Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BPDA workers make union moves

Friday, May 17, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: BPDA workers make union moves

PLANS FOR A UNION DEVELOPING — In the latest wrinkle in Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s efforts to pull the city’s main development arm under City Hall control, workers at the Boston Planning & Development Agency are officially taking steps toward forming a union.

United Steel Workers filed a petition with the state’s Department of Labor Relations late last month to form a bargaining unit for BPDA employees, according to the department.

Talk of unionization began last year , as Wu looked to make good on her campaign promise to overhaul the powerful, quasi-governmental agency and decouple it from its controversial past .

Now that her plan is in motion, it’s stirring some labor concerns. CommonWealth Beacon reported earlier this week that some BPDA workers could see their just cause job protections diminished in the move — though those employees are being offered new just cause protections, a city spokesperson said in an email last night.

Plus, the pay scales at the BPDA “are a lot different” than the city’s, creating more confusion and potential for inequities, Joseph Smith, the president of Salaried Employees of North America (SENA) Local 9158, a local arm of the United Steel Workers, told Playbook.

“The BPDA and City of Boston worked together to move some employees on to existing salary structures, as well as create a new salary structure for those moving to the Planning Department,” the city spokesperson said, and all employees “will either maintain their current salary or receive a higher salary beginning July 1.”

While Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is trying to restructure how city planning works, BPDA workers are trying to unionize. | Ted Shaffrey/AP

Wu’s ordinance to create a city planning department that would take over functions of the BPDA cleared the City Council on a 8-3 vote (two councilors abstained) in late March, despite pushback from lawmakers on both the left and the right. Wu signed it shortly thereafter, starting the countdown clock to July 1 when BPDA staff will be transitioned to the city’s payroll.

That timeline could complicate things. The Department of Labor Relations isn’t set to have a hearing on the union petition until July 12 — though those involved could reach an agreement on the details of an election before then, which would allow them to forgo the hearing.

“We believe there's enough support [for a union],” Smith said. But, he added: “I think that the timeline is a little tough.”

Should workers win permission to bargain, their union could stand as yet another nuisance to Wu making good on her sweeping first-term agenda ahead of a likely reelection bid next year.

Still, a big part of the planning that went into the agency revamp “was ensuring that all of the pensions and retirement systems and all the different systems that have built up over time,” were sorted out, Wu said at an event celebrating the ordinance’s signing in April.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . TGIF!

TODAY — Acting Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the MassCreative Creative Advocacy Institute at 9:45 a.m. and keynotes a commencement ceremony at North Shore Community College at 2 p.m. Wu co-chairs a Vatican climate summit session on financing resiliency at 8:25 a.m. EST/2:25 P.M. CEST.

Auditor Diana DiZoglio attends Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune ’s Haitian Flag Day event at 10 a.m. at City Hall Plaza. Attorney General Andrea Campbell gives the New England Law Boston commencement address at 11 a.m. at the Wang Theatre. Former Gov. Deval Patrick speaks at the 20 Years of the Freedom to Marry Community Celebration at noon at the Arlington Street Church.

THIS WEEKEND — Wu wraps up her trip to Italy with visits to Sulmona on Saturday and Coreno Ausonio on Sunday. Driscoll is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Senate President Karen Spilka is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. State Sen. Jamie Eldridge is on NBC10’s “At Issue” at 5 a.m. Sunday on NBC and noon on NECN.

Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Budget amendments? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com .

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

A DIFFERENT KIND OF BALLOT BATTLE — When members of the state’s ballot law commission blocked efforts to bar Donald Trump from the presidential primary ballot earlier this year, they did so on procedural grounds. The body, they said, lacked jurisdiction over the matter because of how the former president’s name was submitted for the ballot — by the MassGOP, and not through the nomination-paper process over which the commission has control.

A budget amendment by state Sen. Becca Rausch would change that by giving the ballot commission authority over all three ways in which candidates can get their names before voters: submitting enough signatures, having their names submitted by their state party, or by having the secretary of state put them on the ballot.

Rausch says she isn’t working in conjunction with Free Speech for People or Shannon Liss-Riordan , who brought the Trump ballot challenge on behalf of voters including former Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey . Rather, she told Playbook, “it’s a good government problem that needs a good government solution, regardless of any particular candidate or any particular challenge that might be brought.” The Senate debates its budget next week.

— “The Mass. Senate has yet to pass a budget plan. But Democratic leaders have already scored millions for causes in their districts,” by Matt Stout and Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “The Massachusetts Senate starts debate on its $58 billion budget proposal Tuesday. But before rank-and-file senators — or the public — got to see the taxpayer-funded plan, the chamber’s top leaders had already inserted more than $4 million into the bill for pet causes or groups nestled in their districts.”

— “MassPort names New York’s Richard Davey and Miami-Dade’s Eulois Cleckley as CEO finalists,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald.

FREQUENT FLYER — “Governor Healey — currently in Italy — discloses she also traveled to New York, New Mexico last month,” by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: “[Gov. Maura] Healey flew to New York and back to Massachusetts on April 10, when she attended the ‘Power 100’ luncheon. … Healey’s calendar shows she then flew on April 18 to Santa Fe, N.M., for what a spokesperson said was an event held by the Democratic Governors Association, a partisan group. Healey returned on April 21, according to the records.”

