AMHERST — Contending that its workers are underfunded and town officials are prioritizing other departments and projects, unions representing Department of Public Works employees are entering mediation with the town to replace a three-year contract that expired July 1.
The Amherst Department of Public Works Associations recently issued a statement that they agreed with the town’s counsel to start mediation, after seven negotiation sessions with the town, beginning Nov. 14, 2024, made little, if any, progress.
In the statement, the unions, with about 60 members, claim “that very little is being done to reach a fair contract that provides equitable wages, appropriate cost of living adjustments, and improved working conditions.”
“It is also the opinion of the DPW Association that the contract we are seeking would also
benefit the town and its residents, as we would be able to provide a higher level of service.”
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the town values all municipal employees.
“DPW workers do some of the most important jobs in town,” Bockelman said. “The town has been bargaining in good faith with our DPW union representatives, and we will continue to do so.”
But he noted that money is tight.
“Budgetary limitations make negotiations hard, admittedly, but I am hopeful that we will reach a resolution that works for all involved,” Bockelman said.
The unions point to the town’s Finance Committee, which in its report to the Town Council in advance of adopting the fiscal year 2026 budget in June wrote that the DPW has been historically underfunded:
“The DPW faces considerable challenges in staffing and retention, impacting service delivery,” the committee wrote. “The highway division has been operating with two to three fewer staff members for over a year. The freezing of one position further exacerbates this, eliminating the possibility of hiring personnel needed. The department is losing employees to higher-paying jobs in both other municipal communities and the private sector.”
That report went on to note that all DPW divisions, including Highway, Trees and Grounds, Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste/Recycling, Vehicle Maintenance, Engineering and Electrical, are affected, even as efforts are underway to adjust salaries and make contractual changes, through negotiations, to improve retention.
The committee added that “staffing shortages contribute to slower response times for tasks like pothole repairs and roadside mowing.”