City Council Set to Repeal Living Wage Policy

On Wednesday September 9, the City Council is set to neuter the Living Wage Policy, which currently requires City contractors to pay their employees a living wage set by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Currently that living wage is $23.06 per hour, but it will automatically adjust to $23.31 for FY27 if nothing changes. For comparison, the wage floor for City employees is $21.50. 

Council members seeking to weaken the policy want to be able to pay as little as $16.76 if the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) rate is lower for labor-intensive jobs, such as janitors. Resolution 21-903 mandates that when the living wage and the federal market wage disagree in construction contracts, the City pays the greater of the two, fringe benefits included. Janitors are about to get the lesser of the two. Police, who are City employees, are paid well above market rate. Many members of the City Council agree that certain contractors and employees deserve better-than-market wages while others do not. With the ability to pay contractors unlivable wages, this will undoubtedly result in City job cuts by making underpaid contractors more appealing. 

What can you do?

Read more about the issue here.

Sign a letter to your Council Member here. Send this link to your friends and family!

If you're comfortable speaking to the Council as a private citizen or know someone who is, register to speak by 5pm Tuesday September 8.