During the rally, union members spoke of the importance of negotiating for competitive wages, substantially reduced-cost or free parking, and a living expenses stipend, among other benefit improvements, as demands for their new contract. For context, according to the BMC’s website, a first-year resident’s salary at BMC is currently just under $67,000, making them among the lowest-paid residents in the Boston area.

This non-competitive salary means that many of them are paying tremendous portions of their monthly paychecks for rent alone. This has led some residents to work additional jobs on top of their 80-hour workweeks as residents; routinely access food stamps; take out loans; and pursue other means in order to meet their basic needs while living in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S.