— “Global Activists Send Message To Healey In Italy,” by Sam Drysdale, State House News Service (paywall): “On Thursday, Extinction Rebellion Rome took up their Boston allies' outcry, according to the group's Facebook page . At least two protestors staked out Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City holding ‘No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure In Massachusetts’ signs.”

— “Mass. House takes aim at Steward Health Care hospital crisis with policy response,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “House lawmakers voted 152-1 to ban the type of lease agreements between hospitals and health care real estate investment trusts that Beacon Hill legislators argue helped push the distressed Steward Health Care system into bankruptcy. In passing a wide-ranging health care bill Thursday, representatives took their first shot at responding with policy to [the Steward] crisis.”

— “Healey launches political advocacy group to dive into local housing fights,” by Jon Chesto, The Boston Globe: “As communities across Greater Boston grapple with the state’s most ambitious new housing law in decades, Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll have taken the unusual step of launching a nonprofit advocacy group aimed at urging towns to allow for thousands of new apartments and condos.”

MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “How Mass. cities and towns are being reimbursed for hosting emergency shelters,” by Hadley Barndollar, MassLive: “The state has reimbursed municipalities and school districts nearly $28 million for impacts associated with hosting emergency assistance shelters, according to the latest data provided by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.”

FROM THE HUB

FROM THE HOLY SEE — “At Vatican climate conference, Mayor Michelle Wu touts Boston’s energy policies,” by Samantha J. Gross and Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: “In her first major international address, [Boston Mayor Michelle] Wu touted a range of clean energy policies the city has implemented during her 2 ½ years as mayor, emphasizing the need for municipal governments to tackle the climate crisis from multiple angles. She ticked off Boston’s efforts to update infrastructure, help residents and businesses move to renewable energy, and provide young people with training to get jobs in those industries.”

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Riders who take the WRTA say fare-free programs have made their bus rides worth it,” by Adam Bass, MassLive.

— “Norfolk town meeting voters support MBTA zoning law, despite strong concerns from some,” by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle.

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — United Auto Workers Region 9A is endorsing Allison Cartwright for Suffolk County Supreme Judicial Court clerk, in a break from the numerous other unions that have endorsed Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy for the post. “As a union who represents public defenders and legal aid workers, we know the benefits of having a public interest lawyer as the clerk,” Vail Kohnert-Yount , the union’s assistant director, said in a statement.

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DAY IN COURT

BALLOT BATTLE — A group that formed in opposition to the proposed ballot question to end MCAS as a high school graduation requirement is suing the secretary of state and attorney general to try and change its wording. The Committee To Preserve Educational Standards For K-12 Students argues that the petition would get rid of not just MCAS, but “any uniform statewide assessment” for graduation, and wants the Supreme Judicial Court to order the state to change the language of the ballot question’s title and one-sentence statement to reflect that.

— “Convicted ex-mayor Jasiel Correia wants out of prison: Defense lawyer tried to extort me,” by Jo C. Goode, The Herald News: “Imprisoned former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II filed a motion Thursday with a Boston federal judge seeking to reduce his prison sentence, claiming that his defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, attempted to extort money from him and take a 20% portion of ownership of Correia's now-defunct app company SnoOwl.”

— “Supreme Court upholds CFPB funding, saving agency,” by Katy O’Donnell and Josh Gerstein, POLITICO: “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding stream, which bypasses the congressional appropriations process, is constitutional, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday, saving the controversial agency [that was Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s brainchild] from a potentially devastating blow. … ‘Woohoo!’ Warren said in a press conference in front of the court after the decision. ‘The United States Supreme Court followed the law and the CFPB is here to stay.’”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Cape Cod Hospital to pay $24.3M after Medicare false claims reported,” by Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times: “Cape Cod Hospital has agreed to pay more than $24.3 million to resolve allegations that it did not follow Medicare cardiac procedure rules, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.”

— “Jack Teixeira, stationed on Cape, may face court-martial for leaking classified documents,” by Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times: “Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman stationed on Cape Cod accused of leaking classified Pentagon information on Discord, could face a trial by court-martial. During a Tuesday hearing at Hanscom Air Force Base, Air Force prosecutors urged a military hearing officer to make that recommendation.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Wu has appointed former state Rep. Byron Rushing to the city’s Reparations Task Force.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Ralph Neas and Robert Petito . Happy belated to former Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey and to Kayla Scire , who celebrated Thursday.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to POLITICO and Boston Globe alum Bryan Bender, state Rep. Bill Driscoll Jr ., Erik Smith, Robert Colt, Patrick Long, Jason Meininger, Judy Boullet and Josh Troop , who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers GBH’s Katie Lannan , Raul Fernandez , Sydney Simon of Rep. Seth Moulton’s office; NBC10/NECN alum Alison King , NBC10/NECN’s Sean Colahan and Stephanie Nigro .

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: LEFT ON READ — Host Jennifer Smith talks to MassINC Polling’s Zayna Basma-Doyle about what parents know and don't know about early childhood reading instruction. Smith unpacks the legal arguments in the AG’s lawsuit against Uber and Lyft with host Lisa Kashinsky . Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud .

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .

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