Public Employee Press

Contract talks underway

Contract talks were scheduled to resume in late February, after this issue of PEP went to press.

The union and city were to meet Feb. 26 to continue negotiations on a new economic agreement for nearly 100,000 members.

“We are happy to resume negotiations with the city,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. “We have been pressing the city to accelerate the process, and we are ready to roll up our sleeves to get an agreement as soon as possible.”

The parties last met Dec. 4. The pace of the contract talks had slowed because of the holidays, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s exploration of a presidential run and the city’s focus on issuing its four-year financial plan and its $58.5 billion preliminary budget for fiscal year 2009.

The current economic agreement ­expires March 2. In the new contract, DC 37 seeks a fair, equitable and living wage. The city increased its wage offer at the Dec. 4 bargaining session.

The union’s demands include preserving health benefits and increasing the city’s contribution to the welfare fund, which covers union benefits, such as the prescription drug benefit.