THEY have established not only the first firefighters’ union in the CNMI, but also the first union for the Commonwealth government, the union representative, Fire Capt. Paul Sasamoto, said.
The union will be officially known as the Northern Marianas Professional Firefighters Union-International Association of Fire Fighters – Local 5335
In an email to Variety, Sasamoto said the NMPFU petitioned and was approved to be an affiliate and charter with the IAFF in May 2021.
NMPFU was also approved as a not-for-profit 501(c)(5) organization by the Internal Revenue Service in Feb. 2021. NMPFU was likewise approved as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization by the CNMI Department of Commerce in April 2021.
Asked how many union members are from the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Sasamoto said, “DFEMS — 78 out of 125, and Commonwealth Ports Authority-Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters — 25 out of 33.”
“At present, union membership is voluntary,” he said, adding that NMPFU has been functioning since Jan. 2021.
“NMPFU has no physical office, [but is] communicating with members through social media (WhatsApp), and has a designated USPS mailbox,” Sasamoto said.
He said the union’s main goal: to provide for better wages, benefits, and opportunities for career-ladder advancement and quality of life for all professional firefighters in the CNMI where everyone is fair and equal within the workforce.
Sasamoto said NMPFU submitted a letter of intent to mutually start collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the DFEMS commissioner on Sept. 17, 2023.”
NMPFU also submitted a letter of intent to mutually start collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the CPA-ARFF fire chief and CPA executive director on Nov. 21, 2023, Sasamoto added.
