Posted on 05/04/2005 6:38:50 AM PDT by Libloather
Firefighters May Picket During Hillary Clinton's Visit
Clinton Visited Providence Two Years Ago
POSTED: 7:50 pm EDT May 3, 2005
UPDATED: 8:01 pm EDT May 3, 2005
PROVIDENCE -- New York Sen. Hillary Clinton may see both dignitaries and protestors when she comes to Providence for a fundraiser Friday.
Because Mayor David Cicilline is one of those invited dignitaries, the Providence Firefighter Union plans a showing. The total people turnout could be huge.
Organizers hope to put more than $100,000 into the political coffers of Hillary Clinton for her 2006 re-election bid for the Senate. The small fundraiser will be held Friday. But the expected crowd outside Paolino’s home won't be small.
Two years ago, Clinton came to Providence and firefighters had come to picket.
"History is repeating itself," said one man. "Two year later, Hillary's back again and we still haven't settled a contract?"
Firefighters are attempting to negotiate a contract with the city They've been without one for 1,400 days. The union said they've made concessions on health care contributions, but they won't budge on closing fire stations. The mayor said he's committed to negotiating a new contract, but within reason.
"We've got to get control of our personnel costs," he said.
It may just be Providence firefighters picketing on their day off Friday or they could seek the support from firefighters all over New England.
Cicilline said he plans to attend the fundraiser.
She is the brightest woman on the face of the earth isn't she?
I loathe that Hag, so anyone that protests against her is alright with me.
"The union said they've made concessions on health care contributions, but they won't budge on closing fire stations."
Can someone explain this to me? Is there some law on the books that there needs to be a Fire Station(s) in communities based upon population or numbers of buildings or something? One thing I hate to see cut is police and fire protection and EMS services. Why isn't that a priority for all communities? I know it is for our small town of 6,000; why wouldn't a HUGE city place a priority on this? Or are they by refusing to sign their contract?
Oh, goody!
Reminds me of John Belushi in Animal House with food in his mouth. And he says: Guess what I am now. A zit, get it?
And the message to Hillary is: You are not liked; you are not welcomed! Get it?
A lot of cities are going through this, especially in the Northeast. The City of Pittsburgh for instance, has lost 50% of their population over the last 50 years but was trying to maintain the same number of fire stations that had served (and been paid for) by a population twice the size as the current population. Eventually, the corrupt city fathers couldn't even pretend to keep it going and selected fire stations to eliminate which also set the FF Unions off. Most of the stations closed were in high maintenance building over 100 years old originally built to house horse-drawn teams.
Of course the unions don't like it because the less buildings you need to man 24/7, the less firefighters you need which means less dues for the union leadership. The unions contend that less station houses mean longer response times, but in a compact city like Pittsburgh, the differences are not all that significant.
Nothing against fire fighters --- they are mostly great folks -- but budget realities are what they are.
We will have to turn to the pajama brigades to hear about it, that's my guess. After all the MSM would NEVER cover such rude behavior towards their Hildebeast(PIAPS), LOL.
Like most Americans and professions the vast majority of firefighters are great. While most unions seem little more then shakedowns and goons at this point.
Why a democrat party UNION would protest hellary intrigued me, now I know the answer. Thank you.
The firefighters are NOT protesting Hillary. They're trying to embarrass the mayor into agreeing to a contract.
Same thing happened to Boston's Mayor Menino during the Democratic National COnvention last summer.
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