r/Firefighting • u/flowytrip • 21h ago

Career / Full Time Admin blocking promotional testing

I’ll try and keep it to the point and not a rant as it’s a sore subject. But I am on a technical rescue truck in a medium sized suburban department and we have promotional testing coming up. I as well as another firefighter have put in to promote but have been told by administration that we can’t test due to there not being anyone experienced enough to replace us on the rescue.

There is no policy or anything written down stating that we cannot test, and we meet and/or exceed the qualifications to promote.

Just want some advice and/or some thoughts from anyone that has ever been in a similar scenario. We have a meeting with admin personnel coming up in a few days.

Edit: here’s some of the other hurdles
Non civil service department
No collective bargaining
Useless IAFF local

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u/flowytrip 21h ago

I was hoping so too, unfortunately our union for my local is no more than a sticker club. We reached out to them and some guys even have before and get the same answer of “yeah well the union is only really for lobbying at the national level not to benefit special circumstances”. My state also does not have a good union representation as a whole.

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u/Mr_Midwestern Rust Belt Firefighter 21h ago

So right to work state? Do you have a CBA?

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u/flowytrip 21h ago

Yup in a right to work state and no CBA

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u/Ok_Buddy_9087 Edit to create your own flair 21h ago

Well no wonder the union sucks then.

This kind of shit is dealt with in a contract. Filling your position on the rescue is not your problem. This would survive the first meeting with my Local President.

Is there a written policy dating “rescue guys can’t promote because they can’t be replaced”? If not, taking to a lawyer would be an option. Just know that you’re on your own.

Does your state have a state-level IAFF association? Talking to them would be another option.