By Doug Cunningham - Workers Independent News

Union workers have won $30 million in back pay from the Massachusetts Trial Court system. It’s the largest settlement of its type in state history. The Office and Professional Employees International union won the arbitration decision because the Trial Court violated the union contract, failing to pay raises. The arbitrator also decided the Trial Court has to come up with $17 million more to pay for raises for the workers in the next budget year. OPEIU Local 6 says its members, who earn an average of $37,000 a year in the Trial Court, have suffered foreclosures and bankruptcies while waiting for these raises. It could still take as long as 18 more months for the thousands of workers to get their money.