FIRESTORM OVER FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCLOSURE; UNION CONFIRMS IT REJECTED CITY’S OFFER OF A 4 PERCENT PAY HIKE, AT ISSUE: RANDOM DRUG TESTING
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 10, 2011) — First up this morning is a bit of business resembling more a hive upset following yesterday’s post that (we can only assume from the reaction) The Little Guy wasn’t supposed to know.
THE PLANET refers to this little item, tucked away within several other non-related stories:
Fire Department Stalls on City’s Four Percent Pay Hike
THE PLANET heard from a reliable source that the Pittsfield Fire Department’s unionized employees rejected a four percent pay hike offered by the city in exchange for random drug testing. According to our source, Mayor Jimmy Ruberto got so tired of the union’s hemming and hawing that he withdrew the offer.
Our source well familiar with fire department procedures, protocols, and personnel said that “if the city pulled random drug testing, half the department would fail.”
So, are up to half of Pittsfield fire fighters druggies or substance-dependent? Is Mother Nature in the air and steroids in the punch? It seems so, after our not so random pool of internal sources. We will be more than willing to hear the other side of the story, even if it involves many clouds of sweet smelling smoke pouring through the door when it’s opened. We’re sure it won’t be a fire.
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In response, we received this post from “Pittsfield Jake.”
Pittsfield Jake
Come on Dan, I expect a little bit more from you. First off, the Pittsfield Fire Fighters did Not reject the cities contract offer. The Right Honorable Mayor pulled it off the table. The Union Membership just wanted clarification on several issues. The terms of all newly negotiated agreements where painted with a very narrow brush. The wording was scribbled in the margins. We as a Union asked for clarification on several issues.
As for your comment that over half of the Pittsfield Fire Department are Drug Users, that just goes to show how low you will sink to raise your stature among those who matter most to you, yourself. Man up and name this so called “reliable” source. Our Union bargained in good faith a drug policy. The terms of which were extremely vague. We as a collective bargaining unit simply asked of a detailed policy. It was a scant two weeks from when the contract was proposed until the Mayor yanked it. Several members were on vacation and unavailable to read the contract. But Dan, You stirred the Pot as you do so well. Unfortunately your Pot is empty so go back in the kitchen and fetch a new batch of Grizzle……..
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It’s interesting to note that “Pittsfield Jake” wants to know the name of my source but he himself does not use his real name. Why?
THE PLANET replied thusly:
PJAKE
Thanks for the feedback and information. I asked my source if I could use the name, but the source declined, as too often happens in the claustrophobic politics of the locality. Of course, I won’t “out” a source. Again, thanks for the union perspective.
Now we hear this morning that the chief and others are scrambling over the release of the information. We can also say that a City Hall source close to the negotiations has confirmed what we reported: The firemen were offered a 4 percent pay hike in return for random drug testing. They “hemmed and hawed” for two weeks, and frustrated city bargainers, representing taxpayers, pulled the offer.
Also note that “Pittsfield Jake” essentially confirms what we reported. In a careless use of language Jake also attributes the statement about drug use within the fire department to THE PLANET. That is incorrect. THE PLANET did not made that charge. The charge comes from someone within the fire department, our original source. We won’t reveal this source except under one condition: this person allows. In a journalism career that began in 1974, THE PLANET has NEV-VER outed a source and NEV-VER will.
As for illicit drug use among Pittsfield fire fighters, we do not have first-hand information one way or the other to make a determination of facts. Consequently, we cannot say how many fire fighters use and or abuse illegal substances. Our only first hand knowledge would be called anecdotal. We will also add that our source, whose prior history with THE PLANET has been shown to be impeccable for his/her honesty and truthfulness, would have no reason to claim otherwise in this case.
We shall continue to report on this matter as developments warrant. We will only add that a 4 percent pay hike in THIS economic climate is overly generous. THE PLANET applauds the city for its atempt to get the union to agree to random drug testing, but not at that cost. We also state that 4 percent will break the backs of too many taxpayers. The city should insist on random and unconditional drug testing. It is a minimal (and reasonable) expectation that taxpayers should have: That their police and fire departments are drug free.
So here’s the proposal for the Jakes: If you are all clean, say OK to random testing. SImple as that.
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MORE TO COME, AND UNTIL THEN,
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
