Engineers, mechanics and tugboat operators at Boston Towing & Transportation Co. have ratified a new labor agreement, ending an eight-day strike just days before the start of the Sail Boston festival.
The workers, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 25, returned to work after approving a contract that includes wage increases, improved working conditions and employer-paid union health insurance.
The strike had raised concerns about potential disruptions as more than 50 tall ships and military vessels prepare to transit Boston Harbor for Sail Boston. Boston Towing & Transportation provides docking and towing services for vessels operating in the harbor, including assisting the historic USS Constitution.
"I'm proud of our Boston Tow members, who stuck together through last week's heat wave and a long holiday weekend, holding down the picket line 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Tom Mari, president of Teamsters Local 25 said in a statement. "There was never a doubt in my mind we would win, because Local 25 is always united."
