NFDA's Dream! "no more fair wage and hour protection
NFDA's Dream! "no more fair wage and hour protection
Below is John McDonough's understanding and opinion on what the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has done to take away fair wage and hour protection. I am open to correction from any of those interviewed.
For years NFDA has proposed legislation to allow Funeral Homes to never have to pay overtime or offer compensatory time unless the funeral home wants to. My employees have never been surveyed on the issue. I know in my heart that most funeral homes do not keep track of time and violate wage regulations. Many funeral homes get caught every year when an employee files a complaint with the Department of Labor.
I strongly recommend you have a time clock and you require every employee to punch in and punch out. A time clock protects everyone. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in most States requires employers to pay their employees time-and-a-half for overtime work, but provides a narrow exception for white collar, or salaried, employees in "executive," "administrative," and "professional" positions. Overtime pay accounts for about 25 percent of the total income of Americans who work overtime. For more info try this link ---------> http://www.dol.gov/
If NFDA's proposed regulation ever gets passed, Funeral Homes will most likely never pay overtime or compensatory time to any Licensed Funeral Director or Licensed Embalmer. Here is my logic on the issue.
If there were no speed limit signs, most would drive way too fast. Take away the police and publicize it and our roadways would be very dangerous.
When we are not required by law to wear a safety belt, most don't. If weight restrictions were removed from interstate trucking, companies would overload the trucks. I believe that when there is no fair wage and hour regulations to follow, people won't be paid fairly.
Do you know any funeral service employee that is not a manager who is boasting of making too much money? NFDA knows tons of them. If you know of any non-manager employee, embalmer, or non-manager employee funeral director who was surveyed by NFDA please ask them to be in touch with me. Since NFDA boasts of representing 21 thousand licensees, I would assume there are at least five thousand surveys, fact is there are NO SERVEYs to Employee Licensed Funeral Directors or Licensed Embalmers
Many, if not most, funeral homes do not keep accurate time records. Many funeral professionals have never seen a time clock in their career. I did enjoy one conversation with an NFDA Executive Board Member. He said -All the funeral chains have always been in compliance with Fair Wage and Hour Regulations. It is all you independents who break the department of labor's regulations. I did remind him that one of the chains had hundreds of complaints with the Department of Labor for inaccurate or non existent wage and hour record keeping. I have talked to some NFDA Policy makers only to be told removal of fair wage and hour regulations is good for all owners, since we will never have to pay overtime again!
My opinion on the issue: NFDA this year and for the past few years has lied to Washington's Congressmen and Senators, convincing them that NFDA truly represented the Employee Funeral Director and Embalmer. NFDA has worked to strip Licensed Employees of any rights they had to Federal Fair Wage and Hour Protection in at least sixteen States. Next up are the NFDA Aristocracy promoting a four year college degree that will be basic to become a Funeral Director or Embalmer.
It is common sense to me that the majority of funeral homes have ignored fair wage and hour regulations for the past fifty or more years. I cannot believe in the future that Funeral Homes would pay their employees better or offer more time off. The fact is, Funeral Homes always could give an employee an extra day off or a bonus, there is no law preventing this.
WHAT WILL MISSING OVERTIME REALLY MEAN? - - - Let's say you make $40 thousand a year, broken down you make almost $20. per hour or $160. per day. The funeral home is so busy they need you to work on your day off, overtime pay computes to $30. per hour, for every day you come in an hour early or work and hour late you must be paid that time and a half rate in this case of $30. per hour. Let's say this person works 10 hours a week overtime, that computes to and additional $300. per week in your pay. Simply put the pay for this person would go from $800. to $1100. as you can see it adds up.
I understand this is a very long story, I really don't know how Washington works but the Senate did pass taking away fair wage and hour protection for 66 professions including Funeral Directors and I think embalmers as well. The very next bill the Senate passed, The Harkin Amendment, called for fair wage and hour protection for all those who ever had fair wage and hour protection. The Harkin Bill in an ingredient in a larger bill sent to President Bush. If the President signs it, wage and hour is safe until next year when NFDA will take up the action again, when I know - you will know.
