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Well SteveD, here is how I would start.

1. Benefits are much too generous, they need to be cut. Currently WFD enjoys 14 paid holidays, thats 40% more than the federal government employees, so that needs to be cut to 10, ( and I would cut it to 8 if I was negotiating the contract)

2. Health care copays and co-shares need to be adjusted. Active duty individuals should be paying 30%, furthermore, if any member has any other job, )for example lets say as a painting contractor who is bidding state work) the individual needs to be in a separate plan.

3. No one takes the pension until age 65. Presently, last time I checked there were 142 WFD members that took regular pensions prior to the age of 45. The system was never designed to support that.

4. The pension system needs to end as is. Immediate analysis of all contributions by each member, and a payout negotiated for their investment to date into a system that is failing. No more defined benefit program. The system needs to have some self responsibility, and the employees should be responsible to make their own investment decisions, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS PAYING FOR IT. Self managed 401k with a max 3 - 5 % match. Let the taxpayers off the hook. See how fast the rank and file members castigate the union leadership.

5. Sick pay buy back bonuses immediately cease. Last year the cost was $338,000. Just another egregious perk.

6. Sick days: presently the WFD gets 20 sick days. Who needs 20 sick days? As a sole proprietor I have taken 2 days out in 15 years. You guys are supposed to be the self proclaimed best physically fit specimens, why do you need 20 sick days? Sick time is cut to 7 annually, no rollover, no buy backs.

7. The halloween joke ends immediately. According to the contract, (pg.19) in addition to the 14 paid holidays, if a member of WFD works on Halloween, civic or non civic duty, they get double time. Ridiculous rip off of the taxpayer.

8. The "waiting for relief" clause (pg.18) needs to go. Waiting for 15 minutes for relief, while hanging around, the member gets overtime. Boy can we work that to our advantage cant we? No where in private industry are there such fiscal abuses. To wit: all personnel should be salaried.

9. Clothing allowance and clothing maintenance allowance of $1450.00 per man is excessive and needs to be cut in half.

10. In numerous states, the rescues are staffed with 3 men eliminating the need for an engine to accompany a rescue. Each time there is a rescue call an engine responds and the call is counted as 2 runs. The number of runs determines the number of battalion chiefs. More nonsense proliferated by the minimum manning NEGOTIATED BENEFIT. Minimum manning is not a law it is a negotiated clause which leads to the overtime abuses.

11. Healthcare benefit structures and copay doctor visits and special service fees have not changed since July1 1989. A study of the costs associated indicates that there is plenty of room for improvement.

12. Almost forgot, NO ONE GETS FREE LIFETIME HEALTH CARE UPON RETIREMENT!!!! Get it? No one!! All retirees need to pay 35%, that saves 3 million per year to the taxpayer.

Thats just for starters, off the top of my head having read all of the contracts each cycle, and watching the WFD budget continue to explode every year.

Now its your turn SteveD. Your chiefs stated in public that the addition of 20 men in 2012 would ELIMINATE the overtime. Why did we have 39,412 hours of overtime this year after adding the 20 men? Please give us an intelligent response focused on the question at hand. Be detailed, quote reports, contracts and studies.

Ps we will all be at the meeting tonight so please come and introduce yourself. We cant wait to meet you at last.