MEMBERS WITH BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REACH NEW CONTRACT BY MICHAEL LAFFERTY

We finally reached an agreement with the Boston Public Schools in December on a new contract. It was a long and exhausting process with the school department. The contract is split into two separate contracts, with one going back to September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2023, with 2 ½ years of retro pay, and a second one running from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2026. With this agreement, we were able to get the members a bonus of six thousand dollars, increase the crew rates by seven dollars per hour, and convert some junior custodian positions to senior custodian positions.

At the start of the year, we started up our training on wood floor installation and drum sanding. There were over 30 members who were trained by Keith Mahony, Jim Coughlin, and Tom MacNeil at the accreditation lounge at the District Council. The members were shown how to lay out the floor, how to properly install the wood, and the process of drum sanding to get to the final coat of stain on the floors. We were able to use the training fund that we established with the Boston schools to compensate the members and the trainers. With the summer coming, these members will be able to do this type of work at the rate of work at top area rates. The school department has been very satisfied with the painting and ceiling tile work and has continued to have the members do the work instead of contracting out the work to nonunion contractors.

We are going to arbitration with the Quincy Public Schools for members, who were bypassed on positions, shifts, and job classification that they applied for. We have a major difference of the interpretation of the article in the contract on transfers with the district. We will have one of the arbitrators’ decisions by the middle of June.