BRONX RESIDENTIAL WORKERS WIN NEW CONTRACT THAT RAISES WAGES, PROTECTS FAMILY HEALTHCARE

Here is the verdict on the pending building workers strike. The building workers saved their benefits and will receive a tentative 6 percent pay increase. From the wording below I assume the 6 percent pay increase would be over a 4 year period. If lucky the pay increase would keep up with the rate of inflation.

Gregory
******

32BJ of the SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 14, 2011

BRONX RESIDENTIAL WORKERS WIN NEW CONTRACT THAT RAISES WAGES, PROTECTS FAMILY HEALTHCARE
--Borough-Wide Strike Averted--
--Workers Maintain Healthcare and Retirement Savings--

Bronx, NY - 32BJ and the Bronx Realty Advisory Board (BRAB) reached a tentative four-year agreement this evening that raises standards for more than 3,000 apartment building workers by providing annual wage increases while maintaining employer-paid family health care and secured pension benefits. The agreement narrowly averted a strike, which would have affected 250,000 Bronx residents throughout the borough including Riverdale and the South Bronx.

"Bronx workers stood together to make sure these jobs remained good jobs. Thousands of Bronx families will benefit from this contract, which provides much needed wage increases during this tough economy," said Kyle Bragg, 32BJ Vice President. "We want to ensure workers can support their families and save for their futures."

The tentative agreement provides a 6 percent wage increase. In addition, the agreement maintains employer paid family healthcare and pension benefits, which were sticking points during negotiations.

"We were able to keep what’s most important to our families, affordable healthcare and pensions," said Angel Ortega, who is a father of five and a Riverdale super. "It was a tough few months, but we're glad we didn’t inconvenience the residents and are eager to keep serving the Bronx."

The new tentative contract covers more than 3,000 supers, assistant supers, janitors, handypersons, porters, firepersons, doormen, elevator operators and garbage handlers. This deal averts a strike that would have directly affected a quarter of a million New Yorkers living in over 1,000 apartment, condo and co-op buildings in the Bronx.

Bronx members of 32BJ will vote on ratifying the contract later this month.

With more than 70,000 members in New York, 32BJ is the largest private sector union in the state. For more information, visit www.standwithbuildingworkers.org .

AS STRIKE LOOMS, BRONX APARTMENT BUILDING WORKERS TO RALLY

Here is more on the possible strike and rally set for tomorrow.

Gregory
*******

AS STRIKE LOOMS, BRONX APARTMENT BUILDING WORKERS TO RALLY
-- Thousands of Bronx Workers Could Walk Off the Job on March 15th--
New York, NY—With a potential strike less than a week away, apartment building workers will march and rally in the Bronx to call on the Bronx Realty Advisory Board (BRAB), an industry association representing building owners, to sign a fair agreement before their contract expires at 12:01 A.M. on March 15th.
Contract negotiations between 32BJ SEIU, the union representing the workers, and BRAB have been underway since early February, and several issues, including health care and retirement savings remain, outstanding. The current contract covers building superintendents, janitors, handypersons, porters, firepersons, doormen, elevator operators and garbage handlers. Failure to reach a new contract could trigger a strike of more than 3,000 apartment building workers at over 1,000 residential buildings throughout the Bronx.
WHAT: Bronx Apartment Building Workers Rally for New Contract

WHO: --Thousands of apartment building workers
--32BJ Vice President Kyle Bragg
--Congressman José E. Serrano
--State Senator Jeffrey Klein
--Assembly members Carl Heastie, Vanessa Gibson
--Council members Larry Seabrook, Fernando Cabrera
--Community supporters

WHEN: Thursday, March10, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Franz Segal Park in the Bronx @ 153rd Street & Grand Concourse
Take 2, 4, 5 train to 149th Street -- Grand Concourse

With more than 120,000 members, 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country. For more information, visit www.standwithbuildingworkers.org .