Published June 9, 2010

Boston’s jakes finally have a deal that both the City Council and the mayor are OK with. I just talked with Fred Thys to distill the important details:

• Firefighters get an 18 percent raise over five years.
• The contract covers fiscal 2006 to 2011. That means most of the raise is retroactive. Yup, the contract they settled on after four years of fighting is about to expire.
• That 18 percent raise includes a 1.5 percent raise (down from 2.5 percent) in exchange for random drug testing. This quid pro quo is the most controversial aspect of the arbitration. Critics — including many commenters on wbur.org — ask: Why should firefighters get paid extra to show up sober?
• The drug testing won’t start till next fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2011.
• All firefighters will have to undergo physical exams. Future firefighters (but not current ones) will have to undergo physical fitness tests.
• The City Council still has to vote to approve the deal tonight. All but Councilor Chuck Turner say they will vote yes. The City Council ratified the deal this afternoon.

More coverage from the Globe, Herald.

OK, so what’s a “jake?” Watch for my next post.