MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE LABOR ACCORD WITH UNIFORMED SANITATIONMEN'S ASSOCIATION
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Peter Scarlatos, President of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association today announced that a tentative settlement has been reached with the 6,000-member Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association (U.S.A.) The agreement, ratified this morning, will be retroactive to January 23, 1995 and will expire May 22, 2000. The U.S.A represents sanitation workers.
The 64-month contract provides a wage rate increase of three percent on January 23, 1997, a three percent increase on April 23, 1998, and a six percent increase on March 23, 1999. It also provides for Welfare Fund increases, Annuity Fund increases, and an additional differential based on increased productivity in the collection of refuse and recyclables. There are no wage increases for the first twenty-four months of the contract.
"Today's agreement reflects the City's continuing commitment to fiscal prudence and the Union's commitment to attain for its members the very best contract available," Mayor Giuliani said. "President Scarlatos has negotiated a responsible collective bargaining agreement that expands upon an already successful productivity program which stands the City and Union in good stead."
The Mayor continued, "I would like to thank President Peter Scarlatos, Deputy Mayor Randy Levine, Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty and Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley and their negotiating staffs for their hard work on this Agreement."
Peter Scarlatos, President of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association, said, "This morning, the Union's 125-member negotiating committee unanimously recommended approval of the contract to the membership. This has been a very long, very tough period of negotiations, with many roadblocks along the way. We did not get everything we want and believe our members deserve but the tentative agreement does have big gains for sanitation workers, with no losses."
Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty said, "As we move toward the millennium and the subsequent closure of the Fresh Kills Landfill, sanitation services in New York City continue to gain in public awareness. Responsible agreements such as this collective bargaining agreement reflect a good faith effort on both sides and a desire to move the Department into the 21st Century."
The settlement is consistent with the pattern established in all earlier Citywide civilian settlements, including the Teachers' settlement reached in this round of bargaining, and the settlements with the Uniformed Firefighters Association, the Uniformed Fire Officers' Association, the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, and the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Impasse Panel recommendation.
The terms of the agreement provide for no wage increases for the first 24 month period of the agreement, and:
- three increases in the daily amount of the Annuity Fund:
an additional $1.17 effective January 23, 2000
an additional $1.18 effective March 23, 2000
- two $75 increases in the Welfare Fund for active and retired members
- an additional differential that can reach $8.00 per day based on increased productivity in the collection of refuse and recyclables
Productivity targets for each of the 59 Sanitation districts in the new program will be established after the Department and the Union, through the Citywide and district labor management committees, reach agreement on them. This is the identical procedure that was used in the last productivity agreement with the Union.
This is the last major union to settle in this round of collective bargaining.
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