May 11, 2010: How will Boston’s city council vote on a firefighter contract?

>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON
"GREATER BOSTON,"
LEGITIMATE RAISE OR CITY
BUDGETBUSTER, THE
CONTROVERSIAL ARBITRATION
AWARDS OF BOSTON
FIREFIGHTERS.
PLUS FROM THE CAPE TO
CONGRESS.
STATE SENATOR ROBERT
O'LEARY'S RUN FOR THE
10th DISTRICT.
AND...ßßß
>> Rooney: SOUTHERN
COMFORT, JARED BOWEN ON
THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER
PARK MUSICAL.
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>> Rooney: GOOD EVENING.
THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL IS
PREPARING TO VOTE ON A
HEFTY RAISE FOR THE CITY'S
FIREFIGHTERS, WHO HAVE
BEEN LOCKED IN A BITTER
FIGHT WITH MAYOR TOM
MENINO OVER RANDOM DRUG
AND ALCOHOL TESTING.
AND IT WOULD GIVE THEM A
19% INCREASE OVER THE NEXT
FOUR YEARS.
CRITICS SAY THAT NUMBER IS
DANGEROUSLY LARGE.
THE 19% RAISE WAS A
VICTORY FOR KELLY, WHO'S
LONG DEMANDED CONCESSIONS
WERE IN EXCHANGE FOR DRUG
TESTING.
>> WE FEEL THIS BOARD,
ISSUED BY THE ARBITRATOR,
ADDRESSES ALL QUESTIONS.
ALL SPIN OUT OF THE MENINO
ADMINISTRATION, AND TELLS
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FACTS
OF OUR CASE.
>> Rooney: BUT THE
ARBITRATOR'S RULE SPARKS A
DEBATE THAT BEGAN THEIR
YEARS AGO, AFTER TRACES OF
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL WERE
FOUND IN TWO FIREFIGHTERS
WHO DIED IN A WEST ROXBURY
FIRE.
THE SIZE OF THE RACE HAS
BEEN QUESTIONED BY
EVERYONE FROM THE MAYOR TO
GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK.
>> I LOVE FIREFIGHTERS,
BUT IT IS SO HARD TO
JUSTIFY THIS OUTCOME.
>> Rooney: AND SAM TYLER
WARNS THAT THE NEW
CONTRACT COULD EXPECT
OTHER UNION LEADERS TO
EXPECT GENEROUS CONTRACTS.
>> I DON'T THINK THIS IS
AN ISSUE OF DOES THE CITY
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY
FOR THE CONTRACT.
I THINK THE CITY DOES.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS WHAT
IS THE IMPACT ON FUTURE
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH
PUBLIC SAFETY UNIONS, AND
THERE ARE FOUR TEACHERS'
UNIONS.
>> Rooney: AND HE SAYS
FOR SAFETY PERSONNEL, DRUG
AND ALCOHOL TESTING SHOULD
NOT BE RANDOM.
>> IT SHOULD NOT BE PART
OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
IT SHOULD BE REQUIRED BY
THE STATE.
>> Rooney: IF THE BOSTON
CITY COUNCILLORS REJECT
THE ARBITRATOR'S DECISION,
IT WILL FACE THE WRATH OF
THE UNION.
BUT IT COULD BRING
POLITICAL RISKS OF ITS
OWN.
JOINING ME NOW IS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON
FIREFIGHTERS' UNION, ED
KELLY.
BOSTON CITY COUNCIL
PRESIDENT MICHAEL ROSS,
AND FORMER CITY COUNCILLOR
AND MAYORAL CANDIDATE MIKE
FLAHERTY.
WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> Rooney: A GREAT GROUP
TONIGHT.
VERY IMPRESSIVE.
ED, THE COURT OF PUBLIC
OPINION SEEMS TO BE
AGAINST THE FIREFIGHTERS.
AND YOU'VE GOT A CROSS
SECTION OF PEOPLE,
INCLUDING HOWIE CARR WHO
SAID THIS IS JUST TOO
HIGH.
HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THIS TO
THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY
OF BOSTON AND YOUR
UNION -- YOUR FELLOW UNION
COLLEAGUES.
>> I DON'T EVER RECALL
HOWIE CARR EVER BEING A
BIG FAN OF FIREFIGHTERS.
