06:43:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's the Chicago way, nothing to see here, move along.

6/20/2017 06:43:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

6/20/2017 01:12:00 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
The state is bankrupt.
The city is bankrupt.
Your pension plan is bankrupt.

Do you really think you will collect any thing at all when you retire?
I don't.

6/20/2017 02:38:00 AM

Go fuck yourself Emmanuel.

The city is NOT broke. The jagoffs that control the money just don't want to pay their bills. They're like shitheads who buy all kind of shit without ever having any intention of paying for them.

6/20/2017 06:44:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm sure there are plenty of blue-shirt firemen who would LOVE to be appointed to those CFD exempt rank positions!

6/20/2017 07:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wonder how many have been sitting on their big butts for so long, that they can no longer do the job they demoted themselves to do? If they can't do their "new" job now, can they be fired? Or is there some kind of union deal to keep them on regardless of how worthless they may be?

J.J.

6/20/2017 07:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

whiney over paid do nothing fire boss's

they make more money than doctors and lawyers combined.

they have summer homes and boats

they have no college degree, some not even highschool

FUCK THEM!!!

6/20/2017 07:38:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thought these cry babies had a me too clause. These guys are making well over $150k a year for a part time job let's not forget and we're supposed to feel bad for them? Whatever? If these guys are at say $175k a year and they work 86 days. That's over $2,00.00 dollars a day for three square meals and a good night sleep. If that's not suitable quit. Not that I'm sticking up for our command staff but if a CPD commander makes $175k a year and works five days a week for say 47 weeks that's less then $800.00 a day and we don't get naps or have any time for side jobs. I know I should have been a fireman.

6/20/2017 07:51:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How does someone resign and still get their old spot?
Isn't somebody already doing the job in the clouted old spot? All that extra pension and they could nt afford paying for insurance? Just shows the clouted take care of the clouted.

6/20/2017 07:58:00 AM  
Blogger The Keesing Bandit said...

Firemen are so very special.....yes they are.

Now, kees me you fool!!!!

6/20/2017 07:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The state is bankrupt.
The city is bankrupt.
Your pension plan is bankrupt.

Do you really think you will collect any thing at all when you retire?
I don't.

6/20/2017 02:38:00 AM

Kevin Graham is rumoured to have said retirees will always get first dibs on delicious anchovy pizza at FOP meetings and free bar-bie-cue in Lincolnshire. Make your reservations today!

6/20/2017 08:03:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

kinf of dangerous is it not? they don't have to 'act up' - CFD can get some other Capt.'s to fill those spots can't they?

6/20/2017 08:25:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Been getting my money started in 2004 get it every month best thing
I did in my life I will try to leave some on the table not to much

6/20/2017 09:53:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Confucius say: " Somthing very very wrong there"....
But, then again, this is a Democrat run city in a Democrat run state, where all pension contributions (though allotted for and by law, supposed to be made) have been literally stolen, misused, siphoned off for "special projects" or given to "special friends" through "special contracts".....for the LAST 40 YEARS!
It is truly time to get rid of ALL of them.....Madigan & Co, Culloton, Rahm, and on down the line......we are the laughingstock of the country....

6/20/2017 10:00:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

$50 g a year for 13 years = $650 G not to bad I will try to leave something

6/20/2017 10:02:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why all the outrage on coppers hurt in line of duty by Lappe and others but then they never do anything about gold braid pensions? All the exempts and retired bosses that double dip and come back to the job. Why does the pension guy Lappe act like a coward on this topic? Recently Don ONeill was testifying at the pension board hearing on a disabled copper and it was ironic because O'Neill is collecting 2 salaries and tearing apart a disabled copper. Thats the level he has to go to collect that gold braid pension and then another salary on top of that. Slap in the face on working officers.

6/20/2017 10:07:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The CFD has it correct and it should apply to the CPD NO GOLD BRAID PENSION

6/20/2017 10:15:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cps just got a pension paymen. How about us???? Wtf.

6/20/2017 10:47:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The state is bankrupt.
The city is bankrupt.
Your pension plan is bankrupt.

