Michael Schaffer resigned from the Cherry Hill (N.J.) Firefighters Local 2663 under pressure from his union because he serves as a volunteer firefighter in Berlin Township, where he lives, during off-duty hours. According to an article, “Rather than risk expulsion by his ‘brothers’ for doing something that he loves and that runs in the family, Schaffer resigned [in February] from his union.” The article also indicates that the union plans to bring up other members on charges in the future.

Schaffer’s ordeal is only one instance of two-hatters being pressured to quit volunteering or leave the union. If you are a two-hatter and are under pressure from your union to give up serving your community as a volunteer emergency responder, visit the NVFC Volunteer Advocacy Committee’s Web site at www.nvfc.org/volunteeradvocacy. The page includes a form you can submit to alert the Volunteer Advocacy Committee to your situation.

Source: NFVC