Firefighters union to begin collective bargaining with Ports Authority

The NMI Professional Firefighters Union International Association of Fire Fighters. Local 5335 marked major victories in recent weeks as they ramp up their advocacy efforts.

Edward Delacruz represents members from the Commonwealth Ports Authority’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting unit and is the union’s vice president.

“DFEMS has still refused to initiate a collective bargaining agreement to negotiate with us. We're still working on that, trying to negotiate with Commissioner Pua to try to reason with them and try to persuade them. But we made a huge, significant milestone in the local area where the Commonwealth Ports Authority has accepted to start officially negotiating for our wages and benefits through our collective bargaining agreement that we're trying to push through. They have accepted, it took a lot of months of going back and forth, and we'd like to thank executive director[Leo] Tudela for that opportunity and his staff. For the National, we have finally been chartered with the IAFF. So the International Association of Firefighters, they have voted and adopted the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Local 5335 into their bylaws. This is a huge, significant step because we're the first United States territory to be inducted into the 5335 bylaws,” said Delacruz.

Fire Captain Paul Sasamoto is the Union’s President and represents members at the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.

“Our goal here is to have, you know, employers to take care of their employees. You know, it's not just decorative stuff outside of the department, you know, and just those are just temporary fix. So in my perspective, I want, you know, a fair treatment, fair wages and a fair recognition, you know,” said Paul Sasamoto, Fire Captain and President, NMI Professional Firefighters Union

They continue to reach out to the CNMI Department of Labor and the Attorney General’s office as part of their local effort.

The union on Saipan said they’re not meaning to break any doors, rather they want to work with all stakeholders to better advocate for what they deserve.