Publications

April 27, 2005

U.C. strike brings contract

Last week's day-long walkout by thousands of University of California service workers, students and faculty at all nine campuses achieved its hard-fought goal several days later: a tentative three-year agreement that will improve pay and rights on the job for 7,300 low-wage cooks, janitors, groundskeepers and others represented by Local 3299. If ratified, the deal will hike wages across the board by a total 10 percent through 2007. The initial 3-percent increase, starting Oct. 1, will be the first since October 2002. The contract includes a $250 lump-sum payment retroactive to Jan. 31; an additional 1 percent increase for all custodial classifications effective in October; a $9 hourly minimum "living wage" that will benefit about 600 (mostly food service) workers; and 24 hours of paid education leave per year. The workers, caught in an impasse with UC administrators since early April, turned up the heat on April 14 by giving up pay to stage their first strike. The largest in UC history, it caused a drop in campus-shop sales, the closure of dining halls and other disruptions, leading to the hiring of temps and, ultimately, forcing management to the table.

Hawaii 5.0

Two independent arbitrators have awarded pay raises — averaging 5 percent for each of the next two years — to 27,050 employees of HGEA/AFSCME Local 152. The state sought annual raises of 1.5 percent. Included in the package: a $33 million contribution to the employee's health fund. Despite her opposition to it, Governor Lingle (R) has said she would not use her veto power to block the contract.

U of I settlement

About 1,600 University of Illinois clerical workers, represented by Local 3700 (Council 31), have overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract that includes a 2- or 4-percent step increase, depending on the worker's status in the program. In the first year, workers will receive a $300 lump-sum payment each.

Missouri: An interim victory ...

Members of Local 2730 (Council 72) who work at Missouri's Bellefontaine Habilitation Center have been battling state lawmakers and the governor's office to keep the facility from being shuttered, as proposed by Governor Blunt (R). The House Budget Committee recently restored funding temporarily. Workers, client-family members and religious leaders have lobbied hard against the shutdown at the state Capitol and in the community. But the House voted along party lines to support closure. The Senate has not taken up the issue. Shutting down the 81-year-old center would affect about 350 residents and 450 AFSCME members. The union has launched a statewide petition drive to save the facility and stop the privatization of Missouri's mental health facilities.

...And a blunt repsonse

Activists in Missouri won't let the repeal of an executive order stop them from organizing. A unit of nearly 900 Crafts and Maintenance workers from the Department of Corrections voted 317 to 178 to form a union with Council 72. The election was the first involving state employees after Governor Blunt (R) in January repealed an executive order that had granted them the power to bargain collectively. Meanwhile, his department heads have declared their intention to invalidate existing contracts; the council is poised to go to court to prevent that from happening.

Equity at last?

A decade of grievances and state human rights complaints filed by women 911 operators in Nassau County, N.Y., may be close to resolution in their favor. A "memorandum of understanding" has been reached between Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi and CSEA to allow the170 female operators to receive equal pay with their male counterparts who serve local fire departments. On average, there is a 13-percent pay difference between the women — who earn an average pay of $47,250 — and the all-male fire-communications staff, whose members typically make $53,518. In about two weeks, Nassau County legislators will on the proposed agreement.

Privatization = Corruption

That's the theme — and the slogan — of Connecticut Council 4's new campaign to fight outsourcing of public services and the privatization of Social Security. The method: four 14-by 48-foot billboards bearing that message that will be displayed through May at locations in Hartford and Waterbury, along with a corresponding "free" media campaign.

Don't outsource

Almost 700 classified employees at Ohio University in Athens filed a lawsuit to prevent the privatization of student housing and food services. The members of Local 1699 (Council 8) charge that the university's planned 30-year lease with a construction firm (to repair and run an apartment complex) will violate their contract. They want the court to delay the deal until the dispute is resolved through arbitration.

Not those folks

A Philadelphia judge recently blocked city officials from cutting the public library's budget until at least July 1. Seeking the injunction were library workers represented by Locals 2187 and 2186 (Council 47). The order prevents the city from laying off 12 workers who were slated to be let go, but did not affect five who already lost their jobs. It also blocks Mayor Street's administration from switching to half-day service at 20 branches. The city is seeking reconsideration of the ruling — and is also asking the court not to give legal standing to the library unions.


 

 

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