who can be in the union?

[drparasite]

I have a question for all the union guys here. I am a volunteer, so please forgive me for posting in this forum, as well as for my ignorance in the question I am about to ask.

my question is who can be in the fire department union? i know you have to be in the department. But i always thought the concept of unions was laborers can be in the union, while management cannot. does that mean firefighters can be in the union, while officers cannot? or firefighers and line officers (capts and lts) can be, while chief officers cannot? or can everyone be in the union except for the chief of the department? or is it some other setup?

i'm not trying to insult anyone or start any trouble, but i just didn't know and i figured i would ask people who did know how it worked.

[FireCapt1951retired]

Here, all members from the Chief of Department to the lowest deckie belongs to the union. The city has tried numerous times to remove division level officers (battalion chiefs and above)from belonging to the union but they have tried many times to have them removed to no avail. Most departments I've come in contact with do not have Battalion Chiefs and above in the union.

[Smoke20286]

Here Officers up to the rank of Captain are not managment and are members of our union

[HuskerMedic]

Here, non-management employees can be in the union. The courts arbitrarily decided that our lieutenants, although line supervisors who have no decision making duties that typically define management, were management and could not be represented by the union. Two of the three still pay union dues and attend and vote at the meetings, as benefits the union negotiate for are usually also given to the lieutenants.