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Speak, And You Shall Be Heard

August 1, 2013
Martin Halloran SFPOA President

In my short tenure as the President of the POA, I have learned some hard but valuable lessons. The hardest lesson that I have learned so far was from the sting of defeat. I speak, of course, of the rejection of the first Tentative Agreement by the membership back on June 7th. I admit it; I took that blow right on the chin. I never saw it coming. I wrestled with the reasons why the first TA failed and the one conclusion that I drew was that I had taken the vote  –and therefore the membership -- for granted. I had expected the vote to be a snoozer; an easy ratification. Instead, I got a wake up call.

After the numbers came in and the first TA was defeated -- although by a very slim margin -- I realized that I had second-guessed my instinct on the importance of soliciting feedback from the members. In hindsight, I should have done this before I put the first TA out there. Some members thought that I appeared to be in a rush to ink the deal as soon as possible. While there was some urgency to get the vote out, a few more days would not have jeopardized the deal. I should have used more time to clarify the TA provisions.

“I admit it; I took that blow right on the chin. I never saw it coming.  . . I had expected the vote to be a snoozer; an easy ratification. Instead, I got a wake up call.”

I reached out to the Board of Directors and asked each of them to poll the members at their assignments. I wanted to know why the first TA was rejected; why the no votes had been cast. I was pleased with the feedback I received. I do not completely agree with the rationale of some, but regardless, the members spoke, and I listened.

Based on the feedback from the field, the Executive Board and the Negotiating Committee were able to tweak the original agreement between the CCSF and the SFPOA. Vice President Tony Montoya and I then went back to city hall with “hat in hand.” We were able to secure a second TA that was acceptable to the City, and which also addressed the stumbling points of the first TA. By now you are all aware that the second TA was ratified by the members in a comparative landslide vote of 83.5% Yes to 16.5% No.  What a difference, and what a relief!

Based on the success of the second TA, I believe we will maintain our top position in pay and benefits in the State of California. With future guaranteed raises, and the protection of our benefits through June 2018, we are on solid ground. For that, I thank the members, the Executive Board, our negotiators, and the key people at City Hall. 

Since moving from vice president to president in May of this year, I have also become the final sounding board of members’ complaints and, more enjoyably, of members’ praises. Unfortunately, the former rather than the latter seems to prevail. I have listened through voice messages, read the emails, heard your representatives, and have met with many people face-to-face. If at all possible, members of the Board of Directors or I will work with members to resolve any problems, or we will direct you to individuals or agencies that can render assistance. I also want to activate our members individually, aside from the Board of Directors, and have them not only identify areas of concern, but also to formulate a plan to reach a resolution to the problems.

To that end, I have re-established the POA Women’s Issues Committee. Colleen Fatooh will be the chairwoman of this committee. I have also, for the first time in the history of the POA, established the LGBT Issues Committee. Len Broberg will be the chairman of this panel. It is my hope that these committees can reach out to the members who have expressed their concerns and that progress is made for the betterment not only of the SFPOA but also the SFPD. I have every confidence in both of these chairpersons that they will accomplish those goals. The ultimate success of these committees will be in the actual disbanding of the committees. If all goals are met, then the need for these committees will no longer exist.

If new problems arise -- and I am a firm believer in “Murphy’s Law,” so it is not a matter of if, but when -- then they will be handled by the Executive Board, the Board of Directors, or appropriate POA committees. We are listening, so it is incumbent on you to speak. Do not just throw rumors or speculations at us. That is simply a waste of all of our time. As Sergeant Joe Friday so eloquently says “Give me the facts. Just the facts.” Then offer a possible solution, and you shall be heard.

Every member of the Board of Directors can be contacted via email on the POA website at www.sfpoa.org under the tab Board of Directors. They are your elected representatives. Let them know what is important to you or what is going on at your assignment. I can be contacted at (415) 861-5060 #14, or via email at marty@sfpoa.org, or try following us on Facebook at San Francisco Police Officers Association. I am still learning the Facebook thing, but I promise to get better. Finally, for those who have known me in the department for the past 24 years and still like to yank my chain (and you know who you are), “I’m on the pager.” Yes, I still have my old pager! Either way, speak and you shall be heard. 

Slainte!