Public Employee Press

Local 1157 pact fixes DOT pay structure; Area Supervisors now paid more than subordinates

More than 40 Area Supervisors in the Dept. of Transportation will get 20 percent wage hikes - enough to raise their pay above that of those they supervise - under a salary adjustment agreement the Local 1157 members ratified unanimously on April 5.

"It was a long fight and we are very happy about the outcome," said Local President Mike Coppola. "From a common-sense standpoint, it was crazy to have people earning less than the workers they supervise."

The pact resolves a wage dispute that began in 2002, when the local's Supervisors of Highway Repairers won substantial raises after a long fight that forced the city to pay them the prevailing wages of similar private-sector workers. Overnight, the Supervisors, who are covered by the prevailing-wage section of state Labor Law, were earning $10,000 more than Area Supervisors, who are not covered.

Local 1157 tried unsuccessfully to correct the pay disparity through negotiations, salary review proceedings and arbitration. The pay difference was hurting DOT's ability to fill vacancies by promoting Supervisors to Area Supervisor.

Coppola, Vice President Mike Gardini and Carl DelGeorge served on the negotiating team with assistance from DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, who stepped in at crucial moments, Associate Research and Negotiations Director David Paskin, Senior Assistant General Counsel Steven Sykes and Blue Collar Division Council Rep Tony Mammalello. The agreement includes some givebacks, such as cutting the annual leave days workers may accrue from 27 to 22.

"This shows that labor and management can make progress when we sit down and talk with a commitment to finding solutions," Coppola said. "I am glad DOT and the city finally saw the value of the service we provide."