Do you really think you will collect any thing at all when you retire?
I don't.

6/20/2017 02:38:00 AM

The sky if falling!! The sky is falling!!

6/20/2017 10:48:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is all bullshit they are just trying to get a new brass bill because they way the old brass bill was written because of the year that they were born they aren't able to get the brass bill as it is now written. How did they lose $25000 when they get a pay raise of about or more of that with the exempt rank.

6/20/2017 11:43:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
This has been going on for awhile. The city hung CFD brass out to dry when they agreed to the 55 and out healthcare deal. The CPD 55 and out deal was anybody from PO to the Superintendent. The CFD deal was from firefighter or ems to Battallion Chief. Above Battalion Chief no benefits from the city when you retire. So they ask for a demotion to the rank of Battalion Chief rank so they can get the health care deal and get the hell out at 55 or above.

6/20/2017 01:12:00 AM

No it's not. Captain is the highest rank that got the free insurance at 55. If you would pay attention you would see that exempts like Gulliford returned to lieutenant a couple of weeks before retiring.

6/20/2017 12:18:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Rahm will get the last word and the payback will be deliberate and severe.
CFD will become as dysfunctional as CPS, CTA and 10x faster than CPD.
Watch the rush of suddenly qualified applicant backfill candidates.
Talk about letting the city burn.

The Exempt gold star is only worth a bragging right, some actually thought it was a level of intelligence.
Heck, even HennyPenny got one.
What a system of Merit, a farce and a joke.

6/20/2017 12:24:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
This has been going on for awhile. The city hung CFD brass out to dry when they agreed to the 55 and out healthcare deal. The CPD 55 and out deal was anybody from PO to the Superintendent. The CFD deal was from firefighter or ems to Battallion Chief. Above Battalion Chief no benefits from the city when you retire. So they ask for a demotion to the rank of Battalion Chief rank so they can get the health care deal and get the hell out at 55 or above.
6/20/2017 01:12:00 AM

So, basically it's a sham.

6/20/2017 12:59:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good to see the Fire guys had the balls AND stuck together. However CPD would be like the paramedics and get ONE exempt rank to do it.................wait, did I say ONE?? Nahhhhhhhhhhh

6/20/2017 02:19:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes...i believe I'll get my pension....even when the pension runs out of money your pension now comes out of the cities budget...and if the city runs out of money your paid in promissory notes..so if you don't get it some day your kids or grandkids might

6/20/2017 02:33:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Be prepared to pay over $10,000 or more in property taxes to try and save city pension funds.

6/20/2017 02:36:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Both pension funds are nothing but Ponzi schemes. The incoming money from workers is used to pay the benefits of the retirees. In fact, there is a deficit every year with this scheme. The Funds wither on the vine every year and obviously the Unions are no help, they got HAD down in springfield.
If you do not think they are Ponzi schemes- please look up the definition of them. Madoff would have run a better scheme.

6/20/2017 03:45:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hate to say it: But the Fire Bosses have Bigger Balls than any CPD Exempt! Does anyone think for a minute that CPD bosses Would Ever Consider giving up a Gold Star? And what these fire bosses did is 100% Correct! Consider that all of these Police Exempts, especially those with Merit Bumps are pissing in the faces of patrol officers. Remember Sam Roti; came on the job as a civilian lock-up keeper. Protected from day one, they hid him in Mass Transit, then when Daley became Mayor he went to the Mayor's Detail. Roti, who never passed a promotional exam; retired with a Gold Braid Pension, as head of Mumbles Daley's head of the Detail THERE SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO GOLD BRAID PENSIONS. RETIRE AT THE HIGHEST COMPETITIVE RANK THAT YOU ACHIEVE. IT IS AN INSULT TO HAVE PATROL OFFICERS HAVE TO SERVE UNDER THESE MORONS, THEN TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AT AN INFLATED RATE. Baby "G"

6/20/2017 06:08:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

EVERYBODY on CPD contributes the SAME PERCENTAGE to the pension fund BASED ON THEIR RANK.

EVERYBODY on CPD also gets a pension based on the best 4 of their last 10 years.