HOWEVER, THIS AWARD DOES
NOT CALL FOR A 19% RAISE.
THIS AWARD IS A 16.5%
RAISE OVER A FOUR-YEAR
PERIOD.
2.5% OF THAT AWARD WAS
ALLOTTED ON THE LAST DAY
OF THE CONTRACT.
AND WE SAVED THE CITY
ABOUT $3.1 MILLION IN THE
LAST YEAR.
SO THAT 2.5% ON THE LAST
DAY WILL ACTUALLY BE MADE
UP FROM THE $3.5 MILLION
IN SAVINGS FROM THE WAGE
FREEZE THAT THIS AWARD
CALLS FOR.
>> Rooney: BUT AS THE
ARBITRATOR SAID, HE SAID
THE LAST UPTAKE IN THAT
WAS IN DIRECT CORRELATION
TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL.
IT WAS THAT THE
FIREFIGHTER
REPRESENTATIVES ON THE
THREE PERSONAL PANEL SAID
IF YOU NEGOTIATE A 14%
INCREASE, WHICH WAS WHAT
WAS ON THE TABLE THERE
DURING THE ARBITRATION FOR
THE 21-DAY PERIOD, THEN
YOU'RE NOT RECOGNIZING
ANYTHING FOR DRUG AND
ALCOHOL TESTING.
THE QUESTION BEING: WHY
SHOULD FIREFIGHTERS GET AN
EXTRA UPTAKE IN PAY RAISE
FOR TAKING DRUG AND
ALCOHOL TESTING.
>> CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE OF
BOSTON AND BEYOND HAVE A
RIGHT EXPECTATION THAT
THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICIALS ARE CLEAN AND
SOBER.
IN PAST NEGOTIATIONS, THIS
ADMINISTRATION, THE MENINO
ADMINISTRATION HAS
NEGOTIATED WITH FOUR
DIFFERENT POLICE UNIONS
AND AN E.M.S. UNION WHERE
SIGNIFICANT PAY-RELATEDED
INCREASES WERE GIVEN IN
CORRELATION WITH THAT DRUG
PROGRAM.
THAT IS THE PATTERN WHICH
WE FOLLOWED.
THEY NEGOTIATED THE QUINN
BENEFITS BACK IN 1999 AND
2000 WITH THE POLICE
UNIONS.
THEY NEGOTIATED 3%
HAZARDOUS DUTY INCREASE
FOR THE E.M.S. UNION BACK
IN 1993, FOR A PLAN TO BE
IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE,
WHICH WAS NEVER
IMPLEMENTED.
>> Rooney: BUT THESE ARE
PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES.
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
MICHAEL ROSS, WHERE DO YOU
STAND ON THIS?
YOU'VE GOT A TOUGH
DECISION TO MAKE EN THE
NEXT 60 DAYS.
ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR
THIS AND PLEASE THE
FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER
SUPPORTERS OF THAT.
IF YOU VOTE AGAINST IT,
YOU UPSET THE
FIREFIGHTERS, BUT YOU
MIGHT, YOU KNOW, PLEASE
THE CITY RESIDENTS?
>> YEAH.
WELL, I THINK IT IS AN
IMPORTANT DECISION.
I THINK IT HAS BEEN
HEIGHTENED BY SOME OF THE
ATTENTION IT HAS GOTTEN.
AND, UM, IT HAS CAUSED ME
TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE
BUILDING AND TRY TO BRING
IN SOME EXPERTISE.
I THINK WE'RE BLESSED HERE
IN THE CITY OF BOSTON,
WHERE WE CAN CALL UP AND
GET AN M.I.T. OR HARVARD
AND GET A SCHOOL TO HELP
US.
HERE THE M.I.T. PROFESSOR,
TOM COKEN HAS AGREED TO
REVIEW THIS AND MAKE
SENSE.
>> Rooney: IS HE GOING
TO COMPARE IF THE
ARBITRATION WAS DONE FAIR?
>> I DON'T THINK HE IS
GOING TO RELIVE THE ENTIRE
EPISODE.
THIS WAS A MULTI-YEAR
NEGOTIATION.
YOU HEARD ED KELLY
DISAGREE WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION AND THE
NUMBERS.
