Boston Council Committee Advances $747,842 Library Union Contract Funding

BOSTON — July 7, 2025 — Boston City Council committee advances $747,842 to fund retroactive library worker contract. The Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by District 4 Councilor Brian Worrell, held a virtual hearing July 7 on Dockets 1256 and 1257, which together shift funds from the city's collective bargaining reserve to the Boston Public Library budget to cover a four-year contract with AFSCME Local 1526 running from October 2023 through September 2027. The deal includes 2 percent annual base wage increases each October plus flat salary additions totaling $1,725 over the contract term, along with prepaid legal benefits, sick time during probation, and new quarterly hiring-transparency meetings. Council President Liz Breadon and Councilor Edward M. Flynn both expressed support while Flynn questioned whether 2 percent was sufficient given inflation. AFSCME Local 1526 President Alyssa Cadillac testified that members — "among the lower paid" city workers — also suffered a payroll system failure last Friday that delayed checks for at least 25 percent of the city's workforce, making the retroactive money urgent. The dockets were referred for a full council vote Wednesday.