There are tons of CPD personnel (Police Officers, Detectives, Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains) that make a lot more money than CPD exempts.

Captains, even though considered “exempt”, still get overtime and all the other benefits that the civil service ranks get.

Lieutenants and Captains on CPD actually take a pay cut when they accept an exempt position of Commander.

Why?:

Exempts don’t get paid overtime.

They also don’t accrue comp time.

The comp time they have on the books when they get promoted to exempt is locked the second they take the promotion.

They can never use their comp time on the books.

They also can’t sell up to 200 hrs. a year of their comp time like the other CPD supervisory ranks can.

They can only sell it back when they retire and it’s sold back at their civil service rank.

They lose all 5 Baby Furlough days and 3 of the 4 Personal Days. They get one personal day a year. So, they can’t use or sell any of those days back either.

Exempts don’t get a uniform allowance.

Some exempts don’t get duty availability.

Exempts don’t get step raises. Their salary is their salary.

So, the only reason exempts take the promotion is for the pension. There is no other benefit.

They take a pay cut now for the pension on the end.

6/20/2017 08:45:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The city saves money now by making them exempt and pays them later via their pension.

So, if they took away the exempt pension, many would retire and/or go back to their civil service rank because it’s not worth taking a pay cut with no benefit at the end.

That results in a lesser pension and a lesser contribution to the retirement fund.

I can’t imagine any of us with half a brain would accept a promotion to exempt and take a pay cut with no benefit on the end.

Maybe we all should get a police officer’s pension. Period.

If there is all this alleged cheating going on for years coupled with people who despise all merit promotions, then we don’t know who is legit and who’s not.

The only true legitimate rank is a Police Officer in that we got on the job and made it past our probationary period. That would sure make it fair!

6/20/2017 08:47:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The highest civil service rank on the CFD is Battalion Chief with a base salary of 156,000.

The highest civil service rank on CPD is Lieutenant. With 25 years, a Lieutenant’s salary is 125,000.

So, CFD’s highest civil service rank makes a base salary of 31k more than CPD’s highest civil service rank.

Is that fair?

My point is that the CFD and CPD debate about pensions, civil service rank/pay and insurance isn’t comparing apples to apples.

6/20/2017 08:51:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Go back to being a fireman as someone else will take the job. They found that out in the strike of 1980.

6/20/2017 08:54:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wait, does this mean there will be parking spots available at HQ?

6/20/2017 09:59:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The CFD union showed rahm that he could not control them and that they have learned how to control him. Good work guys!

6/20/2017 10:37:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the city had sense they'd eliminate the career service rank of Battalion Chief and make the highest CFD rank Captain.
Use these greedy arrogant SOBs as an example and save the city millions in fat cat pensions. Long Overdue.

6/20/2017 11:19:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FOP and Pension Board trustees should end the gold braid for CPD
It drains the pension fund , retire at last rank promoted to before a merit bump
Half of captains ,commanders would receive a patrolman pension , so would 30% of detectives , sergeants and lieutenants.

6/20/2017 11:25:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did Altman get demoted or suspended for knocking down the marine unit officer? No that's right, he was promoted.

6/21/2017 12:15:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why do you think O'Neill is collecting two salaries and collecting a fat pension? It's because he was always an axe man for the City. You just illustrated another example of him at the pension board. Hard to believe this jagoff was once a union guy in charge of the Lts association.

6/21/2017 06:46:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Cps just got a pension paymen. How about us???? Wtf.

6/20/2017 10:47:00 AM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How about us? WTF? The answer is simple my friend. The disabled, height impaired, recently deposed FOP president gave Rahm a pass. There was legislation in place to properly fund our pension starting last year when the City would have been required to pump at least 173 mil into it. Even more this year. Maybe the deal with the City helped pay for his new Mercedes.

6/21/2017 06:57:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Yes...i believe I'll get my pension....even when the pension runs out of money your pension now comes out of the cities budget...and if the city runs out of money your paid in promissory notes..so if you don't get it some day your kids or grandkids might

6/20/2017 02:33:00 PM

you are a fool to believe this and you have not been paying attention. Each pension funds ( according to the city) is a stand alone fund and it can only be funded by the city according to the law. When it runs out of money then it runs out of money. And, what good would a promissory note do you now?

