Boston has reached an agreement with the Boston Police Superior Officers Federation to freeze pay for a year in an effort to avoid layoffs. The tentative contract must now be approved by union members. Forecasts indicate an estimated $140 million budget deficit for Boston this year, making the police union the first of what is likely to be many city unions forced to make concessions or face layoffs in the near future. If all city employees were to agree to freeze wages, Boston may be able to save 900 jobs and $60 million. However, many unions are wary of wage concessions without a promise that no jobs will be lost ? something Boston's mayor has thus far failed to guarantee.
See "City reaches agreement with one police union", Milton J. Valencia and Maria Cramer, The Boston Globe, January 22, 2009