Politics & Government

Braintree Unions, Town Largely Agreeing to 6% Raises

The Town Council also approved funding for a recreation facility in the Highlands.

Several groups representing Braintree workers have reached final or tentative agreements on contracts featuring 6 percent raises over three years.

Most town employees so far have agreed to those terms, and will see 2 percent raises each year starting this year, Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin said.



The Teamsters, school cafeteria workers and school custodians have reached agreements. School teachers, who belong to the town's largest union, and the local group of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees have tentatively agreed to similar terms, Morin said.

Librarians and the professional management union are in talks, and negotiations will begin soon between the town and the firefighters union.

The Town Council Tuesday night unanimously approved the appropriation of $35,415 to cover a 2 percent raise in the current fiscal year for Local 466, which includes 18 positions at the Water and Sewer Division.

That local union, part of the Town and Utility Workers of America, agreed to a contract ending June 30, 2016. Fiscal year 2015, starting July 1, 2014, will include a 4 percent raise. The final year of the contract will not include a raise for those employees.

"It's fair, it's not exorbitant, given where we're at still with the economy," Councilor Sean Powers said.

The extra 2 percent in fiscal 2015 concerned Committee on Ways & Means Chair Paul "Dan" Clifford. He questioned whether this could influence other unions still in talks to push for a higher percentage in one year of their contract, creating unwanted budgetary fluctuation.

"We are effectively front-loading the contract," Clifford said. "Although it's not a lot of money, it does concern me that it's not two-two-two."

The contract was actually purposefully not front-loaded, Morin said. The town negotiators – himself, DPW Director Tom Whalen, HR Director Karen Shanley and Town Solicitor Carolyn Murray – worked to mandate only up to a 2 percent raise in the first year.

In addition, the "vast majority" of town employees have agreed to 2 percent raises each year for three years, Morin said. 

"The cost is not going to be something that is going to cause any trouble," Morin said. "We said no a lot more often."

Councilors also unanimously approved $84,173 to fund a 2 percent raise for non-union management personnel in the current fiscal year. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here