Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- After denying rumors that there was a meeting scheduled this afternoon, Mayor David N. Cicilline's office has just confirmed that Cicilline did meet with Paul Doughty, president of the local firefighters union.

But the meeting has not led to a resolution of the contract deadlock or the threatened union picket that is keeping President Obama's administration from coming to the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting starting here this Friday.

Karen Southern, the mayor's press secretary, said that the meeting between Cicilline and Doughty took place at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the law offices of Motely Rice in Providence.

According to a statement issued by the mayor's office at about 3:45 p.m., the 45-minute long meeting addressed three points:

1) Cicilline asked Doughty to present the city's current contract offer to his union membership for an up or down vote. He declined to do so, according to the mayor's office.

2) Cicilline reiterated to Doughty that if the city's proposal is not approved, the process would move to arbitration. The mayor said that the city's offer in the arbitration process would not be the same as the contract proposal currently before them.

3) Cicilline offered Doughty the opportunity to speak at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting this weekend to discuss this issue. He declined the invitation, according to the mayor's office.

In parting, the mayor told Doughty to contact him immediately should he reconsider, according to the mayor's statement.

 Tags  cicilline firefighters union mayors providence ri U.S. conference of mayors

Comments

k said:

I think there are people waiting to get on the Fire Dept, maybe we should fire the ones that dont want to work and want to Pickett, and hire the ones on the waiting list or ones that have been let go from other towns. Same goes for Teachers, there are plenty with degrees right out of college that would be VERY HAPPY to even have a job. Out with the old and in with the new. I appreciate Firefighters, Police, Teachers, etc. and are thankful we have them, but they need to realize this is probably the worse time to ask for anything and we all need them to give a little, not many people will have sympathy for them.

Link | June 10, 2009 4:26 PM
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Jake said:

Bad Faith. Everyone loses. What a shame.

Link | June 10, 2009 4:27 PM
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arbitration? said:

thats a no win for the city.12 losses in a row,here comes number 13.more taxpayer money wasted for the lawyers,their happy and their the mayors friends.

Link | June 10, 2009 4:51 PM
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TEK said:

Prov FF's are not accepting any offer that cuts staffing of fire apparatus. This is THE issue! This is a public safety (and FF safety) issue!!!

Link | June 10, 2009 5:17 PM
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JAA said:

Cicilline can only credit himself with this whole mess. This is the end result of his reneging on the promises made for the fire fighter vote. This man has no honor and now wants blame everybody else when the big men on campus won't come to hos party.

Link | June 10, 2009 5:35 PM
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