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, 2024. 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.
Interesting how everyone is quick to complain about the condition of roads and sidewalks in town particularly during the winter, yet the town doesn’t want to pay its essential employees a fair wage. Town Manager never has a problem getting approved for raises.
Highway alone lost over 3-4 equipment operators between 2021-2022, all over pay and other internal issues.
I was the only female operator to leave, and I make twice now what the town was paying me.
No one wanted to fight for me over the pay issue I brought forward to HR, DPW superintendant, and the then-president of the association. I went through the correct avenues to point this out, and had had discussions with the 3 parties to no avail, aside the threat of my quitting.
Nor did they want to deal with the clear sexual harassment violations committed by the highway staffer who (to this day) keeps being suspended with pay and then brought back. When one of his targets gets the wiser of him, he finds someone else to harass until he has a reason to hire a lawyer or his target provides proof to embarrass him in front of authority.
I chose to leave for better pay and not deal with that Toxic Avenger.
Bockelman’s about had it with his creative too but is too chicken of a lawsuit to fire him (even though the guy has threatened violence towards DPW headquarters this year, he was “deemed not a threat” and allowed back to work. That threat alone is cause for termination, period.)
The Town needs to get their $h1t together, because this dirty laundry ain’t going to clean itself…seeing as *I* can say this without fear of punishment 🤣🤣🤣
Is the Town Council rewarding the Town Manager with a higher salary for “saving the Town money” by underpaying essential professional (like those who work at the DPW)? And is the Town Council planning to reward itself by hiking the pay of its own members?
Or would limiting both the Town Manager’s and the Town Councilors’ compensation to some amounts proportional to what other Town employees are compensated be equitable? (It would be good find a solution to this longstanding problem soon!)
I’ll just say in my day there at the DPW, for about 38 years, most of the time whatever the Town Manager got (usually 2%), that’s what the other departments got and we all felt okay with it because it seemed fair. There were a few tough times where mediation took place but generally we thought it was fair.
I heard that Amherst took over Route 9 and Route 116 from the State and is now responsible for their maintenance and winter ploughing etc. I’m not sure if that is true but if so it could save a lot if they gave them back.