Breast cancer has touched me personally; I have been making an annual donation towards breast cancer research since the passing of my mother many years ago. I believe that charitable giving is a personal choice often influenced by one’s own experiences. The City has supported, and continues to support a number of charitable causes. Causes that include the United Way, Muscular Dystrophy, the Burn Foundation and the Soap Box Derby. For many years, general city employees have been allowed to use an hour of city time for mammogram screenings. As of this writing, there are pink ribbons in recognition of breast cancer awareness outside of City Hall,much more visible to the public than the proposed wearing of pink shirts by firefighters in their fire stations. Unfortunately, I believe this is less about breast cancer and more about my relationship with the Fire Union. This union has censured me at both the State Convention of the Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association and the International Association of Firefighters Convention due to the City’s decision to use excess pension funds to pay for retiree health insurance. Although this decision has no impact whatsoever on active firefighters or retired firefighters, nevertheless, the Union has filed suit against the City on this issue. I am disappointed that the Union has chosen to use breast cancer to portray me as unsympathetic to this worthy cause. I’ve encouraged the Fire Union to seek other ways to show their support for this effort and hope they do so wholeheartedly. I would also like to emphasize that if the writer of the news article had real concern about the issue, she would have contacted me personally, thereby eliminating the public from being exposed to these untruths. Mayor Art Ward13 Ekim 2012 Cumartesi
Mayor: 'Disappointed' at fire union tactics
To contact us Click HERE
Mayor Art Ward responds to allegations he clamped down on firefighters who sought to wear pink shirts in support of breast cancer research:
Response to the mistruths about Mayor Ward, Bristol Fire Fighters and the misinformed resident. Breast cancer has touched me personally; I have been making an annual donation towards breast cancer research since the passing of my mother many years ago. I believe that charitable giving is a personal choice often influenced by one’s own experiences. The City has supported, and continues to support a number of charitable causes. Causes that include the United Way, Muscular Dystrophy, the Burn Foundation and the Soap Box Derby. For many years, general city employees have been allowed to use an hour of city time for mammogram screenings. As of this writing, there are pink ribbons in recognition of breast cancer awareness outside of City Hall,much more visible to the public than the proposed wearing of pink shirts by firefighters in their fire stations. Unfortunately, I believe this is less about breast cancer and more about my relationship with the Fire Union. This union has censured me at both the State Convention of the Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association and the International Association of Firefighters Convention due to the City’s decision to use excess pension funds to pay for retiree health insurance. Although this decision has no impact whatsoever on active firefighters or retired firefighters, nevertheless, the Union has filed suit against the City on this issue. I am disappointed that the Union has chosen to use breast cancer to portray me as unsympathetic to this worthy cause. I’ve encouraged the Fire Union to seek other ways to show their support for this effort and hope they do so wholeheartedly. I would also like to emphasize that if the writer of the news article had real concern about the issue, she would have contacted me personally, thereby eliminating the public from being exposed to these untruths. Mayor Art Ward
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Breast cancer has touched me personally; I have been making an annual donation towards breast cancer research since the passing of my mother many years ago. I believe that charitable giving is a personal choice often influenced by one’s own experiences. The City has supported, and continues to support a number of charitable causes. Causes that include the United Way, Muscular Dystrophy, the Burn Foundation and the Soap Box Derby. For many years, general city employees have been allowed to use an hour of city time for mammogram screenings. As of this writing, there are pink ribbons in recognition of breast cancer awareness outside of City Hall,much more visible to the public than the proposed wearing of pink shirts by firefighters in their fire stations. Unfortunately, I believe this is less about breast cancer and more about my relationship with the Fire Union. This union has censured me at both the State Convention of the Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association and the International Association of Firefighters Convention due to the City’s decision to use excess pension funds to pay for retiree health insurance. Although this decision has no impact whatsoever on active firefighters or retired firefighters, nevertheless, the Union has filed suit against the City on this issue. I am disappointed that the Union has chosen to use breast cancer to portray me as unsympathetic to this worthy cause. I’ve encouraged the Fire Union to seek other ways to show their support for this effort and hope they do so wholeheartedly. I would also like to emphasize that if the writer of the news article had real concern about the issue, she would have contacted me personally, thereby eliminating the public from being exposed to these untruths. Mayor Art Ward
Firefighters: Ward turns breast cancer into 'political football'
To contact us Click HERE
The city's firefighters' union sent this along to add its voice to the firestorm surrounding Mayor Art Ward's refusal to let union members wear pink uniform shirts to increase breast cancer awareness this month:
Bristol Firefighters Take Mayor Ward to task for Breast Cancer Awareness Position
After overruling the Fire Chief on whether the Bristol Fire Department could join thousands of other firefighters across the country in wearing pink uniform shirts to increase breast cancer awareness on Thursdays in October, Mayor Ward stated on Friday that it is the Fire Union who is making the issue "political.
