Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced that a tentative contract settlement has been reached, subject to ratification, on a successor collective bargaining agreement that covers the Sanitation Officers Association (SOA) for the period from May 1, 2003 through November 12, 2007. The SOA agreement covers the nearly 1,200 members in the titles of Supervisor and General Superintendent (Level I). The settlement is consistent with the pattern established in earlier agreements reached with: the Uniformed Firefighters Association; the Uniformed Fire Officers Association; the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (Fireboats); the Correction Officers Benevolent Association; the Correction Captains Association; the Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Wardens Association; the Lieutenants Benevolent Association; the Detectives Endowment Association; the Uniformed Sanitation Workers Association; and the Uniformed Sanitation Chiefs Association.

“The members of the Sanitation Officers Association help keep our City’s streets clean year-round for residents and visitors alike,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “With the winter season around the corner, we’ll rely again on the expertise of the Department of Sanitation to clear snow and spread salt and sand on the hundreds of miles of streets throughout our five boroughs. I’m pleased that we’ve reached a tentative agreement that provides raises for the members of the union that are in line with contracts reached with other unions including the Sanitation Workers, Sanitation Chiefs, Firefighters and Correction Officers.”

“We worked very hard to satisfy our membership and work within the parameters set by the Mayor and the PBA arbitration,” said SOA President Joseph Mannion. “We feel we’ve done that and we’re satisfied with the tentative agreement reached. Our executive board ratified this contract unanimously, and now it’s up to the membership to approve. I want to thank the membership for their support and understanding during this tough round of bargaining.”

“The Department's 1,200 District Superintendents and Supervisors provide critical frontline field supervision throughout the five boroughs,” said Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty. They assure that refuse and recycling routes are completed in a timely manner, that street cleaning schedules are met and that the City's 6,300 curb miles of roads are quickly cleared of snow and ice.  They are valuable employees and I am thankful that they have come to a fair and equitable agreement with the City.”

Elements of the settlement include wage increases identical to those received by other uniformed bargaining units:

• Effective May 1, 2003 – 5%
• Effective May 1, 2004 – 5% compounded
• Effective November 13, 2005 – 3% compounded
• Effective November 13, 2006 – 3.15% compounded

Funding for this contract has been provided through a combination of contractual modifications that will ensure significant improvements in operational effectiveness, a contract extension of six months and twelve days, and a reduction during the first six years in the amount of annuity payments remitted on behalf of newly promoted Supervisors.

The Mayor thanked Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler; Joseph Mannion and his Negotiating Committee; Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, First Deputy Commissioner Michael Bimonte and their staff; Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley, First Deputy Commissioner Pamela 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.