NFDA's Board Members, are all volunteer positions. Most spend many days away from their funeral home to serve our profession through NFDA. These men and woman are extraordinarily devoted to NFDA, most often their own Funeral Home or Funeral Home Employer pays them a regular salary as they are away from their office further subsidizing the National Funeral Directors Association. Officers usually travel at the Associations expense while a few officers pay their own traveling expenses. Some Officers are away from their funeral home workplace for as little as 10 days each year to as many as 250 days on the road for NFDA serving the Funeral Profession. Again, the board members are extraordinarily dedicated to this profession.
THAT SAID: Below is a survey I did on the wage and hour issue calling the Executive Board Members of NFDA to see who does what at their funeral home and their take on supporting NFDA's extermination of Fair Wage and Hour protection for Licensed Funeral Directors and dragging licensed Embalmers out of protection. Most, if not all, were completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA proposed legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers.
It may not seem important, but it's not easy to get these folks on the telephone, to me, I cannot understand how they can miss so many calls and often never call you back. I do understand how the real media can get the wrong impression of these dedicated funeral directors and draw the wrong conclusion and perhaps angering the news media with a lack of communication. Some NFDA Executive Board Members simply refuse to communicate on this issue. Perhaps later someone will make the accusation I am dispensing misinformation. I have done the best I can to communicate on the issue.
When I see angered news reports or accusations of misinformation in the future I will have to wonder did NFDA communicate on the issue in a timely fashion?
Many of NFDA's Executive Board and staff will not see the relevance to my question of their personal income, yet these same folks did see the relevance of taking away fair wage and hour protection from every employee funeral director and embalmer. If all of funeral service is on salary, we will be sharing income information won't we? If the Boss is making $100,000. Per year and you are making $30,000 as an employee, you know the boss is doing three times what you are doing for the funeral home or, it makes you think: If I was an owner I would be making $100,000 a year. Knowing salary potential, makes for more funeral home owners or less of a differential in boss vs. employee compensation.
(please note, once I had my understanding on how each board member felt, I e-mailed each of them the text of my understanding inviting their e-mailed response.
+++++ Begin Mark D. Musgrove section +++++
In a message dated 5/13/04 3:35:23 PM, John McDonough writes:
Hello Mark,
Thanks for your time, I hope I got your message right, I expect you will want some changes and I welcome your e-mailed suggestions.
******************************************************
Mark D. Musgrove, CFSP and the current President of NFDA I called him Wednesday April 28, 2004 4:30EDT he was busy with a service try back later, 5:44EDT I spoke to Mark's wife who is also a funeral director, she tells me Mark just walked in with a family she will give him the message to call me. Here is Monday May 3, 2004 and Mark never called me back, I e-mailed Mark and he did call me on Wednesday May 12, 2004.
Mark Musgrove works in his family owned funeral home, he and his brother are working towards buying the firm from their dad, they have two locations and do around 600 funerals a year, also they have a crematory and run a local catholic cemetery. Mark does everything from being on call to embalming and had done two sets of arrangements this week.
When we discussed the Wage and Hour issue, Mark said we need to look closely at the issue, as president of NFDA he must support the policy board's decisions, it is not the President's job to give his personal opinion, not to say he is always in favor of every policy board decision.
I asked him how he felt about the wage and hour issue when he was a policy board member he said he did not remember.
I assume Mark makes a bundle of dough, more than likely over $100,000 per year, he would not speak to his own personal income. As President of NFDA I am sure Mark was completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers, again Mark personally does not agree with all of NFDA's Policys
2003-04 President
Musgrove Family Mortuary
1152 Olive Street
Eugene, OR 97401
Phone: (541) 686-2818
~~~~~ END Mark D. Musgrove Section ~~~~~
+++++ Begin R. Doggett Whitaker Jr. section +++++
On Mon, 10 May 2004 14:15:21 EDT, John McDonough writes:
Hello Doggett,
After many attempts to talk to you over the telephone, I have the below understanding of you and your understanding of NFDA's Fair wage and hour proposal, I expect you will want some changes and I welcome your e-mailed suggestions.
