Voting Sept. 14, Local 1359 members unanimously ratified a new contract that provides for wage increases averaging 10.25 percent over four years. The pact runs from April 2, 2003, to April 1, 2007. It calls for a signing bonus of $800; compounded raises of 2.5 percent retroactive to April 1, 2004, 2.75 percent on April 1, 2005, and 3 percent on April 1, 2006. In addition, an $800 increase on April 1, 2007, will bring an extra 2 percent to the average local member, who earns about $40,000 a year.

The agreement also raises the annual adjustment for the higher living expenses in the New York City area from the current $1,200 to $1,302 by April 1, 2006. “Our goal was to negotiate a contract with no givebacks despite the difficult fiscal times,” said Ralph F. Carbone, president of Rent Regulation Services Employees Local 1359. “We won significant improvements in our benefits package with only modest increases in health insurance co-pays and deductibles.”

State support for the welfare fund will go up by 38 percent and contributions to the education fund by 13 percent. The pact includes a new VDT benefit, added funds for dependent care, more timely longevity payments, a pilot TransitChek program for members who work in the city, a new “Centers for Excellence” hospital program for cancer treatment, the doubling of lifetime coverage for infertility treatment to $50,000, full coverage for mastectomy prosthetics, and an expansion of the hearing aid benefit.

Beginning Jan. 1, the state-provided prescription drug plan will have three tiers for generic, preferred brand drugs and non-preferred drugs. The pact improves Workers’ Compensation coverage. Workers earning more than $31,200 will now be entitled to a supplemental wage payment so their coverage reaches 60 percent of gross salary.

Another important improvement will provide three additional sick leave days (for a total of 13) for members hired after April 1, 1982, who choose not to participate in an employer-provided long-term disability program.

Besides Mr. Carbone, the Local 1359 bargaining committee members included Vice President Dennis Ifill, Treasurer Rolando Young and DC 37 delegates William Miller and Joyce Hylton-Spence. DC 37 technical advisors included Assistant Director Michelle H. Green of the Research and Negotiations Dept., Willie C. Chang, director of health planning, attorney Alan Brown and DC 37 Rep Maynard Anderson.