PAX Centurion - November / December 2013

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • November/December 2013 • Page 7 Secretary’s Thoughts: Patrick M. Rose, BPPA Secretary During any protracted negotiations, especially ones that last as long as this recent arbitration, tempers flare, statements are made, feeling get hurt and people argue. Right or wrong some people can’t leave all of their emotions back in the conference room or hearing rooms. Right or wrong some people walk away from these protracted negotiations harboring ill feelings about persons on the ‘other side’ of the table. I would publically challenge everyone involved in this latest ‘battle’ to stand tall, hold your heads high, no matter which side of the proverbial ‘table’ one has been, it is now time to get back to work protecting and serving the citizens of this great and wonderful city. Finally good news – our contract! W ell, the Holiday Season has finally arrived and with it finally some good news, our contract. As you are all well aware, the Boston City Council finally decided enough is enough and voted unanimously, (minus outgoing Councilor John Connolly who was conveniently on vacation), to accept theArbitrator Tim Buckalew’s logic and reasoning behind his decision. The Bos- ton City Council investigated the facts, researched all of the opinions and under the leadership of Council President Steve Murphy, had the courage to dismiss the bias local media B/S and antics and agreed that we, the Boston Po- lice Patrolmen were deserving of this raise! The investigations showed that the City got what they were asking for and we got a respectable percentage of what we were asking for. In the end, even the City Labor Depart- ment couldn’t argue against Tim Buckalew’s reasoning. I’m sure most of you remem- ber that I was quoted in the Boston Herald in October, the Herald published a memoran- dum that I sent to your Union Representatives and attempted to dismiss my reasons and opinions of Tim Buckelew’s Written Decision and how he got there, along with my opinion of how brilliant he really was in his reasoning and decision making representing both the City’s and Union’s arguments. The Herald and the Globe attempted to portray us as ‘pigs at the trough’, that we fabricated numbers or were less than truthful in our approach to bargaining. In that memorandum I outlined paragraph by paragraph how I believe he came to his decision and why, I stated that I did not agree with his opinion 100% and I believed that we are deserving of more, that opinion still stands! However, it appears that the City Council and anyone else that has actually investigated the entire process and researched the numbers and history of where we are and how we got here, agrees with my assessment as written and published by the Her- ald. So please allow me a moment to say to the pundits, “I told you so!” Thanks to the hard dedicated work of your bargaining committee and our law firm, we are finally putting this nightmare behind us. During any protracted negotiations, especially ones that last as long as this recent arbitration, tempers flare, statements are made, feeling get hurt and people argue. Right or wrong some people can’t leave all of their emotions back in the conference room or hearing rooms. Right or wrong some people walk away from these protracted negotiations harboring ill feelings about persons on the ‘other side’ of the table. I would publically challenge everyone involved in this latest ‘battle’ to stand tall, hold your heads high, no matter which side of the proverbial ‘table’ one has been, it is now time to get back to work protecting and serving the citizens of this great and wonderful city. Whether you are in management, the union or subcontracted help, now is the time to ‘bury’ the proverbial hatchet, (not in each other), and move on. We have the enormous task ahead of protecting our public. For the first time in twenty years there will be a new ‘Captain’ at the helm. For the first time in twenty years we are starting fresh, both sides should take this opportunity to foster good will towards one and other. Let’s leave the politics and political rhetoric behind and move forward. No matter what your politics were in the recent past, now is the perfect time to start anew. A lot of good hard working people will be leaving the employ of this City after the change of command in January, I wish them all well. Starting a new chapter in anyone’s life can be difficult especially in the world of politics, not backing the ‘right horse’ can change a family’s future overnight, not everyone is as lucky as we are to have civil service protection and a strong union to work for and protect us and ours. I gladly publically state I am one of the luckiest people in the world, not only because I have a wonderful supportive family, but I am also blessed to be a City of Boston Police Officer! I am further blessed to be chosen by my peers to help represent you and your fam- ily’s interests when it comes to protecting your rights. I, like you, are one of the lucky ones, I found my calling, got the job and can now, (with this recent award), actually support my family without work- ing ninety hours a week to do so. So, I challenge all of my brothers and sisters to take this holiday season and start anew. Stand tall, walk proud, continue to ignore the press and let’s get back to doing what we do best, protecting and serving our citizens within this great city of ours! Be careful out there; don’t forget to back each other up.Your num- ber one responsibility is to get home safely to your loved ones. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year. For those among us that have had a trying year, our prayers are with you!