Over 80 Somerville union members and community supporters gathered at Somerville City Hall on Thursday, May 30th, just prior to Mayor Katjana Ballantyne’s fiscal-year-2025 budget presentation.
Frustrated by the paltry wages and resulting short staffing, Somerville municipal employees and firefighters called on Mayor Ballantyne to come to the table and negotiate with city employees for decent wages, local hire, and an end to expensive subcontracting.
Mayor Katjana Ballantyne hasn’t negotiated an acceptable pay raise with the Somerville Municipal Employees Association Unit’s A, B, & D since July 2021.
These units include our librarians, public works laborers, traffic officers and more.
Union members pointed out that because wages have fallen far behind that of employees in comparable positions in nearby cities, the city is losing many dedicated and skilled workers.
Somerville Firefighters Local 76, the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), and Carbon Free Somerville, and Somerville Stands Together joined with SMEA to urge Mayor Ballantyne to improve city services with a fair contract.
Firefighters Local 76 members are equally frustrated. City managers are bypassing qualified residents for open positions in the department and instead seeking to hire new firefighters from other cities using a process called “lateral transfer”.
Speakers at the rally included
- Ed Halloran, SMEA president
- Robert Hodnett, VP IAFF Local 76
- City Councilors Matt McLaughlin, Jesse Clingan, and Kristen Strezo
- Rand Wilson, Somerville Stands Together organizer
- Marianne Walles, VP with SEIU Local 509
- Sussen Miller, a CAAS leader and Somerville Renters Committee member
- Daniel Wong, Carbon Free Somerville organizer
To continue to build pressure, join SMEA at the following events!
- Standout
Wednesday, June 5
4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Intersection of Willow Ave & the Community Path - Standout
Tuesday, June 11
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Union Square - Cut Night Rally
Tuesday, June 18
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Somerville City Hall (93 Highland Ave).
The city councilors will cut items from the mayor’s proposed budget that same night at 6:00 PM.
You can RSVP and get involved at SupportSMEA.org.
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