Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Carroll E. Haynes, President of Local 237 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, announced a tentative settlement, subject to ratification, on an overall collective bargaining agreement covering over 8,000 Mayoral Agency employees, as well as in the Health and Hospitals Corporation.  This agreement contain raises based upon productivity and is similar to the recently negotiated economic settlements previously reached with District Council 37 and twelve other unions representing over 138,000 City employees. The Local 237 settlement covers the period from April 1, 2002 through August 6, 2005.   

“Today’s Agreement allows the City to adequately compensate the members of Local 237 who work so hard improving the quality of City services,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Local 237 members provide many vital services. They are assigned by the Police Department to protect our children in our City’s schools as safety officers and they protect the vulnerable as our hospital police.  They are TLC Inspectors, X-ray technicians and food service employees in the Department of Correction.  New Yorkers depend on them to maintain our quality of life and I am pleased that we have reached this agreement with President Haynes and I thank him for his efforts on behalf of his members.”

The principal features of the Agreement include:

• A one-time $1,000 lump sum cash payment per employee upon ratification.
• A 3% general wage increase effective as of the first day of the 13th month of the contract,
  April 1, 2003.
• A compounded 1.75% general wage increase effective the first day of the 25th month of the contract (April 1, 2004), funded by productivity improvements and other operational savings.
• A $75.00 per annum annuity effective the first day of the 25th month of the contract
  (April 1, 2004) to be paid by the City to a Union-administered annuity fund.
• An additional 1% may be paid over the third year of the contract subject to mutual agreement by the City and Local 237 upon attaining sufficient productivity savings which may include a reduction in the utilization of sick-leave, work-rule modifications and other productivity efforts.
• Two labor-management committees will be established to discuss child-care and workplace safety issues.
• Reductions in the hiring rate for employees newly hired on or after April 1, 2005, and a contract extension provide savings to the City and fund a portion of the Agreement.

“The City’s commitment to attain fiscally prudent settlements has been achieved while maintaining the Union’s goal of fair treatment and compensation for its members,” Mayor Bloomberg said.  “I want to thank Deputy Mayor Marc V. Shaw, Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley, First Deputy Commissioner Pamela S. Silverblatt and their team, and Mark Page, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and his staff for all of their efforts in reaching this agreement.”