DAVE WEDGE
The Boston Herald

Hundreds of Hub firefighters clashed with city officials last night in a marathon City Hall session over the jakes' controversial contract, with both sides digging in their heels as labor experts urged ``compromise'' to end the agonizing fight.

``This dispute will go on for a very, very long time,'' warned Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Thomas Kochan, tapped by the council to analyze the deal. ``Now is the time to insist upon a solution.''

Kochan predicted a protracted, costly legal battle between Boston Firefighters Local 718 and Mayor Thomas M. Menino - no matter how the council votes.

The council is considering whether to fund or reject an arbitrator's decision to grant firefighters raises of 16.5 percent over four years back to 2006, including a 2.5 percent hike for drug testing. The city contends the raises rise to 19 percent when longevity bonuses are added. A vote could come next week.

The city said it is open to talks, but Local 718 officials said they'll make no last-minute concessions.

``We played by the rules,'' Local 718 President Edward Kelly said before the hearing. ``The city hired an international law firm . . . The panel heard them and rendered a decision. That decision should be honored.''

The hearing descended into finger-pointing between Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, Menino's representative on the arbitration panel, and the union's rep, Bob McCarthy, president of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts. McCarthy accused the media of distorting facts of the award and Mazzarella of ``violations of professional responsibility'' for allegedly leaking the arbitrator's ruling.

Mazzarella said an earlier deal fell apart when arbitrator Dana Eischen, who was not present last night, made an eleventh hour change by tacking on an extra 2.5 percent raise for drug testing. ``I was told it was small potatoes,'' Mazzarella recalled. ``I said, `I don't know what farm you grew up on, but this looks like big potatoes.' ''

Councilors Chuck Turner and Sal LaMattina both said they couldn't approve the deal. But Councilor John Tobin called it an issue of ``fairness'' to the firefighters, who have gone four years without a raise. South Boston Councilor Bill Linehan said: ``It doesn't seem like compromise is in the cards. I do support this because . . . I do strongly stand by the collective bargaining process and binding arbitration.''

At an earlier hearing, Kevin Dasey, a Local 718 accountant, claimed the city has the money, alleging Menino played a fiscal shell game, hiding up to $500 million.

Meanwhile, Menino's finance director, Lisa Signori, acknowledged the city can afford the contract but raised concerns of the long-term effect with other unions.

``We can pay it. It's the impact and the consequences,'' Signori said. Menino's labor relations czar, John Dunlap, said a police union in contract talks has claimed firefighter pay under the new deal is higher than officer pay and wants parity.

Copyright 2010 Boston Herald Inc.
June 3, 2010