FIRST, WHAT IS THE NUMBER.
WHAT WILL ITS IMPACT BE?
THAT'S A LEGITIMATE
QUESTION THAT HAS NOT YET
BEEN ANSWERED.
SECOND, HOW DOES IT
COMPARE TO OTHER MUNICIPAL
CONTRACTS?
IS IT MORE?
IS IT LESS?
ONCE WE HAVE ANSWERS TO
THOSE QUESTIONS, COUNCIL
IS IN A MUCH BETTER
POSITION TO TAKE A
POSITION.
AND TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON
THE CONTRACT.
>> Rooney: AND SO HE
WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION
TO YOU?
>> YES.
HE IS CURRENTLY ANALYZING
ALL OF THE PUBLIC
DOCUMENTS, AND HE WILL BE
MEETING WITH THE MAYOR'S
ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS NOT -- THIS IS A
RESPECTED PERSON WITHIN
THE LABOR MANAGEMENT WORLD
WHO WILL GO THROUGH THIS
AND HELP THE COUNCIL
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEFORE
THEM.
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO EDDIE
TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE
2.5, AND 3.5, AND WHAT IT
IS IN EXCHANGE FOR.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT WORLD
FOR MOST OF MY MEMBERS.
MOST OF MY MEMBERS DON'T
SPEND THE TIME THAT HE HAS
SPENT AND THE TIME THAT
THE ADMINISTRATION SPENT
POURING THROUGH CONTRACTS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE
SENSE OF WHAT THIS IS.
>> Rooney: MIKE, I
SHOULD POINT OUT THAT YOU
RAN AGAINST MAYOR MENINO,
AND YOU HAD THE SUPPORT OF
THE FIREFIGHTERS.
CAN YOU STEP BACK AND PUT
YOUR CITY COUNCILLOR'S HAT
BACK ON AND TAKE A LOOK AT
SAY A THREE-PANEL
ARBITRATION TEAM CAME UP
WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS ARBITRATION.
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
THE CITY OF BOSTON WANTED
THIS.
WOULD YOU FEEL AN
OBLIGATION AS THEN CITY
COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO VOTE
FOR THIS?
>> WELL, I WOULDN'T.
I'LL PREFERENCE IT HAD I
BEEN ELECTED MAYOR, I
WOULD HAVE NEGOTIATED THIS
CONTRACT FOR A FIVE-YEAR
DEAL NOT TO EXCEED 15%.
>> Rooney: IN JULY, WE
SHOULD POINT OUT, THIS
CONTRACT IS UP.
>> JUNE 30th.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THAT.
>> THIS CONTRACT THAT HAS
YET TO BE VERIFIED --
>> Rooney: IS UP.
>> IS UP JUNE 30th.
AND I WOULD HAVE ADDED A
FIFTH YEAR, NOT TO EXCEED
15%.
I'M ON RECORD DURING THE
COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN
SAYING THEY SHOULDN'T BE
PAID -- PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
AND ANYONE WHO OPERATES
HEAVY EQUIPMENT, IT SHOULD
BE A CONDITION FOR THE
EMPLOYMENT.
THE MENINO NEGOTIATED DRUG
AND ALCOHOL TESTING WITH
E.M.S. IN EXCHANGE FOR
GROUP FOUR, AND HE DID IT
WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, SUPERIOR
OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES,
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE QUINN
BILL.
IT WAS PRECEDENT FOR THE
QUID PRO QUO THAT WAS
CHANGED LONG BEFORE THAT.
YOU DON'T GET TO DO FOURTH
DOWN AGAIN.
THE MENINO ADMINISTRATION
CHOSE TO GO WITH THE ROUTE
OF ARBITRATION, AND
HOPEFULLY WE GET A RE-DO
COME JUNE 30th AND PUT
TOGETHER A CONTRACT THAT
MAKES SENSE FOR THE
TAXPAYERS AND IT IS FAIR
TO WE CALL UPON WHEN WE
CALL 9-1-1 THAT RACE INTO
THE BUILDING WHEN EVERYONE
IS RUNNING FOR COVER.
>> Rooney: THE TAXPAYERS
ARE TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT
THIS.
UNLIKE SOME PRIOR
CONTRACTS, PEOPLE DON'T
GET INVOLVED.
