PAX Centurion - March / April 2013

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • March/April 2013 • Page 21 Rep. Stephen Lynch responds to BPPAU.S. Senate candidate questionnaire I n accordance with a motion of the BPPA House of Representatives please find the responses to the BPPA questionnaire sent to each candidate for U.S. Senate seat vacated by JohnKerry. The statewide primary is scheduled for April 30 th which is also the State Senate race primary. The special election final for the U.S. Sen- ate seat will be conducted on June 25 th . Questions and Answers 1. We can all agree that themembers of public safety community (police, fire and emergency medical personnel) undertake extraordinary risks and sacrifices everyday to keeping the public and our families safe; they deserve the same right to discuss workplace issues with their employer that the federal government grants to most other workers. For over ten years, theBoston Police Patrolmen'sAssocia- tion (BPPA) has supported federal legislation that would grant public safety personnel the basic rights to collectively bargain with their employers over wages, hours and conditions of employment. Would you support, co-sponsor and vote for legislation like the 2010 “Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act” S. 3931? YES. Please explain why: I was proud to co-sponsor this impor- tant legislation when it was previously introducedasH.R. 413 in theHouseofRep- resentatives by Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI) during the 111 th Congress. Legislation such as the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act would simply affirm the basic and moral right of our dedicated public safety personnel to express their voice in their workplace. As former Presi- dent of the Ironworkers Union and still a card-carrying member of Ironworkers Local 7, I appreciate that preserving the natural right of ourpublic safetyworkforce to collectively bargainwith their employer over the terms and conditions of their employment will not only serve to ensure a better standard of living for public safety personnel but also benefit the community at large. You should not lose your basic labor rights when you strap on your work boots and go to work. 2. National and state trucking associations have undertaken legislative efforts to limit the enforcement of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCRs). This is contrary to Department of Homeland Security programs and training efforts to expand this enforce- ment power to more local law enforcement agencies. Would you in anyway support, co-sponsor and vote for any efforts to limit properly trained local police officers from enforcing FMCRs? NO. 3. In a number of jurisdictions police officers are denied their due process rights by police managers in noncriminal proceedings. The BPPA has strongly supported the “Bill of Rights” for lawenforcement officers. This bill would allow a minimum level of procedural protections for officers accused of administra- tive violation. Would you support, co-sponsor and vote for legislation simliar to H.R. 1789, the State and Local Law Enforcement Discipline, Ac- countability and Due Process Act? YES. 4. Social Security issues have never been more important to members as the debate on Social Security takes center stage. The BPPA has worked hard opposing legislation which would mandate participation in Social Secu- rity for public employees or newhireswithout gaining the full benefits and preserving our present system. Would you oppose and vote in the negative for any legislation tomove non-social security (state or local pension system) participants, to pay into the regular social security system without earning social secruity benefits? YES. 5. TheCommunityOrientedPolicing“COPS“ ProgramandEdwardByrneMemorial Justice Assistance Grant programs have been reau- thorized after being shelved for many years. Since being reintroduced, the programs are producing local police success stories across the nation. During the past three years, as in the past, Massachusetts has been a major recipient of both programs. Police officers are our first lineof defense and theCOPSprogram helps localities put more police on our streets to keep our families safe. Would you support, co-sponsor and vote for continuing the reauthorization and full funding of these proven grants distributed through theCOPS andByrne JAGprograms? YES to the COPS program, NO to the Byrne JAG program. 6a. Efforts to replace police officers at road construction sites inMassachusettswith civil- ianflagmenhas failed toproduce a saferwork- ing environment for workers or for vehicular or pedestrian traffic, nor has it resulted in any cost savings. FederalHighwayAdministration studies, which were authorized by the late Congressman Joe Moakley, have concluded that police officers offer the best protection for workers, pedestrian and vehicular traffic in and around a construction work zone. The study also indicate that Massachusetts had the safest road construction sites in the nation because of the practice of police details. Would you support, co-sponsor and vote for any rule, regulation or law that would replace uniformed police presence with a civilian flagman? NO. 6b. Would use your office to curb Governor Patrick’s use of federal highway grant mon- ies from being used to hire civilian flagmen on local roads in cities and towns with large populations? No answer. Stephen Lynch See Lynch on page 23