Just in time for the holidays, eleven Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) members finally were paid the back pay they were owed due to not receiving their step raises.

The back pay was a settlement for a grievance originally filed in 2011 for part time employees who had not received step raises -- in some cases going back as a far as 2008.  The grievance was revived and pushed by the new chapter leadership at BCYF.  It was an agenda item at every joint Labor-Management meeting once the fight to have it settled was rekindled.

More than $​183,000 was collectively paid out by the city to the eleven BCYF members.  Each member was paid based on how many step raises they had missed and for hours worked including any overtime.

The settlement agreement included language so that if any employees were missed, they could still make a claim. If any members feel they should have been party to the settlement, they should contact the union with any supporting information.

"I was totally shocked," said Maureen Clougherty who works part-time at the front desk at the Curley Center in South Boston. "I didn't know it was coming, in fact I kind of forgot about it. It was a substantial sum of money, so I'm just thrilled."

While the union cannot bargain for members who may have left employment with BCYF, former members who feel they might be owed money should contact the Office of Labor Relations at Boston City Hall.