New York police, fire labor dispute looms over Republican convention

[Nambe]

NEW YORK (AP)

The Republican National Convention is more than three weeks away but an unlikely group of demonstrators has already turned up to protest: off- duty police officers and firefighters agitating for a new labor contract.

One officer outside Madison Square Garden held a sign that read: "Low pay (plus) fewer cops (plus) terrorism (equals) formula for disaster." ..

.. "We're not interested in protesting against the president," Cassidy said. "We want to make sure people know that Mike Bloomberg doesn't give a damn."

The bad blood predates the convention by more than two years: Police have been working without a contract since July 31, 2002, and firefighters since May 31, 2002. The situation fits a pattern of retroactive contracts and negotiations that routinely ignore expiration dates and end in arbitration. ..

Ride Don’t Drive It’s Global Cool

[Rockholm]

1. If it was good enough for Boston!

I hope that the police and firefighters get the contract and the raise that they deserve. Naturally, if there is a picket line, the pukes and their conventioneers would naturally honor the picket line and not enter Madison Square Garden. Yeah, right.

[calico1]

2. I saw representatives from both

on McEnroe last night. They were pretty fired up. They showed a clip of them talking with Mayor Bloomberg. Its obvious they have no use for him. Bloomberg was acting like a real ass.

[Karenina]

3. Make sure Firefighters see this link:

http://www.nationalreview.com/dunphy/dunphy200408030841.asp