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Somerville Workers United Recognition

At a glance

  • What: Somerville Workers United (SWU), a union effort among City employees, asked the Council to back voluntary recognition by the Mayor after layoffs were announced for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.
  • Where it stands: On Thursday, May 28, 2026 (an older meeting) the Council approved a resolution supporting voluntary recognition (no roll call recorded; all eleven councilors were co-sponsors). The Mayor's response is not in the minutes read.
  • Next: unknown; the minutes show only that the Mayor's staff agreed to meet SWU after the layoffs were finalized.

What was said (May 28, 2026)

  • Councilor Ewen-Campen (with all ten other councilors as co-sponsors) noted the Council's long tradition of supporting unions and said about 200 City employees are not unionized. SWU asked for support because the layoffs created urgency.
  • Luis Quizhpe, of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD), said he had been laid off just short of four years of service and that respecting collective bargaining is critical.
  • Benjamin Wyner, also of OSPCD, spoke about sustainable workloads, the loss of 13 staff positions and 16 vacant positions, and the strain of understaffed departments.
  • Kate Bossingham, of the Office of Sustainability and Environment, said she asked twice for meetings to seek voluntary recognition and received no response from Mayor Wilson or his staff until two days after an email telling staff the layoffs were final, when a member of the Mayor's staff agreed to meet. She said she expected better from the City.
  • Councilor Mbah's resolution (approved) asked the administration to list every position cut from the FY 2027 budget, by department, and explain how the cuts align with the Mayor's equity agenda, and a second resolution (approved) asked the administration to present its organizational restructuring.
  • Layoffs and school staffing were also cited in the body camera debate; see Police Body Worn Camera Program and Fiscal Year 2027 City Budget.

Sources

Log

2026-05-28 - City Council

Resolution in support of voluntary recognition for SWU approved after remarks from three City employees. Councilor Mbah's resolutions on the list of cut positions and on the restructuring presentation also approved.