Get 17% Pay Hike
Sanit Supers Don't Trash Rookie Pay

By REUVEN BLAU

The union representing Sanitation Supervisors has agreed to a tentative contract settlement with the city that provides 17 percent in raises over 54 months and 12 days.

JOSEPH MANNION: Limited pain for 'unborn.'

Part of the raise will be financed by requiring the supervisors to monitor additional collection trucks and handle expanded areas crossing traditional Community Board lines. But in contrast to three other uniformed union pacts, starting salary for new members will not be reduced.

'Held Onto Our Pants'

"I think we really came out well," said Joseph Mannion, president of Sanitation Officers' Association Local 444 of the Service Employees' International Union. "We are lucky to hold onto our pants."

Under the accord, upon ratification Local 444 members will receive a 5-percent hike retroactive to the first day of the contract, May 1, 2003. They'll get another 5- percent hike retroactive to May 1, 2004. The last two years of the tentative contract provide a 3-percent raise effective Nov. 13, 2005, and a 3.15-percent increase effective Nov. 13, 2006.

To finance those raises, however, the annuity fund for new Local 444 members will be reduced from $9.49 a day to $3.49 during their first six years on the job. Also, Sanitation Supervisors on the day and night tours will have their workload expanded from six to seven pieces of equipment. They will also be required to supervise other street-cleaning vehicles.

Those added duties will likely allow the Sanitation Department to pare staff. But Mr. Mannion said any reduction to his membership would be minimal. "We have a major responsibility during snow time periods," he pointed out. "They are needed during the night plow. There will be some sort of number cuts, but nothing detrimental."

The union president noted that he decided against stretching the pay scale for new supervisors, as many of the city's other uniformed unions have this round of bargaining.

New Pay Levels

Under the proposed deal, new supervisors would still reach the maximum salary after six years on the job and General Superintendents reach top pay after the completion of their fourth year. Local 444 represents approximately 1,200 Sanitation Supervisors and General Superintendents.

The new starting salary would be $63,807 and the maximum pay would be $77,086, assuming the agreement ratified. The current starting pay is $54,473 and maximum salary is $65,810.

The tentative deal's two 5-percent raises equal those from the June 2005 Patrolmen's Benevolent Association arbitration award issued under the aegis of the Public Employment Relations Board. The third-and fourth-year raises are consistent with those won during that period by the uniformed unions that have agreed to lengthen their contracts in return for additional raises without more concessions.

"This was a tough round," Mr. Mannion said, noting the difficulties his union had generating the 4.24 percent in savings to match the PBA's attrition based award. "We should have never been into that thing, but unfortunately the pattern was set by the PBA and we all had to follow suit."