IFPE Local 4408 Election Results (Part 1 of 2)

(via Matt Emigholz, IFPE Local 4408 President)

I hope everyone is in good health and great spirits. I am writing you today to speak to the results of IFPE Local 4408’s current election. As you may or may not know our constitution lays out the timeline for the elections process. It states that the election process needs to be completed by the 20th of October in any election year. The current elected offices of IFPE Local 4408 will expire on December 31st, 2021. I am happy to report even with a few bumps in the road the elections committee was able to certify the election on Saturday October 16th, 2021.

That being said, there are some temporary appointments that I will need to make until such a time arises that the Representative Assembly can vote and supply clarity moving forward as to who will be representing the bargaining units affected. Due to the unfortunate loss of our Brother Jeff Warner, who was reseated as Area Vice-President for RC-29 North by acclamation, I am appointing Mario Gonzales as his temporary replacement. Mario has executive board experience and is an avid activist. I look forward to all his help moving forward.

Paul Sullivan, who was also reseated by acclamation, has taken a promotion within management and is no longer an eligible candidate. Paul has worked very closely with a gentleman by the name of Sidney Williams. Together they have organized and mobilized the 20th Judicial Circuit to continuously show almost 100 percent solidarity through some very turbulent negotiations. I cannot thank Paul Sullivan enough for all he has done and the heat he has endured to promote this bargaining unit and its members. I am appointing Sidney Williams to temporarily fill the Vacant Area Vice-President position within the 20th Judicial Circuit. Considering that the current Area Vice-Presidents’ terms are concurrent through the end of the year, I encourage the incoming Area Vice-Presidents shadow the current Area Vice-Presidents in every aspect possible. Please review the following with your counterpart.

• grievance drafting, submitting and hearings labor management meetings

• supplemental negotiations

• pre-disciplinary meetings

• all e-mails, call, and communications with management

• all e-mails, call and communications with members

• all e-mails, calls, texts and communications within your council and the local all emails, calls, texts with Deneen Taylor and Linda Medlock

• and any other situation that may arise.

This is the time to train our future leaders. I have also had conversations with the leaders that are stepping down, they are all strong supporters of this Local and have vowed to help any way they can. Please work together to provide all assistance needed to the new Area Vice-Presidents. Let’s make this transition as seamless as possible for everyone. We are in this together for our members.

To the leaders who are stepping down--Jason Jurs, Tom Jackson, Andrew Spiro and Paul Sullivan--I applaud all of you for the actions you have taken, the sacrifices you have made and the heat that you have had to bear. The last 5 years between the Janus lawsuit, ex-governor Rauner, and the current pandemic have not made life easy for any of us. You have remained vigilant and stood strong through all of this and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart and will forever consider you family. To the new Area Vice-Presidents--Mario Gonzales, Ryan Franklin, Sidney Williams, Mic Middleton, and LaDonald Scott--I welcome you. Thank you for taking the initiative and stepping up. I look forward to working alongside you in all this Locals’ future endeavors. I am always available. My cell phone number is 815-721-3497, and e-mail address is IFPElocal4408President@gmail.com. Feel free to reach out to me anytime that you may need assistance. To coincide with new terms, I also must either appoint or reappoint all committees associated with the Executive Board these committees are as follows:

• Negotiations

• Budget and Finance Constitution/Bylaws Diversity

• Policy Mobilization/Organizing Elections

• COPE

• Arbitration

If you have an interest in any of these committees, please e-mail me and I will endeavor to fulfill these requests. Keep in mind, though, that I will also have to appoint members to these committees that do not get filled by request. Committees are generally kept to a group of five members, but more can be added as needed but will always be an odd number. These committees are critical to both the function and business of the Union. If you have some members or Representative Assembly members that have interest in these committees, please forward their names to me.