WPCNR LABOR LETTER. From Kate Feranti, SEIU. (EDITED) September 29, 2006: The Local 32BJ Westchester Bargaining Committee tonight announced a tentative four-year agreement on a $247 million contract for 1,250 residential building service workers that maintains fully employer-paid health care coverage and pension security, provides a 7.4% (1.9% per year) pay increase over the life of the contract and creates a wage standard for all workers.
The contract is top-weighted with new health benefits. The tentative agreement will provide an additional $14.4 million in health care coverage – a 65% increase from the previous contract. By the end of the contract in 2010, workers will earn an additional $50 per week in wages.
“At a time when employers are pushing health care costs onto employees, we successfully maintained fully employer paid family health insurance,” said Héctor Figueroa, Local 32BJ Secretary-Treasurer. “Further, we secured a fair wage increase and established a first ever wage floor to ensure higher standards for all members.”
“This contract is a major victory for Local 32BJ members, who were stronger and more united than ever,” said Mike Duffy, Local 32BJ Westchester District Supervisor. “It not only provides current workers with the wages and benefits they need to support their families, it raises the bar for future wages.”
The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by the union membership next Thursday. It was reached at 6 pm on Friday night, one day before the expiration date, and averted a strike that would have affected more than 450 buildings across Westchester County.
Earlier this year, Local 32BJ negotiated a contract for 28,000 New York City residential workers that maintained employer-paid health care, secured pensions and provided a wage increase.
With more than 85,000 members in six states and Washington, DC, including 4,500 in Westchester, Local 32BJ is the largest property services union in the U.S.