THERE IS NOT AN EMOTIONAL
COMMITMENT TO IT.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR
FOUR YEARS.
IT HAS BEEN VERY PUBLIC IN
TERMS OF SOME OF THE
PROTESTS.
EVEN GOING BACK TO THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION,
THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES
WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS'
UNION.
BUT THE COURT OF OPINION
SAYS YOU KNOW WHAT,
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE
WRONG POCKETBOOKS AND THE
VOLATILE RECESSION.
NOT ONLY HAVE I NOT HAVE A
19% INCREASE OVER THE PAST
FOUR YEARS, I'VE PROBABLY
TAKEN A HIT.
OF COURSE THE FIREFIGHTERS
DESERVE SOMETHING,
EVERYBODY DESERVES
SOMETHING, BUT THIS IS TOO
MUCH.
>> THE ARBITRATOR TOOK
INTO ACCOUNT THE CITY'S
FINANCES.
ALTHOUGH THE NATIONAL
ECONOMY -- WE'RE IN THE
GREATEST RECESSION SINCE
THE GREAT RECESSION, AND
THAT HAS HIT THE
COMMONWEALTH OF
MASSACHUSETTS VERY HARD.
THE FACTS ARE THAT THE
CITY OF BOSTON, AT THE
HEIGHT OF THAT RECESSION,
HAS GOTTEN ITS HIGHEST
BOND RATING IN THE CITY OF
ITS HISTORY?
HOW DO YOU DO THAT --
>> Rooney: MAYOR MENINO
WOULD SAY GOOD MANAGEMENT.
>> TRUE.
AND THERE IS ANOTHER
REASON FOR THAT.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT
MANAGEMENT HAS NOT BEEN
THAT GOOD BECAUSE I LOST A
MEMBER IN MY DEPARTMENT,
KEVIN KELLY, BECAUSE HE
HAD NO BRAKES ON HIS
TRUCK.
BUT THE TAXES HAVE DOUBLED
TO $61 BILLION.
THAT TRANSLATES TO THIS
CITY IS VERY WELL
FINANCIALLY SECURE.
AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
CLOSING LIBRARIES.
AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
LAYING OFF THE PRINTERS.
AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
LAYOFFS IN THE COAST
DEAN'S.
DEAN'S -- CUSTODIANS.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN
TRYING TO OUTSOURCE THE
PRINTING SHOP FOR OVER A
YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE
THAT WORK THERE AND PEOPLE
THAT REPRESENT THEM.
I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO
PRIVATIZE THE SCHOOL
CUSTODIANS BECAUSE I HAVE
FRIENDS THERE --
>> Rooney: FROM AN
ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUE.
>> UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS
GENERAL LAWS, MAYOR MENINO
IS BOUND TO SUPPORT THIS
AWARD.
HE TOOK US TO ARBITRATION,
NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
WE WANTED TO NEGOTIATE.
>> Rooney: THAT IS
DEFINITELY ONE SCHOOL OF
THOUGHT.
MICHAEL ROSS, CHUCK
TURNER, ALSO THE BOSTON
CITY COUNCIL, IS GOING TO
VOTE AGAINST THIS PAY
RAISE.
BUT HE WAS NOT ENDORSED BY
THE FIREFIGHTERS.
MY QUESTION IS: IS THIS
ALL GOING TO COME DOWN TO
POLITICS?
IS THIS GOING TO COME DOWN
TO WHO YOU SUPPORTED FOR
MAYOR?
OR CAN THE BOSTON CITY
COUNCIL LOOK AT THIS
INDEPENDENTLY AND GIVE
THIS A FAIR AND THOROUGH
VETTING?
>> I THINK WE CAN.
MANY OF US HAVE DEDICATED
OUR LIVES TO THIS
PROFESSION.
WE TAKE OUR JOBS VERY
SERIOUS.
OUR JOB ISN'T JUST TO PUT
OUR FINGER IN THE WIND AND
MEASURE.
IT'S TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK
AND DEFINE PUBLIC POLICY
FOR THE BETTER.
I JUST WANT TO SAY,
REGARDS TO WHAT KELLY WAS
SAYING, WE MAY DISAGREE
HOW THE MAYOR IS CHOOSING
TO GO ABOUT LIBRARY
CLOSINGS -- IN FACT, I
DISAGREE WITH THAT -- BUT
WE CAN'T DISAGREE WITH
WHERE THE MUNICIPAL
FINANCES IS AT.
