current events & labor firegeezer on 05 Jul 2008 09:30 am
Fireworks Cancellation Blamed on Firefighters
THE TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASSACHUSETTS, HAD TO CANCEL their fireworks display that had been scheduled for Thursday night. Many of the townspeople are blaming the firefighters because of what many perceive as a job action.
The Mass. state fire marshal requires that public fireworks displays, no matter what size, have a dedicated fire company on standby at the event. However, Wednesday afternoon Randolph’s fire chief announced that he could not issue a fireworks permit because none of the town’s firefighters would volunteer for the detail.
Randolph FF’s have been working without a contract for about a year and talks have been stalemated. In the previous years the FF’s association has sponsored the fireworks by soliciting the funds for the show and seeing that it goes on, including volunteering for the standby. But earlier this year they told the town council that they would not do it this year. (Click on the Local’s website below to read their explanation.)
The business community went out and raised the money for the display, but the FF’s all said that they wanted to enjoy the holiday at home with their families like everybody else does.
When the Boston Globe asked Ronald Cassford, the president of the Randolph local, if the contentious contract talks was the reason for the cancellation, he said:
“Well, it’s one of many reasons. It’s not the main reason. When we decided not to do it, a number of our individuals who take part in our volunteering decided that they weren’t going to do it this year. When I talk about people who’ve been doing it in the past few years, participation has been declining over the years, anyway. The selectmen used the term boycott. It was just a number of individuals who decided not to participate. We’ve been without a contract since June of last year.”
Now the firefighters are disliked and the town selectmen are embarrassed. Keep an eye on the contract talks now.
The Boston Globe story is HERE.
Randolph Fire Dept. WEBSITE.
Local 1268 WEBSITE.
WFXT has the video report:
