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.

Hopkinton Police Sergeant Fired Over Failure to Report Rape Allegations

By Patrick Wilson

The Hopkinton Select Board has voted 4-1 to terminate Sgt. Timothy Brennan from the town’s police department. Brennan was fired for not reporting rape allegations against former Deputy Police Chief John Porter dating back to 2017, despite being made aware of them by the victim.

An independent investigation last year found Brennan violated department policies by staying silent on the accusations against Porter, who was indicted in 2023 on child rape charges. However, Brennan claimed he refrained from reporting at the victim’s request to avoid causing further trauma.

During an emotionally-charged public hearing, police Chief Joseph Bennett advocated for Brennan’s firing, stating he won’t “tolerate officers concealing, covering up” or allowing violence. Brennan defended his inaction as motivated by protecting the victim.

While one select board member voted to keep Brennan, others cited his failure to prevent Porter’s promotion and continued work coaching girls’ soccer as unacceptable lapses in judgment.

Brennan plans to fight his termination through arbitration. His lawyer argued the victim may never have come forward had Brennan not provided a supportive confidante role initially.

The board’s firing decision followed weeks of deliberation on appropriate disciplinary action for Brennan staying silent on the serious allegations against a senior police official for years.

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