Public Employee Press

Next contract session set for Dec. 4

The city puts money on the table at a bargaining session in November.

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

The union and city met again Nov. 2 as negotiations continued for a new economic agreement.

The city made its initial salary offer, and it responded to some of the union demands at the bargaining session, which was held at union headquarters at 125 Barclay St. in downtown Manhattan.

The city usually doesn’t make a pay offer this early in the bargaining process as discussions ordinarily continue well past the expiration date of the current contract. But in this round of talks, both sides have expressed a desire to reach an agreement before the current contract expires March 2.

“I think it’s safe to say that we are both looking to speed up the bargaining process in this round of talks,” DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts said.

Noting that the union seeks a four-year agreement, Roberts said an agreement of several years would ensure that members would be better able to plan their household finances.
Roberts and DC 37 Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan spoke on behalf of the union’s Negotiating Committee at the Nov. 2 session.

Deputy Labor Commission Pamela S. Silverblatt was the lead negotiator for the city. She reviewed the union’s list of demands before making the wage offer.

The next session will be held Dec. 4.

“We are prepared to work very hard to get to a settlement,” Sullivan said.

“There are agreements of other unions out there,” Sullivan said. “But as always, DC 37 will negotiate an agreement that is tailored to the specific needs of its members. The bottom line is that we all must be treated fairly and equitably.”

Over the past few months, technicians from the union and the city have met to examine the cost of a new economic agreement. Both sides expressed a desire to hold discussions on technical matters between the formal bargaining meetings. The initial session came after the DC 37 Negotiating Committee — which is made up of the union’s 56 local presidents — spent months discussing possible demands. Locals submitted demands after getting input from their members.

In addition to the local proposals, the final demands include unsettled demands from previous negotiations. The economic agreement covers 100,000 DC 37 members throughout the city.

Lightning pace
Besides members at mayoral agencies, the economic agreement covers members at the Health and Hospitals Corp., cultural institutions, the New York City Housing Authority, the Off-Track Betting Corp. and Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“We are convinced we can move these negotiations at a lightning pace,” Sullivan said at the conclusion of the session on Nov. 2. “But we are certainly not naïve enough to think that we won’t run into some bumps in the road to a settlement.”