Cha-ching! Mayor gets $40k pay raise, unions get mad
By George P. Hassett

Hefty pay raises for city politicians caused police and fire unions, who have not seen  raises in almost three years, to picket City Hall this week.
    More than 100 members of the city’s patrol officer and firefighter unions picketed City Hall for the second time this month Thursday. Officials for both unions said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has not acted in good faith in trying to negotiate and said they will continue to picket until they secure contracts. Both unions are in their third year without a contract.

    ‚ÄúWe‚Äôre going to use guerilla tactics,‚Äù said Jay Colbert, head of the fire union. ‚ÄúWhen the mayor goes someplace we‚Äôll be there protesting. We‚Äôre getting more committed to this by the hour.‚Äù
At the close of Thursday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, aldermen approved pay hikes for themselves, the school committee and the mayor. Curtatone’s salary will increase beginning with the new year from $85,000 to $124,500, aldermen’s salaries will increase from $18,910 to $25,000 and pay for school committee members will go from $7,700 to $10, 507.
    Colbert and Jack Leutcher, president of the patrolmen‚Äôs union, said they are not opposed to the pay raises but are angered at their negotiations with the city. The raises were ‚Äúthe straw that broke the camels back,‚Äù Colbert said.
   Leutcher said his union has submitted two written proposals that addressed all the major points of contention while the city has not offered anything in writing.
  ‚ÄúJoe Curtatone‚Äôs idea of negotiating is to offer nothing,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúWe‚Äôre not picketing because of the police re-organization proposals, pay raises, or health insurance costs. We‚Äôre picketing because the city won‚Äôt even negotiate.‚Äù
   Leuchter said officers are disappointed that the mayor has offered only a two-year contract. They want at least a three-year deal. Unions and city administration officials said another major sticking point is the city’s request that the union members contribute more to their healthcare coverage.  Curtatone spokesperson Thomas P. Champion said nonunion city employees began contributing 15 percent of their health expenses earlier this year. Fire and patrol officers are paying 10 percent.
Colbert said a 50 percent hike in insurance costs would mean the firefighters, who he said were being offered 1 and 2 percent raises in contract negotiations, probably would not break even.
   At Thursday‚Äôs protest, Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz would not cross the picket line and enter City Hall. She stood outside until the demonstration was concluded.
   The pickets have already created controversy. At the Oct. 18 picket, Officer Bruce Campbell, a 30 year veteran of the city‚Äôs police force, marched to support his union and was consequently dismissed from a coveted position in the department, Leutcher said. Campbell had been the city‚Äôs liquor license officer, responsible for supervising the city‚Äôs liquor licenses. Leutcher said Curtatone removed Campbell from the position after seeing him participate in the protest. At Thursday‚Äôs protest, marching officers carried signs reading, ‚ÄúRemember Bruce.‚Äù
   The measure granting pay raises to the mayor, aldermen, and school committee members was passed by the Board of Aldermen without much opposition. Only Alderman-at-Large William A. White voted no on a measure proposed by Ward 3 Alderman Thomas F. Taylor increasing the mayor‚Äôs salary from $110,000 to $124,000.
    ‚ÄúOne of the roles of the Board of Aldermen is to determine appropriate levels of spending,‚Äù White said. ‚ÄúSmall amounts of money can add up and become large amounts of money by the end of the year.‚Äù
    The raises for elected officials are part of a larger effort to standardize pay rates for non-union city employees. The Municipal Compensation Advisory Board studied employee salaries of 10 nearby cities and towns and returned to the Board of Aldermen a set of recommended pay ranges that would increase wages for city workers from the animal control officer on up to the mayor‚Äôs chief of staff.
    Colbert said the increases in pay for elected officials in particular send a chilling message about Curtatone‚Äôs commitment to public safety.
   ‚ÄúPublic safety doesn’t seem to be an issue to this administration,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúWe know there have been cuts in local aid under Romney but the money is coming back now and it’s going to a small group of politicians. Why can’t it go to keeping people in the city safe?‚Äù