*************************************************
R. Doggett Whitaker Jr., CFSP Doggett will be president of NFDA this coming October I called him on Wednesday April 28, 2004 talked to Judy, He is on the road for NFDA til May 7th, I am sure Doggett calls in while on the road so I asked she ask Doggert to call me. Another call to his firm, Tuesday May 4,, 2004 and Doggett never called back, he is still on the road and they don't know when he will be calling in! I left another message, I never heard from Doggert, so: I can only assume he makes over $100,000 a year and was completely aware in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers.
2003-04 President-elect
Whitaker Funeral Home
1704 College St.
Newberry, SC 29108
Phone: (803) 276-5000
Mr. Whitaker did write back, in a message dated 5/11/04 3:17:16 PM, E-mail response:
John - This is in response to your inquiry regarding the overtime rules.
My salary, and the salaries of other NFDA board members are irrelevant to this issue.
NFDA has worked for many years, at the director of our Policy Board, to have funeral directors classified as professionals. The new DOL rule finally elevates certain licensed funeral directors and embalmers to the same status as other professionals.
John, I know you have a concern that some funeral home owners will not offer a fair wage. But as you are well aware, as a funeral director yourself, funeral directors value good employees. In order for their businesses, and the profession, to thrive, they understand that they will have to treat their employees as professionals and offer a fair wage. In addition, the new rules allow licensed funeral directors and embalmers the right to performance-based bonuses and compensation time. We believe this will also encourage people to enter the profession.
This is a complex issue, and NFDA wants to ensure its members understand it. NFDA is planning to hold a teleconference on the topic in the future. We are also considering a convention workshop dealing with this issue.
John, as you may know, there was a new development on this issue earlier this week. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa is working to block the DOL ruling, so it's future is uncertain. If you have any further questions, I'd be happy to assist.
Regards,
Doggett
~~~~~ END R. Doggett Whitaker Jr. Section ~~~~~
+++++ Begin Robert J. Biggins section +++++
In a message dated 5/5/04 5:19:30 PM, JOHN MCDONOUGH writes:
Hi Bob,
Thanks for your time, I hope I got your message right, I expect you will want some changes and I welcome your e-mailed suggestions.
*****************************************
Robert J. Biggins, CFSP, CPC - Wednesday April 28, 2004 left a message with Bill for Bob to call me back, Monday 03MAY04 left message with his son Dan for Bob to call me back, Bob called me back while I was on the road me back, Bob owns his own funeral home serving around 170 Families per year, he is a do everything funeral director, he does arrangements, funerals, removals and embalming. He would not discuss salary when it came to the question on weather or not he makes over $100,000. per year. Bob was completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers. Bob unwaveringly explained that if the Senate passes the bill, this will give Funeral Directors a Professional Status and NFDA will train its members how to negotiate an employment agreement. I was on my mobile phone in route to a local meeting and did not have the chance to discuss where was NFDA when the majority of funeral homes are/were in violation of fair wage and hour regulations, I was short on time, we had to leave it as a conversation for another day. We exchanged commendations for service to the professional community before ending the call.
2003-04 Treasurer
Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home
135 Union Street
Rockland, MA 02370
Phone: (781) 878-1775
Bob wrote back in a message dated 5/5/04 7:07:44 PM, e-mail
John,
Other than several spelling errors,( I am sure this is in draft form) you have accurately reported on our conversation.
Thank You.
Bob
~~~~~ END Robert J. Biggins, Section ~~~~~
+++++ Begin John J. Hogan, Jr. section +++++
In a message dated 5/6/04 10:43:41 AM, JOHN MCDONOUGH writes:
Hi Jack,
Thanks for your time on the telephone the other day, I hope I got your message right, I expect you will want some changes and I welcome your e-mailed suggestions.
