President’s Message

On April 29, 2021, I will reach 30 years of service and hit my OMERS early retirement date, at which time I can retire without a penalty. I will have just turned 53 years old. A point to understand is that while this may be the OMERS early retirement date, it is not my Toronto Fire Services early retirement date. That date is achieved six months prior, on November 1, 2020. This is the case because we have a very useful provision in our collective agreement. We have the option of retiring and using our sick time gratuity as vacation salary, as opposed to a lump sum payment. With this clause, I could have retired from TFS on November 1, 2020, and received my full salary for the next six months. Since it is deferred vacation time, the salary I would receive would be pensionable. OMERS would receive pension contributions from me and the city, up to April 30, 2021. They would then retire me as of April 30, 2021, and I would receive my fi rst pension payment on May 1, 2021. As you can see from this example, I could have left six months earlier than my OMERS early retirement date, but it would not have a negative effect on my pension. We have a handful of members who exercise this option on a yearly basis. I believe it is so low, because most members are not aware of this benefi t option.

Recently, I had a member meet with me because he had an opportunity for different employment. We went over his numbers and he explained that he was going at his fi rst opportunity because this other opportunity was waiting for him. When I mentioned that he could have done it six months earlier, he was disappointed that he was not aware of it. Most members would like to receive this as a lump sum, as they have the pension time they need. In the case of the member, he would have been able to receive both the Fire Department salary for six months and the wages from the other job for six months. That is the equivalent of receiving the lump sum sick time gratuity. In his case, it would have increased access to other employment benefi ts as well. If he had been educated in this, he would have taken advantage of this option. It is for this reason that I say the time to plan for retirement is well before your actual retirement. I recommend a minimum of one to two years prior to the actual retirement taking place. Read and understand the collective agreement and the OMERS rules. Sign up for MyOmers and explore the various tools it contains. OMERS will be adding additional retirement planning functions to the tools that are already there.

When I think of retirement from my current position, it is also hard not to think about succession planning. Recently, we have seen former union members move to management positions or acting positions. I am sure that is not the succession planning that most members would have had in mind. One fact to keep in mind, is that all executive positions are elected positions. It is very diffi cult for me or anyone else to do traditional succession planning, because it is not up to us who will replace us. It is up to the membership, and we have seen over the years, that they may have a different sense of who should represent them. It is for this reason that I do not begrudge anyone who moves to a management position that has the skill set to do so. I would agree that working for the association has allowed them to obtain some of that skill set, but as long as it is applied to better our organization, it is up to them. It is for this reason that the type of succession planning the association can do is ensure we have people that develop the skills they may need to move to other positions. As you can see, those positions may be outside of the association. That is how we measure if we are providing what we can for succession planning.

When I looked to see who recently ran in the South and East Command by-elections, I was glad to see so many stewards. We have expanded member involvement beyond only stewards with over a hundred members sitting on our various committees. Someday, I hope to hear a President of this association say that they got involved with our “New Members Committee” and stayed active until they decided to run for 3888 leadership. We need to continue to help ensure that we have many members with the needed skill set and experience. We need to expand the education opportunities and that is an item that we are doing. Recently, the executive board was able to partake in an online learning course, in cooperation with Ryerson-Lancaster House Professional Learning Program. Our stewards partook in an OPFFA online seminar.

The membership can help with succession planning. You can support your stewards and the members on various committees. At times, I have seen a small minority attack a member’s motives for getting involved with the association. I personally do not understand it. There are many ways to try and improve the Fire Service. You can become an associate training instructor, join various TFS committees, join 3888 committees and become a leader within the association. All these positions are admirable, and all should be treated with dignity and respect.

COVID-19 has changed our normal way of life. In fact, it has created a new normal, and we will have to adjust to it. It should not change what we value and hold dear. To those we love and see each day, as well as other loved ones that are far away; to all good friends who mean so much and those with whom we’re out of touch…wishing you every happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year.

Stay safe!

Frank Ramagnano, President Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association I.A.F.F. Local 3888