Delegates at the 58th annual International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Convention have unanimously approved a resolution to censure the Chief and Assistant Chief of Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue. An association spokesperson says fire fighters have tried repeatedly to work with Christopher Case and Dan Parent to address challenges facing their members and the community they serve, but good faith efforts have been resisted and they have been left with no choice but to let the public and elected leaders know they have lost confidence in the department’s leadership. The resolution follows a vote in May when 97 percent of IAFF Local 486 members said they had “no confidence” in Case’s leadership. 99 percent said they had also lost confidence in Parent. Union members have raised concerns over inadequate training and equipment, including for fire fighters responding to swift-water rescues. Officials say crews continue to respond to those kinds of high-risk emergencies, putting them and the public at unnecessary risk. A complaint was filed in March with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, and afterwards, the union says members faced escalating retaliation from department leadership including investigations into multiple members. Local 486 currently has 15 ongoing grievances challenging the department’s conduct. According to a release from the IAFF, censure resolutions are a formal condemnation by the membership and represent one of the union’s strongest public rebukes of fire service leadership. Michael Duben, Chief Administrative Officer of Chatham-Kent, has provided the following statement: The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is aware of the vote of non-confidence recently announced by the Professional Firefighters Association. The municipality remains confident in the leadership team of Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue Services. They continue to have the full support of administration and they remain focused on delivering high-quality fire protection and emergency response services to residents across Chatham-Kent. Labour-management disagreements are very common within this type of organization, and unionized employees make up just 19 per cent of our Fire and Rescue Services staff. We are disappointed that the Professional Firefighters Association would choose to take this approach. We are currently engaged in collective agreement negotiations, and effective labour relations requires ongoing cooperation and communication between unions and employers. The municipality remains committed to addressing concerns through established labour relations processes and to engaging with employee representatives in a respectful and constructive manner. It is important to note that the Ministry of Labour has not issues any orders as against the municipality in respect of the concerns identified by the Professional Firefighters Association. Residents should be assured that CK Fire and Rescue Services continue to operate effectively and that emergency response services remain uninterrupted. Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue Services will continue to focus on serving residents and supporting constructive dialogue between all parties.
