Public Employee Press

Local 1087 members ratify new contract

Prevailing Rate Employees Local 1087 recently
approved a 32-month agreement providing wage increases of nearly 10 percent for about 30 members in several job titles. The members voted unanimously to ratify the pact in mail-balloting overseen by the neutral American Arbitration Association.

The contract follows the terms of the current economic agreement covering nearly 100,000 DC 37 members. Local 1087 represents “prevailing rate” blue collar workers who under Section 220 of the state Labor Law don’t have to follow the DC 37 model and instead have their pay rates based on a survey by the city Comptroller of wages and compensation for similar workers in the private sector.

Local President Victor Emanuelson said the local
decided to opt for the DC 37 pattern since the difference between the salaries of the affected local members and their private sector counterparts was not very significant.
The Local 1087 members covered by the contract are Furniture Maintainers, Supervisor Furniture Maintainers, Furniture Maintainers’ Helpers, Clock Repairers, Supervisor Clock Repairers, Printing Press Operators and Press Operator Compositors.

For its Radio Repair Mechanics and Locksmiths, whose pay has fallen significantly behind private sector employees who do the same jobs, the local has opted to seek a Comptroller’s survey.

The contract for the furniture, clock and printing workers runs from Oct. 1, 2006, to June 2, 2008. It provides for a 3.15 percent raise on Oct. 1, 2005, a 2 percent raise on Nov. 1, 2006, and a 4 percent hike on May 1, 2007.

Other provisions of the contract include a $100 increase in the city’s welfare fund contribution for each member and retiree and a one-time contribution of $166.67 for each covered individual. The city’s TransitChek program will be extended to cover Long Island Rail Road, Long Island MTA buses and Metro-North Railroad.

An additional compensation fund of 0.34 percent of payroll will be available at the end of the contract. The money may be used for such items as recurring increments, longevities, annuities, uniform allowances and assignment differentials. The local is also participating in a Salary Review Panel that will consider proposals for extra compensation. The panel has members from the city and the union and a third member chosen by both parties.

David Paskin, an assistant director of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept., helped coordinate negotiations with the city. In addition to Emanuelson, Local 1087 members who participated in bargaining included Press Operator Ronald Ricardi, a local trustee, and Press Operator Dennis Puleo, an executive board member.