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Public Employee Press
Comptroller: Local
376 pay lags behind private sectors By GREGORY N. HEIRES New York
City Comptroller William C. Thompson came out with a preliminary report finding
that the hourly pay of Highway Repairers and Construction Laborers in Local 376
is significantly less than workers in the private sector who do the same job.
On May 1, Thompson issued the results of a survey sought by Local 376 that
found that their members are paid $8 to $10 less per hour than their unionized
counterparts in the private sector. The survey has opened up the
door for our members to receive a big pay increase, said Gene DeMartino,
president of Construction Laborers & Highway Repairers and Watershed Maintainers
Local 376. Youd better believe everyone is excited about this.
Under state Labor Law Section 220, certain blue-collar public workers, through
their union, can ask the Comptroller to order the city to set their wages reflecting
the prevailing rate for similar work in the private sector, rather than accepting
a negotiated economic agreement. Negotiated
settlement or court case Local 376 members voted to begin the wage
survey process instead of agreeing to DC 37s 2002-05 economic pact. Unless
the local and the city negotiate a settlement, the next step will be a hearing
where the city can contest the Comptrollers preliminary finding before an
administrative law judge at the city Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
If the judge accepts the survey, the Comptroller would issue a final determination
ordering the city to raise the members pay. The city could fight that in
court or negotiate with the union, and the local could go to court to enforce
the determination. These workers have not taken the prevailing
rate route for decades, said Secretary-Treasurer Tom Kattou. But over
the years, under the negotiated contracts, our members have steadily fallen behind
the private sector. This decision should correct whats turned into a huge
wage gap. The Comptrollers decision affects 900 members,
Highway Repairers at the Dept. of Transportation and Construction Laborers at
the Dept. of Environmental Protection. Because they opted for the survey, these
workers have gone without a raise for four years. At meetings, we explained
that a survey could mean a long wait for a raise, DeMartino said. But
our members have been very supportive all along. Beginning in March,
DeMartino and Kattou accompanied the Comptrollers investigators to observe
the work of public and private sector employees. A number of other DC
37 locals that represent prevailing rate workers have also voted to seek Comptrollers
determinations. Laborers Local 924 has requested a survey. A survey of
Sewage Treatment Workers in Local 1320 is underway. Local 1087 has requested a
survey on behalf of its Radio Repair Mechanics, while its Clock Repairers, Furniture
Maintainers, Printing Press Operators and Compositors have agreed to a consent
determination. Earlier this year, an OATH judge upheld the Comptrollers
preliminary findings that Supervisor Highway Repairers in DOT Supervisory Employees
Local 1157 are paid significantly less than their private sector counterparts.
The city has challenged the matter in court. | |