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The Town of Sudbury published fully-executed memorandums of agreement (MOA) with both the Sudbury Supervisory Association and the Department of Public Works (DPW) unions. The DPW union was represented by the Massachusetts Laborers’ District Council on behalf of the Laborers’ International Union of North America AFL-CIO. (Supervisory Association MOA here. DPW Union MOA here.)
The Sudbury Supervisory Association will see all steps for all positions increase by 3% in FY2025. All steps will increase by 2% in FY26 and 2% in FY2025. The DPW union will also see a 3% increase for all steps in FY25, then 2.5% in FY26 and 2% in FY27.
The Sudbury Supervisory Association will also see changes to the salary schedule. According to the memorandum of agreement: “As a market adjustment and in exchange for a normal 40-hour work week, each position will be moved up one (1) grade and back two (2) steps, or to the next closest step above their current rate, so that each member is at the same or higher pay as they would be on the FY25 grid if their position didn’t change by a grade. No one will be lower than where they would be without this change.”
Terms for after-hours meals were also added for the Sudbury Supervisory Association via the MOA. The Town has agreed to furnish meals or compensate $20 for meals when an employee is asked to work for four hours beyond their normal shift.
The DPW MOA, aside from the step increases, featured updates focused primarily on scheduling, overtime and holidays. For example, Juneteenth was added as a holiday upon which the Transfer Station will be closed. The Town agreed to reopen the collective bargaining agreement with the DPW union, only with regard to cost-of-living (COLA) adjustments, in the event a greater COLA increase is provided to another employee group.
Reporting across Massachusetts has highlighted significant budget challenges for cities and towns in the wake of high inflation following the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as rising labor costs. A spike in overrides has been reported across the state, though many towns have also voted down proposed overrides, with Melrose and nearby Westford being two such examples.
The Town of Sudbury appears to have reached agreements with both unions while living within its existing means, and without enduring the budget acrimony or long delays that have fallen upon other municipalities and jurisdictions in recent years.
Sudbury’s Town Manager, Andy Sheehan, told Sudbury Weekly:
“I appreciate the way the Supervisory and DPW unions approached the negotiations. Both put forth reasonable proposals that sought to benefit their membership while remaining flexible in how we got there. The settled upon terms are good for the members, will aid us in recruiting and retention, and can be accommodated within the available funds.”
Andy Sheehan – Town Manager, Sudbury