Providence police union blasts Chafee municipal-relief package
March 19th, 2012 at 9:48 am by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
The capital city’s police union is rallying its members in opposition to the far-reaching overhaul of municipal budgeting rules proposed last week by Governor Chafee with the support of Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and other local leaders.
The bill “puts us at even greater jeopardy of losing our hard fought benefits,” Taft Manzotti, president of the Providence Fraternal Order of Police, wrote his members Thursday. “While this proposal flies in the face of well established principles of contract law, it is being cheered on by mayors and municipal leaders across the state.”
“City and town leaders are clearly not backing down in their unscrupulous effort to rob us of what is rightfully ours, and we cannot remain silent while they do so,” Manzotti said.
The package of seven bills unveiled by Chafee last week proposes a host of changes such as relaxing collective bargaining rules and suspending expired police and fire contracts; capping pension benefits and making some tax-free accidental disability pensions less generous; and reducing health insurance benefits.
Manzotti asked his members to call their representatives and senators “and tell them to vote ‘NO’ to Governor Chafee’s package of bills. We must make sure that the voices of Providence FOP #3 are heard as loudly and as clearly as those officials that support this legislation. The future welfare of this Membership depends on it.”
Tim White contributed to this report.
• Related: Chafee channels Carcieri as lawmakers face cuts fallout again (March 16)
Tags: angel taveras, general assembly, lincoln chafee, municipal, municipal relief package, organized labor, providence, providence police, state government, taft manzotti, unions
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
I lived in Michigan in the 1980′s and the rhetoric coming from the RI public employee unions sounds a lot the United Auto Workers union at that time. But the UAW had to bow to the economics and did so in order to keep the auto companies afloat and keep some jobs. But there are a lot fewer auto workers now and they aren’t paid as much in both wages and benefits.
I guess the RI public employee unions either don’t understand history or think that somehow they are immune and all the need to do is scream loud enough and nothing will change.
I think what they are hoping for is if they scream loud enough and hold things up in court the politicians will do what they’ve always done, tell the taxpayers to bend over and grab their ankles again and raise taxes. In any case they figure it can’t hurt to try.
The unions are getting a worried about nothing. They own the GA in this state…which is why we are headed toward financial ruin. Not until voters start electing people that are going to look out for the interests of the people instead of the unions will there ever be any meaningful change. In the meantime your right Cosmo, we are going to have to fork over more and more money in taxes and fees to keep this ponsi scheme going.
I think things may be different this time though and that it may hurt to try. Providence and Woonsocket are too far in debt to solve it entirely through tax increases. If Providence declares bankruptcy then the contracts with the unions – including police union – aren’t worth anything. I would think that the unions – including the police unions would do all they could to avoid Providence going into bankruptcy, especially in light of the outcome in Central Falls.
Cosmo the taxpayers have to stop grabbing their ankles and start hitting the hands of people trying to get their wallets.
I’m with you Ed, unfortunately in RI we’re in the minority.
Tax payers should call their representatives and senators and ask them to vote YES to the package of bills.
This will be shot down in court. I know the unions will sue and win, easy. Maybe bankruptcy is the best answer?