Pubdate: Thu, 17 Jan 2008
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2008 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://news.bostonherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Michael Graham
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

FIREFIGHTER DRUG TEST FLAP ALL ABOUT GREED

When it comes to Boston politics, I live by a simple rule that has
served me well. If you're not sure what the city should do, watch what
Tom Menino does.

Then do the opposite.

He is, after all, the brilliant economic theorist who opposes medical
mini-clinics in local CVS stores because "allowing retailers to make
money off sick people is wrong!"

Gee, Mr. Mayor, who do you think is buying all that aspirin and
hemorrhoid cream? Healthy people?

And yes, he's the same political historian who, while campaigning for
Hillary Clinton this weekend said, "There is no person in this country
that did more for civil rights than Bill Clinton!"

He was at a celebration of the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
at the time.

OK, so nobody's going to ask to see Menino's Mensa card. But there is
one person in Boston who can get me to sing Tom Menino's praises, and
his name is Ed Kelly.

Kelly, who runs Boston's firefighters' union, is the kind of
shameless, money-grubbing thug who makes Menino look like Winston
Churchill. Kelly has staked out a position that is jaw-dropping in its
coarse, self-serving brutality: No life-saving drug and alcohol
testing until somebody pays up first.

Everybody knows that mandatory drug and alcohol testing - the policy
in every other big-city fire department - saves lives. It forces some
firefighters with drug or alcohol problems into treatment, and it
encourages others to avoid making the mistake of showing up buzzed for
work.

Kelly acknowledges that testing works. He just doesn't care. Until
somebody gives Kelly and the union some more money, he's going to keep
sending drunken firefighters into burning buildings. If more die - so
what? Just show Ed the money.

Which is why, when the mayor called out the union in his State of the
City address for its "shameful" opposition to mandatory testing, I
cheered. When he ripped them for unethical pay practices that rip off
taxpayers, I applauded.

And when he thundered (OK, mumbled loudly), "I am 100 percent opposed
to any contract that does not include drug and alcohol testing," I had
to reach for the Kleenex. I almost went all Hillary on him.

Kelly and his "team" are too gutless to defend their indefensible
position. Instead of arguing over the value of drug testing or
comparing their benefits to other big-city departments (BFD gets more
per-firefighter tax dollars than most), they cower behind the "hero"
card.

They claim Menino is "smearing" the reputation of Boston firefighters.
They drag up the memories of firefighters Warren Payne and Paul
Cahill, claiming their families are being "revictimized." Kelly uses
this tragic loss to cover up his endless greed.

Unfortunately for Kelly, the cash-clawing cat is out of the bag. His
spokesman, Scott Salman, is already on record saying the union would
"gladly" agree to a new contract with drug and alcohol testing "if it
were more money."

Despicable, yes. But unfortunately, the unions are currently so
powerful they are likely to win this fight. In the last City Council
election, fewer then half the candidates were willing to publicly
support mandatory testing - a testament to the fear Kelly and his
cronies still inspire.

Here's my question to those who accuse the mayor of being
"anti-firefighter." Who is doing more to harm our heroes - the
politician trying to protect them with a drug and alcohol policy? Or
the union honcho who keeps sending drunk firefighters into danger
until somebody pays up?

The frontline firefighters are smart enough to figure that one out.
And, believe it or not, Tom Menino is, too.
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MAP posted-by: Derek