Jan 15, 2008 12:13 pm US/Eastern
Firefighters To Demonstrate At State Of The City
Firefighter Upset Over Contract Talks, Random Testing
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Firefighters say they are planning to demonstrate outside of the Strand Theater on Tuesday as Boston Mayor Tom Menino delivers his State of the City address.
The union is upset because they have been working without a contract for the past 18 months.
Firefighters are looking for a 21 percent raise and say they are also against the city's efforts to make firefighters undergo random drug and alcohol testing.
The drug and alcohol testing was recommended by a special commission assigned to investigate the deaths of two firemen who were killed while battling a restaurant blaze in West Roxbury back in August.
Autopsy reports revealed firefighter Paul Cahill had a blood-alcohol level three times above the legal limit and fellow fireman Warren Payne had traces of cocaine in his system.
Union president Edward Kelly has accused the city of trying to ruin the public image of Boston firefighters.
According to Menino, he is not concerned with the threat of picketing at tonight's event. He spoke briefly about the contract dispute Tuesday, saying he is against the 21 percent raise.
This is not the first time firefighters have made a statement outside Menino's State of the City address.
Back in 2001, firefighters gathered for a rally during they mayor's address to protest over stalled contract talks between the department and the city.
Menino's daughter, Susan, claims she was spit on by one of the firefighters that night. The Mayor stood by his daughter's claim. "There were a couple of them who were really out of line. It's unfortunate because 99 percent of those firefighters are good guys. They want to do their job on a regular basis. It's that one percent that is holding this whole process up."
Menino would not comment about the 2001 demonstration on Tuesday.
Firefighters say Tuesday's demonstration is simply a way for them to tell their side of the story.
The union has enlisted the help of a New York public relations firm to help them with their contract battle with the city.
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