DC 37 members overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year economic agreement that provides for a $1,000 signing bonus and wage increases totaling at least 5 percent.

In mail balloting that was monitored by the independent American Arbitration Association, members voted 47,752 to 5,753 to support the contract — 89 percent in favor.

“The contract gives members money in their pocket, a fair wage increase and an agreement that we can build on in future negotiations,” DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts said.

The ratification triggers the immediate payment of the $1,000 bonus, which the city expects to pay most members June 18. Part-time workers will get a pro-rated share of the $1,000, and some will receive it later. For instance, the Health and Hospitals Corp. is aiming to pay its part-time workers on July 9.

Ballots went to 94,344 members. AAA tabulated the vote on June 1. Nearly 58 percent of the ballots — 54,451 — were returned to the AAA during the three-week voting process. About 800 were duplicates or defective and 78 were either blank or voided.

The DC 37 Negotiating Committee overwhelmingly approved the pact April 20, and the Delegates Council voted April 27 to recommend that the membership ratify the pact.

Right away, Ms. Roberts spearheaded a union-wide outreach campaign to inform members about the new agreement. The drive included over 200 meetings at job sites, community associations and union headquarters. In the effort, elected DC 37 and local leaders worked with staff from the field divisions and the Research and Negotiations and Political Action departments.

The union distributed 35,000 copies of a special contract edition of the Public Employee Press that updated the initial coverage of the agreement in its May edition. The union also used the DC 37 Web site and its radio show to inform members about the contract.

“We fought hard for this contract and for the ratification,” Ms. Roberts said. “I’m pleased that so many members validated the hard work of the local presidents on the DC 37 Negotiating Committee.” The contract runs from July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2005. Besides the $1,000 bonus and raises of 3 percent and 2 percent, the pact includes another possible 1 percent increase — subject to whether a joint labor-management productivity committee can generate funding.

Almost every member covered by the agreement who was on the payroll from April 20 through the June 1 ratification will receive the $1,000 bonus. The bonus will also go to laid-off members who were on payroll between July 1, 2002, and June 30, 2003, and to members who worked during that entire period and retired after June 30, 2003.

The 3 percent wage hike is retroactive to July 1, 2003. The city hopes to make that retroactive payment and increase pay rates by the end of July. The 2 percent raise, which is due July 1, will be implemented once the union’s bargaining units either conclude unit contracts or agree not to include economic demands in the unit negotiations.

The union and the city reached the agreement after what Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan called “perhaps our most challenging round of bargaining in a generation.” Union negotiators rejected givebacks for incumbent employees, but the pact contains contract modifications affecting employees hired after July 1, 2004. They will work at 15 percent less than the minimum pay rate for two years and receive fewer sick days and holidays.

The contract covers nearly 95,000 members at mayoral agencies, cultural institutions, the Health and Hospitals Corp., the Housing Authority, New York City Transit and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Wherever possible, the union is seeking to speed negotiations on new economic contracts for the 20,000 DC 37 members who are covered by other agreements, said Mr. Sullivan. These include members at the City University, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, School Construction Authority and the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal.