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Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Fire Fighters Rack Up Organizing Wins Across the South

IAFF
IAFF

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of those stories every day. Here's today's story.

The Fire Fighters (IAFF) union has organized four new bargaining units in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia over the past few weeks. These are significant organizing wins for the union and part of its strategy to increase membership within the IAFF across the South. The IAFF has been organizing firefighters in large- and medium-sized cities to help bring the power of collective bargaining to unrepresented workers. “We decided to organize not only to formalize our relationship with the fire board, but also to develop a health and wellness program,” said David Silva, president of the newly formed IAFF Local 5271 in Irmo, South Carolina. “Our members want to focus on cancer prevention and to protect their overall health.”