IBEW LU 103 Members Ticketed by Police in Contract Dispute

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/06/05/labor_dispute_denied_in_ticket_spat/




Labor dispute denied in ticket spat

Area union leader sees intimidation
By Rick Klein, Globe Staff | June 5, 2004

Just days before construction is set to begin for the Democratic National Convention, the leader of the Boston area's building trade union council is accusing the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association of trying to intimidate his members out of working by writing them parking tickets.

Thursday night, as newly trained electrical workers filed out of their union hall in Dorchester, many found bright-orange $40 tickets on their cars, said Joe Nigro, secretary-treasurer of the Building and Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District.

Police said the tickets had nothing to do with labor disputes, and union officials acknowledged that the cars were parked illegally. But Nigro said he believes the tickets were an attempt by the union to send a message to the building trades. Those same parking spots have been used for years during special events without problems, he said.

Leaders of Local 103 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have publicly stated their commitment to working on convention-related construction, despite the police union's promise to set up a picket line at the FleetCenter when construction begins Tuesday.

"I don't know if it's one bad apple or what, trying to get even with the building trades," Nigro said. "But we'll be there [at the FleetCenter] working."

According to the Boston Police Department, Officer Patrick Rose -- a traffic enforcement officer who also serves as a union delegate -- wrote 43 tickets to cars parked on Freeport Street that evening, mostly because they were parked on curbs.

Leaders of the patrolmen's association denied any involvement in the ticket-writing, and said Rose appears to have been simply enforcing the law. He reported that the cars were significantly blocking traffic flow, said Deputy Superintendent Patrick Crossen of the department's Bureau of Field Services.

"I don't think anyone's looking to pick a fight with them," said Thomas J. Nee, the union's president. "The timing probably couldn't be worse, but the union has taken no position on anything. . . . Obviously it was conduct that needed attention. Certainly, there was no one down there who would ask for special treatment."

Michael Monahan, business manager for Local 103, said the fines will be paid in full by the union.

"We're not crying," Monahan said. "But it is the first time in 26 years that I'm aware of that there's been a ticket given."

On Monday, the Greater Boston Labor Council -- an umbrella group that includes both public- and private-sector unions -- is scheduled to vote on whether to sign a project labor agreement with convention organizers.

Such an agreement has been sought by the local convention host committee for months to guarantee that construction proceeds without interruption at the FleetCenter.

The patrolmen's association is arguing against signing the agreement, because it and several other city unions are working without contracts. The building trades -- including IBEW Local 103 -- support signing it, since they are eager for convention-related business. The police union is planning a picket line starting Tuesday morning at the FleetCenter, and will ask construction workers not to cross.

Meanwhile, talks between the patrolmen's association and the city ended yesterday in a bout of finger-pointing. Nee accused city negotiators of refusing to tender a counter-proposal, and said the city turned down a request to appoint an impartial mediator.

Rick Klein can be reached at rklein@globe.com.