The city police and fire unions have called off plans to picket a national convention of mayors to be held in Baltimore this weekend, instead paying for another billboard over I-83 to display a message to the visiting leaders.

Police union president Robert F. Cherry had said in February that he would draft unions from across the country to press local officials to boycott the U.S. Conference of Mayors, being held for the first time in Baltimore. Mayors who entered the convention would be crossing an official labor union picket line, Cherry had warned.

“Based on the overwhelming response we received from our prior billboard, we feel the best way to get our message across will be to display it for all the visiting mayors to see, clear as day, in black and white,” said Rick Hoffman, President of the International Association of Firefighters Local 734, in a statement released by the unions today.

Cherry said in a statement that the unions didn't want to spoil the event. 

“We want the citizens of Baltimore to know that we stand by our oath to work for the betterment of Baltimore, despite that City Hall has not stood by us,” he said.