Public Employee Press

Local 1070 votes overwhelmingly to approve contract

In a mail-ballot vote, over two-thirds of Local 1070 voters approved a contract that provides for 2 percent raises in 2014 and 2015.

The impartial American Arbitration Associated tabulated the 696-221 vote on Feb. 13.

The vote occurred after leaders and activists spent weeks on a campaign to inform members about the contract.

Members will receive the first raise and back pay in their March 25 paycheck.

Members rejected an earlier version in November. The new contract includes a number of enhancements over the previous one.

Major improvements include an increase of the signing bonus from $600 to $1,000 and a "me too" clause, which would boost the wage hikes to match those of another union that might negotiate higher increases.

The new contract also boosted the floor for the rate increases of 500 members to $1,000 from $825 or $875. The advantage of the floor over a percent increase is it puts more money into the pocketbooks of members earning less than $50,000. This reduces the disparity between lower-paid and higher-paid workers resulting from future pay increases.

"We are very happy with the vote," said Fausto Sabatino, the president of Court, County and Dept. of Probation Employees Local 1070. "We heard members' concerns and did our best to incorporate them into the new proposal."

Sabatino said the local's information campaign helped members make an informed vote and helped increase voter participation. Many members were swayed to vote against the original proposal by a misinformation campaign by Core Issues Alliance, a group of New York State court associations.

"Our activists were a big plus," Sabatino said. "On behalf of the local, I want to express my thanks to them for their hard work of educating the membership about the contract. Our bargaining committee members also deserve a lot of thanks for their dedication."

With nearly 1,800 members, Local 1070 represents 101 titles, including Clerical Associates, Secretaries, Court Reporters, Court Interpreters, Law Librarians and Law Stenographers. Some 1,500 are state workers who are covered by the contract and were elgible to vote.

The Local 1070 contract campaign reached all members at their work sites. The participants distributed information packets, meeting individually with many members. The local also posted details on the contract on its website at www.local1070.org.

The new contract also includes increases in the optical and dental benefits, maintains the longevity schedule, provides for a promotional career path for Court Reporters and has a 90-day retention agreement for secretaries who are let go through no fault of their own during their judge's term - a first step towards their job security. The agreement establishes a committee that shall address team interpreting, the use of per diem Interpreters and a second-language differential.

Local 1070 Vice President Michelle Lumpkin said, "I want to thank the members who participated in the democratic process of our union."

The contract covers the period from April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2016.

"The good thing is this contract ends soon," Sabatino said. "We should be back to the bargaining table in January, when we will continue the fight for better pay, benefits and workplace protections," Sabatino said. "Meanwhile, we look forward to taking care of the local's priorities, which include building up our shop steward network."

"The activists made a big difference," said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. "We appreciate their effort."

— Gregory N. Heires