Public Employee Press


Ratified by overwhelming margins
CUNY and EMS workers approve contracts

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

After drawn out negotiations left them without raises for several years, CUNY and EMS workers approved contracts this summer that provide for a 10.41 percent increase on their base pay.

The economic agreements are modeled after the union's 2010-17 contract for more than 100,000 DC 37 members. This includes the same pay increase, preserves members' premium-free health benefit, provides a $1,000 signing bonus, and adds $200 for each employee to the city's current $1,765 welfare fund contribution.

Ninety-eight percent of the workers at the City University of New York voted in favor of their contract in a mail-ballot vote, which was tabulated July 18.

"I am elated we have a contract," said Esther (Sandy) Tucker, the president of Local 384 City University of New York and Educational Opportunity Centers. "Finally, members are being paid properly for their hard work and dedicated service."

The CUNY agreement came after the union launched a fight-back campaign at the beginning of the year. The effort included a major demonstration across the street from the governor's Manhattan office, picketing outside CUNY Chancellor James Milliken's luxury apartment building, an online petition, lobbying in Albany and worksite organizing.

In the CUNY negotiations, DC 37 got a commitment from management for low-wage workers to be covered by the state's $15 an hour minimum wage. Combined with the contractual raises, the minimum wage coverage will mean that thousands of workers will see a pay boost of about 20 percent by the time the contract expires in 2017.

Members of Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507 and Uniformed EMS Officers Local 3621 approved their contract by a vote of more than 2-1.

"I am pleased with what we have accomplished," Local 3621 President Vincent Variale said, "Our members, with a margin greater than 2 to 1, have voted to accept a contract that will provide a new, improved pay structure and an increase in wages ranging from 12 to 25 percent."

For years, Local 3621 members have complained that the pay compression between the two locals meant EMS workers were not compensated adequately when they were promoted. The improved pay for promotions will give members more incentive to work their way up the career ladder, according to Variale.

Local 2507 President Israel Miranda said most of the local's members are pleased with the raises, though he acknowledged that a significant number opposed the contract. "The contract is a living document," Miranda said. "We will continue to do our best to press for changes that address the concerns of our members as we negotiate new contracts in the future."

DC 37 represents 12,000 workers at CUNY. Besides Local 384, the locals with members at CUNY include locals 374, 983, 1407, 1597, 2054 and 2627.

Local 2507 and Local 3621 have a combined membership of 3,000 Emergency Medical Services workers.

"These were very tough negotiations, which dragged on too long," DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido said. "But the votes demonstrate that members support the contracts overwhelming. The pay increases are fair and the contracts allow DC 37 to remain the only municipal union in the country whose members don't have to pay health premiums."