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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Your Voice Matters-Upcoming Contract Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

As we approach our next round of contract negotiations, I want to keep you informed and engaged in the process. Our union is strongest when every member has a voice, and right now we need to hear from you.

We’ve solicited feedback already, but so far we’ve received limited responses. These negotiations will directly impact your career, your pay, and your future in the fire service. Please don’t miss the chance to shape the priorities that your negotiations team brings to the table.

One example under consideration is the addition of an Engineer position, designated with a 5% increase to base wages. This wouldn’t apply to everyone at once, but every firefighter would have the opportunity to promote into the position as openings occur—just as with other promotions in the fire service. Remember, there are numerous ways to implement a program like this, and like any well-crafted plan, it will inevitably encounter challenges.

But this is only one option. If you don’t feel this is the right direction, then we need to know: What alternative do you believe would most benefit our membership? Whether it’s pay structure, specialty pay, scheduling, or another creative solution, your input will help us set the path forward. When you make a suggestion, please include how you believe it will impact the financial bargaining process (costs/savings and leverage at the table) and how it would improve or fit into our contract language—so we can evaluate and advance your idea effectively.

The negotiations team—your fellow members, including myself as your president—has one priority: to advocate for improvements that make a real difference in your lives. To do that effectively, we need your ideas, your concerns, and your direction.

Please take a few minutes to reply with your thoughts. No suggestion is too small, and every opinion matters. Direct responses to myself or the negotiations team (Connell, Lewis, O’Donnell, Friis, Hough) Let’s work together to make sure our contract reflects the value of the work we do every single day.

 

In solidarity,

 

Ryan Freed

 

President, Local 1352

 

Ryan Freed

President Local 1352

Valley Professional Firefighters

1951 R St SE Auburn, WA 98002

206-919-5867

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Day out at Emerald Downs

Looking for a fun outing next weekend? How about a day at Emerald Downs? Chief Thompson was able to get 200 tickets for VRFA staff and family members for a day at the track on September 6th. Gates open at 12:20 pm and the first race is at 1:50 pm. It’s also a special event day, Octoberfest! For more info on events happening that day at the track: https://emeralddowns.com/event/oktoberfest-2025-sat/

If you’re interested in going, tickets will be available at station 31 tomorrow afternoon until the day of the event. 🏇🏼🥇🇩🇪🍺💸

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Lionhardt Golf Tournament Update

Here are the current teams the Laidlaw is aware of for the Lionhardt Golf Tournament next month. If you see something that’s not correct or need to make a change, please contact Brother Laidlaw. Still time to add your team for an amazing day and supporting a great organization.

Gary Barker
Ryan Simpson
Jordan Gustafson
Dylan Nystul

Anthony Rodriguez
Cory Wallace
Jacob Howard
Alexander Hough

Mike Patterson
Jim Franklin
Cooper Franklin

Andrew Bergford
Andrew O’Donnell
Mike Homan
Meghan Loudon

Jay Skilton
Jared Brooke
Kyle Strange
Tim Robert’s

Tiffany Carlson
Emma Sheehy
Robbie Stevens

Danielle Palmer
JD
Papa Palmer
Brother in law

Darrel Normandy
Justin Erickson
Ryan Nauer
Heather Nauer
(Playing under Carpet One hole sponsorship)

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Lionhardt Golf Tournament

The Lionhardt Golf Tournament is right around the corner!

Join us on September 15th at the beautiful Canterwood Golf and Country Club. Get your foursome together now!

 

The Union and Benevolent have stepped up, and 27 spots are already paid for. If more people sign up beyond those 27, the additional cost will be divided evenly among all golfers.

 

To register, please send your team members’ names to Blake Laidlaw.

⚠️ Do not sign up directly on the Lionhardt website.

 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Brother Laidlaw.

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L1352 August Happenings

First, your executive board would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone for stepping up and sending Bill off the way he deserved. Everyone jumped in when needed for any and all tasks. Going to meetings, running errands, doing standbys so others could prepare, washing and prepping all the rigs, and of course showing up on Saturday looking sharp and honoring a great man. I know I speak for everyone when I say it was such an honor to participate and we’re so proud of everyone in our local.

Next, if you haven’t heard, the new Local 1352 coins are in! Feedback so far is they turned out awesome, but maybe people just are being nice. Every current member will receive a new coin and if you would like additional, you can order them on our website. My goal is to personally deliver to each one of you, so if you have not received one, its only because it’s been a busy few weeks. I will definitely track everyone down.

Tomorrow, we have our monthly Union meeting at station 31. As usual, it will start after the BOG meeting is over, around 6pm. I’ll send out a zoom link tomorrow afternoon, but come in person and get your coin. It’s contract negotiating season, expect some updates including one from the engineer committee. After the meeting, lets get some drinks and maybe tell a Bill Mack story or two.

Event wise, we moved Fill the boot to September and cancelled the chili cookoff.

That’s all for now. Be safe out there.

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