*****************************************
John J. Hogan, Jr., CFSP - Wednesday April 28, 2004 left a message for him to call me, Call him another time he was not in Monday May 3, 2003 I left a message with Carol for him to call me back, Wednesday May 5, 2004 I left a message with Carol for Jack to call me back, I don't think Jack will be calling me back. Surprise! Thursday Morning 9:37 Jack called me back, fact is he has always called me back, we chatted on funeral issues for just over twenty minutes when Jack had a to meet a family.
Jack Hogan is the licensed manager of the facility he sold to SCI in 1993, serving around 220 250 families per year many are Asian Culture from Korea and China, He mostly meets with families, does arrangements he often visits another close by SCI facility that his son manages and Jack is also very involved in his local community, and he thinks every funeral director should be very involved in their local community. When I asked Jack if it was safe to say he makes over or under $100,000. per year he said he would not speak about his own salary.
Being in New York there are many unions and wage and hour is heavily enforced and respected, when Jack was the owner of his funeral home he left it up to the individual employee as to weather they wanted overtime pay or compensatory time, again being in New York where wage and hour regulations much more respected than other areas, if an employee thinks the law is being broken he encourages them to make a phone call.
He strongly feels that the majority of funeral directors will pay and treat their employees fairly.
He cannot conceive of a funeral home that would not treat their employees fairly, I explained to Jack there are many funeral homes who don't keep track of time or give compensatory time he again told me "not around here and this is where I know best"
Jack is very dedicated to NFDA and I am pretty sure Jack DISAGREES that the NFDA legislation enables employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers.
2003-04 Secretary
Fogarty Funeral Home
136-25 41 Ave.
Flushing, NY. 11355
Phone:(718) 939-3100
In a message dated 5/7/04 1:38:45 PM, Jack wrote back e-mail:
I think the first paragraph can be eliminated because it has nothing to do with anything.
In paragraph two, the reference to my own salary should be eliminated because it has no bearing on anything.
I would like it mentioned that the reason I feel the majority of funeral directors will pay and treat their employees fairly is that funeral directors are great people who are more aware than most, of their own mortality, and realize they will have to account for their deeds when they leave this world. They are also aware that their good will is dependent upon excellent and caring service to the bereaved. Therefore, funeral homes do what is necessary to attract and retain excellent caring employees.
Referring to the last paragraph, yes I am dedicated to NFDA but far more to the profession that I love. There is no NFDA legislation. We have taken a membership driven position to elevate funeral director to the status of profession, which by education and practice it is. I agree that this will, in many instances, eliminate overtime and comp time but will, at the same time, increase pay and make it possible to give bonuses to reward the people who go out of their way to give caring, compassionate service to the bereaved. In this day and age, a loyal employee is worth his or her weight in gold!
Thank you John for the opportunity to voice my opinion.
God bless,
Jack
~~~~~ END John J. Hogan, Jr., Section ~~~~~
+++++ Begin Dwayne R. Spence section +++++
In a message dated 5/5/04 5:19:03 PM, John McDonough writes:
Hi Dwayne,
Thanks for your time, I hope I got your message right, I expect you will want some changes and I welcome your e-mailed suggestions.
************************************
Dwayne R. Spence, CFSP - is a general manager for two funeral homes (owned by Carriage Corporation) serving three hundred families a year when he took my call he had just finished an embalming, he earns less than $100,000 per year it is his choice to earn less than $100,000. per year. Dwayne was completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers. He genuinly feels that this was the best move for the profession, many employees want comp time now they can have it, he is confident employers will do the right thing for their employees. It was good to talk to Dwayne he is a most dedicated member of NFDA and we can't get enough Funeral Service Professionals like him, I think the reason we don't have more people in Funeral Service like Dwayne is, compensation is not high enough.
2003-04 Immediate Past President
Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Home, Inc.
650 W. Waterloo St.
Canal Winchester, OH 43140
Phone: (614) 837-7126
Mr Spence writes back:
John, Here are my e-mailed suggestions to your story...
