AN INSIDE LOOK
Fire Union Wants Selectmen To Follow Charter
Firefighters have valid complaint, but selectmen say they have done nothing wrong.
Selectmen and the town’s firefighters’ union are at odds over negotiations on a new contract. That is nothing new. What is unusual is the reason the union is complaining has nothing to do with salary, benefits or working conditions. Union president Richard Medeiros says selectmen are violating the town charter by refusing to negotiate in person. Selectmen have been sending their attorney and the Town Manager to negotiating sessions, and say they have no intention of changing that. This is a break from past practice, when at least two selectmen sat in on negotiations. And they sat in for good reason. The Town Charter clearly and unambiguously states two selectmen “shall attend and participate with the town manager” in all collective …
