Tufts Reaches Tentative Contract Agreement With Union

Strike averted for now.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Sep 15, 2026 2:25 PM EDT | Updated Sep 15, 2026 2:26 PM EDT

MEDFORD, MA — Tufts University facilities workers have reached a tentative contract agreement with the university, avoiding a potential strike after months of negotiations.

The agreement between Tufts and 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union covers approximately 100 groundskeepers, skilled maintenance workers and trades workers across the university's campuses. A union bargaining committee reached the tentative deal Friday afternoon, a little more than one week after facilities workers at the Medford and Boston campuses unanimously voted to authorize a strike if necessary.

Workers had been working without a contract since their previous four-year agreement expired on June 30. Negotiations began earlier this year, with the union seeking to close the wage gap between the unit's lowest and highest earners, reduce the percentage of health insurance costs paid by employees, and secure other improvements. The previous contract took effect July 1, 2022.

Under the tentative agreement, workers will receive wage increases in each year of the new contract that will be retroactive to July 1, according to the union. The deal also includes new higher-paid positions in the grounds department, improved paid time off, leave for members to work with the union, and protections for workers who need to take leave for immigration-related issues. Specific wage increases and the length of the new agreement were not immediately announced.

"We thank Tufts for moving like they did, to prevent a strike from disrupting campus just as the semester is starting," bargaining committee member Pat Keith said. "We reached tentative agreement on fair wage increases for each year of the contract, and we also won some new, better paid jobs in the grounds department."

The agreement comes after workers rallied in Medford earlier this month and later began practicing picketing after their shifts in preparation for a potential strike. The Medford and Somerville city councils had also passed resolutions supporting workers during negotiations.

Before the strike authorization vote, union members said they paid approximately 34 percent of their health insurance premiums and that Tufts had initially proposed annual wage increases of 1.5 percent over three years. The union also filed an unfair labor practice charge against Tufts with the National Labor Relations Board in July.

"Tufts saw the determination of workers and the support of the community, and they made the right decision, for which we're grateful," 32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President Kevin Brown said.