The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has spoken out on how two bills attempting to strip firefighters and other public employees of important labor have officially been defeated, following push back from the Montana State Senate.
Senate Bill 94, introduced by Senator John Fuller (R), and Senate Bill 277, led by Senate President Matt Regier (R), were defeated, with the latter not making it out of its committee of jurisdiction.
SB 277 called for ending automatic union dues deductions for Montana public employees. Worker advocates across the state, including the Montana State Council of Professional Fire Fighters (MSCOPFF), pushed back against the bill, citing it as a blatant attack on organized labor.
When the Senate’s Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee put SB 277 up for consideration before the committee, Senators voted 11-1 to table the bill.
While SB 277 was defeated, SB 94 made it further along in the legislative process. The bill would have enacted a series of anti-worker reforms to the state’s labor laws, including restricting the use of public buildings for union activity, ending employee compensation for union-related work and limiting labor’s ability to recruit new members.
But when SB 94 did make it to the Senate floor, it found little support before the full chamber. A bipartisan group of 31 Senators voted to table the 2nd reading of the bill, officially ending its chances of becoming law this session.
MSCOPFF President George Richards commented: “My team and I have spent years building relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle here in Montana.
“We’ve worked hard to help them understand the vital role we play as fire fighters and why the worker protections we have are essential to keeping both us and our communities safe.
“Those relationships paid off during this fight and we were proud to see both SB 94 and SB 277 face bipartisan opposition.”
“It was a tough battle, but many members of the House and Senate realize the importance of supporting Montana’s fire fighters and emergency medical workers.
“I want to thank my team – Carter Marsh (Local 8), Joel Gaertig (Local 271), Ole Hedstrom (Local 521), and Andy Zimmerman (Local 547) – for their great work throughout this process.”
The IAFF added how Montana’s fight was also aided by allies in the House and Senate. As fire fighters and union members, Senator Derek Harvey (Butte, MT Local 96), and House members Scott DeMarois (Anaconda, MT Local 100 and current Secretary-Treasurer for the MSCOPFF) and Marc Lee (Butte, MT Local 96) were all instrumental in building opposition to the bills with their colleagues.
The IAFF spoke about how the victory comes amid a coordinated, nationwide attack on workers’ rights. In Utah, Governor Spencer Cox (R) recently signed H.B. 267 into law. The bill stripped fire fighters, police officers and other public employees of collective bargaining.
State lawmakers in Idaho, Ohio, Iowa, West Virginia and other states have introduced similar legislation. These efforts, led by well-funded, anti-worker interest groups, aim to weaken unions and diminish the power of collective bargaining.
General President Edward A. Kelly of the IAFF said: “The coordinated attacks on workers we’re seeing across the country right now isn’t just misguided, it’s un-American.
“Collective bargaining and other protections are in place for a reason – they keep fire fighters and those we protect – safe.
“The IAFF will oppose any effort to strip these essential protections from fire fighters and emergency medical workers.”
Studies have shown that firefighters who are allowed to negotiate with their employers on issues like working conditions, wages, healthcare benefits and more are able to provide better services to their communities, resulting in fewer losses of life during emergencies.
The IAFF’s 7th District Vice President Ricky Walsh praised the Montana Professional Firefighters for their work in the state capitol.
Walsh said: “After years of attacks on labor from the Montana legislature, I’m proud to see that the fight within our MSCOPFF members remains as strong as ever.
“President Richards and his team showed outstanding leadership throughout this process, uniting fire fighters, police officers, teachers and the broader labor movement in Montana to stop these harmful bills.
“The defeat of SB 94 and SB 277 is a testament to what can accomplished when workers stand together to defend their rights.”
Richards notes that other battles remain, with Senator Mark Nolan (R) introducing legislation to make Montana a “right-to-work” state. Similar efforts failed in 2021 and 2023.
“While we’re proud of this victory, the fight is far from over. With bills like SB 376—which would make Montana a right-to-work state—on the horizon, the MSCOPFF will remain vigilant in defending our members’ rights.
“In politics, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. We’ll continue working to ensure we stay at the table.”
Two bills attempting to strip firefighters and other public employees of important labor have officially been defeated, following a response by Montana firefighters.
The IAFF General President Edward A. Kelly said that the attempt to pass the two bills were another step in a series of coordinated attacks on workers across the country.
