By Anne Geggis
The Sun Sentinel
BOCA RATON, Fla. — After 24 years of requiring firefighters to refrain from using tobacco products — on or off the job — Boca Raton’s fire union wants to change the contract so they can light up without consequences.
Right now, firefighters who use tobacco products can be fired.
Union officials say they are just bringing the firefighters’ contract more in line with state statutes on firefighters. State law requires that new hires for firefighting forces be tobacco-free for a year before hiring, but is silent on what happens after that.
The Boca union’s proposed change that would affect 186 unionized firefighters is among 10 outstanding issues that have led the city to declare an impasse in its negotiations with Boca Raton’s public safety unions. Both sides agree that pension and pay issues present more hurdles to a new contract before the old one runs out Sept. 30.
But this particular smoking issue has Jerry Cochrane, former fire union president, scratching his head.
The former battalion chief, who worked for the city for nearly 38 years until 2009, said both the city and the union agreed on the wisdom of prohibiting tobacco use back in 1990.
“We realized the need for it,” he said. “Why they would want to go back on that puzzled me to say the least.
“Why would you advocate something that you know is going to cause major, long-term impact on the cost of health insurance as well as on the people you represent?” he added.
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(c)2014 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
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