Public Employee Press

Court workers overwhelmingly approve new contract

Local 1070 negotiating committee, from r.-l.: Charmaine Johnson, Janice Swift, Diane Taylor, Chris Butters, Secretary-Treasurer Steven Schwartz, President Cliff Koppelman, DC 37 Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan, White Collar Div. Asst. Director Chris Wilgenkamp, Jesse Gribben, Angela O’Connor, Tom DeRosa and Richard Beresford.

About 1,450 court workers represented by Local 1070 overwhelmingly ratified the new contract that will boost their wages by more than 13.5 percent over the period from April 1, 2007, to March 31, 2011.

The state court employees voted for the pact in a paper ballot vote held May 5 at DC 37 following a discussion about the contract led by Local 1070 President Cliff Koppelman and District Council 37 Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan.

Immediately after the vote, the union started working with state legislators to put together the required implementing “pay bill” to present to Gov. David Paterson.

Union officials hope the legislation, which is necessary for pay raises to go into effect, will be approved before the end of the summer.

The pact calls for retroactive increases of 3 percent or $950, whichever is greater, on April 1, 2007, and 3 percent or $975 on April 1, 2008, and future hikes of 3 percent or $1,000 on April 1, 2009, and 4 percent or $1,025 on April 1, 2010.