Council 93 Demands Action After Local 804 Member Beaten While on the Job

Last week, the Boston City Council Committee on City Services & Innovation Technology held a hearing on all to frequent verbal and physical attacks AFSCME Boston Transportation Department members in Locals 783, 804, 1631, and 1892 face while doing their jobs enforcing the city’s parking regulations.

Councilors Erin Murphy (At-Large) and Ed Flynn (D-2) called for the hearing after the viscous February 2nd assault on a veteran Local 804 Parking Supervisor, who was months away from his hard-earned and well-deserved retirement. While attempting to issue a ticket for an illegally parked car, the supervisor was repeatedly punched, kicked, and beaten with his own radio leaving him with severe trauma requiring emergency surgery.

AFSCME Council 93 and Local 1631 President Tiger Stockbridge, a longtime Code Enforcement Officer, testified to being routinely threatened, harassed, and sworn at while doing his job. Angel Brea, Vice-President of Local 804, recounted a number of incidents over the years where he and his co-workers have been confronted while issuing citations and enforcing city policies and regulations.

Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents. A survey of Boston Transportation Department members conducted by AFSCME Council 93 prior to the hearing found that 97% have been the victim of physical or verbal assault while on the job. Even more striking is the rate of abuse these public service workers endure- 59% said that they had been verbally assaulted more than 30 times, 46% reported being physically assaulted between one and five times, and 5% reported being physically assaulted over 15 times over the course of their careers.

“These repeated attacks on public service workers who are just doing their jobs serving their communities are unacceptable,” said Council 93 Executive Director Mark Bernard. “Our union, the city, and the courts must address these issues to bring about change and common sense solutions so our members can do their jobs effectively and without fear of being seriously injured or worse.”

The threats and violence are having an impact on the ability to staff these vital positions which generate millions of dollars in revenue for the city. Parking Enforcement is down dozens of positions, while there are only twelve Code Enforcement Officers and three supervisors to cover the entire city. 

Eddie Nastari, Council 93’s Director of Field Servies and Organizing, is hoping for a collaborative approach with Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration and Transportation Department officials to solve these issues and provide our members the sense of security and safety they deserve while preforming their essential revenue generating duties for the city. Nastari noted that “this is a problem we can only fix together. This administration’s been good to us. We want that to continue. We want to fix this together.”

One common-sense solution offered by Council 93’s Legislative and Political Action Director Jim Durkin requires the City working with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to ensure assaults on public employees are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law or even imposing mandatory fines for these assaults. “For some reason, there’s a lot of people out there who view these workers as the enemy, despite the fact that they keep the public safe by preventing parkers from blocking fire hydrants, crosswalks, or even parking in a handicapped spot,” Durkin said.

In addition to Councilors Murphy and Flynn, City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune (At-Large), Committee Chair Enrique Pepen (D-5), Henry Santan (At-Large), John FitzGerald (D-3), Ben Weber (D-6), Tania Fernandes Anderson (D-7), and Sharon Durkan (D-8) were outspoken supporters of our members in Locals 783, 804, 1631, and 1892 and the need for more protections for these dedicated public employees while on the job.

News Coverage of the Hearing: