Shop Stewards attended two days of Bargaining Council sessions in early November to review and summarize the 1,066 surveys that members returned seeking input on contract demands for the upcoming bargaining session.

First Vice President Gina Strickland, who coordinated the Bargaining Council along with the assistance of Secretary-Treasurer Robin Blair-Batte, said that the Union mailed surveys to all members in the Mayoral agencies and  Health+Hospitals, for the PAA et al contract that expired May 5, 2018. Surveys were also sent to members in New York City Housing Authority, New York City Transit Authority, and School Construction Authority, all of which each have their own contracts that will be negotiated after the 1180 contract has been executed. The surveys gave members the opportunity to rank issues of concern that are the most important to them and their families. The Bargaining Council devoted the two days to sorting through and categorizing the surveys in order to determine the top priorities. Approximately 12 percent of the public sector membership completed and returned the forms.

The following is the breakdown of which agencies submitted surveys: ACS 45; CCRB 2; Comptroller 33; DCAS 49; DEP 46; Dept. of Aging 1; Design and Construction 3; DHS 11; DOB 4; DOC 22; DOE 23; DOHMH 79; DOITT 31; DOT 54; DSNY 4; DYCD 2; FDNY 11; Finance 32; H+H 227; HPD 41; HRA 201; Kings County DA 2; Law 3; Manhattan DA 3; NYCHA 50; NYCTA 3; NYPD 50; OATH 9; OPA 1; Parks 13; Police Pension 2; Queens DA 2; SBS 4; SCA 1; and Teacher’s Retirement System 2.

Strickland said the most common member request is salary increases, but those are determined by the contract DC37 negotiated with the City several months ago.

“As the largest union in the City, DC37 always negotiates first and sets the pattern for the rest of the unions that follow,” she said. “Where we have flexibility to negotiate is with non-salary items, such as vacaton and overtime picks, transfers, redeployments, and reassignments, travel, job security, bargaining unit work, education and experience, gain sharing, and parental leave. We take our members input very seriously, and now that all the information is tabulated, our Bargaining Committee will be meeting prior to negotiations in order to prepare a list of demands.”

Also at the Bargaining Council sessions, five Shop Stewards were selected to sit on the CWA 1180 PAA et al Bargaing Committee: Elaine Blair-Walker (H+H), Floretha Bryant (Correction), Carmen Carter (DCAS), Zenola Fields (Finance), and Rose Reeves (Housing Preservation and Development). They will be joined by Executive Board members Denise Gilliam, Helen S. Jarrett, Hazel Worley, Robin Blair-Batte, and Gregory Smith.

President Gloria Middleton has already requested a start date from the City to begin negotiations, and is waiting to hear back on a date.