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Peabody and 9/11
By adamg on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 10:55am
Karl reads how Peabody police officers got 9/11 declared a day of overtime in exchange for drug testing, says he doesn't get it:
... I can see NYC police (and fire, and paramedics) fighting for such a thing since, you know, since they were the actual people who a) helped at the site and b) lost hundreds of their peers that day. But Peabody? ...
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Comments
the worst combination of the maudlin and the self-serving
This is the ultimate in bad taste and sleazy self-interest. Pea-city Cops: "We won't submit to drug testing unless our tenuous association with 9/11 is "honored" by giving us more money."
There is no denying the bravery of the NYPD and NYFD who died on the job on 9/11, but for some small-city cops to exploit it to extract concessions for something that they should be happy to do (verify they are not coked up while carrying a weapon) just because they also wear a blue uniform is laughable or nauseating. Small town cops and firefighters have been riding the coattails of 9/11 to exalt themselves far above what their Mayberry sheriff-type jobs deserve. Even in Boston, the twenty percent of the cops on the anti-crime, anti-gang, and anti-drug and other special units are the ones who confront the bad guys and make 90% of the arrests.
I'm generally tired of the 9/11 exploitation and fear-mongering. As national disasters and attacks causing grave damage go, 9/11 isn't even in the top 100 historically.
drug testing
I think the state is going to have to step up and simply make it law that all civil servants take drug tests.
The problem when you negotiate these issues in contracts between cities and unions is that both sides need to give up something when they want something. Sometimes arbitrators might award municipilities concessions if at one time they see unions "gave up" something to towns like drug testing. That is why unions fight it so much.
But this issue is a no brainer and all civil servants should be drug free and should be tested by the state or towns they work in.
that's too far
Police enforce the drug laws - they should obey the laws they arrest others for violating. Plus, they carry guns and occasionally have to drive fast. Firefighters have to drive large vehicles fast and go into burning buildings.
Most civil servants do not carry guns, nor are they required to go into burning buildings.
But there is no reason why a clerk or groundskeeper should have to pee in a bottle, or why they shouldn't be able to smoke a doobie, in Jamaica, Amsterdam, or at home for all I care.
Plus it's about $40 a urine test, what's the point?
I don't object to police and fire bargaining and getting paid to pee - I just can't stand it being wrapped in this "9/11" glorious crap.
9/11 aside
What's at issue is collective bargaining. The way that's worked for several decades now is Side A wants something, so Side B wants to know what they're willing to give up for it. In this case, the city wants mandatory drug testing written into the contract, so the police countered by saying fine, but give us a day off.
Why 9/11, in particular, I don't know. Yes, sounds ridiculous, but is the general principal really any different than any other contract negotiations?
Why 9/11, in particular, I
The general principle is the same. It's offensive in this case because police and cops want to wrap every concession/extortion (remember the intimidation of the flagmen earlier this month) in the flag and 9/11. It's propaganda, and not particularly adept, either. I also don't think 9/11 should be a holiday, but let's see if the bandwagon gets rolling.
I think
you could have told the cops they were going to get paid for national hug a cop day and they would have taken it. Its about the $$ here my friend.
when that groundskeeper
is smoking doobies and then driving town trucks on public streets there might be a problem.
But cops should be tested over any other civil service job Im not going to argue that but all of them should be tested if they are doing public work and possibly driving public vehilces on public ways.