Labor board votes to send conflict to binding arbitrationBOSTON -- The contract dispute between the city and its police union is headed to immediate, expedited arbitration, raising the possibility that the conflict will be resolved before next week's Democratic National Convention.
The state's labor management board voted unanimously Monday to send the issue to arbitration, where a ruling would be binding and cannot be appealed. But while the step suggested a resolution to the two-year-old disagreement, it also hinted at larger protests at the convention. The Boston Police Patrolmen's Association has been without a contract and has threatened to disrupt the convention festivities by setting up picket lines at events attended by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, including the 29 delegation parties scheduled for Sunday night. The police association opposes allowing a third-party arbitrator to resolve the dispute, saying that would usurp the union members' ability to vote on a new contract. Union president Thomas Nee called the labor board's vote "absolutely outrageous," pointing out that the Joint Labor Management Committee voted on the matter last week and opted not to send the matter to expedited arbitration. Nee said the union would escalate its protest for the convention and would reconsider its decision not to picket outside the convention site itself. The police are asking for a pay increase of 17 percent over four years, while the city is offering 11.9 percent. The labor board's 3-0 vote included board members representing organized labor. The panel assigned independent arbitrator Lawrence T. Holden to report back with a contract by Thursday. The convention is scheduled to begin July 26, four days later, at the FleetCenter. The four members of the labor board met privately Monday in the first meeting overseen by its new chairman, retired Judge Samuel Zoll. Republican Gov. Mitt Romney abruptly appointed Zoll last week after the board voted to send the conflict to arbitration but denied the city's request for an expedited schedule. The union sent a letter to the nearly 5,000 delegates to the convention, asking them to honor picket lines and boycott Menino's address. Menino sent his own letter to delegates, saying that the picket lines are only "informational" and should not deter anyone from attending parties or events. Police picket lines led to a three-day shutdown of construction at the convention site last month and recently deterred hometown candidate John Kerry from addressing the U.S. Mayors Conference in Boston, which Menino hosted. The prospect of delegates facing a picket line at convention events worried Democratic leaders. Those from California, Connecticut, Maine, Ohio and Tennessee said Monday they doubted delegates from their states would defy protesting union members. Others sidestepped the problem, saying they believe the dispute will be resolved before delegates arrive. Maine Democratic Party Chairwoman Dorothy Melanson said the state's delegation will not cross any picket line at all, "informational or otherwise." Maine delegation co-chair Gov. John Baldacci said through spokesman Lee Umphrey that he didn't think the delegates will be faced with deciding whether to cross picket lines. "It will never come to that. The governor hopes this is resolved before the convention and is confident that Mayor Menino is doing everything he can," Umphrey said. A party spokesman said that in support of unions, a core constiutuency of the party, Maine Democrats would not cross picket lines or attend speeches by Menino. Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party, said the state's Democratic delegates would not cross a picket line and he was recommending that they walk out during Menino's speech. "Either they'll walk out or not attend until after he has made his speech," said Torres, who said he couldn't understand why it has take so long to resolve the dispute. Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Denny White said he wouldn't cross the picket line and would walk out on Menino, something he is encouraging his state delegates to do. "I personally would not cross a picket line and I expect most delegates would not," Connecticut Democratic State Chairman George Jepsen said. "Just knowing the delegation, I think most delegates would be disinclined to cross a picket line." Tennessee Democratic Chairman Randy Button said, "We don't think we should be crossing picket lines that would be placed at the venues." Although the Michigan delegation has not decided whether it would cross a picket line, it has planned an alternate party in case police picket the welcome party set up by Menino, Michigan Democratic Executive Chairman Mark Brewer said. While expressing their support for labor, other state leaders said they expect a resolution soon.
"I'm confident that labor and management officials will redouble their efforts in the coming days and resolve their issues in good faith," said Barry Rubin, executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party. "We respect the rights of our delegates to express their opinions however they wish, but we hope it will not reach that point." © Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
