Firefighter Claims Bias
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Firefighter claims bias in new job Vol. XCIX, No. 181 — Mmchester, Conn., Thursday, May j, 1980 • Since 1881 » 20(t Single Copy • 15» Home Delivered | Embassy By KEVIN FOLEY two haven’t been followed yet.” ' Herald Reporter Beckwith added he had received a letter from the manager Wednesday MANCHESTER -A recent calling for the meeting but said this deadlines promotion in the town fire depart too was unsatisfactory under per ment has led a veteran firefighter to sonnel guidelines. file a grievance with Chief John Rivosa and a complaint with the extended The contract the Professional Fire town manager’s office. Fighter Local 1579 has with the town LONDON (UPI) — An Iranian says (a grievance must be answered Arab suicide squad holding the Ira Peter Beckwith, a 19-year member ■first by the employee’s immediate nian Embassy released one hostage of the department said Thursday supervisor and then the fire chief. for medical treatment today, then morning he was passed over for the Each must attempt to settle the dis relented on back-to-back death threat newly created training officer’s posi pute. Only after those two steps have deadlines against 19 others. tion on the department which carries been taken can a hearing with the Three armed members of “The the rank of captain and a $19,238 manager take place). Group of the Martyr” decided'twice salary. within two Hours to extend deadlines But Werbner said the letter from set for bombing the embassy, which Saying he felt he was being Rivosa to Beckwith was proper they stormed and occupied ’’discriminated against” by Rivosa, Wednesday. Both deadlines passed Beckwith contends he finished first because a meeting would have only duplicated their original conversa without incident. on both an oral and written examina ’The gunmen,' who stressed they tion for the job administered in tion. He said the supervisor step was pointless since a supervisor could not were Iranians of Arab descent, January and February, but that supersede Rivosa’s decision. originally threatened to blow up Rivosa selected the man who themselves and their hostages at finished second, Robert Bycholski. A In answering Beckwith’s com noon (7 a.m. EDT) unless their total of seven firefighters took the plaint, Rivosa said no personality demands for the release of 91 com test, but only Beckwith ana rades imprisoned in Iran were met. Bycholski passed it. Beckwith said he conflict existed and he contends he gave Beckwith "two, maybe three But members of the "Blue felt a "personality conflict” between good reasons why he wasn’t Berets,” Scotland Yard’s crack anti- himself arid Rivosa Influenced the promoted” even though Beckwith terrorist team, kept up a constant chief’s decision. Rerouting Route 30 contends he was given just one negotiations by telephone with the reason. ’The reason or reason’s have gunmen and convinced them to ex - ”I have far greater training than Work is in progress on Deming Street in not been disclosed by either par,jy. structed between Avery Street and Baldwin tend their noon deadline for two anyone else in the'^department,” conjunction with the widening of 1-86. The Road. The new road will begin at Avery and hours. Beckwith said, "and been a field “I made my dMison in the best in FToject, under the jurisdiction df the state end near the intersection of Oakland Street "’This is not a sign of weakness, but instructor for the Connecticut State terests of the department,” Rivosa Department of Transportation, includes this our humanitarian duty,” the gunmen Fire School under the Commission on said. "There’s no question he was the and the old Tolland Turnpike. (Herald photo construction of a bridge across 1-86. Route 30 by Pinto) said in a statement to police. "We Fire Prevention and Control. I have top candidate and I’m not are giving the Iranian government nothing against the man who got the questioning his ability. But I have the will be rerouted with a dead end being con until 2 p.m. (9 a.m. EDT) today. job (Bycholski), but I’ve been option to select the top thFee “ After 2 p.m. today, all responsibili- ■ teaching for 14 years and he doesn’t finishers. ty falls bn the Iranian government.” have any teaching experience.” But the gunmen left Uiemselves an Robert 0. Martin, president of the out, saying they would extend the professional Fire Fighter Local 1579 deadline again "if the Iranian Rivosa said Thursday he explained of which Beckwith is a member, said Dems favor CD vote government will acknowledge they to Beckwith his reasons for not Thursday that although the union V promoting him and when Beckwith MANCHESTER — In