EDWARD MASON and DAVE WEDGE
The Boston Herald

Both sides claimed a win last night in a hard-fought compromise as firefighters agreed to pare back their pay hike for drug tests and Mayor Thomas M. Menino agreed to allow future firefighters the controversial benefit.

The deal, arrived at late last night, goes before the City Council for a vote today and apparently is designed to let all parties walk away claiming partial victory.

Firefighters agreed to slash their arbitrator-granted bonus for taking drug tests from a 2.5 percent wage hike to 1.5 percent, and delay the first check for a year to fiscal 2011. New hires will only get the bonus if they undergo an annual physical, physical ability test and drug test, but will still be subject to random drug tests.

An initial estimate by city officials put the savings in the reduced pay hike at $66 million on additional costs for firefighters. It is unclear how it will affect other contracts.

``This is a responsible compromise,'' spokeswoman Dot Joyce said.

``We feel this is good for our members and the people of Boston,'' said Local 718 chief Ed Kelly.

The firefighters and aides to Mayor Thomas M. Menino had worked throughout the day behind closed doors in a bid to hammer out a last-minute deal that would let them avoid sending a contested contract to a do-or-die City Council vote today.

Both sides had earlier offered concessions in the wake of the state arbitrator's binding award. Kelly offered a simple one-year deferral on the 2.5 percent raise in exchange for agreeing to random alcohol and drug tests. Menino wanted it to apply to the current roster of firefighters only, to avoid hefty costs in future - especially as it might apply to police, EMTs and other departments.


Sources said several city councilors were pushing the two sides to come together yesterday to avoid putting the council on the spot. One councilor pushed for a Menino and Kelly meeting to bury the hatchet.


It was unclear last night whether that happened.

Copyright 2010 Boston Herald Inc.
June 9, 2010