Amherst DPW Associations Enter Mediation Over New Contract
The Amherst Department Of Public Works is housed in a 100 year old trolley barn. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Source: Town of Amherst DPW Associations
Representatives from the Town of Amherst and the Amherst DPW Associations (ADPWA) began negotiations on on a new contract on November 14, 2025. After seven bargaining sessions with little to no progress, and at the suggestion of the town’s council, the ADPWA has decided to enter mediation.
The Associations assert that despite well-documented underfunding of Amherst DPW employees, town representatives refuse to address this longstanding trend. Instead, the town continues to prioritize other departments and projects.The results of this inequity are consequential, as stated by the town’s own Finance Committee in its response to the FY26 budget:
“The DPW faces considerable challenges in staffing and retention, impacting service delivery. 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.”
The committee went on to say: “Staffing shortages contribute to slower response times for tasks like pothole repairs and roadside mowing,” and “Efforts are underway to adjust salaries and make contractual changes through negotiations to improve retention.”
The issues at hand affect all departments within the DPW: Highway, Trees and Grounds, Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste/Recycling, Vehicle Maintenance, Engineering, and Electrical.
The most recent contract for DPW expired on July 1, 2025. It is the opinion of the approximately 60 members of the ADPWA 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 they are seeking would benefit the town and its residents as it would result in a higher level of service.