Town of Saugus v. Saugus Police Superior Officers Union

The Saugus Police Superior Officers Union (union) appeals from a judgment of the Superior Court vacating an arbitrator’s award in favor of the union.

The collective bargaining agreement between the town of Saugus and the union provided that superior officers could be ordered to work involuntary overtime only in emergencies, as declared by the police chief. When the town meeting funded only thirteen superior officers instead of the sixteen sought by the chief, the chief issued a directive declaring that an emergency existed whenever a shift lacked a superior officer and that, failing a…