Local 237 Pact For 3.25% Hike Easily Ratified

Local 237 Pact For 3.25% Hike Easily Ratified

By HOWARD MEGDAL

Teamsters Local 237's Citywide and Housing Divisions last week overwhelmingly ratified a 12-month, 47-day deal that provides a 3.25-percent raise along with a $100 increase in the city's contribution to the welfare fund for every active member and retiree.

CARL HAYNES: Christmas money in July. The contract runs from Nov. 7, 2005 to Dec. 23, 2006 for members employed by the Housing Authority, and from Aug. 7, 2005 to Sept. 22, 2006 for the Citywide workers such as School Safety Agents, Hospital Police and those at other city agencies.

The Housing Chapter of Local 237 approved the deal 2,979 to 53; the Citywide division tally was 3,840-70.

To Discuss Extra 1%

The contract also includes a side-letter stipulating that negotiations for a possible 1-percent productivity raise will continue.

"I consider this ratification vote a vote of confidence in the work of the union's negotiating committees," said Local 237 President Carl Haynes in a statement. "This is the first time in more than 30 years that this union has been able to bring up to date all of its contracts in the city, and that makes me feel proud. Our members are feeling the pinch of the economy, and this raise is a nice piece of change that our members can clearly use when they receive their paychecks sometime in July."

Local 237 has more than 23,000 members, and is the largest local of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.