Boston Approves Worker Contracts with Boosted Pay for Lower Wages

By Patrick Wilson

The city of Boston has reached new labor agreements boosting pay for over 1,700 municipal workers across 28 departments, with measures aimed at delivering larger raises to lower-income employees.

The four-year contracts with unions AFSCME Council 93 and SEIU Local 888 provide all workers 2% annual raises plus an additional fixed-dollar wage increase. This dollar amount disproportionately benefits lower-paid staff, translating to 10-15% total raises for those making under $60,000 annually.

“Lower-income workers will see greater percent increases,” stated Mayor Michelle Wu, calling it acknowledgment that the same dollar raise means more to those with smaller salaries.

Beyond the pay bumps, the deals introduce sick leave and bereavement for probationary hires and allow four-day workweek schedules for the same hours as a five-day week.

Union leaders lauded the “historic” and “generational” contracts, marking a new approach to lifting wages equitably for oft-overlooked municipal employees.

“The work of our employees is foundational…they deserve the compensation and flexibility that ensures excellence in delivering city services,” Wu said of the workforce maintaining roads, parks, safety codes and more.

The agreements continue Wu’s efforts to boost pay and benefits for Boston’s public workforce after recent raises for teachers, public works staff and others.

** This piece was created with the help of ai.