By FireRescue1 Staff
ATTLEBORO, Mass. — A firefighters’ union is planning to protest outside of the mayor’s house during a cookout.
The Sun Chronicle reported that Attleboro Firefighters Local 848 plans to picket outside Mayor Paul Heroux’s house while he hosts a cookout expected to attract both constituents and politicians from around the state in protest of the lack of a new firefighter contract.
The decision to protest was made after a negotiation meeting was canceled.
“Mayor Heroux and the city have failed to engage in good faith negotiations,” the union said in a Facebook post. “Attleboro Firefighters Local 848 is hoping this informational picket sends a clear and real message to Mayor Heroux that the city needs to engage in good faith bargaining with its firefighters.”
Union president Jacob Springs said negotiations over a new contract have been in the works for nearly 18 months, and the old contract expired almost a year ago.
“We’re not going to keep quiet about it,” he said.
Heroux said it is “unprecedented” for city employees to protest at a private event, and he added that while he wants a fair contract for the firefighters, he cannot allow the city to use reserve accounts or take out loans to increase pay.
“That’s how Greece got into trouble,” he said.
Springs said Heroux’s statement about picketing at his home being “unprecedented” is incorrect because firefighters have done so at other mayors’ residences several times in the past.