As usual, you have the story all screwed up and told in your own unique way of slanting stories to your liking and of course written to confuse the readers. Who cares if I just finished embalming or met a family or talked to my Sunday School class. You completely missed, which I knew you would, the big picture of the department of labor changes to ALLOW employees and employers greater flexability in their work week. You probably don't realize that people don't always die between 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. It doesn't mean employers won't pay for overtime to retain good employees, but you implied employers would NEVER pay or OFFER comp time, and you know that is not the truth. But I guess you do not want to print the truth, only the misleading and confusing bits and pieces of garbage that comes out of your computer. I don't know what my salary or my choice of what I accept for compensation has to do with anything, except to confuse this issue even further. You did not even print our discussion about professional status of the funeral director, the educational standards and raising the bar for competence and standards of excellence. Only a moron thinks as you do. If you spent as much time advocating FOR funeral service as you do denegrating dedicated people IN funeral service, just think how much good you could do. These are my personal thoughts, and as I told you on the phone, you will only print what you want. My best advice is "get a life John", for you sure are not a balanced reporter. I don't know what kind of a funeral director you are or the amount of money you make or for that matter the kind of car you drive. I don't care. I do care about this wonderful PROFESSION and the dedicated people in it. My old boss told me years ago that there would always be parasites and Mitfords in this profession and I should ALWAYS remember to NOT become one of them. He admonished me to treat all families, who entruse their loved ones to me, with respect and honor, and to give back to them and my profession more than I recieve. I would not then be a burden to either. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of this charge. So print whatever you want about me and whatever you see fit to tell, because I don't have a problem sleeping at night. I have done my best.
Dwayne Spence
~~~~~ END Dwayne R. Spence., Section ~~~~~
+++++ Begin Arthur W. "Bubba" Lang section +++++
Arthur W. "Bubba" Lang, CFSP - a minority owner of a privately held Funeral Firm, serving over fifteen hundred families a year out of five locations, he agreed it is safe to say he makes over $100,000. a year. He told me he was in the office for just a few minutes and his dad (81) is in the hospital I suggested we will talk another day about his understanding of NFDA's intent on extinguishing of fair wage and hour protection, Monday May 3rd office tells me he if off today, Wednesday Bubba tells me he is about to meet with a family and try again tommorrow @2:30, Thrusday 2:37 Bubba is not there call back in 45min, 3:30 Bubba will be back in 45 min, I leave a message for Bubba to call me back. Not hearing from Bubba I can only assume was completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers.
2002-04 At-large Representative
Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home
1726 15th Street
Gulfport, MS 39501
Phone: (228) 865-0090 or 831-2322
I e-mailed Bubba the above section and a week later he wrote back:
In a message dated 5/18/04 1:51:01 PM, AWBubbaLang writes:
John, please do not assume anything. I do not appreciate your "interview" nor do I appreciate you speaking for me before the "interview" was completed. Therefore, I will not take another call from you - even if I am available to talk to you. Bubba Lang
~~~~~ END Arthur W. "Bubba" Lang Section ~~~~~
+++++ Begin John D. Reed Sr. section +++++
John D. Reed Sr., CFSP, CPC - John was on the road in Washington DC, we spoke over mobile phones a few times, he is the owner of two funeral homes serving a total of 150 families per year and he makes way less than $100,000. per year. He know about Department of Labor Violations since he delt with a violation when he was much younger. John feels that it is a win win situation, the market place for jobs will take care of itself, if an employee is not making enough money they can go and find another job suitable to the salary they require. John was completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers.
2002-04 At-large Representative
Dodd & Reed Funeral Home
155 McGraw Avenue
Webster Springs, WV 26288-1199
Phone: (304) 847-2454
In a message dated 5/6/04 10:44:56 PM, jdrsr@frontiernet.net writes:
John: Maybe restate about jobs. It sounds a little craze. " Given the labor shortage there will plenty of good paying jobs where an licensee will be compensated fairly for his skills. I feel abuses by employers will be minimal."
