Boston, MA

Boston reaches tentative agreement with firefighters union, Michelle Wu says

Published

2 years ago

September 4, 2023

Boston reaches tentative agreement with firefighters union, Michelle Wu says

The city has reached a tentative agreement with the Boston firefighters union, narrowly avoiding arbitration after “many months” of stalled negotiations.

Mayor Michelle Wu said the new deal was reached Sunday night, and would take effect pending ratification from the union, Boston Firefighters Local 718.

“This tentative agreement is the result of months of staying at the table together, bargaining focused on what our city needs, what communities need, and what the brave individuals who keep them safe every day need,” Wu said Monday at the Greater Boston Labor Council’s Labor Day Breakfast, where she made the announcement.

Both sides declined to provide details on the terms of the agreement until a ratification vote is taken by union membership.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the mayor agreed to a package with a 12% raise over three years, with no givebacks, a term for concessions made by a labor union.

The agreement was due in part to mounting pressure presented by the Mass and Cass zone, which is located near the Boston Fire Department’s Southampton Street headquarters, and the exposure of firefighters to dangerous conditions there, the source told the Herald.

Local 718 President Sam Dillon declined to confirm those details, stating, “At the end of the day, this is out of respect for our members.”

“Our members deserve to hear this from their union, and they deserve the opportunity to review this deal outside of the media and outside of any political implications,” he told the Herald.

Dillon said “no timetable has been set” for a ratification vote.

The city would avoid arbitration if the new contract is ratified by the union, a Wu spokesperson told the Herald.

The Joint Labor-Management Committee, which assists in resolving collective bargaining disputes involving municipalities and their police officers and firefighters, had taken jurisdiction, but the process hadn’t reached arbitration yet, the spokesperson said.

“This deal was reached over the bargaining table,” the spokesperson said.

In a statement, Wu said the tentative agreement reflects both sides’ “shared commitment to delivering the exceptional city services that make Boston the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

“Coming to this agreement through many months of bargaining is a testament to our administration’s determined focus on settling contracts for all our city workers, because building the greatest city for labor means proactively seeking ways to protect workers’ rights and improve workers’ lives,” Wu said.

All 48 union contracts were expired when Wu took office in November 2021. Roughly 90% of the city’s union workforce would be under contract, if this latest agreement is ratified, the mayor’s office said.

Joe Dwinell contributed to this report.

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Boston, MA

'Wait Wait' for May 31, 2025: Live in Boston with Jim Rice!

Published

16 hours ago

May 31, 2025

Press Room

Former Boston Red Sox player Jim Rice throws out the ceremonial first pitch before game four of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on October 9, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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This week’s show was recorded in Boston with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Jim Rice and panelists Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Adam Felber, and Maz Jobrani. Click the audio link above to hear the whole show.

Who’s Bill This Time

An Even Worse Way to Fly; A Beauty Contest You’ll Never Win; Party News That Changes Everything

Panel Questions

Intro To Adulthood

Bluff The Listener

Our panelists tell three stories about romantic gestures gone awry, only one of which is true.

Not My Job: Baseball hall-of-famer Jim Rice answers our questions about green monsters

Legendary Boston Red Sox left fielder Jim Rice plays our game called, “Watch Out For THESE Green Monsters” Three questions about monsters that are green.

Panel Questions

A Pre-Marriage Mystery; A New Way to Do Something Old

Limericks

Bill Kurtis reads three news-related limericks: Your Teeth Will Never Be the Same; Having A Blast On Everest; An Appealing Scent of the Summer

Lightning Fill In The Blank

All the news we couldn’t fit anywhere else

Predictions

Our panelists predict, now that Clemson says double-dipping is okay… what surprising thing will they say is okay to do next?

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Boston, MA

Shakira concert canceled in Washington DC a day after nixed show in Boston

Published

1 day ago

May 30, 2025

Press Room

Shakira concert canceled in Washington DC a day after nixed show in Boston

A day after her Boston concert was canceled, Shakira’s tour is suffering another setback.

The popstar’s scheduled show in Washington, D.C. — which was part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour and WorldPride DC 2025’s Welcome Concert — on May 31 has also been canceled. The reasoning was “due to complications with the previous show in Boston,” according to a statement released by Nationals Park May 30.

“Shakira’s full tour production cannot be transported to Washington, D.C. in time for her scheduled performance,” the statement read. “As a result, the D.C. show has been canceled. Despite every effort to make it happen, it is not possible to move forward as planned.”

Ticketholders will automatically receive refunds for Ticketmaster and nationals.com purchases. Those who purchased from a third party should contact the seller.

Shakira shared a statement about her heartbreak over the show’s cancellation, writing, “Due to circumstances beyond my control, I am sad and heartbroken that I will not be able to be in Washington, D.C. with you tomorrow. I hope that I can come back to D.C., as soon as I am able.

“Meanwhile, please know that I am eternally thankful for your unconditional support.”

Why Shakira’s Boston concert was canceled

In a May 30 statement to USA TODAY, Live Nation said the cancelation of several shows at Fenway Park was due to issues discovered during routine checks before the Shakira show.

“Structural elements were identified as not being up to standard, so the shows were canceled. All team members are safe,” the statement said. The issue also affected upcoming shows from Jason Aldean and Brooks & Dunn.

Shakira is next scheduled to perform in Atlanta June 2.

The Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour kicked off in South America in February and began its North American leg May 13.

Opening up about the work that went into the tour, Shakira recently told USA TODAY, “I’ve worked so much on every detail of this show. I’m building the biggest setlist of my career.

“There are going to be visuals I created, the narrative and the details of them. There are 145 people on this tour to make it happen every night,” she explained. “I’ve created original music for the transitions in the show, new choreography and arrangements. I have 13 costume changes, so all of what I’ve learned these years of making music, I feel like this is a recap of that journey.”

Contributing: Anthony Robledo and Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY

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Boston, MA

DHS puts Boston and other sanctuary jurisdictions on notice: ‘comply with federal law’ – The Boston Globe

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Press Room

DHS puts Boston and other sanctuary jurisdictions on notice: ‘comply with federal law’ – The Boston Globe

Boston, Cambridge, Providence, and Portland, Maine were among the municipalities, counties, and states throughout New England and the nation, identified as “lawless” sanctuary jurisdictions deliberately flouting federal immigration laws, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement Thursday evening.

A list of dozens of localities in 36 states, including all six states in New England, was released with the statement.

In Massachusetts, 13 of the state’s 14 counties are listed, with Hampden County the lone exception. Cities with high immigrant populations, such as Chelsea and Lawrence, and progressive cities, such as Northampton and Somerville, according to the list.

Hanover and Lebanon in New Hampshire, and Burlington in Vermont were also on the list.

Each jurisdiction will be formally notified of its non-compliance and potential violations of federal criminal law, federal authorities said.

“We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law,” Noem’s statement said. “President Trump and I will always put the safety of the American people first.”

The noncompliant jurisdictions will be ordered to immediately review and revise their policies “to align with federal immigration laws” and will be required to “renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens,” the statement said.

On April 28, Trump issued an executive order giving Noem and US Attorney General Pam Bondi authority to identify the “lawless jurisdictions” that “refuse to cooperate” with federal immigration laws and hold them accountable.

This story will be updated.

Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.

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