In today’s environment, there's no room for ongoing conflict between organized labor and management. Such situations impact service delivery and morale and can impede fire department successes. There’s a program designed to improve cooperative and collaborative relationships and help avoid critical labor-management issues, disputes and costly arbitrations:
Introducing the LMI
Highly experienced and successful fire chiefs and union presidents facilitate this program to help fire departments develop and enhance positive, cooperative labor-management relationships.
The program’s facilitator-teams are made up of members from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Together, they’ll show you how to improve labor-management relations and increase the level of trust between the fire chief and union president.
LMI Benefits
Improve interpersonal communications between labor and management
Increase the involvement and cooperation between labor and management
Gain an increased focus on the goals that will benefit your organization and its members
Learn how to minimize the number of grievances and other adverse actions that affect labor-management relationships
Discover new ways to work through and past labor-management obstacles to accomplish more for the fire department and the community
Program Delivery Options
Four-Day Program
This program is designed for departments that need a baseline competency in labor-management concepts and principles. It consists of two days of facilitated discussion and is followed by another two days after an interim six-month period.
Part I topics include roles and responsibilities, leadership skills, organizational dynamics, labor-management best practices, and change management. Several exercises illustrate the highlights in this session. At the conclusion of Part I, chief and union president teams will also begin developing strategies to find solutions to current challenges.
Part II topics include shared goals, strengthening leadership and relationships, and moving forward. Participants spend some time reviewing their action plans that were developed in Part I and providing a status report on items accomplished to date.
Elements of both parts may be modified to meet the needs of the fire department. The program can be delivered regionally or to an individual fire department.
Technical Assistance
For the fire department that is experiencing an acute challenge for which they need outside assistance to work through, an intensive two-day session is offered for the chief, union president and other designated members of their management teams. Two LMI facilitators, one from IAFC and one from IAFF, work with the chief and union president to develop a customized, focused agenda to address the issues of concern and arrive at feasible solutions.
Other Programs
The IAFC and IAFF provide additional resources and training as new laws or situations arise that impact labor-management.
Every other year the IAFC and IAFF co-sponsor the LMI Conference, which provides unique networking and educational opportunities to labor and management leaders.
“I didn't know what to expect. I walked away feeling good. We now have a great open line of communication and trust. We have been able to work on things together and accomplish great things for the department, for the union and for the citizens.”
—Kirk Lair, President, Central Jackson Co. (MO) Fire/EMS IAFF Local 3133; Secretary/Treasurer, Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters
“Work together in an environment of trust and shared power. The relationship potential is phenomenal and this partnership will do wonders for the delivery of service to our citizens, who as a result, are the real winners.”
—Chief Steve Westermann, Central Jackson Co. (MO) Fire Protection District; Past President of the IAFC
