L1352 November Update

Friendly reminder that we have a union meeting tomorrow night, 6pm at station 31. Come try out a meeting, you might just like it. We have some nice topics in store; contract negotiations update, executive board elections (nominations still open for President, Vice President, & Board Position 1). Nominations will be accepted through tomorrow and close at the end of the union meeting. Nominations can be done in person at the meeting or by contacting Brother Laidlaw.

Christmas season is right around the corner and the Toys for kids team will be asking for all of us to join in and help collect donations for one of our most impactful events this local does.

In less exciting news, we have have some older L1352 T-shirts at 31, please take as many as you like.

That’s about all, can’t wait to see everyone’s dirty mustaches tomorrow.

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2025 STACHE DASH

As many of you know, for the past 5 years Chief John and myself have put on an annual mustache competition. This years mustache competition proceeds will be 100% donated to the lionheart foundation in the honor of Chief Bill Mack, and with that being said this year I want to open the competition to the entire zone. For those in attendance of Chief Mack’s funeral, the impact he had on not only his own department but also every neighboring agency was palpable. So this years competition will be held in the month of November and broken into three categories:

1. Salty and you know it – for those already rocking a sweet stache

2. Fresh face- who can grow the best mustache in one month

3. Fake it till you make it – for those with less fertile upper lip glands but want to participate

 The competition will conclude with a 5K Stache dash at point Ruston waterfront in Tacoma followed by an awards ceremony and refreshments at 7 seas brewery on November 30th. The entry fee will be $40.

You do not have to participate in the 5k to be entered in the mustache competition, and you also don’t have to grow a mustache to donate to a great cause. The goal is a fun event for a good cause, and I would love to see this year be the most participation we’ve had yet for Chief Mack.

All donations can be sent to my venmo: @brett-connelly-1 or you can always leave cash in my locker if venmo is not your thing.

Thank you all, and excited to see a great turnout on the 30th!

Fraternally in lip hair,

Brett Connelly

 

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Political Update

Special thanks to Erica Bartlett and John Stivers for taking the time to help sign waive in support of Mayor Nancy Backus and City Council Member Lisa Stirgus today!

If you are available tomorrow morning, 10/29 0630-0830, any and all help would be much appreciated!

The location has changed to the Starbucks on the corner of 15th st NE, and I st NE. Hope to see you all there!

Contact Sequist for any questions or concerns.
(253)232-3473

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Sign Waving Help

Sign waiving help needed! Looking for people to support Mayor Nancy Backus and Auburn Council Member Lisa Stirgus in their campaigns.

 

10/29 and 10/30, meeting at Cross St/ A St SE @0630-0830

 

11/4, Lakeland Hills meeting at Lake Tapps Pkwy/ Lakeland Hills Way @1830-2030

 

Union apparel is encouraged but not required, please do not wear any VRFA gear.

 

Contact Sequist if you have questions.

(253)232-3473

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Mid October Update

Thank you to everyone that was able to make it to the Union Banquet this past weekend. It was a great evening with the fire family and I believe everyone had a good time. I personally was not able to stay for the Bill Mack Memorial craps table action, but I hope he was looking down on you, smiling, and hopefully giving a little luck. A big thank you to John Stivers and Blake Laidlaw for organizing such a great event.

At the last union meeting we had a presentation from a financial advisor group. It’s a local team from Enumclaw consisting of a father and his two sons. The father is a retired Seattle Firefighter, so they understand our needs and our retirement system. They offer a free consultation. If you would like to see their PowerPoint presentation, just reach out to Simpson.

 

We are in full swing for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you are still in need of the Navy Breast Cancer shirt, please contact Simpson via email or cell, 253-212-6622

 

Lastly, nominations are currently open for Local 1352 President, Vice President, and Board Position #1/Polictical Liaison. You can nominate anyone by contacting Blake Laidlaw or at the next union meeting on November 11th. Nominations will close after that union meeting. VP and Board Position #1 will be an online vote. President will be a hand written ballot vote. More information on that process as we get closer.

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Message from President Freed

Brothers and Sisters,

I’ll be stepping down as President of IAFF Local 1352 effective January 1, 2026, as I transition into my new role as a Battalion Chief. This comes from a place of respect for both positions and the understanding that it’s time to allow new leadership to carry the work forward.

