(off-duty police/firefighters to protest)Labor ire looms over GOP parley

[papau]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/conventions/articles/2004/08/06/labor_ire_looms_over_gop_parley/

(off-duty police/firefighters to protest)Labor ire looms over GOP parley
By Tom Hays, Associated Press | August 6, 2004

NEW YORK -- The Republican National Convention is more than three weeks away, but an unlikely group of demonstrators has turned up to protest: off-duty police officers and firefighters agitating for a new labor contract.

A bitter labor dispute involving public safety unions could further cloud a convention facing security concerns.

Delegates will arrive amid new warnings that terrorists have plotted to strike the New York Stock Exchange and other sites in Manhattan. But union officials say the heightened alert hasn't discouraged plans for off-duty protests.

''There's a lot of unhappy firefighters out there," said Stephen Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.<snip>

Cassidy dismissed the city's offer of a 5-percent wage increase over three years to police and firefighters as ''an insult to the heroes of Sept. 11."<snip>

[Cybergata]

1. I love it!

Dabya had tried link himself to the heroism of the NYC firefighters since 9/11. I would love to see the NYC firefighters protest. It is really sad that some of the most essential and heroic people like firefighters, teachers, police and other public servant just keep getting screwed. :hippie:

[stanwyck]

2. It's coming, folks

The GOP convention and all the dust it will stir up. Plus, I may be alone in this, but I think they'll be negatives for Bush from the Olympics. I don't want negativity towards our athletes. I love the Olympics. I respect our athletes. But I'm still expecting aniimus towards this administration during the broadcasts. Might be eye-opening to some to see how Bush is viewed outside the U.S.