DC 37 and CUNY reach tentative agreement
on 4-year economic contract

Covers over 10,000 DC 37 members in CUNY's White and Blue Collar Units
Members to vote on ratification by mail ballot

District Council 37 AFSCME, the city's largest public employees union, reached a tentative agreement today with the City University of New York (CUNY) on a new wage pact for the 48-month period from Oct. 1, 2002 through Sept. 30, 2006. The contract covers over 10,000 full-time and part-time DC 37 members in the university's White Collar and Blue Collar units represented by Locals 375, 384, 983, 1407, 1597, 1797, 2054, and 2627. Also covered are members of Teamsters Local 237, IATSE Local 306 and SEIU Local 300. Union members must ratify the proposed settlement.

"We negotiated the best possible contract for our members at CUNY," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "Now our members can look forward to the raises they need once the contract ratification process is complete."

Among the highlights of the 48-month contract are:

Wage Increases:

• $800 Lump sum cash payment payable upon ratification (pro-rated for other than full-time employees)
• 2.5% across-the-board increase the beginning of the 13th month - 10/1/03
• 2.75% across-the-board increase the beginning of the 25th month - 10/1/04
• 2% across-the-board increase the beginning of the 37th month* - 10/1/05 (*Union agrees to 1% productivity savings)
• 1% across-the-board increase last day of the contract - 9/30/06

Welfare Fund Rate Increases:

• $100 rate increase effective date 4/1/05
• $100 rate increase effective date 4/1/06

Specific details of other contract modifications, such as tuition for graduate courses and a VDT optical benefit, will be submitted to union members for their review. A mail ballot ratification process will begin shortly.

District Council 37 represents 121,000 members in more than 1,000 job titles from 56 local unions-including over 10,000 blue collar and white collar workers at CUNY.