Introduction

The air in Medford City Hall is thick with accusations of alleged union-busting tactics, invasive surveillance, and forced, humiliating drug tests, painting a deeply troubling picture of a municipal administration seemingly at war with its own workforce. A recent expose by The Boston Globe highlights a pattern of behavior under Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn that critics decry as vindictive, morale-crushing, and potentially illegal. This isn’t merely local drama; it’s a stark example of how, in cities across the nation, the progressive ideal of supportive governance can be undermined by practices that erode worker trust, drain public coffers through endless litigation, and ultimately, destabilize community well-being.

The core of the current outrage stems from a federal lawsuit filed by Department of Public Works (DPW) employees following a surprise drug test incident in December 2024. But this is just one piece of a much larger, disturbing puzzle that demands progressive scrutiny and immediate accountability from those in power.

The Current Reality

The situation in Medford City Hall today is characterized by escalating legal battles, significant taxpayer expense, and palpable tension between the mayoral administration and city employees, particularly unionized workers.

According to The Boston Globe, a federal lawsuit is currently underway involving at least two dozen DPW employees who were allegedly forced to undergo urine drug tests and breathalyzers in a van in a parking lot in December 2024, after an unused syringe was discovered in a trash bin. Employees claim the tests were conducted under threat of termination, with the van door left open compromising their privacy, and technicians allegedly failing to follow basic hygiene protocols. Crucially, none of the workers tested positive for drugs or alcohol. This incident was also the catalyst for a “union busting mayor” protest reported in December 2024.

This forced drug testing is part of a “raft of litigation” against Mayor Lungo-Koehn and the city, with accusations ranging from racism and sexism directed at the city’s former top finance official, to the use of “private investigators spying on a veteran firefighter as part of a city probe,” and even allegations of the mayor targeting a veterans’ agent with false accusations based on PTSD stereotypes.

The financial implications of this contentious environment are profound. In February 2026, the Medford City Council, led by President Zac Bears and Councilors Justin Tseng and George Scarpelli, unanimously passed a resolution requesting a comprehensive litigation report from the mayor’s administration. The council noted a staggering 573% increase in unfair labor practice charges filed against the city between 2020 and 2024, compared to the period of 2011 to 2019, jumping from 22 to 74 charges. Councilor George Scarpelli did not mince words, calling the mayor’s litigation practices “hate-based” and “union based,” stating, “It’s blatant that the mayor is attacking our workforce.”

The cost to taxpayers is mounting. Settlements detailed by Steve South, Secretary/Treasurer of Teamsters Local 25, include $475,000 for a school custodian case, a $165,000 settlement for a DPW Teamster steward, and other significant payouts, with many lawsuits still pending. However, Mayor Lungo-Koehn has attributed the rise in labor disputes to “pushback against her efforts to modernize city government” and union resistance to the city’s new professional HR director. As of April 2026, the mayor had not yet moved to create the comprehensive litigation report requested by the City Council.

Further evidence of a strained labor relationship includes the city’s termination of a 25-year contract with Armstrong Ambulance Services Union in December 2025, the largest unionized private ambulance provider in the state, in favor of Cataldo Ambulance. The union expressed “shock and disappointment,” criticizing the decision as “without public explanation and without regard for the professionals who have protected this community for decades.”

In a move addressing some of these concerns, the Medford City Council in June 2026 unanimously approved the Medford Standard Compensation Ordinance, introduced by Council President Zac Bears. This ordinance aims to provide higher pay standards and job protections for contracted janitorial and security workers, ensuring new contractors retain incumbent employees for at least 90 days. This initiative followed a labor dispute in summer 2025 where 14 incumbent cleaners were not rehired, leading to a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint. The ordinance now awaits the Mayor’s signature.

A Progressive Critique

The narrative unfolding in Medford is a textbook case of an administration exhibiting anti-labor tendencies, camouflaged under the guise of “modernization.” Mayor Lungo-Koehn’s framing of these incidents as mere “pushback” against her progressive reforms rings hollow when viewed against the sheer volume and nature of the allegations. Forced, baseless drug testing—where all employees tested negative—is not modernization; it is an egregious violation of privacy and a profound disrespect for the dignity of labor. The use of private investigators to snoop on city workers is not efficient governance; it is an authoritarian tactic designed to instill fear and stifle dissent.

The alarming 573% increase in unfair labor practice charges is not an anomaly; it’s a flashing red light indicating a systemic problem with how the current administration engages with its employees and their collective bargaining rights. To blame union representatives for advocating for their members, or to suggest that unions are simply “not used to” a “professional” HR department, deflects responsibility and betrays a fundamental misunderstanding—or deliberate disregard—of the role of organized labor in ensuring fair workplaces. This approach actively undermines the foundational progressive principle that workers have a right to organize, to fair treatment, and to a safe and respectful work environment.

The financial toll on Medford taxpayers from these mounting lawsuits and settlements is a direct consequence of these adversarial tactics. Every dollar spent on protracted legal battles is a dollar diverted from essential public services – schools, infrastructure, and community programs that truly benefit residents. This represents a gross mismanagement of public funds, driven by what appears to be an ego-driven, rather than public-serving, agenda.

The Path Forward

The path forward for Medford must be rooted in transparency, accountability, and a renewed commitment to upholding worker rights and fostering a collaborative civic environment.

  1. Demand Full Transparency and Accountability: The City Council’s request for a comprehensive litigation report from Mayor Lungo-Koehn is crucial and must be fulfilled immediately. Residents deserve a clear accounting of how their tax dollars are being spent on legal fees and settlements arising from these disputes. An independent audit of the city’s labor practices and legal expenditures should be commissioned to provide an unbiased assessment.
  2. Uphold Collective Bargaining Rights: The administration must cease all alleged union-busting activities and actively engage with labor unions in good faith. This means respecting collective bargaining agreements, addressing grievances promptly and fairly, and recognizing the invaluable role unions play in protecting worker welfare. The Mayor should sign the Medford Standard Compensation Ordinance into law, sending a clear message that worker protections are a city priority.
  3. Prioritize Employee Dignity and Privacy: Policies must be put in place to prevent future abuses like the forced, unwarranted drug tests and P.I. snooping. City employees are not adversaries; they are dedicated public servants who deserve respect, privacy, and a workplace free from harassment and intimidation.
  4. Community Action: Residents, union members, and progressive organizations must continue to organize, vocalize their concerns, and hold elected officials accountable. The collective power of an engaged citizenry is essential to pushing back against regressive policies and ensuring that Medford truly reflects progressive values. The 2025-2026 Medford People’s Platform, which explicitly supports workers’ rights and aims to keep public jobs public, offers a blueprint for how community groups are articulating these needs.

Medford City Hall has the opportunity to course-correct, but it requires a fundamental shift in leadership’s approach – away from confrontation and towards collaboration, away from opacity and towards transparency, and most importantly, away from undermining workers and towards empowering them.