11 Uniformed Unions
UFA Joins Coalition For Contract Deal

By REUVEN BLAU

The unions representing the city's Firefighters, Sanitation Workers, and Correction Officers and eight uniformed supervisory titles have joined forces to create a coalition to negotiate a new contract with the Bloomberg administration.

STEPHEN J. CASSIDY: 'Hit brick wall with city.'

The deal the coalition settles on will likely set the uniformed pattern for the current round of bargaining, labor insiders said. The group - which late last week persuaded the Uniformed Firefighters' Association to join - had two preliminary bargaining sessions with city negotiators on Jan. 23 and 25. Another conference is set for Jan. 30, as this paper hits newsstands.

Four Co-Chairs

The leaders of the coalition's four largest unions have all been named co-chairs of the group, sources indicated. The co-chairs are: Norman Seabrook of the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association, Michael J. Palladino of the Detectives' Endowment Association, Harry Nespoli of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association, and Stephen J. Cassidy of the UFA. Three of those unions must approve any deal, insiders said, and the contract agreement has to be accepted by nine of the 11 unions.

ANTHONY GARVEY: A welcome addition.

Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley declined to comment on last week's talks. "Historically, coalitions have worked well, and certainly for our uniformed employees," he said earlier this month. "If you have the ability to settle the majority of all your contracts at the same time, it makes it a bit easier for everyone."

The coalition's other members include: the Correction Captains' Association, Assistant Deputy Wardens'/Deputy Wardens' Association, the Sanitation Officers' Association, Sanitation Chiefs' Association, the Lieutenants' Benevolent Association, the Uniformed Fire Officers' Association, and the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association.

'UFA Strengthens Us'

The group last week welcomed the UFA. "I think it strengthens the coalition, and the city can address a whole lot of issues," said Anthony Garvey, president of the LBA.

Mr. Cassidy noted that the UFA contract expired in August 2006 and the union began negotiating with the city in July, but he said those talks "hit a brick wall recently."

"While we thought we were making progress in negotiations, we felt it would be better to see if we could make some progress together," Mr. Cassidy said during a phone interview. "Certainly the UFA will add strength to the coalition as it now exists. Hopefully that will be a little extra to get the city to reach an agreement."

The coalition is roughly the same group that joined together to negotiate a contract with the city in 2001. But the UFA, which had begun ratifying that offer of 11.5 percent in raises over 30 months, discontinued the process in the wake of 9/11 and later backed away from the deal after an arbitration panel awarded the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association identical financial terms over a 24-month period.

PBA, SBA on Outside

This round of bargaining, however, appears very different, as the PBA is currently in arbitration, looking for a contract award that is already one round behind practically all the other uniformed unions.

The PBA has been strongly opposed in the past to joining such groups, arguing that it can negotiate a more favorable contract on its own.

The Sergeants' Benevolent Association has taken a similar stance, and is waiting for the PBA's arbitration award to be issued before moving forward, insiders have said.

The coalition also doesn't include the Captains' Endowment Association, which is in mediation with the city for the round of bargaining covering 2003 forward. CEA President John Driscoll has indicated that he would like to join after his current negotiations are resolved.

UFOA President Peter Gorman said he has always believed in coalition bargaining. "That goes back to our motto: In unity there is strength," he remarked. "I welcome the UFA in the coalition. It's a rank-and-file union and there is strength in numbers."