By GREGORY N. HEIRES

High Pressure Plant Tenders and Maintainers in Local 983 voted overwhelmingly in June for a new contract with raises as high as 30 percent over four years.

In a mail vote monitored by the American Arbitration Association, members ratified the pact by nearly 98 percent, 167-4.

"Our members' patience gave us strength as we fought and held out for a good deal," said Local 983 President Mark Rosenthal, who is also DC 37's treasurer. "The overwhelming vote in favor of the contract shows the strategy paid off."

The victory was especially sweet for Local 983 Vice President John Daprile, an HPPT with 25 years on the job. "This contract will mean back pay of $20,000 for many of our members," Mr. Daprile said. "It feels like justice has been served."

Mr. Daprile was the driving force behind the negotiating team, which included Mr. Rosenthal and HPPT Mike Woodworth, an Executive Board member. Mr. Rosenthal credited DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, who attended several negotiating sessions, for helping jump-start the stalled talks earlier this year.

An important provision of the pact equalizes the pay of High Pressure Plant Tenders throughout the city.

Previously, Plant Maintainer (Hospital) Tenders in the Health and Hospitals Corp. and those at the Sanitation Dept. were paid more than HPPTs at the City University and other agencies.

With the new agreement, everyone in the title series will be paid at an hourly rate of $24.88 effective June 30. The previous rate was $19.19 at city agencies, $19.92 at Sanitation and $20.80 at HHC.

The local was able to negotiate a large raise because Section 220 of the state Labor Law covers the HPPTs. As "prevailing-rate" workers, their pay is supposed to be similar to their private sector counterparts, and they can base their wage rate on a survey by the comptroller. The pact brings HPPTs close to the pay rates of Oilers, similar private sector workers.

The agreement also recognizes that HPPT job responsibilities have expanded beyond maintaining boilers to include refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

In arguing for their pay hikes, Local 983 pointed to those expanded duties and the important role members played in getting downtown city buildings up to speed after Sept. 11.

Basically, the four-year agreement follows the pattern of DC 37's other contracts during the past four years. The difference is that the "equalization" provision kicks in on June 30, the last day of the pact. On June 30, HPPTs at CUNY and most city agencies will get 9.41 percent, those at Sanitation will receive nearly 5.5 percent and those at HHC will receive .93 percent.

Key participants in the talks included Director Dennis Sullivan, and Assistant Directors Frank Burns and David Paskin of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept., Senior Assistant General Counsel Mary O'Connell and Local 983 attorney Arthur Schwartz.