As previously posted, Governor Baker filed the necessary legislation to fund our agreements with the commonwealth on August 19th.  The contract funding is part of a $568 million supplemental budget included in HB 4078, which is currently before the House Committee on Ways and Means. Within the bill, $405 million is allocated for collective bargaining agreements with 25 different unions and an additional $40 million is set aside for the one-time payments secured through a separate agreement reached in conjunction with our new contract agreement.  

Because there are other cost items included in the spending bill in addition to the funding for our agreements with the commonwealth, the house and senate will have to reach agreement on these items before passing the bill and sending it to Governor Baker to be signed into law.  

Often, if the house and senate are unable to reach an agreement on these additional items, they will pass the bill “in part” ensuring that non-controversial items such as the funding of our agreements with the commonwealth move forward.

We continue to work in coalition with other unions to expedite passage of this legislation and put this hard earned and well-deserved funding into the pockets of our members as soon as possible.  

It’s important to note that since the funding in this legislation addresses costs related to the previous fiscal year which ended on June 30th, the legislature is obligated to close the books on those costs prior to October 31st.  While there have been some instances of the legislature exceeding that deadline, it is almost invariably met.