The Hiller Instinct: New contract for Boston firefighters

In addition to guaranteeing firefighters bigger raises than any other city employees, the firefighters' new contract also guarantees continued conflict between City Hall and the city's unions.

Because, if firefighters get 19% pay hikes over four years, what do you imagine city police are thinking, when they're getting 5% less.

Do you believe they'll believe that's "fair?" If you do, you fail the field sobriety test.

And what about the rest of the city's 17,000 employees? Any chance they're looking at that 19% and humming "Together we Can" to themselves?

Well, here's what we're doing together: we're widening the gap between the public and public unions.

Paying firefighters more may force City Hall to make cuts elsewhere to balance the budget.

There's already speculation some firehouses may be closed, and I expect the fire union will respond by charging Mayor Menino is playing with public safety.

But I think it's the unions who are playing a dangerous game, by assuming taxpayers will always pay more.

The question remains: who works for whom? I hope that when we get to the answer, no one says, “How did it ever come to this?”

And, firefighters, please don't send me e-mails saying you run into buildings that I'd run out of.

I know that, and I respect the job you do.

But I also respect the people who pay you to do it.

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