Mayor Ward recently told reporters that he believes this is more about his relationship with the Fire Union and less about Breast Cancer.
This is absolutely correct. However, the only person making THIS ISSUE political and personal is Mayor Ward.
Why would Mayor Ward respond to a recent letter written by a citizen criticizing his decision by, in turn, ataicking the Bristol Firefighters? Answer... Because he chose to make this issue of Breast Cancer awareness personal. I find it both troubling and somewhat sad that when a citizen criticized his actions in a letter to the newspaper, as is her First Amendment right, the Mayor reacts by attacking the Fire Union.
Mayor Ward writes that he supports breast cancer awareness, yet he put a stop to the Firefighters wearing awareness shirts. He also writes "How much more awareness do you need than the pink ribbons at City Hall". Really Mayor Ward? There can never be enough Breast Cancer Awareness. This makes no sense to me. Unless of course it was personal. By taking a meaningful community event and politicizing it, Mayor Ward has reduced this issue to a political football.
As Union President, I have one point to make to the community we serve: the Bristol Firefighters set out on this campaign with one goal which was to increase breast cancer awareness. When we were originally told yes by the Fire Chief and then no by the Mayor, we did not approach the media - we simply asked the Mayor to reconsider which he refused to do.
At no time did we sensationalize this issue. Nor did we pack the meeting of the Fire Board last month with supporters and breast cancer survivors to take the Board to task as many suggested we do. We worked through the process in hope the that Mayor Ward would change his stance and allow Bristol to participate along with most Connecticut fire departments, as well as thousands more throughout our country.
We will continue our efforts to raise awareness in honor of our wives, mothers, sisters and friends who have battled this disease. We apologize to all those affected by this disease and to the Susan G, Komen Foundation who encouraged us to partner with them that this important conversation about early detection and mammograms has gone astray. To date, we have raised several thousand dollars and will continue to do so throughout the month. I hope the community will join us in these efforts.
Respectfully,
Sean Lennon, President
Bristol Firefighters Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
The city's firefighters' union sent this along to add its voice to the firestorm surrounding Mayor Art Ward's refusal to let union members wear pink uniform shirts to increase breast cancer awareness this month: Bristol Firefighters Take Mayor Ward to task for Breast Cancer Awareness Position
After overruling the Fire Chief on whether the Bristol Fire Department could join thousands of other firefighters across the country in wearing pink uniform shirts to increase breast cancer awareness on Thursdays in October, Mayor Ward stated on Friday that it is the Fire Union who is making the issue "political.
Mayor Ward recently told reporters that he believes this is more about his relationship with the Fire Union and less about Breast Cancer.
This is absolutely correct. However, the only person making THIS ISSUE political and personal is Mayor Ward.
Why would Mayor Ward respond to a recent letter written by a citizen criticizing his decision by, in turn, ataicking the Bristol Firefighters? Answer... Because he chose to make this issue of Breast Cancer awareness personal. I find it both troubling and somewhat sad that when a citizen criticized his actions in a letter to the newspaper, as is her First Amendment right, the Mayor reacts by attacking the Fire Union.
Mayor Ward writes that he supports breast cancer awareness, yet he put a stop to the Firefighters wearing awareness shirts. He also writes "How much more awareness do you need than the pink ribbons at City Hall". Really Mayor Ward? There can never be enough Breast Cancer Awareness. This makes no sense to me. Unless of course it was personal. By taking a meaningful community event and politicizing it, Mayor Ward has reduced this issue to a political football.
As Union President, I have one point to make to the community we serve: the Bristol Firefighters set out on this campaign with one goal which was to increase breast cancer awareness. When we were originally told yes by the Fire Chief and then no by the Mayor, we did not approach the media - we simply asked the Mayor to reconsider which he refused to do.
At no time did we sensationalize this issue. Nor did we pack the meeting of the Fire Board last month with supporters and breast cancer survivors to take the Board to task as many suggested we do. We worked through the process in hope the that Mayor Ward would change his stance and allow Bristol to participate along with most Connecticut fire departments, as well as thousands more throughout our country.
We will continue our efforts to raise awareness in honor of our wives, mothers, sisters and friends who have battled this disease. We apologize to all those affected by this disease and to the Susan G, Komen Foundation who encouraged us to partner with them that this important conversation about early detection and mammograms has gone astray. To date, we have raised several thousand dollars and will continue to do so throughout the month. I hope the community will join us in these efforts.
Respectfully,
Sean Lennon, President
Bristol Firefighters
Kaydol:
Yorumlar (Atom)