John D. Reed, Sr. CFSP CPC
In a message dated 5/6/04 11:32:56 AM, jdrsr@frontiernet.net writes:
John: I won't be as brash as some of my colleagues. However, I do think you are emphasizing a statement that is not a total representation of the facts. An employer may not be required to pay overtime but has the option to pay bonuses and comp time. The system will reward the employees that have excelled in their profession. Again I feel the labor market place will take care of its practioneers. Owners are not looking for an opportunity to abuse employees as you try to strongly infer. Owners are not required to offer health ins. and retirement plans, but many do. What is the difference? NFDA is working for the best interests of our profession. Don't you agree?
John D. Reed, Sr. CFSP CPC
+++++ End John D. Reed Sr. section +++++
+++++ Begin Arvin W. Starrett section +++++
Arvin W. Starrett, CFSP, MBIE - he is an employee manager at a privatly owned firm serving around 360 families a year, he tells me he does everything removals, embalmings, funerals and arrangements. we ended the call there he wants more time to look up the issue, as he did not realize overtime would not have to be paid and comp time did not have to be offered.
I talked to Arvin on Tuesday May 4, 2004 he was not aware that employers would not have to pay overtime or offer comp time, he did not know Employees who are licensed Funeral Directors and Licensed Embalmers would not be covered under fair wage and hour protection. I think it is safe to say Arvin makes over $100,000 a year however: he would neither confirm nor deny his salary as he considers it a private matter, I asked how could NFDA teach funeral home owners how to pay employees under this regulation change if the board members themselves are not willing to devulge their own salary. We ended the call at this point Arvin had a service to get started,.
2003-05 At-large Representative
Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home
730 Clarksville St.
Paris, TX 75460
Phone: (903) 784-3366
In a message dated 5/5/04 9:56:08 PM, arvin1@swbell.net writes:
John,
Referencing your Email of 4:20 p.m. Wednesday 5 May, 2004:
It is obvious that perhaps you are the one having problems understanding the issue at hand. Your quotes regarding what I do or do not know are incorrect and keenly bent on your point of view. I read your comments with both disdain and disgust. As for your comment on my salary: why would the divulging of board member's salaries have anything whatsoever to do with NFDA's explanation of the ruling?
Your reporting is biased, slanted, and most certainly non-journalistic.
Arvin W. Starrett
+++++ End Arvin W. Starrett section +++++
+++++ Begin William C. Wappner section +++++
William C. Wappner, CFSP - works in his family funeral home (he along with his brother have 3 funeral homes 700 calls), he agreed it is safe to say he makes over $100,000. a year, Bill was completely aware, in favor and supported the NFDA legislation enabling employers to never have to pay overtime wages or offer comp time to employees who are licensed funeral directors and or licensed embalmers.
2003-05 At-large Representative
Wappner Funeral Directors
98 South Diamond St
Mansfield, OH 44902
Phone: (419) 522-5211
In a message dated 5/5/04 7:37:11 PM, bill@wappner.com writes:
Both my brother and myself draw a salary from our work at the funeral home well under $100,000. We have a compensation program and our salaries are in line with our managers. We have income from other businesses as well.
Ohio has been exempt from overtime for several years now due to a District 6 Circuit Court Ruling. I have not seen any decrease in salaries since the ruling in Ohio, in-fact I have seen the opposite. Wages have increased due to the need for qualified Funeral Directors and we compete with other employers for employees with bachelor degrees. Our funeral directors prefer to make a steady wage each week. While a pre-need counselor may make more than an at-need funeral director most do not want any part of it because the wages are not steady and guaranteed on commission. With that said we pay our employees on a variable work week with bonuses for overtime work. We went away from a salary type pay because the employees know they will make more money working after hours, though many would like comp-time rather than the money. Elevating Funeral Directors to professional status will give employers more flexibility in meeting employee needs. The market will determine what wages they get paid not an overtime rule. With jobs in demand employees have a choice where they work. Even in Ohio with an exemption I know several large funeral homes including ourselves that try not to work our employees more than 42 to 44 hours a week. In fact some weeks my employees do not put in 40 hours.
