DON'T TRIP ON DRUG TESTING

Madison City Council President Dorothy Borchardt wants the council to
act as quickly as possible on her resolution asking that drug testing
for firefighters be a priority in the city's negotiations with
Firefighters Union Local 311.

Having emerged as the council's chief advocate for promoting public
safety via the filling of small cups with vital fluids, Borchardt
wants to capitalize on concerns arising from investigations that
suggest a dozen firefighters may have used illegal substances.

To be sure, it is incumbent upon the city and the firefighters union
to work out a better system for guaranteeing that safety employees do
not abuse drugs while on the job. But, so far, we've been more
impressed with the union's proposals for education and counseling than
with management efforts to implement a Draconian testing regimen.

Random drug testing sews seeds of distrust between management and
employees, and can too easily be abused by managers who want to target
department dissidents. Education, counseling and sound management
practices offer a better prospect for relieving the obvious tensions
within the Fire Department.

We agree with Mayor Sue Bauman's reasoned approach to the matter: The
question of drug testing ought to be sorted out in the collective
bargaining process, not by the politicians on the City Council.

Note: Article includes links to E-mail Council President Dorothy Borchert
( district12@council.ci.madison.wi.us ) and E-mail Mayor Bauman
( mayor@ci.madison.wi.us )