In May 1976, the Boston School Committee ordered "that all persons hired or promoted by the School Department" after July 1, 1976 must become residents of Boston "within three months of such hiring or promotion. . . ." Failure to comply was deemed "a voluntary termination of employment," except that promoted employees could "return to their former position." In response to complaints filed by the Boston Teachers' Union, the Boston Association of School Administrators, and the Boston Custodians' Association, the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission ruled that although "residency as a condition of continued employment is a mandatory subject of bargaining . . . residency purely as a condition of hire is not such a mandatory subject." Furthermore, the commission ruled that"residency as a condition of promotion from one job to another" either within the same bargaining unit or in different bargaining units, "is a mandatory subject of bargaining" unless the promotional position "is 'managerial' or 'confidential' within the meaning of the law. . . ." (Author/JG)