If I felt the purpose of the exemption was to make employees work without proper compensation I would oppose it.
Bill Wappner
+++++ End William C. Wappner section +++++
+++++ Begin Christine Pepper section +++++
LOWELLMA@aol.com 05/12/04 01:54PM
Hello Christine,
Thanks for your time, I hope I got your message right, I expect you will want some changes and I welcome your e-mailed suggestions.
Thanks again
Sincerely,
John
FROM:* John L. McDonough
Christine Pepper is the chief executive officer of NFDA to my knowledge the only paid member of NFDA's Executive board, (as the CEO and likely paid around $200,000 per year by the Association, I am told she has not experience in the Funeral Home or Prep Room.) I called her office answered by her assistant Daniel he said and she is booked solid through Friday April 30, I left word for her to call me back, he will give her the message. Soon Daniel called me back and told me Fay Spano was going to have John Fitch call me, Daniel transferred me to Fay Spano, I explained to Fay that I want to talk to Christine, Fay inquired as to what about, I told her to speak to her background in funeral service and her awareness of the recent legislation change, Fay suggested again I should talk to John Fitch in Washington he knows much more about the legislation than Christine. I tell Fay, I don't want to talk to Mr. Fitch,
Christine should be well aware of the entire issue if she doesn't, how could she expect her board to understand the issue. Fay will give Christine the message. I get a keen understanding on how NFDA gets itself in hot water with the media.
I e-mailed Christine she had missed my messages, we spend just over an hour on the telephone, here is some of what we talked about
I thought Christine had dragged this Wage and hour issue it has failed for
years, she told me the issue had been around since the 70's and was formalized in 1995 by the then policy board and been reaffirmed by the policy board each year.
To Christine's knowledge there has never been a survey to employee funeral directors or employee embalmers on the wage issue, and there are no embalmers claiming they are making too much money and want compensatory time instead of overtime pay.
Christine told me John Fitch knows in detail all about this wage & hour issue, I tried to communicate to her, that is only NFDA's Washington Chief John Fitch can understand what we are really getting ourselves into, the wage and hour issue is so complicated board members and policy makers are not clear in their own memory what they voted on.
Christine's visits funeral homes from time to time and NFDA required all new hires to spend an afternoon in a local funeral home, she has seen time clocks in some funeral homes and admits NFDA has no time clock, NFDA uses time sheets.
If the legislation passes, NFDA plans to have a teleconference for all who want to hear. There are no planned programs or committees to aid and guide owners and employees to their responsibilities in fair treatment.
In a message dated 5/17/04 4:47:41 PM, cpepper@nfda.org writes:
John,
Unfortunately, I think you know that you did not get my message right and I am disappointed. If you want anyone to read past the first paragraph I would delete it. As I told you on the phone, there was a miscommunication on whether another staff member spoke to you on the issue already and it wasn't communicated to me that I still needed to call you back. When I rec'd your email, it became obvious that it had not, and I called you immediately.
As I explained to you, the member-volunteers set policy on behalf of the association, and not staff. The committees, policy board, executive board and the house of delegates all are involved in some way in the governance of the association.
I also never said anything about embalmers claiming they are making too much money and want compensatory time instead.
What I said to you about who knows the details of the wage & hour issue is that John Fitch has been working on this issue with the Department of Labor (DOL) and meeting with various officials in DC and would be able to discuss the details of the regulation that the DOL has just come out with, not our policy.
As I said to you John, our policies are revisited as the environment and marketplace changes occur. As you are aware, our policy on codification recently changed as a result of further discussion of the advocacy committee, policy board and executive board members. We also want to make sure that our members are fully informed of this new ruling once all the clarifications have occurred through articles, teleconferences, convention workshop, etc.
