A Legacy of Leadership

California firefighters are among the best-trained, best-equipped, and best-protected in the nation—but none of it was handed to us. Every protection we have, from job safety to strong Workers’ Comp benefits, was fought for and won by our unions. Without advocacy, these hard-earned rights can be weakened or taken away.

If you’ve ever wondered, “What’s the union done for me?”—look at what we’ve won. And remember, the fight is never over. Staying engaged, standing together, and pushing for stronger protections is the only way to secure the future we deserve.

  • 1939: Heart, lung and hernia presumption -- First in western U.S. and first for California public safety group)

  • 1948: Vested pension rights aka “The California Rule” -- First won through lawsuit filed by Long Beach Firefighters, still the most sweeping legal pension protection in U.S.

  • 1959: Right to organize -- First public employee class to win specific right to unionize

  • 1970: Local binding interest arbitration (Vallejo) – First local entity to win right to take disputes to arbitration

  • 1978: Comprehensive PPE standards -- First statewide PPE standards in the nation

  • 1982: Firefighter cancer presumption -- First in the nation to provide presumptive Workers’ Comp protection for firefighters

  • 1982: California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) -- First, and still the only, public employee apprenticeship program in the nation

  • 1984: Personal Exposure Reporting - First and still the largest documentation of firefighter exposures to cancer-causing chemicals

  • 1992: Pension Protection Act (Prop. 162) – First voter-approved protection against state raids on retirement funds. Written and circulated by California Professional Firefighters and CPF affiliates

  • 1999: Optional 3% at 50 retirement – First benefit of its kind in the nation

  • 2000: Statewide binding interest arbitration – First in California (overturned by CA Supreme Court)

  • 2002: California Firefighters Memorial – First firefighter memorial to include a depiction of a fallen firefighter

  • 2003: Terrorism Consequence Management -- First terrorism response training specifically targeting firefighters. Funding won by CPF, training offered through Cal-JAC

  • 2004: CPAT Testing Centers -- First central testing location for firefighter candidates (through Cal-JAC). 

  • 2008: Firefighters Bill of Rights – First comprehensive bill of rights protecting firefighters against unfair, arbitrary or excessive discipline

  • 2016: Behavioral Health Conference -- First joint labor-management gathering to address PTSD and other behavioral health issues in the fire service.

  • 2019: PTSI Presumption and Confidentiality — Most sweeping firefighter behavioral health protections in the nation.

The battles we’ve won weren’t easy, and the fights ahead will be just as tough. Politicians and special interests are always looking for ways to chip away at our hard-earned rights, benefits, and protections. If we don’t stand up, we risk losing what generations before us fought to secure.

Now is the time to stay informed, stay engaged, and stay ready to act. Our strength is in our unity, and our future depends on it. When we fight together, we win—because nothing is ever given, but everything is worth fighting for.