PFFA Pod

Aspen Breuer, Isaac McLennan and Kyle MacLowry sit down to discuss the vaccine mandate. We all recognize it is an emotional issue. This is just one conversation among three friends. Continued conversations with your Local 43 brothers and sisters can help us all understand one another better and hopefully bridge the gap that the mandate has created.

Kyle and Matt sit down to talk about the Masters Program Matt is finishing up and an ask for the membership to help with his research project.

This one is a round table discussion with Dr. Nicole Bowles, Shelby Watkins, Josh Ward, Travis Chipman, and Kyle MacLowry. We talk about the 2 different sleep studies OHSU and PFFA has conducted over the past year and a half as well as the exciting opportunity to capture more sleep data over the course of our upcoming schedule change. We tried to keep it brief, but there is so much good information that we went a little longer than expected. Please take the time listen to the end to get all the good stuff.

Discussion with Alan Ferschweiler and Kyle MacLowry. We talk about the past few months and much of the information that will be discussed at the informational meeting scheduled for this Monday at 09:00.

A wide ranging discussion with President Ferschweiler covering a number of the current issues being addressed at our IAFF Local 43.

Topics Include:

0:00 Budget

6:30 Work Week Reduction

9:25 Schedule Change

15:50 PERS

19:55 Covid Staffing

24:40 VL Issues

28:50 Miscellaneous

38:10 Committees

Discussion with VP Terry Foster. An update on the history and the current state of Mandatory Overtime Policy negotiation.

Talking OPSRP with one of the Oregon's leading PERS attorneys.

0:00 - 4:17 Introductions

4:17 PERS acronyms - OPSRP

6:10 IAP and Defined Benefit

8:10 UAL

10:02 Employer Rates

14:25 EPSA

17:05 SB 1049

20:43 Tier 1 and 2 UAL effect

23:13 Voluntary Contributions

27:15 TDF

30:30 Current Negotiations for pension protection

This is a topical discussion covering Commissioner Hardesty's remarks, the protests in Portland, the recent Willamette Week article, the budget and more Local 43 issues.

A remote sit down with Peer Supporters Scott Pearson and Chris Riddell talking about our experiences during the quarantine.

The FRC website referred to in the 13th minute is: https://www.firstrespondercenter.org/behavioral-

The NORMALIZE acronym Scott talks about near the end is spelled out below:

N - name the people you love and practice gratitude

O - organize your schedule

R - restructure negative thinking patterns (reality or anxiety based)

M - manage difficult emotions

A - accept difficult emotions knowing they are normal and will pass

L - listen to yourself and others

I - identify coping skills that work

Z - zero in on things you can control

E - elaborate on positive memories, experiences and future plans

More information about sleep hygiene can easily be found on the internets. Matthew Walker, Ph.D. is a very popular source for information currently, and has several interviews and books available online.

PFFA president Alan Ferschweiler and Kyle go into detail regarding the tentative agreement to the contract. We go through each article and address how the new language effects PFFA members.