Wave Hill public garden and cultural center staff ratify first
union contract with DC 37 and Local 374

Contract increases base salaries, provides across-the-board raises,
Includes health and welfare fund benefits and protects workplace rights.

Today an overwhelming majority of eligible full-time workers at New York City's Wave Hill public garden and cultural center in the Bronx voted 13 to 2 to ratify their first union contract as members of District Council 37 and its Quasi-Public Employees Local 374.

Under the newly ratified agreement, the 15 Wave Hill workers — including Gardeners and Maintenance and Administrative support staff — will receive base pay increases averaging 7%, citywide across-the-board raises, a multitude of health and welfare benefits, and protection of workplace rights. The contract will be in effect through Dec. 31, 2008.

"Wave Hill staff work day in and day out to make the public garden and cultural center an attractive venue for thousands of visitors each year," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "Achieving and ratifying a first contract is an important step in adequately compensating these dedicated workers for the valuable service they provide."

"We are pleased to welcome our new members," said Cuthbert Dickenson, president of Quasi-Public Employees Local 374 of DC 37. "Wave Hill is a special gem in the Bronx thanks to their expertise and hard work. Now these deserving workers have job security and a voice at work through our union."

The Wave Hill contract provides a $2,700 immediate increase to base salaries, retroactive to June 30, 2005. This represents an increase of more than 5% for the highest paid members and more than 10% for the lowest paid member - an average increase of more than 7% overall. The Wave Hill workers will also be covered by the Cultural Tripartite Agreement between DC 37 and the City, which provides an additional across-the-board increase on top of their base-salary raise.

The contract also provides a multitude of health and welfare benefits through DC 37's Cultural Trust Welfare Fund, and important workplace protections, such as layoff and recall rights; binding arbitration for grievances, discipline and discharge cases; a non-discrimination clause; and paid overtime.

The Wave Hill workers began organizing for union recognition in October 2004 and voted to join DC 37 on March 1, 2005. They wanted a voice at work on such issues as job security, wage increases and fair treatment. Local 374, their new union, also represents workers at the New York, Brooklyn and Queens Botanical Gardens and the New York Public Library system.

DC 37 is the city's largest public employee union with 121,000 members and 50,000 retirees.