Editorial: Wu & security guard union should return to table

The Boston city budget is apparently flush with cash when it comes to funding Mayor Michelle Wu’s pet projects, from the establishment of new City Hall departments, to the $18M+ proposed overhaul of the West Roxbury Education Complex. But when it comes to a better boost in pay for municipal security guards, the cupboard is bare.

That’s the gist behind Wu’s plans to give lower raises than what a municipal security guards union is seeking. As the Herald reported, her administration said the two sides have reached an impasse and the city can’t afford the group’s demands.

Another sticking point: the raises the union sought were voted in by the City Council as part of this year’s budget, but Wu nullified them. A Wu spokesperson stated that “this union’s and the City Council’s attempts to circumvent the collective bargaining process through the budgeting process were unfortunate and unfair to all of the city’s labor partners” who respect the proper protocols for negotiations.

A good point, an end run is rarely a good idea. However, instead of declaring “game over” and nullifying the raises the union sought, why not start negotiations from scratch and work toward a resolution favorable to both sides?

“Mayor Wu has nullified something positive for city workers, and continues to hurt the ones who earn the least,” Kevin Coughlin, president of the Boston Municipal Patrolmen’s Association, told the Herald.

According to a letter sent to Coughlin by Boston’s director of labor relations, the city is planning to implement a nine-step schedule that would increase the minimum salary, or step one, from $35,998 to $41,184, and add an extra step to increase the maximum salary from $51,215 to $55,278.

This differs from what the union had proposed, which was for a starting salary of $46,890 with employees maxing out after eight years at $62,400, according to figures provided by Coughlin.

This, apparently, is too much.

However, last year there was plenty of money to add James Arthur Jemison II as Boston’s first planning chief.

She also announced Frank Farrow as executive director of the new Office for Black Male Advancement and appointed Oliver Sellers-Garcia as the city’s first-ever Green New Deal director.

Before taking office, Wu pledged to create a “children’s cabinet” during her campaign.

She added another layer with a new Cabinet for Worker Empowerment, led by Trinh Ngyuen. According to the city’s website, the cabinet is charged with advancing the well-being of all working Bostonians in both the public and private sectors.

Wouldn’t municipal security guards fall under their aegis, as working Bostonians?

Earlier this year, Wu appointed Brenda Hernandez as Executive Director of People and Culture for the People Operations Cabinet.

“We can’t afford this” doesn’t seem to have come up for those hires.

Municipal security guards are on duty in a myriad of sites – from City Hall to Faneuil Hall. When Bostonians walk into City Hall to do business with the city, it’s important they feel safe in doing so.

This is worth a return to the bargaining table.