Kennedy will skip mayors' meeting

US Senator Edward M. Kennedy abruptly canceled plans yesterday to speak at a US Conference of Mayors luncheon today, averting a potentially embarrassing confrontation with picketing police officers.

Kennedy had long been scheduled to give the main address at a special health-care luncheon today at the Sheraton Boston hotel, where the conference of mayors is meeting through Monday. Mayor Thomas M. Menino is hosting the event and considered the speech by the senator to be one of its highlights.

The Boston Police Patrolmen's Association has asked mayors and other elected officials to respect the picket line they're planning. The police union will be joined by Boston firefighters and representatives of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, to highlight the fact that several thousand city workers, including the patrolmen and the firefighters, still lack a contract.

A Kennedy spokesman, David Smith, said the senator canceled because the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee rescheduled a hearing with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz for today in Washington. That hearing, to focus on the transition of power in Iraq, was supposed to be held yesterday, but was shifted by Senator John Warner, Republican of Virginia, Smith said.

"He's been working on this, and it's a priority for him," Smith said of Kennedy. "He's disappointed he won't be able to address the conference of mayors, but he knows the event will be a great success for Mayor Menino and the city of Boston."

Still, local union leaders pounced on Kennedy's decision as a snub of Menino and a major statement by one of the most union-friendly members of Congress.

Thomas J. Nee, president of the patrolmen's association, said Kennedy's decision shows his strong support for union values.

"I'm absolutely honored," Nee said. "One thing is absolute: He stands with the working class, and here he doesn't just talk the talk; he walks the walk."

This week, the patrolmen's association sent letters to all 200-plus mayors who are scheduled to attend the conference, asking them to boycott events in deference to their picket line. They issued a call to other public officials who are scheduled to speak, asking them to stay away, as well.

The fact that Kennedy won't be speaking could put pressure to do likewise on his Senate colleague, John F. Kerry, who is scheduled to address the conference of mayors on Monday.

Menino said he is certain that Kennedy's decision had nothing to do with Boston's labor unrest. He said Kennedy clarified that point with him by telephone yesterday .

"He called today and apologized," Menino said. "He said: 'Don't let anybody misinterpret that [decision]. My duties are in Washington.' "

Smith, the Kennedy spokesman, said that if the senator were able to attend today's meeting in Boston, he would have sought an arrangement in which he could speak without being perceived as crossing the picket line.

Richard Rogers, executive secretary-treasurer of the Greater Boston Labor Council, a coalition of the city's major unions, said the prospect of more elected officials staying away from the conference of mayors should convince Menino to redouble efforts to get contracts signed.

"I'm sure that Senator Kennedy won't be the only elected official that makes a change of plans," Rogers said. "The Menino administration needs to intensify contract talks and bring closure to these crisis."

But the mayor reiterated his belief that the mayors' event will be a success. Few if any mayors will stay away from the events this weekend, he predicted.

Rick Klein can be reached at rklein@globe.com.