Congratulations to Gus Maschman, AFGE Local 1148 steward and firefighter at the Defense Supply Center Columbus in Columbus, Ohio, for being awarded AFGE Firefighter of the Year!
Maschman is instrumental in advocating for his fellow firefighters’ rights and in building his local union.
“Gus is not only a firefighter at my local, he is also a union steward whom I can always depend on to work with me on any issue pertaining to the firefighters in his unit,” said AFGE Local 1148 President Robin Menafee. “He is very much connected to working on issues regarding his fellow firefighters who are bargaining unit employees for DLA. He is very proactive in dealing with issues that may arise, always communicates those issues with me, describing what he feels the best resolution should be, and seeking guidance from me to ensure the appropriate steps are taken to remedy a problem. Gus is also concerned about legislative and political issues surrounding firefighters' issues and is an advocate on behalf of firefighters when it comes to being vocal about those issues as they arise.”
Maschman said he was stunned when he first learned he was named AFGE’s Firefighter of the Year.
“I was really a bit shocked when I received the phone call, and to be honest I thought it was a joke from one of the other firefighters at the firehouse,” he recounted. “When I realized he wasn’t joking, and the reality of what he was telling me sank in, I was very humbled, and a bit embarrassed. I never in my life have ever thought of myself in that light before, so to have someone else put me in for the award was a really great feeling.”
Maschman followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and became a firefighter, the profession he had been passionate about since he was 18. In April, he will have been a firefighter for DLA for 19 years. He has been a union member for a large portion of those years and has been a steward for the past four years.
“I've been a firefighter for 34 years now and can’t imagine ever wanting to be anything else. It's the best job in the world, and I am privileged to get to work alongside some of the best guys I know,” he added. “Being a union steward has given me the ability to help my fellow firefighters with things that don’t come as part of the job like injuries, policy changes, etc. Most of the guys don’t think about how that kind of stuff will affect them until it’s too late. I want to make sure that it’s not too late.”
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