Resentment Brewing In Massachusetts Town Between Police, Firefighters After Firefighters Contract Deal

From Worcester Magazine, May 25

WORCESTER, MA – Maybe it’s the price of success, at least when it comes to the city’s relationships with its unions. Whatever it is, it happened faster than you can say “collective bargaining.” As the media and municipal officials cheered the deal the Joint Labor Management Committee authored between Local 1009 of the firefighters’ union and the city, the grumblings began.

Most notable is the viewpoint of Richard Cipro, president of the Worcester Police Department’s patrolmens’ union, Local 378. It was the breakthrough contract deal between the administration of City Manager Michael O’Brien and 378 that blazed the trail for compromise on the cost of health care benefits and the demise of the contract re-opener clause that put the city into a spiral of increasing labor costs.

Even without a re-opener, though, Cipro is looking hard at the firefighters’ deal in comparison to his local’s own. He’s also pointing out that it was his union that set the stage for a new era in contract negotiations in the city. “We were the catalyst for change and when we go back into negotiations [for a new contract to begin in 2007], we’re not going to let people forget that.”

Particularly galling, it seems, is the wage increase won by the firefighters, which is retroactive (in stages) to July, 2003. What it means is a base pay of something like $67,000 for firefighters, which is a good 10% or a bit more than what patrolmen get. “Nationally — I’m just going by national statistics — you don’t see firefighters making a salary higher than police officers,” says Cipro. Then come the fightin’ words: “I think the police are worth more to the public,” Cipro adds, “and by their own admission, fires are down to only 40% of what they do now. And you see everything the police department is doing in this city for the last couple of years.”

There are some aspects of the JLMC deal that other unions seemingly welcome; in particular, the elimination of the double-count “hazmat” compensation firefighters received for handling hazardous materials. And Cipro does offer respect for the members of Local 1009. “They do provide a very important service to the community,” he says. “I won’t debate that. That’s why I’m not a firefighter; I don’t run into a burning building. [But] when people bring business to the community, or when someone brings their kid here to come to college, I believe they look at a couple of things. They look at crime and what services the city provides. They don’t necessarily ask, ‘Where’s the nearest fire station?’”

As you might expect, Frank Raffa, head of firefighters’ Local 1009, is not in total agreement. “It’s hard to respond to that,” he says. “We went in and negotiated the best contract we could for our members. The city recognized the arb decision by the JLMC. That benefits not only 1009, but every labor organization in the state.”

As far as comparative value, Raffa says, “I’m not going to get into a pissing contest about who is better. We both do an excellent job for the city. I would never stand up and say the Worcester Police Department doesn’t do a good job, but I’ll also say the men and women of the fire department do an excellent job for the city.”

This comes in the shadow of other union discontent. Michael Lavin of city workers’ union Local 495 is openly threatening a picket of the imminent state Democratic Party convention. Like Cipro, he seems more militant in the wake of the firefighters’ deal. “We’re not looking for the sky. We’re just looking for our fair share for our members,” he says, adding a comparison to Local 378 members. “Cops show up at a water main break, but the most valuable guy there is the one who shuts it off .... People are sick of taking a back seat, I guess.”

Then there’s the administration and some similarly strong words from City Manager O’Brien, who stands by the firefighters’ deal as a progressive step for the city. “What I pushed for in the JLMC process was to right the wrongs of the past, the wrongs that created this disparity so we had the pressure of re-openers, of the who-got-more; So we prevailed and brought back a sense of realism,” he says. “You and I both know that every union wants what the other one got. The bottom line is we’re at a point in the city’s history when, if we don’t bring rhyme and reason to what we can afford in the long term, you don’t have to look far west to see what can happen; Springfield, which is bankrupt.

“It’s called job security for our employees. It’s called stabilization of benefits. It’s called taxpayers getting a return on investment.”

As far as threatened convention pickets, O’Brien indicates that he’s willing to call the bluff, if it is a bluff. “This event is something of significance to the city,” he says. “We look forward to the state descending on Worcester [and spending here]. At the same time, we’ll protect public safety and make sure they get free and easy access to the DCU Center, and we’ll make sure to protect the First Amendment rights of those who do want to have their voices heard. That whole weekend is all about democracy in action.”