City of Boston v. Labor Relations Commission

For at least thirteen years, the city of Boston (city) paid a differential of twenty-seven dollars per week to the five police captains who served as commanders of special units, even though there was nothing in the collective bargaining contract between the city and the union requiring such differential. In October, 1993, the city unilaterally stopped making the payments. The union challenged the city’s action before the Labor Relations Commission (commission). The commission found that the city had committed an unfair labor practice and ordered, among other things, that the city bargain in…