Boston Housing Authority v. National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, Local 3

(dissenting, with whom Ireland, J., joins). I agree with the court that G. L. c. 150E, § 7 (a) (§ 7 [a]), bars public employers and public employees from entering into a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with a stated term of more than *166three years. But the court today expands the scope of this statutory term limit to preclude the contracting parties from including in their CBA a provision, namely an “evergreen clause,” that the court itself agrees is intended to serve as “a continuing code of conduct while parties negotiate a new bargaining agreement.” Ante at 163. Section 7 (a) contains…