Lillian Roberts, DC 37 Executive Director, Says Contract With City Is ‘Win-Win’

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Mayor De Blasio with Lillian Roberts

[Union Matters]

District Council 37, the city’s largest public employee union, reached a tentative agreement with the City of New York on July 1, 2014 on a new seven-year, four-month wage pact that provides a total of 10.41% in wage hikes plus a $1,000 ratification bonus and back pay.

In addition, the agreement provides for additional resources to address union-specific issues. The agreement covers the period from March 3, 2010 to July 2, 2017.

“With this contract we have achieved sound, livable wage increases for our members and protected our benefits − with no changes in our health care coverage and pension plans,” said District Council 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, who chaired the union’s bargaining committee, which was made up of the presidents of the union’s 53 individual local unions.

“We bargained with the de Blasio administration to secure the best possible deal for our member,” said Ms. Roberts. “It is a fair deal for our members in a tough economic climate. We bargained hard, as did the administration, to reach this agreement, and we commend the Mayor for treating us with respect throughout this process. Additionally, our members will see their base pay increase by 4.58% in September 2014.”

As part of the agreement, the city and the union agreed to establish a Joint Recruitment and Promotion Study Committee (R&P Committee) tasked with making recommendations regarding ways of increasing the recruitment, retention and promotional opportunities for minorities and women in DC 37-represented titles, where such groups have been historically under-represented.

“We commend the Mayor for working with us to form this ground-breaking committee to investigate and begin to address long-standing personnel issues pertaining to our members, who are majority women and people of color,” said Ms. Roberts. “Our members make New York run, and we look forward to working with the administration to increase opportunities for our hard-working and dedicated public servants.”

The agreement also establishes an innovative gain-sharing plan for labor and management to work jointly to identify and implement more cost-effective and efficient ways to deliver public services.

“Our members will be able to identify ways to do the job better and cheaper and to share in the savings,” said Ms. Roberts. “We see this as empowering our members and creating a more collaborative and productive relationship with the city.  It’s a win-win for all parties.”

The proposed agreement, which was approved by the DC 37 Executive Board, will be considered by the Delegate Assembly and then submitted to the membership by secret ballot.

 

 

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