THEY'RE SHUTTING DOWN
SCHOOLS, THEY'RE SHUTTING
DOWN FIRE STATIONS.
THEY ARE LAYING OFF.
AND THIS IS AN
UNSUSTAINABLE TROJECTERY
THAT WE ARE IN.
WE HAVE SIX BILLION
UNCOMPENSATED EXPOSURE
AROUND HEALTH CARE.
THE RATE OF HEALTH CARE
GOES UP FIVE TIMES THE
RATE OF REGULAR CITY
SPENDING.
THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
SO WE CAN'T CANNIBALIZE
THE CORE SERVICES TO PAY
FOR HEALTH CARE, PAY FOR
SALARIES, PAY FOR ALL OF
THESE THINGS.
WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S WHY I
CHALLENGED, YOU KNOW,
PRESIDENT KELLY, AND OTHER
LABOR UNIONS, TO SAY,
LOOK, THIS IS YOUR FIGHT,
TOO.
IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT
PAYING YOUR EMPLOYEES.
IT IS ALSO ABOUT KEEPING
OUR CITY RUNNING.
AND RECENTLY BROOKLINE
JUST WORKED OUT A DEAL
WITH THEIR UNIONS AND
THEIR MANAGEMENT AROUND A
HEALTH CARE DEAL, THAT THE
UNIONS SAVED SOME OF THE
MONEY, AND MANAGEMENT, AND
CERTAINLY THE TOWN OF
BROOKLINE SAVED SOME MONEY
BY JOINING THE G.I.C.
WE CAN DO THAT, BUT WE
NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND
COME TOGETHER --
>> Rooney: I JUST WANT
TO BRING MICHAEL FERRY
BACK IN.
HE WAS MAYOR OF A FAIRLY
DECENT-SIZED CITY,
LEMONSTER.
HE WAS AGAINST THIS, AND
HE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID
THE CITY CAN'T AFFORD IT
AND FELT IT WAS UNFAIR.
CAN YOU IDENTIFY THAT, AS
SOMEBODY WHO WAS ALMOST A
MAYOR YOURSELF?
>> YES.
AND I SAID THIS IS ABOUT A
NEED FOR PERFORMANCE
REVIEW.
DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT,
ELIMINATE WASTEFUL
SPENDING, AND ALSO I WAS
THINKING ABOUT THIS ON THE
RIDE OVER, THE COST OF THE
CITY TO ARBITRATE THIS
ISSUE, FROM THE STALLED
NEGOTIATIONS -- HAS TO BE
IN THE MILLIONS.
WITH OUTSIDE COUNSEL BEING
ENGAGED, A PRIVATE FIRM,
PLUS THE CITY'S LAWYERS.
AND MAURICE ST. FORD,
HIRED AT $125.
IDENTIFY WHAT IS WORKING
AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING TO
DOVE TAIL ON PRESIDENT
ROSS' THEORY AROUND THE
HEALTH CARE.
IT IS ALL PART AND PARCEL.
CAN WE AFFORD THIS
CONTRACT?
I BELIEVE WE CAN.
BUT IT IS ABOUT FUTURE
CONTRACTS.
AND NOT JUST FOR THIS
UNION, BUT THE OTHER
BARGAINING UNIONS THAT ARE
GOING TO COME DOWN THE
ROAD.
IF SOMETHING DOESN'T GIVE,
WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF
BANKRUPTING THE CITY.
LET'S NOT VILIFY ONE
GROUP.
NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS IS
NOT ONE OF THE MAYOR'S
STRONG SUITS.
BUT LIVING WITH THE
IMPACTS OF ALL OF THE
CONTRACTS HE HAS
NEGOTIATED IN THE PAST,
AND THE QUID PRO QUO.
UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION,
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
MANDATORY RANDOM DRUG AND
ALCOHOL TESTING --
>> Rooney: YOU'LL HAVE
ANOTHER CHANCE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Rooney: THANK YOU ALL
SO MUCH.
WHEN WE CONTINUE, THE RACE
TO TAKE THE PLACE OF
CONGRESSMAN BILL DELAHUNT.