There have been many columns, editorials and letters-to-the-editor on the subject of firefighters in general, and Providence firefighters in particular since the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Providence. These writings have been almost exclusively against the firefighters.

I have to voice my dissatisfaction with the number of letters or postings that The Journal has allowed to be printed or posted on its Web site. I know there have been many more letters sent on our behalf, but they are not shown to the public. I believe there has been a conscious misrepresentation of the support of the Providence firefighters.

Most of all I have to voice my horror at the amount of misinformation and outright lies printed in your paper and voiced in radio ads regarding our ongoing struggle with the mayor. When I wrote to one of your editors complaining that a quote in an editorial, “. . . firefighters oppose the mayor’s plan to pay a bit of their health care. . . ” was inaccurate because Providence firefighters had been proposing a 15 percent co-pay of our health-care costs for over three years, his reply was, “. . . the article states that you oppose the mayor’s plan to pay a bit, not that you oppose paying a bit. There’s a difference.”

Is he kidding? Is this representative of The Journal’s “impartial” stating of the facts? Is it any wonder that the general public sees the Providence firefighters under a less than favorable light? Under the circumstances I think it’s a credit to the professionalism Providence firefighters have shown (and continue to show) on a daily basis that all the fire stations in the city haven’t been burned to the ground.

As for the lies that Mayor Cicilline spews in his radio ads about Providence firefighters being the highest paid firefighters in the country, this is an outright lie. Providence firefighters are not even in the top three departments with regard to the highest paid firefighters in Rhode Island! The $132,000-per-firefighter Cicilline claims that each Providence firefighter costs the city in salary and benefits is more like $70,000 to $79,000 per year, depending on rank and length of service.

There ought to be a law that states that such lies cannot be broadcast on a public radio station. There ought to be a law that so-called large metropolitan newspapers be held accountable for printing the truth.

Providence firefighters will always be there for the citizens we serve. We only wish that they hear the facts of our dispute before they cast us as enemies of the city. Take the time to speak to a firefighter about the issues, and if you still feel we’re being unreasonable and state this fact as your knowledgeable opinion we will listen. Rattling off false accusations spoon-fed by politicians and editorial comments do nothing to help resolve this longstanding dispute.

TOM KENNEY

Warwick

The writer is a Providence firefighter.

Editor’s note: The letters we run on this issue have been mirrored by the polls. We run pro-union letters as they come in. They are far outnumbered by anti-union letters sent to us, at least so far.