A Template for a Letter to the New York City Council Against 13-Point Residency Bonus...

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It’s easy to send a message to the NY City Council, you can either call or email the City Council Member where you live or work. The email address of the Council-member where you live or work is available on the Council’s website; http://www.council.nyc.gov/html/home/home.shtml

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It doesn’t take long and the argument against this travesty (a whopping 13-point NYC residency, when the proposed 8-point bonus is combined with the existing 5-point bonus) are compelling.

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We’ve provided this template to give people an idea of how such a message can be constructed.

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I grew up...(or have worked at...) for X number of years...

Over the past four decades, we’ve witnessed an organized assault on the Merit System, which, ironically enough, was brought about to counteract the blatant discrimination, nepotism and cronyism of the Patronage System that preceded it.

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First it was the “1 in 3” quota system of 1971 that mandated that one out of every three new hires for the FDNY be black.

Later a women’s group challenged the physical requirements and since then, the Vulcans (the FDNY’s black fraternity) has sought to continue to lower the written standard to the point of virtually eliminating it.

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Standards are what set and calibrate the quality of a job by dictating the baseline level for the quality of applicants that will be accepted. When those standards are lowered, the quality of the personnel is ultimately diminished.

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We already have a 5-point residency bonus for the FDNY Entrance Exam, now there is an added 8-point bonus being considered for any applicant who graduated from NYC High School...even a GED diploma from someone who once attended a NYC HS is eligible. That’s 13 POINTS for “the handicap” of having been born and raised in NYC!

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Does that sound right to you?

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Do you feel that residency in New York City is really a handicap?

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Moreover, any effort designed to help one group at the expense of another seems to obviously violate the FDNY’s Equal Employment provisions which read in part, "the Fire Department is firmly committed to maintaining fair employment practices for its employees and applicants and ensuring that employment decisions are made without regard to...color, creed...gender...race, religion..."

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If it is wrong to discriminate against blacks because of the color of their skin, then it’s just as wrong to discriminate against any other group.

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Sincerely,

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(your name here)

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JMK

5 points against 8 points

In line with our Mission Statement, Merit Matters is urging FDNY members and their families and friends to call their City Council Members and express opposition to the proposed bill which would grant 8 additional points, on top of already existing credits, to an applicant's score on the FDNY entry test. This latest attack on the merit system may seem to be advantageous if you either live in the city or graduated from a city high school, but consider this:

1. It is another lowering of standards on top of numerous similiar efforts over the past few years. If not checked these efforts will undoubtedly begin to impact the quality of firefighters hired.

2. It will negatively effect the firefighters you work with, or are related to- or who respond to your home for a fire.

3. Residency credits may be applied to promotion tests, as has already been done on the NYPD.

4. Recent tests have been far from challenging for quite some time, and the last one was designed "to get as many candidates to pass as possible" according to unnamed FDNY sources. It doesn't seem like too many officials are concerned with ensuring the safety of NYC firefighters and residents which is reason enough to make the call.

5. Any effort designed to help one group at the expense of another violates the FDNY Equal Employment Policy Statement provisions which read in part, "the Fire Department is firmly committed to maintaining fair employment practices for its employees and applicants and ensuring that employment decisions are made without regard to...color, creed...gender...race, religion...". Underscoring this policy is a commitment to provide a safe, productive and professional work environment. Tell your Council Member to hold the Fire Department to this commitment.

City Council 212-788-7100

council.nyc.gov


PDM

NH 20 Promotion Ceremony

Signed, sealed and delivered...while they have been officially promoted since last week, yesterday was the day they had been waiting for for six long years. All the usual pomp and circumstance was present as were firefighters from Bridgeport, Camden, Larchmont, Mount Vernon, NYC and beyond and this was fitting because their fight was waged not just for themselves, but for all in the fire service. It was a great day for these men, their families and the concept of equal treatment under the law.

What now? Well, without going into details all our supporters should know that tracking the NH 20 saga is not all we have been doing. If you have contacted us to offer help, be assured that we have recorded your info and will contact you when we need help. Spread the word and urge others to get involved. There have been positive legal actions occurring recently in places such as Cleveland, Buffalo, Bridgeport, New Haven (of course) and other locales around the country and hopefully closer to home in short order.

Again, spread the word.

PDM

NH 20 Promotion Location Change

Same date and time...different place.
The ceremony will still be Thursday, December 10th at 3pm. The new location will be:

Wilbur Cross High School
181 Mitchell Drive
New Haven, Ct.

See you there.

New Haven 20 Promotion Ceremony

While they were officially promoted yesterday, Tuesday 12/1/09 the ceremony will be held on Thursday, 12/10/09 at 3pm. The members of the New Haven 20 would welcome anyone who wants to come and celebrate with them. I will be going not just to celebrate their promotion but to thank them. The battle they fought and won will certainly effect the FDNY as it has already effected the case in Bridgeport, Connecticut and, as time goes on, fire departments around the country. It's a tough time of year to get away but if you can make it, the ceremony will be held at:
New Haven Fire Academy
230 Ella T. Grasso Blvd.
New Haven, Conn.

Hope to see you there.

PDM