News

 New SB manager group's title irks firefighters union

Stacia Glenn, Staff Writer, San Bernardino Sun Newspaper 10/15/09

SAN BERNARDINO - Firefighters and their managers are squaring off on opposite sides of the 4th Ward City Council race, sparking an investigation into a battalion chief and touching off a dispute that's headed to court this morning.

The San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters, a union representing 148 San Bernardino firemen, is supporting challenger Joe Arnett for the council seat.

But in recent months, a group of department commanders created the San Bernardino City Professional Fire Managers, which is supporting incumbent Fred Shorett.

The firefighters' union claims the similar-sounding name is being used to mislead voters into thinking that most Fire Department employees support the incumbent.

"... the similarity in names could be misleading to residents and questioned why fire officials are getting involved in city politics."
- Dan Crow, California Professional Firefighters district vice president

They plan to file for an emergency injunction in San Bernardino Superior Court this morning seeking to stop the managers' group from using the name.

"They picked a name just like ours to confuse and deceive the voters, and it's working," said union President Scott Moss. "This threw up a huge division between a few managers and the whole labor force. All of a sudden, they're working against us."

Fire Chief Mike Conrad said the dispute was part of the normal contentiousness of political seasons.

"We think we should, on occasion, have a voice," he said.

Battalion Chief Dennis Moon, president of the fire managers group, did not return repeated calls for comment.

City officials said the fire managers group is not officially recognized by the city as a bargaining unit because no petition has been filed. If one is filed, the matter would go to the City Council for approval.

The union has lodged a lengthy complaint against Moon, accusing him of engaging in campaign business on duty and harassing firefighters into listening to his political views.

The complaint also accuses Conrad of conspiring and participating with Moon in political business while on duty.

Conrad denied the allegations.

City Manager Charles McNeely said he has asked the Human Resources Department to investigate the allegations. He declined to comment specifically because it's a personnel matter.

Conrad cannot join the managers association because he is a contract employee. But he said he supports the group, which he said formed to negotiate with the city for fire manager benefits.

But firefighters are suspicious because the group formed within the last two months and has only used its name to endorse Shorett.

Conrad pointed out the similarity in several management and labor union association names and said the fire managers are following the path of police managers, who last year formed the San Bernardino Police Management Association.

Dan Crow, a California Professional Firefighters district vice president who represents the Inland Empire, said the similarity in names could be misleading to residents and questioned why fire officials are getting involved in city politics.

"It's very uncommon," he said. "Department heads usually do not involve themselves in city politics. They usually just involve themselves in their department."

Conrad acknowledged the rarity of top officials endorsing council candidates.

"To be political is not common, but we voiced support for Fred Shorett because we've had a good working relationship with him," he said. "We feel like he has a heart for safety and that he'll help rebuild this department when the funds become available."

The city eliminated eight vacant firefighter positions in April to save $1.2million, reducing nine of the city's 12 fire stations to three-man crews. Firefighters were outraged, claiming the move risks public safety.

Moss said the union does not begrudge fire managers their own association. But he said concerns have risen now that administrators have gotten involved in city politics.

"It's caused a Grand Canyon between us," he said.