2017 - Lynn Fire Fighters Local 739 vs. City of Lynn, Judith Flanagan Kennedy

After nearly a year of dangerous “brown-outs” and staffing cuts, Attorney Barrault secured an injunction in the Massachusetts Superior Court for the Lynn Fire Union which ordered the Mayor to ensure that the City met its contractual and statutory obligations for safe staffing of the City Fire Departments. The contract between Local 739 and the City of Lynn requires a certain number of firefighters to be working at all times. This staffing ensures that citizens and firefighters have protection in case of emergency. For decades, the City had honored this contractual commitment to staffing, but Mayor Kennedy unilaterally cut staffing to save money. These cuts reduced the fire equipment available, leaving the Local no choice but to take legal action.