Public Employee Press

Finger-imaging workers win first contract

DC 37's newest members - state-funded contract workers who help register needy people for public assistance - recently won their first contract with their first wage increases in many years.

The Automated Finger Imaging Systems Operators at the Human Resources Administration voted 23-1 April 25 to ratify the pact with their employer, Empire Consulting Solutions. DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts and Empire manager Michele McCabe signed the agreement May 23.

In March 2010, DC 37 won an organizing campaign to represent over 100 Distinctive Personnel employees stationed in HRA offices; the union negotiated to continue representing the workers after Empire took over.

AFIS Operator Ianther Drayton, who served on the negotiating committee, said she was particularly pleased that the workers now have a grievance process and are seeing wage increases after being stuck at $8.45 an hour for years.

The contract raises the hourly wage to $8.95 retroactive to Jan. 1, 2011, and to $9.50 on Aug. 6. It includes a one-time $200 payment for full-time employees, with an adjusted amount for part-timers.

The workers, who previously weren't paid when HRA offices were closed, are now entitled to 11 paid holidays. The agreement runs from Aug. 6, 2010, to Aug. 5, 2012.

Barbara Terrelonge, a former Assistant Director of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept, was helped in the negotiations by DC 37 Attorney Jesse Gribben. Other participants included Director Ronnie Harris and Assistant Directors Dorothy Lorenzo and Kenny Mulligan of the Clerical Division, Local 1549 Recording Secretary Carmen Torres and Third Vice President Alvin Williams, and Jim Cullen, New York field service director of DC 37's parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who led the organizing drive.

"This is an important victory because it is always difficult for newly unionized workers to win their first contract," said Gribben. Over 50 percent of newly organized labor units fail to get a contract within a year, according to Cornell University Professor Kate Bronfenbrenner. The labor movement backs legislation to force employees to bargain more seriously.

Locksmiths ratify pact after long struggle

Locksmiths will get a 12 percent pay increase and a $1,000 lump-sum payment in June and a series of retroactive payments during June and July under their new contract.

Back pay ranges from $30,000 to $50,000 under the 5 ½ year agreement (July 1, 2002, to Dec. 31, 2007) that covers nearly 75 members of Prevailing Rate Employees Local 1087.

The Locksmiths ratified their new contract by a 3-1 vote in March after the union was unable to get a more favorable economic agreement through a wage survey process overseen by the city comptroller.

Under the contract, the Locksmiths' hourly pay will increase from $21.73 to $24.79 and Sr. Locksmiths will go from $23.82 to $27.17.

Local 1087 President Manuel A. Roman and Recording Secretary Al Vignola worked with Associate Director David Paskin of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept. in the negotiations.