City Hall toughens rule that workers wear a badge

Like a lot of organizations worried about security after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Boston city officials decided that employees should wear identification badges stamped with their photo and the building where they work. It's taken three years for authorities to get serious about it. But now they're very, very serious.

A memo to employees warns that beginning this week, they must wear ID badges in plain view while at work. Failure to comply means firm punishment. Anyone caught once or twice without their ID will receive counseling from their supervisor. A fourth violation gets a suspension from work. Eight offenses and you're fired.

Employees were ordered to sign the memo and return it to the city's human resources department, where the documents will be stored in their personnel file.

In a building where paranoia and jaded sniping are staples among battle-weary bureaucrats, the memo set off a wave of fear and derision.

''Are they going to hire hall monitors?" one City Hall employee wondered aloud.

Yesterday, the first full day after the policy took effect, many employees dug out their badges, long buried in a wallet or a desk drawer.

''Yeah, I'm wearing it," said one worker. ''Eight times and you're gone," he said, chuckling.

''I'm going to wear mine, as soon as I can find it," said another employee, who works at 26 Court St., one of several city buildings where the policy applies.

A Fire Department employee said the policy made her feel safer.

''I don't mind wearing it," she said. ''With a methadone clinic across the street, there are good security reasons for it."

City officials said the rule, a new version of an old policy, is designed to protect city employees and property. It was finalized after discussions with several city unions, they said.

''Like everyone else after 9/11, we wanted to make sure we had a safe environment for employees and people visiting City Hall," said Vivian Leonard, the city's director of human resources and a member of a committee that formulated the policy.

A similar policy, drafted in 2002, was largely ignored. But city officials said they are now going to enforce the rules.

''We're becoming state of the art," said Michael Galvin, chief of basic services. The ID cards contain a chip that allows machines at City Hall to grant or deny access to the building afterhours, he said.

But some union leaders said they have not agreed to be bound by the new policy. AFSCME is considering filing a grievance or unfair labor practice complaint if the city does not eliminate the punishment protocol.

''We don't agree or feel we're obligated to discuss their schedule of disciplinary action," said Jennifer Springer, metropolitan Boston coordinator for AFSCME, which represents nearly 2,000 city workers.

''We already have disciplinary action, the just cause standard, in our contract," she said. ''Midterm in a contract, we're not obligated to discuss anything like this."

City officials should take a broader approach toward ensuring workers' safety, she added.

''We have employees who work in buildings with no security at all," Springer said. ''One of our building inspectors was brutally attacked at a job site. We have concerns about safety that ID badges can't necessarily address."

Jeff Hall, Service Employees International Union spokesman, said that some of his members are concerned that the policy will be enforced by some department heads and not others.

''People feel the rules may not be applied to everyone equally," he said.

Officials say the policy extends to some 1,100 employees, but does not include police officers, firefighters, and politicians. However, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the 13 city councilors were all issued ID badges.

''I have one, but it doesn't match my shoes," quipped Councilor John Tobin. ''The blue clashes."

Most City Council employees aren't wearing theirs, he said.

''I understand why they have issued the ID cards," Tobin said. ''And I understand that security is of even more concern in government buildings. But asking people to wear them around their neck like a sandwich board is a little over the top."

''Honest to God," said Councilor at Large Maura A. Hennigan, ''you'd think they have better things to do than harass hard-working city employees. It's a form of harassment, and it's really sad."