Attleboro Mayor Responds to Fire Union Op-Ed

ATTLEBORO, MA — Mayor Paul Heroux has responded to an opinion column written by Attleboro Firefighters Local 848 president Paul Jacques that accused the mayor of impeding injured-on-duty benefits, saying that the claims made by the fire official are baseless.

In the Dec. 19 op-ed, Jaques accused Heroux of blocking injured-on duty status for firefighters with COVID-19, demanding the department to prove that one firefighter was infected on the job, and refusing to meet with the union to discuss the situation.

"In typical political fashion, Heroux only backed down and granted injured-on-duty status for some, but not all, firefighters, after intense public pressure," he wrote.

Jaques also accused Heroux of giving coronavirus-related media interviews but banning news crews from entering the fire station, refusing to allow a barber to enter the firehouse to cut hair, and messaging a firefighter's wife on social media after she criticized him, saying "she should be more appreciative because he is her husband's boss."

Heroux denied the claims in a response published on Sunday, saying that all firefighters who recently tested positive for COVID-19 were granted injured-on-duty status except for one, and that firefighter did not lose any benefits.

"Contrary to what the union president states, any firefighter who misses work due to COVID-19, regardless of whether it was deemed job-related, loses no pay, sick time, or other benefits," said Heroux. "The union president's claims could easily be backed up with the pay stubs of firefighters, but they are baseless claims."

Heroux also addressed several other claims in the op-ed, saying that city officials will always meet with the fire union as necessary, non-authorized personnel are not allowed in city buildings due to the pandemic but firefighters can conduct news interviews when they are off-duty, and his communications with the firefighter's wife were not as Jaques described.

"Some other inaccuracies and mistruths in the op-ed are not even worth addressing," said Heroux.

Heroux ended his response by saying he is grateful for the work of firefighters and other city employees who continue to face COVID-19 exposure during the ongoing pandemic.

"Again, I am proud of, and thankful for, the work our firefighters and the rest of our city employees do on a daily basis - particularly during this very challenging year," said Heroux.