Major Contracts Settled By Overwhelming Margins

     To the credit of the unity of our membership, several collective bargaining agreements were approved by near-unanimous margins in recent months.

     “When we speak with one voice, the employer listens,” said Local 445 Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer Adrian Huff.

     In all of these negotiations, the Negotiating Committees were able to argue that our members deserved decent contracts because of our strong productivity.               

     “Productivity is our most effective weapon at the bargaining table,” said Brother Huff.

     Among the workplaces ratifying new agreements by large margins were the Valley Central School Bus Employees, The Chester Department of Public Works, The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, the Dutchess LOOP Mass Transportation Employees and the College of New Rochelle Housekeeping and Maintenance Staff. Ratifying by a close margin were Teamster bus drivers and valets at Yonkers Raceway, and Teamsters employed by American Lumber in Dutchess County.

     Brother Huff led negotiations for Valley Central Teamsters. The members were determined to win decent raises, medical benefits for all fulltime employees, and other improvements. Although they did not strike, they voted to authorize a strike, and were making strike preparations before the deal was reached. “They showed real determination, at a time when school districts are trying to cut costs,” said Brother Huff. The contract was approved by a 52-7 vote.

     Likewise, Chester Department of Public Works employees, led in negotiations by Brother Huff, unanimously approved their new contract with decent raises and other improvements. “We won this contract by demonstrating to the Town Board that these employees were well worth the raises they sought,” he said.

     Ulster County Resource Recovery employees voted unanimously to approve their new one-year deal. Local 445 President Barry Russell was chief negotiator for the members. “The company wanted the employees to give back on benefits and other items, and we held the line,” he said. “We may not go as forward as we want, but we never go backward.”

     College of New Rochelle housekeeping and maintenance staff employees voted 22-0 to approve their new deal. It took over a year of tough negotiations, led by Business Agent Jerry Ebert, for the employees to preserve their free medical benefits while winning a decent raise. At one point during a break in the very tense negotiations, one of the housekeeping staff led the union negotiating committee in the singing of a gospel song to keep everyone’s spirits up. The committee also asked for the support of the entire college staff and students in their struggle for a decent contract settlement. “We must reach out for support to all who are affected by our work when we are challenged in negotiations,” said Brother Huff. After authorizing a strike but not striking, the employees’ patience was rewarded with a great new deal.

     Dutchess LOOP Mass Transportation Teamsters voted 57-1 to approve a contract negotiated by a committee led by Brother Ebert. The employees were thrilled to win a guarantee of free medical/dental/optical benefits for the next four years, along with many other improvements. Management agreed to reenter negotiations in October on the subject of raises for next year. The LOOP Teamsters often resort to strike votes in order to achieve their goals; during this round of negotiations, no such vote was needed.

     Two smaller workplaces also unanimously approved their contracts: Taylor Oil, and Gorr Trucking. Both contracts were negotiated by Business Agent Tom Small. Approving their contracts by close margins were employees at Yonkers Raceway and American Lumber. “These workplaces face tough economic challenges, and it was much more difficult to win deals that everyone liked,” said Brother Huff. Business Agent Marty Smith led the Yonkers Raceway negotiations, while Brother Small was in charge of American Lumber negotiations.

     “In these tough economic times, our union is working very hard to win contracts that increase wages, benefits and protections,” said Brother Huff. “Sometimes it seems like an uphill climb, but we must never lose hope.”

     Brother Russell added “Our members are not responsible for creating the Great Recession, and we shouldn’t be required to pay the price for it.”