Public Employee Press

Union surveys members on new contract

The DC 37 Negotiating Committee met Sept. 21 to prepare for contract talks with the city for a new economic agreement.

“We want to move this process along as quickly as possible,” DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts said. “We are anxious to sit down with the city and negotiate a good contract for our members.”

At the meeting, the committee, which is made up of the union’s top officers and local union presidents, reviewed the demands from the last round of bargaining and discussed new priorities. Several presidents shared the results of their discussions with local activists with the negotiating committee, which expects to meet again shortly to start crafting the union’s demands.

The committee also decided to survey members and consider the results as it develops a formal list of demands to be presented to the city. DC 37 Secretary and Local 1070 President Cliff Koppelman, Local 1455 President Michael DeMarco and Local 2627 President Edward W. Hysyk remarked how a previous survey had helped guide the committee in past negotiations, providing a crucial barometer for gauging the feelings of the rank and file.

The union’s latest economic agreement with the city expired in June. The terms of the old contract remain in effect during negotiations. The economic agreement affects nearly 95,000 DC 37 members at city agencies, including the Dept. of Education, as well as libraries and cultural institutions, the Health and Hospitals Corp., New York City Housing Authority and New York City Transit. About 20,000 other members, primarily CUNY and state employees, are covered by other contracts.

During the negotiating committee’s Sept. 21 meeting, participants touched upon a wide range of issues. Among others, the topics included wage proposals, past givebacks and contract modifications, health and welfare benefits, longevities and other pay differentials, the TransitChek benefit and mileage allowance.