By Jennifer Peter, The Associated Press
Boston (AP) -- U.S. marshals began patrolling the site of next month’s Democratic National Convention Thursday under orders from a federal judge to ensure picketing union members do not block construction vehicles and workers from entering the FleetCenter.
After two days of angry confrontations and stalled work, U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro told the police union not to “get cute” with a court order issued last week, which allowed them to hand out leaflets on FleetCenter property to protest stalled contract negotiations with the city.
Since Tuesday, when work at the arena was supposed to start, the police union and its allies have surrounded workers and trucks that have tried to enter the site, shouting at them to “go home” and physically standing in their way. Most ultimately turned away.
Late Thursday, convention organizers said they had rescheduled a media walk-through of the FleetCenter from Tuesday to June 29. Organizers didn’t immediately return phone calls seeking comment on the change.
While the union denied that their actions constituted unlawful intimidation, Tauro made it very clear that he would not tolerate it.
“This is what I expect. No blocking,” Tauro said after the city filed a motion to hold the union in contempt. “No impeding access. Get out of the way. Make sure no one is in the way. Don’t slow them down.”
This order will be put to the test Friday, when the Democratic National Convention Committee will attempt once again to send in trucks and workers to complete the $14 million pre-convention construction project at the arena.
After the morning court hearing, U.S. Marshal Anthony Dichio and Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole walked around the perimeter of the building and told the police picketers that they could demonstrate up to the edges of the entrances but not in front of them. They were told that if they wish to cross the entrances to get to another spot, they will have to ask a uniformed police officer to escort them.
“I advised them that Judge Tauro’s order was that no one, under any circumstances, would block the entrances,” Dichio said after the meeting.
O’Toole said any demonstrators who violated that order would be arrested.
“If that’s what we have to do, we’ll resort to enforcement,” she said.
By Thursday afternoon, the once sprawling picket line had dwindled in numbers and receded to the edges of the entrances. They will not, however, disappear, according to Thomas Nee, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association.
“The city of Boston attempted to shut down the pickets,” he said. “They have not been successful. We’re not going away.”
Tauro’s instructions were a significant victory for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who has been under increasing pressure to reach some sort of agreement with the police union, which has been operating without a contract for two years. With work stopped at the site, it appeared that Menino had few options left to salvage the convention he had fought so hard to bring here.
“If they continue to intimidate individuals, they will be in contempt of the court order,” Menino said after the hearings. “They will be brought before Judge Tauro. It has to stop.”
The two sides went to court Thursday after the city filed a contempt motion, claiming that the picketers -- which included police officers, firefighters and service workers -- had violated an agreement reached last week with the FleetCenter owners.
Throughout the day Thursday, city officials met with negotiators from a service workers union that -- with 2,300 members -- is the largest city union still without a contract. SEIU Local 888 represents 911 dispatchers, school secretaries, youth outreach workers, and clerical staff.
Democratic insiders have said that reaching an agreement with SEIU would leave the police more isolated and help resolve the showdown. By 8 p.m., there was no deal, but talks continued.
“SEIU Local 888 has been at the bargaining table throughout the day,” said SEIU spokesman Jeff Hall. “We have made a lot of movement toward the city and we’re hoping they’ll make some movement on our key issues.”
Menino said the city expected to sit down with firefighters in the next few days as well.
Tauro did not hold a hearing on the city’s contempt motion, but said he wanted to use Thursday’s court appearance to show both sides that he’s not “a toothless tiger.” He said the U.S. marshals will serve as his eyes and ears on the site, so that the conflict does not evolve into a “he said, she said” situation.
The marshals will not arrest anyone at the site, but will report any violations to the judge, who could then ask the U.S. attorney’s office to pursue criminal prosecution.
Tauro started off the hearing by calling it “no ordinary labor dispute” because it involves police officers.
“What I believe is that we owe great respect to the police,” he said. “But the police have to earn the respect.”
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Associated Press writer Denise Lavoie contributed to this report.