John, I wish all owners looked out for their staff like you do, but you appear to be in the minority in coming forward and voicing your concern on this issue. As you're probably aware, The Director has run opinions about this policy, but received no comments.
Christine
Christine Reichelt-Pepper
Chief Executive Officer
National Funeral Directors Association
13625 Bishop's Dr.
Brookfield, WI 53005-6607
262-814-1527
262-789-6977 (fax)
cpepper@nfda.org
visit us at www.nfda.org
+++++ End Christine Pepper section +++++
+++++ Begin John H. Fitch section +++++
LOWELLMA@aol.com> 05/18/04 06:49PM >>>
Dear Mr. Fitch,
Please send me the section of your powerpoint program relating to wage and hour issues.
I have spoke to some who have seen this display, I am hoping my viewing of your powerpoint communication will help me understand how the wage and hour issues are presented to NFDA's decision makers.
Thank You
Sincerely,
John
FROM: John L. McDonough
NFDA's John Fitch writes back >>>>>>
John, not sure which powerpoint presentation you are referring to. Please advise. John
John H. Fitch, Jr.
Senior Vice President, Advocacy
National Funeral Directors Association
202-547-0441
202-547-0726 (fax)
jfitch@nfda.org
In a message dated 5/19/04 8:04:25 PM, LOWELL MA writes:
Mr. Fitch,
I am told you use a power point presentation to explain NFDA's wage and hour issues to groups of folks who vote on the issue. Dianna Kurtz is amongst the people who tell me of your use of a power point presentation of the issue.
John L. McDonough
A WEEK LATER I WRITE NFDA's John Fitch again,
In a message dated 5/26/04 5:44:33 AM, LOWELL MA writes:
Just in case you lost my mail, Will you not be sending this information?
Thanks
John L. McDonough
In a message dated 5/26/04 6:52:24 AM, cpepper@nfda.org writes:
Hi John,
John Fitch has been in FL attending a meeting this week. He should be back in the office today.
Christine
In a message dated 5/26/04 9:26:36 AM, jfitch@nfda.org writes:
No. We will not be sending you this information.
John H. Fitch, Jr.
Senior Vice President, Advocacy
National Funeral Directors Association
202-547-0441
202-547-0726 (fax)
jfitch@nfda.org
+++++ End John H. Fitch section +++++
EVERY BOARD MEMBER AND NFDA STAFFER TOLD ME "THE GO TO GUY" ON NFDA's WAGE AND HOUR ISSUES IS JOHN FITCH. He refused the requested information, leading me to believe his presentation of the wage and hour issue may not have been presented properly, and perhaps misleading NFDA's decision makers for years.
The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) boasts that they are the leading funeral service association, claiming they serve 21,400 individual members who may work in or own the 12,486 funeral homes in the United States and other countries. From their beautiful headquarters in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and their Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C., NFDA has taken advantage of their position, claiming they protect consumers and are a true advocate for funeral directors and embalmers. Truth be told, NFDA advocates, first, for their own survival and when they are forced to, the association exclusively works for the funeral home owners and not for the protection of consumers nor for the benefit of any employee, non-owner funeral director or embalmer. NFDA also hosts an annual convention where the number of exhibitors is close to the number of attendees.
The preceding paragraph is just the opinion of John McDonough, NFDA member, after studying the organization closely since 1993.
FROM: John L. McDonough founder of F S P A
BOTTOM LINE: WE ALL WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSION AND THE DEATH CARE INDUSTRY THE CONSUMERS WE SERVE AND THE PROFESSIONALS WE WORK WITH. IF YOU SEE ANYTHING WRONG, IF SOMETHING HERE REALLY OFFENDS YOU, LET'S WORK TOGETHER. PLEASE NOTIFY FSPA IMMEDIATELY, YOU CAN E-MAIL TO lowellma@aol.com Or call FSPA in the United States Voice 978-458-6816 Fax 978-459-0115 or the old fashioned way through the mail at FSPA c/o 14 Highland Street Lowell, Massachusetts 01852-3399 USA
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