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After years of fighting, an arbitrator for the Boston Firefighter's Local 718 and the city of Boston has awarded the firefighters a 19% raise over four years, which is expected to cost the city around $74 million. The raises are retroactive to 2006, when the last contract expired. The city was asking for a 14% raise, similar to what the police officers received, but did win the fight over drug testing. The arbitrator mandated random urine tests for drugs, something that the firefighters have been resisting. The City Council can block funding for the deal, which would mean that the union and the Mayor would have to begin negotiating again. The City Council President said that they would block funding, citing financial issues. He said that the city and the firefighters needed to work together to create a sustainable system that was in everyone's interest. The Mayor's statement said that he was required to submit the settlement to the Coucnil, but also made it clear that he was very unhappy with the deal.