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Medford council backs Tufts full‑time lecturers in contract bargaining
Summary
The council passed a resolution supporting full‑time lecturers at Tufts University seeking higher pay and manageable workloads; the council also separately voted to urge the mayor to resolve outstanding municipal contracts.
The Medford City Council unanimously approved a resolution on March 20 endorsing full‑time lecturers (FTLs) at Tufts University who are bargaining with their employer for higher pay and more sustainable workloads.
Vice President Collins presented the resolution, which states the council’s support for the approximately 125 full‑time lecturers in the School of Arts and Sciences represented by SEIU Local 509. The resolution cites lecturer claims that enrollment growth has increased course sizes while lecturer pay has not kept pace with cost‑of‑living increases. Collins said Tufts is a major employer and has a footprint in the community, and the council should express support for fair bargaining.
Speakers from the bargaining unit attended and described classroom and advising loads. Biology lecturer Helen McCreary said she taught an introductory course that enrolled 480 students and described the additional unpaid advising, letters of recommendation and committee work lecturers perform. Pan Lo of the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning said lecturers taught over 10,000 students across 300 courses last fall and urged council support.
Councilors debated a suggested amendment to also include city municipal unions working without contracts. President Bares and Vice President Collins proposed instead submitting a separate “B paper” to urge the mayor to prioritize settling municipal contracts; the council approved the B paper by a 7–0 vote and then approved the main (A) resolution in favor of Tufts lecturers by the same margin.
Ending: The resolution is a nonbinding expression of support. The council’s action sends a political signal to Tufts University leadership but does not change university labor law or bargaining obligations.
