After 2 Years of Talks, Dispatchers Take No Raise

After almost two years without a contract, the Hamilton (Mass.) emergency dispatchers have agreed to a new contract that includes no raises, but does slightly increase their shift differential. The contract follows the town’s’ police officers, administrative personnel and public works employees who also agreed to no pay increases to save the town money. Dispatchers working the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift will see their shift differential increase from three percent to five percent, and the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. will go up from five percent to seven percent. The two-year contract is retro-active from July 1, 2009, when the previous contract expired. The dispatchers and town will begin another round of contract negotiations soon for a contract beginning this July 1st. Read more about the deal here.