a tight vote didn’t surprise me,” he said after the are negotidting with the British gave up the right to grieve The November vote would also government.” filed his grievance, sent a letter to promotions within the department the Democratic Town Committee vote. save the town about $10,000 the The second deadline passed quiet him reiterating those reasons. several years ago, it would “step in Wednesday night voted to recom Cummings said the advisory Democrats said. With the presiden ly. ’The only noise outside the em However, Beckwith said the letter to see Beckwith gets an equal mend an advisory referendum on the referendum had been agreed to by tial election being held in November, bassy came from a group of nearly was an unsatisfactory response to his hearing.” town’s participation in the Communi Republicans and that the vote was polls would be in place. A separate grievance under the professional ty Development Block Grant opposed now because it did not serve •^ te on' the CDA — were it decided 100 demonstrators gathered outside police barricades. firefighter’s contract with the town, ’’’The town has said it wants to program be placed on the November that party’s political purposes. The upon at a later date — would mean and filed a complaint with Town promote by merit and not seniority,” ballot. Republicans would rather frustrate the town would have to spend money Police negotiators said they had no Manager Robert Weiss. he said, "but they’re skipping steps. In a secret vote requested by com the Democratic-majority Board of it did not have. Deputy Mayor identities of the gunmen other than Just because Pete didn’t get the job mittee members, those favoring the Directors who would have to decide Stephen Cassano said. their claim to be Iranians of Arab ’The letter to Weiss complained of dosen’t mean he’s lost his right to referendum outpolled those against the issue in the absence of a town descent from the province of being denied due process, according appeal the decision. He just wants to it by a 27 to 21 margin. vote, he said. Cassano read news stories on the Khuzestan. to BMkwith, and the manager has go by the rules.” Committee Chairman Ted Cum The Democratic party, Cummings Opinions Of town Republican leaders The gunmen demanded the release scheduled a hearing "sometime next % mings, who supports the November said, was being consistent with its who favored the referendum in 1978, of 91 prisoners held in Khuzestan by week” according to Steven Werbner, The 42-year-old Beckwith said he vote, said the narrow margin did not campaign promises in 1979 to bring hoping to win committee support for Khomeini’s government. ’They said the town’s personnel director. had not been judged for the job on his surprise him. "It’s an issue that is the issue before voters because it is the referendum. Committee they also wanted autonomy for the merits and added, “ril compare my But Beckwith said the hearing is sensitive and controversial and an “extraordinary case.” He said the members, however, objected to ef region and an airplane to fly record, to anyon/e’s in the because of that reason—and It cer vote was in line with the party’s com forts, saying.it would do little good. themselves and their hostages out of premature because "steps one and department.” tainly cuts across party lines—it mitment to allow voter expression. ’They moved the question. Britain. Parents Anonymous helps abusers (Edilor'a note: When a parent is describe her emotions ... and maybe screaming and sleepless nights seemed to push Cathy ever closer to according to both Dr. Mudry and abusing a child, sometimes it's the PA meetings is a cure-all for even her rationale for abusing the lit began, something happened to Cathy. injuring the baby. Cathy. Parents Anonymous members simply a matter of ignorance or mula to abuse, Cathy herself warns tle girl who entered her life. “I fed, bathed and changed her,” She was refered to PA and along exchange phone numbers and mental illness. More often than that a slip backward comes easily if Looking back on the first four she said. “But there wasn’t any love with her husband, she attended her become "safety valves” for one it’s not guarded against. not, however, the abuse of a child months of her new baby’s existance there. We were having marital and first meeting. another. When they feel a crisis is a parents reaetion to outside isn’t something easy to do for Cathy money troubles apiil I still had to “I wasn’t really ashamed my first “Sometimes I’ll spank her now and frustrations. situation, as D,r,.Mudry calls the urge a part of me still wants to push it to (not her real name). But she’s one of watch my other daughter.