Serving as your President has been one of the greatest honors of my career. It hasn’t always been easy, and not every decision has been perfect — but it’s been genuine. We’ve been through some incredibly difficult moments together, especially during the pandemic, when strong feelings and differing opinions challenged our unity. Those times tested us all. I know some may have wished I handled things differently, and I understand that. What I hope everyone knows is that every decision I made came from a place of honesty and care for this membership.

This role — like any in leadership — demands a lot from the people who step into it. Balancing work, family, and union responsibilities is never simple, but it’s worth every ounce of effort when it means representing and protecting our members. As I step back, I’ll remain part of this local and continue to support its success.

Tyler Eliason and Dan Sequist have announced their intent to run for President, and I believe both will bring passion, commitment, and integrity to the position. My ask of the membership is simple: support them, stay engaged, and give grace to those who step up. Leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about standing in the arena, doing the work, and learning as you go.

Thank you for the trust, the challenges, and the opportunity to serve. I’m proud of what we’ve built together, and I’m confident Local 1352’s best chapters are still ahead.

In Solidarity and Strength,

Ryan Freed

President, IAFF Local 1352

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L1352 October Update

A few announcements for L1352:

Next union meeting is October 14th at station 31. Elections will be open for Vice President and Political Director nominations. Also, President will be open this cycle with President Freed stepping down at the end of the year.

October is Breast Cancer awareness month. Additional shirts have been ordered for those that do not have the navy breast cancer t-shirt. You can pick up your shirt at the union meeting and crews can wear the t-shirts from October 15-31. Reach out to Simpson if you need a shirt including your size, especially if you will not be able to make it to the union meeting.

Speaking of t-shirts, we will bring some of our older shirts to the union meeting for people to grab to wear off duty. Lots of different styles will be available first come, first served.

The Union Banquet is schedule for October 18th, 5pm at The Muckleshoot Casino. If you have not RSVP’d, please do so ASAP. Looking forward to a fun night with everyone.

Lastly, the negotiations team will have its first meeting with administration this Thursday, October 9th.

That’s all for now, see you October 14th at the Union Meeting and October 18th at the casino!

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Union Banquet

For the banquet, we’re asking everyone to come “dress casual.” That means collared shirts, nice pants or dark jeans, and shoes you wouldn’t wear to the station. For women, a blouse with slacks, skirt, or a casual dress works great. Comfortable but presentable — we’re celebrating, not drilling. Please avoid t-shirts, hoodies, or duty uniforms – unless you are on duty, of course.

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Union Meeting Tomorrow – Your Voice Matters

Brothers and Sisters,

I want to encourage each of you to make it a priority to attend our monthly union meeting tomorrow. This meeting is especially important as we will be discussing our upcoming negotiations for the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Your presence and participation will help guide the direction of our negotiations team.

In-person attendance is always best—it allows for clearer communication and stronger discussion. We understand that those on duty in the stations cannot be present physically, so a priority of communication will be given to our working crews. If you’re joining by Zoom, your voice will still be heard, but please understand it can be more challenging to communicate effectively in that format.

Please come prepared to help set our priorities for the negotiations team. Be respectful, patient, and allow space for others to voice their opinions as we work together to represent the best interests of our membership.

Your input matters, and this is your chance to make it count.

In Solidarity,

Ryan Freed

President, IAFF Local 1352

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Negotiations Feedback – Where We Currently Stand

Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback so far. Your thoughtful and constructive input is exactly what we need to guide this process. As we near the end of today, I wanted to take a moment to review what we’ve learned from today’s feedback.

Based on what we’ve received, here is where we currently stand:

 

  • Consensus Priorities: Reducing debit days, ensuring fair compensation for training, parity with the Battalion Chief contract (CPI/COLA and pensionable sell-back), and hazard/transport pay.
  • Divisive Issues: Engineer/Driver positions. Some see this as an unnecessary restriction, while others support a Driver Operator role to close wage gaps, add accountability, and align with neighboring departments.
  • Innovative Ideas: Deferred comp fitness bonus, trialing a 2/6 schedule, and using Juneteenth hours creatively (e.g., training allocation).

Overall, there is strong support for being #1 in comparables, consistent with the new Battalion Chief contract. Members have also emphasized that any proposals we take forward should be framed as mutually beneficial for both labor and administration.

If we were to receive no further feedback, these findings would guide the negotiation team’s priorities moving forward. That said, we still want to hear from as many of you as possible—now is the time to shape the direction of your contract.

Ryan Freed
President Local 1352
Valley Professional Firefighters
1951 R St SE Auburn, WA 98002
206-919-5867
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