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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 241-07
July 17, 2007

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIFORMED SANITATIONMEN'S ASSOCIATION

Collective Bargaining Agreement Includes Nearly 20% Overall Increase in Wages and Benefits, Nearly 17% Wage Increases, and Other Economic Improvements

Sanitation Worker Starting Salary Boosted to $30,000 and Will Rise to $33,746 in 2011

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Harry Nespoli, President of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association (USA), announced that a tentative contract settlement has been reached on a collective bargaining agreement covering the period from March 2, 2007 through September 20, 2011. The agreement covers fifty-four months and nineteen days, and includes nearly 20% increases in wages and benefits, an enhanced salary structure for newly-hired employees, and other economic improvements including: an additional paid holiday; additional annuity differentials; welfare fund increases; and an innovative supplemental annuity fund. This agreement covers over 6,600 Sanitation Workers and is consistent with the parameters of this round of bargaining that were established by the contract settled last week with the Sergeants' Benevolent Association.

"This agreement is a testament to the collaborative and cooperative process of collective bargaining," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Congratulations are due once again to Harry Nespoli for the accomplishments he has achieved in this contract on behalf of the deserving members of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association."

"Once again, Sanitation's strong labor-management leadership has reached an agreement that is both fair to the workers and to the City," said Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty. "Sanitation Workers are the rank and file backbone of a cleaner New York, which today is the cleanest it has been in more than three decades. It is very gratifying to see that their dedication to this great city is being recognized."

"This is a fair contract that provides a decent wage increase for sanitation workers already on the job without penalizing the unborn," said Harry Nespoli, President of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association.

The principal features of the settlement, including compounded wage increases of nearly 17% during the contract for incumbent Sanitation Workers, are as follows:

  • 4% effective March 2, 2007
  • 4%, compounded, effective March 2, 2008
  • 4%, compounded, effective August 21, 2009
  • 4%, compounded, effective August 21, 2010

At the end of this contract, a Sanitation Worker's maximum salary will be $67,141 as compared to the current maximum of $57,392.

Improved Salary Schedule for New Hires

Effective March 2, 2007, for newly hired Sanitation Workers, including any hired on or after January 1, 2006, an enhanced starting salary of $30,000 will apply. That is an improvement of nearly $3,000. The $30,000 minimum will be increased by the subsequent wage increases and reach $33,746 by the end of the contract.

Welfare Fund

Effective March 2, 2007, there will be an increase in the City's contribution to the active welfare fund in the prorata amount of $100 per year per employee. Effective March 2, 2007, there will be an increase in the City's contribution to the retiree welfare fund in the prorata amount of $300 per year per employee.

Annuity Fund

Effective July 1, 2007, there will be an increase in the City's contribution to the Annuity Fund in the amount of $3.00 per day per employee. Effective April 2, 2008, there will be an additional increase in the City's contribution to the Annuity Fund in the amount of $2.00 per day for those employees having fifteen or more years of service. Each of these new contributions will be increased by any future across-the board wage increases.

Additional Paid Holiday

Effective January 2008, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday will be included as a paid holiday.

Other Available Funds

Effective September 21, 2010, the bargaining unit will have available funds of 1.59%, and effective August 21, 2011, there will be additional available funds of over 0.4% in rate to purchase recurring benefits mutually agreed to by the parties. During the course of this contract, the Parties have agreed to commit a total of 0.4063% of the value of these available funds to enhance the underlying steps of the pay plan for new hires.

Special Assignment Pay

Upon ratification, there will be an assignment differential of up to 12% above the basic maximum salary, payable to Sanitation Workers detailed on "special assignment" in the Citywide Transportation Unit (CTU). After satisfactory completion of a twenty-four month review period in CTU, the differential will become payable in four installments, at six-month intervals, of three percent each.

Supplemental Annuity Fund

Effective July 1, 2009, the City of New York will remit a lump-sum contribution of approximately $2 million - predicated on the amount of $323.88 per active employee as of that date - to a Supplemental Annuity Fund to be established. The lump-sum amount to be contributed annually thereafter will be adjusted by any future across-the board wage increases.

The Mayor thanked Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler, Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty and First Deputy Commissioner Michael Bimonte, Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley and First Deputy Commissioner Pamela S. Silverblatt and their team, and Budget Director Mark Page and his staff for their efforts in reaching this Agreement. The Mayor also congratulated USA President Harry Nespoli and his Committee.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser/Jason Post   (212) 788-2958




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