The IAFF makes its political endorsement decisions based on the core issues of concern to this union – our members’ health and safety, economic well-being, retirement security, right to collectively bargain and other aspects pertaining to their job as professional fire fighters and paramedics.
We stand with the candidate who has a record of standing with us and whose policy decisions stand to benefit our members when it comes to those issues.
On the presidential level, it is true that the IAFF has endorsed Democrats in past presidential elections, but that’s based on the records of the respective candidates on fire fighter issues.
Whether or not our members use the IAFF’s basket of issues to guide their voting is up to them. We never tell our members how to vote, but because our job is to protect fire fighter interests and because politicians make virtually all the decisions that affect your job, we support the candidate who stands with us on our issues.
It’s our role and responsibility to make our recommendation based on where the candidates stand on IAFF issues, labor issues and issues important to the financial well-being of our members and their families.