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Dear prospective Southwest Florida Professional Fire Fighter & Paramedic member,

The intention of this letter is to serve as an open invitation to all employees from various emergency departments within the Southwest Florida area to join our local organization as a member of the Southwest Florida Professional Firefighters & Paramedics, IAFF Local 1826 Inc., (an affiliate of the International Association of Fire Fighters and Florida Professional Fire Fighters). It will explain the purpose as well as some of the goals of our organization.

The main purpose of the Southwest Florida Fire Fighters & Paramedics, IAFF, Local 1826 Inc. is to maintain an endless fight for members in areas of wages, hours, terms, and conditions of employment in exchange for the professional life-saving service our members provide.  We strive to assure that our members are afforded the latest state of the art training and provided the best possible safety equipment.  We continue to work with management in developing fair and consistent policies for the betterment of all department members.

We, as Professional Fire Fighters, Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians throughout the state of Florida have worked tirelessly in achieving the legal right for public employees to not only be allowed to join this public employees union but also to be free from harassment, ridicule and most importantly free from management's ability to threaten termination of one's employment. Fundamental job-protected rights were not always available to public employees.  These and other rights for public employees are in Florida Statue 447. Such rights were only achieved by collective organizing as one group, bonded together for the same cause.

Our organization currently represents twenty-five bargaining units in nineteen separate departments. Each bargaining unit bargains for wages, terms, and conditions of employment at their respective agencies.  These various departments are called districts, and each district elects its own District Vice President (DVP) every three years.  The DVP organizes the day to day affairs of the district, as well as being active in assisting with negotiating the collective bargaining agreement with their employer, and members within each district vote to approve its district contract.

Application for Membership

• Please forward the dues deduction authorization to your payroll department.

• Return information forms you fill out to the union office.

• Please fill in all the information areas provided.   

Personal Data Base form

This information is personal and will not be shared.  We do need this information to maintain contact with each of you and to ensure that you receive all publications and mailings.  When your information has changed, please contact this office or web site with the updated information so we may update your file on record.

Register to our Local 1826 Web site

Please register to our web site at www.local1826.com  after you have submitted your application and dues deduction forms. You do not have to provide your IAFF member number; you do have to provide your name, address, phone number, personal ( NOT DEPARTMENT) email address, and the district where you work.

Any questions?

If so, please contact this office at 334-8222 and speak with J.P, Henry, Missi, or Angie. You can also contact your District Vice President.

We whole heartily welcome you to visit your union office and talk with any of the four elected principal officers and discuss any issues or concerns that you may have.  Once your information has processed to the IAFF, you should expect your membership packet in 3 to 4 months.  Feel free to stop by the union office Monday through Friday or call us at (239) 334-8222.

Fraternally,

J.P., Henry, Missi & Angie