Racial Fairness in Promotions

[antiquefirelt 994]

HEY! I've got a novel idea.....how about promoting based upon MERIT instead of skin color or gender? Hmmmm.....

Not possible in a Union environment. Here's some of the arguments I've heard:

*Some shifts are given specifics tasks that might be more visible or notable, making some members more likely to shine.

*What are the merits based on? Supervisors reviews? Some supervisors are less likely to praise than others, again, favoring those who work with officers who might spend more time writing.

*It's a team effort, so when one person shines it because many of us have made it possible.

*Merit requires some deciding what's more meritorious than something else, leading to questions of favoritism and fairness. You think hiring the best candidate for the job is FUBAR with allegations of race try promoting on anything that cannot be proven in writing.

While I'm pro-Union, this may not sound it: Unions tend to create and maintain the "lowest common denominator" principle when it comes to work expectations. I know one mid-sized Career FD where if one union guy is "volunteering" for a task, all other persons on duty drop their brooms and hit the chairs. No work is done if anyone is doing anything at all outside the job description. I'm hoping this a Union gone wild, but me thinks some of this happens all over. The Union will always question managements intent and that's fine, it's the system we have. Of course there are plenty of administrations out there that have failed to take care of their people to satisfy City Hall. So the whole mistrust thing is not unfounded. We've been fortunate to have had only three issues go to grievance while I've been on the job (13 yrs FT). Two were promotional issues and the third was a chief being an a**. The Union won all three.