Thursday, 4:30 PM
Massport sick pay ruling blow to Romney
By Sean P. Murphy
GLOBE STAFF
In a stinging setback for Governor Mitt Romney, the Massachusetts Port Authority board of directors on Friday refused to reduce its sick pay policy, retaining a benefit that is the most generous in state government and has provided retiring employees with payouts of as much as $201,000.
Romney had called for the benefit to be brought into line with the rest of state government, which provides compensation for one-fifth of an employee’s unused sick time.
Instead, after a parade of Massport employees pleaded with the board to save the benefit, members voted 6 to 1 to study the issue. A report is due back within 60 days.
‘‘The governor expressed his position but we can’t force them to vote our way,’’ Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney’s spokesman, said after the meeting. ‘‘At the end of the day, we hope the board will adopt a policy that is fair to the taxpayer. What is clear is that the current policy is extravagant.’’
The vote suggests Romney’s power to shape state policy may be declining. Four of the seven members of the board are Romney appointees, but it’s not clear how hard the governor, who travels to New Hampshire today, lobbied for the change.
The study approved Friday is unlikely to be finished until after the Nov. 7 gubernatorial election.
The board took up the issue after a Boston Globe story Sept. 24 detailed the policy, which provides retiring Massport employees with compensation for 100 percent of their unused sick days. Employees at other state government agencies receive compensation for only 20 percent of their days.
