Bigoted and Racist Actions?
A senior IAFF official was recently charged with bigoted, offensive behavior by another top-level leader.
The allegations, apparently related to hiring, are specific and the term “racist” was employed.
Such reputed behavior would be serious in any setting but is especially so in an organization with a history of retarded racial ethics.
Follow-up action should meet the highest standards possible.
Our Dear Leader Ignores His Own Rules
Our Dear Leader (ODL)
Organizations taking ethical matters seriously would employ an “ombudsman” to conduct an unbiased study of the matter and to render findings and recommendations.
Not at the IAFF.
General President Harold Schaitberger, referred to as Our Dear Leader, a.k.a. ODL, is intent on retaining complete control or at least the illusion of control of any situation with political implications.
(In ODL’s world ALL situations have political implications.)
As a result, rather than ensure openness he adopts strategies which appear transparent but are designed to hide the truth.
The ink is barely dry on an IAFF Ethics Policy re-write, but when faced with an incident which clearly falls under Section 8 of that policy, he completely ignores it.
Why?
A very rare event is about to occur at the IAFF under ODL’s watch: an officer election.
The stakes are much too high to play by the rules, even when the rules are of his own making.
ODL could ill afford to have five district vice-presidents nosing about at IAFF headquarters with an election just around the corner.
IAFF General Counsel Review
Instead of viewing the allegations as a possible serious ethical breach, he elected to have the matter reviewed by the IAFF General Counsel who has his own ethical conflict in two areas.
He is beholden to the IAFF for around $2,000,000 a year.
He knows all of the parties very well.
The serious nature of the allegations should prevent him from undertaking a review where impartiality is paramount.
That is why the use of an outside third party is essential when ethics are the issue.
He took the job (and “sides”) because he could ill afford not to.
IAFF ethics is the casualty.
Bottom Line
Because of the allegations and the leaders involved, this is a “Houston we have a problem” moment whatever ODL’s lawyer may say.
A convenient attorney’s opinion does nothing to mitigate the seriousness of the circumstances or the fact that once again ODL Schaitberger ignored the rules, and ethical considerations, when it suited his purpose.
The IAFF executive Board and to a lesser extent, state, provincial and local leaders are to blame because everyone has now caught his act enough to know exactly what he is up to.
Yet, they continue to turn a blind eye, even when it is impossible to ignore.
With his favorable attorney’s opinion in hand, ODL proceeded to say, “This matter is closed.”
His choice of “closed” is freighted with meaning.
ODL has closed the IAFF to ethics, democracy and honesty.
IAFF Ethics Policy Section 8:
IAFF officers and employees shall at all times comply with existing law, including laws pertaining to the receipt and disclosure of payments or gifts from any employer or vendor, and shall also comply with the IAFF Constitution and By-Laws, and the valid decisions and policies of the IAFF Executive Board and IAFF Convention.
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