Public Employee Press

Bargaining News
Raises back on track at the MTA

About 2,000 workers at New York City Transit can expect a 4 percent salary boost soon and 500 DC 37 members at the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority will get an 8 percent hike.

As PEP went to press, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s board was scheduled to vote Feb. 25 on the pay increases.

Embroiled in a contract dispute with the Transport Workers Union, which represents the bulk of MTA’s unionized workers, the agency had refused to pay the two 4 percent raises it owed members at the TBTA as of March 3, 2008, and March 3, 2009. It had paid members at the TA the 2008 increase but held up the 2009 raise.

Last month — after the State Supreme Court threw out the MTA’s attempt to overturn an arbitration mandating the TWU raises — the MTA backed down and informed DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts that it would finally implement DC 37’s pay hikes.

DC 37 negotiators are working with the MTA to see that members receive their back pay as soon as possible. The delays hit members of DC 37 Locals 154, 375, 983, 1407, 1655 and 2627.

CUNY negotiations launched in February

The union began contract talks Feb. 22 for about 10,000 members at the City University of New York. After caucusing on bargaining strategy and demands, DC 37 negotiators and local leaders met with management.

DC 37 members at CUNY are in Locals 375, 384, 983, 1407, 1597, 1797, 2054 and 2627. The old contract, which expired Oct. 31, will remain in force during the negotiations.

City sets new policy on civil service lists

The Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services recently began notifying members of their position on civil service lists before officially establishing the lists.

“This change gives our members the time to appeal a disqualification before a list is established, so that they do not lose an opportunity to get appointed,” said Associate Director Evelyn Seinfeld of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept. In the past, members only learned they had been disqualified when a list was officially established. By the time they could appeal and get an answer, an agency could have already made appointments from the list.

Union starts pension talks with cultural institutions

The union opened talks about pension issues with city cultural institutions in sessions held Jan. 27 and Feb. 25.

DC 37 is part of a multi-union coalition conducting the discussions with employers whose employees are in the Cultural Institutions Retirement System, which has assets of about $1 billion. Covered DC 37 members are in Locals 1306, 1501, 1502, 1559 and 1665.

DC 37 Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan leads the talks on behalf of the union groups, which also include the Council of Supervisors and Administrators and Council 1707 of DC 37’s national union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The terms of the 2000 to 2008 agreement with CIRS will continue in effect until the parties reach a new agreement.