By LILLIAN ROBERTS
Executive Director
District Council 37, AFSCME

In all my 46 years of union leadership, the talks we just concluded have been the longest, toughest contract negotiations. The overwhelming vote of approval from the Negotiating Committee (our 56 local presidents) and from the Delegates Council tell me they believe we have achieved the best contract we could for our members.

District Council 37 members have been without a contract since the end of June 2002. I want to thank them for their patience, which gave me the flexibility to hold out for the best possible deal. The employees we represent work hard and provide vital services. They deserve a decent raise.

This is a democratic union, and the members have the final say on the proposed economic agreement. I am sure our members will ratify the contract by a strong majority that shows they know we have come back from the bargaining table with the fair contract they deserve and the wage increases they need.

In negotiations there is always give and take. Compromise is hard to swallow, but we had to give and the city had to give. We are fortunate that we were able to reach an agreement with no givebacks for any current member. And for those who decide to begin city careers after July 1, 2004, despite the reduced pay and benefits, I pledge that DC 37 will start work immediately to improve your conditions, and we will stick with the job until we succeed.

To understand the magnitude of our accomplishment, we have to remember where we came from. When these negotiations began, the city was demanding a long list of major givebacks. Management wanted to extend the workweek, forcing most members to do 40 hours of work for 35 hours’ pay. They tried to make members pay into their health coverage through paycheck deductions. They even wanted to set up a fifth pension tier to shortchange employees long after their working years.

And for more than a year, the city insisted there would be no retroactive increases and no raises at all unless they were funded by the workers themselves through productivity givebacks.

Instead, if we ratify the contract, members will get cash up front — a “signing bonus” of $1,000 and a 3 percent increase retroactive to July 1, 2003 and not funded through productivity. Then we receive a 2 percent raise effective July 1, 2004 — in only two months. We will be on a joint labor-management committee that could also find the resources to add another 1 percent raise and/or ameliorate the benefit modifications for new employees.

And we will be back at the bargaining table early next year to negotiate a new contract effective July 2005.

I want to thank our members for their steady support and their massive participation in union contract rallies. You gave your Negotiating Committee and leaders the strength to achieve this contract.

When this round of bargaining began, some said DC 37 couldn’t bring home the bacon. Well, let them eat their words. Despite very difficult conditions, I believe District Council 37 has brought our members a fair economic agreement, and I urge all members to vote YES on this proposed contact.