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Newsline: May 2007

Citywide Members Overwhelmingly Ratify Contract

Local 237’s Citywide members voted overwhelmingly to accept a new two year contract that boosts wages by 7 percent and includes a $750 signing bonus and increases in contribution to the union’s Welfare Funds.

By a vote of 97.37 percent, members approved the union’s negotiated settlement with the city administration on Apr. 26. Members voted 3,673-99 in favor of the pact. The ballots were counted at union headquarters on 14th Street in Manhattan by an independent election group, Election Services Corp.

The new contract, which is retroactive to the end of the expired contract, covers the period from September 23, 2006 through September 12, 2008. Citywide members can expect the following within the next few weeks:

Wage Increases

Effective Oct. 23, 2006, a general increase of 2 percent.

Effective Apr. 23, 2007, an additional general increase of 5 percent.

Lump Sum Cash Payment
Effective Apr. 1, 2007, a lump sum cash payment in the amount of $750 will be paid to all full-time employees in active pay status on Apr. 1, 2007, pro-rated for part-time employees in active pay status who work less than a full calendar year, subject to the eligibility guidelines below:

Employees who work 35 hours or more per week: $750

Employees who work between 17.5 hours and 34 hours per week: $375

Employees who work less than 17.5 hours per week are ineligible.

The lump-sum cash payment will be pensionable, and will not become part of an employee’s basic salary rate nor be added to an employee’s basic salary for the calculation of any salary based benefits, including the calculation of future collective bargaining increases.

Additional Compensation Fund
Effective Sept. 12, 2008, the bargaining unit will have available funds not to exceed 0.04 percent to purchase recurring benefits, mutually agreed to by the parties. The funds available will be based on the Dec. 31, 2005 payroll, including additional compensation and pensions.

Welfare Fund

Effective Jan. 23, 2007, there will be a one-time lump-sum cash payment to the welfare fund in the amount of $166.67 on behalf of each full-time active member and retiree who is receiving benefits as of that date.

Effective Jan. 23, 2007, the contribution paid on behalf of each full-time retiree will be increased by $200 per annum.

Effective Sept. 12, 2008, the contribution to the active and retiree welfare fund will be increased by $100 per annum.

“We are not surprised by the result, said Local 237 President Gregory Floyd. “Our members need the raise, indeed, they deserve better. We are pleased that this union was able to get a fair and equitable deal for our members.”

Local 237 was a fervent supporter of the Municipal Bargaining Coalition formed in July 2006 to ensure that municipal unions were united in their demands for a strong contract.”

President Floyd said he expects to begin negotiating a similar contract for the union’s Housing members shortly.

The union’s negotiators included 50 rank-and-file members, Floyd, retired President Carl Haynes, Local 237 Trustee Edmund Kane, lead attorneys Basil Patterson and Barry Peek from the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English and Klein; and Allen Brawer of Policy Research Group.

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This site is managed by Tania Lambert, Editor, Teamsters Local 237. Gregory Floyd, President.
© 2003 Teamsters Local 237. All Rights Reserved. All material herein is the property of Teamsters Local 237 and shall not be reproduced without the written permission of Teamsters Local 237.