City Versus the Unions?

Today's Globe featured a story on the tremendous pull that police and fire unions have on city government. Roderick Fraser Jr. heads the fire department, but Local 718 Ed Kelly has his own ideas for the direction of the fire department.

Mayor Menino's disputes with the fire department, particularly over the issue of drug testing after the Tai Ho Restaurant fire, which killed firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne, are notorious. It still isn't clear what would be wrong with random drug testing--as long as it stays random--but it seems the fire department wants something in return.

Donovan Slack's article indicates that the fire department isn't just battling Menino, it's battling itself. The article turns into a biographical sketch of Fraser, but it's clear that he's Menino's man, and therefore the pro-union forces within the fire department will resist him. The story seems awfully similar to the problems Police Commissioner Ed Davis faces as he seeks to increase punishments for officers who break the rules or flat-out break the law.

What's frustrating about this debate is, whether you're pro-union or pro-mayor, is this really helping city residents get the service they deserve?

Photo by Paul Keleher from photos tagged "Bostonist" on Flickr.