6/21/2017 07:30:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
The state is bankrupt.
The city is bankrupt.
Your pension plan is bankrupt.

Do you really think you will collect any thing at all when you retire?
I don't.

6/20/2017 02:38:00 AM

you sound like an anti-police troll . And, you sound like you are really enjoying the pension meltdown and how it might hurt the cops. GFY as you would not have the balls to be a cop or a firefighter.

6/21/2017 07:32:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
This has been going on for awhile. The city hung CFD brass out to dry when they agreed to the 55 and out healthcare deal. The CPD 55 and out deal was anybody from PO to the Superintendent. The CFD deal was from firefighter or ems to Battallion Chief. Above Battalion Chief no benefits from the city when you retire. So they ask for a demotion to the rank of Battalion Chief rank so they can get the health care deal and get the hell out at 55 or above.

6/20/2017 01:12:00 AM

No it's not. Captain is the highest rank that got the free insurance at 55. If you would pay attention you would see that exempts like Gulliford returned to lieutenant a couple of weeks before retiring.

6/20/2017 12:18:00 PM

--

then why don't CFDexempts do the same thing?

6/21/2017 08:18:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FOP and Pension Board trustees should end the gold braid for CPD
It drains the pension fund , retire at last rank promoted to before a merit bump
Half of captains ,commanders would receive a patrolman pension , so would 30% of detectives , sergeants and lieutenants.
PBPA must also push for this change .
Hire civilians to replace full duty sworn officers that work inside .
Eliminate Captain rank , another merit position to put people that support local politicians in high paying jobs .

6/21/2017 08:35:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There are light years of difference between the CPD and CFD brass pension. CPD brass pension requires the following: minimum 20 years of service, minimum 50 years of age and 3 years and 1 day in the exempt position. CFD brass pension requires the following: minimum 20 years of service, minimum 50 years of age, 5 years as a career service Battalion Chief (a tested rank), 5 years of service in the exempt position and a birth year before 1955.

6/21/2017 04:44:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The highest civil service rank on the CFD is Battalion Chief with a base salary of 156,000.

The highest civil service rank on CPD is Lieutenant. With 25 years, a Lieutenant’s salary is 125,000.

So, CFD’s highest civil service rank makes a base salary of 31k more than CPD’s highest civil service rank.

Is that fair?

My point is that the CFD and CPD debate about pensions, civil service rank/pay and insurance isn’t comparing apples to apples.

6/20/2017 08:51:00 PM

CFD makes more than CPD on a whole, it's typical. FOP sets the tone by bending over and getting nice and wet every contract. CFD has a me too clause, why don't we?

6/21/2017 09:04:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All the exempts and retired bosses that double dip and come back to the job...Slap in the face on working officers.

6/20/2017 10:07:00 AM

And it continues to this day. Former Chief Tina Skahill is back in a civilian position. She collects a sworn gold braid pension and a big salary as some kind of legal advisor to the superintendent. Isn't that what the director of Legal Affairs is supposed to do?

Remember though that it is all earned...not given.

6/22/2017 09:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ballerina , the time is now
Cut 50% of Suoervisors from the budget
Do that for CFD and CPD
District or Unit Commander should be the Rank of Lieutenant
Perk is take home car and straight days
No take home cars for sergeants
Eliminate captain rank

6/22/2017 09:55:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Both pension funds are nothing but Ponzi schemes. The incoming money from workers is used to pay the benefits of the retirees. In fact, there is a deficit every year with this scheme. The Funds wither on the vine every year and obviously the Unions are no help, they got HAD down in springfield.
If you do not think they are Ponzi schemes- please look up the definition of them. Madoff would have run a better scheme.


6/20/2017 03:45:00 PM

The city has not paid their share into the fund for many years. Now the huge payouts are draining the fund. The ONLY solution is no pension for new employees. The city can meet its obligation to present employees knowing the payments will someday stop.

6/22/2017 10:11:00 AM  

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