Tuesday, July 03, 2018

CHIEF LEADER ANALYZES DC 37 PATTERN SETTING CONTRACT

The Chief Leader is the place to turn to for thorough analysis of city labor deals. The Chief does a lengthy review of the DC 37 pattern setting contract that was agreed to last week and must be ratified now by the members.

This contract is important to all city employees including UFT members because city labor contracts are basically done for each round of collective bargaining through what is called pattern bargaining. One municipal union settles on a contract with the city with annual raises of a certain percentage and then the rest of the municipal employee unions basically receive the same salary increases in their own contracts. Uniformed unions often receive a better deal by about 1% but the pattern has been upheld by arbitration panels over and over again. That will not change.

The UFT is a civilian, not a uniformed union, so the terms DC 37 agreed to will basically be our financial terms.  We can get more only if the city agrees to extend the length of the contract or if we all agree on working a longer day and/or year.

What did DC 37 get?

From the Chief Leader:
District Council 37 June 26 became the first municipal union to reach terms on a new contract in the current round of bargaining, agreeing to raises of 7.25 percent over a 44-month period retroactive to last Sept. 26, small improvements in welfare-fund and other benefit payments, and a family-leave program modeled on a recent state deal.

Here is the wage breakdown:
Under the DC 37 contract, a 2-percent raise would be paid retroactive to Sept. 26, 2017, with a 2.25-percent raise kicking in this Sept. 26. The final hike of 3 percent would take effect Oct. 26, 2019, and the pact would run for another 19 months, expiring on May 25, 2021. There would also be a $50 increase in city contributions to DC 37 members’ welfare funds. All members who come on the payroll after the deal is ratified would be paid by direct deposit.

The union also negotiated nearly $40 million in funding to address needs specific to certain groups it represents and an education-related benefit offered to all members that combined add to the cost of the deal by roughly six-tenths of a percent. 

There are healthcare concessions here that were agreed to by the entire Municipal Labor Committee so they will directly impact on UFT members.

The (DC 37) agreement was actually reached a day before the press conference, with an announcement deferred because it was contingent upon completion of a deal aimed at producing $1.7 billion in health-care savings over four years involving all municipal unions. This was a continuation of an accord reached 49 months earlier that had easily surpassed its target of $3.4 billion in savings. A key element of producing the new savings will be an agreement the umbrella group for the unions on health benefits, the Municipal Labor Committee, and city negotiators reached with EmblemHealth that will cap health-care increases at 3.5 percent next year and 3 percent in 2020.

Some specifics:
Several areas of savings represent expansions of programs implemented as part of the 2014 deal to meet the larger cost-cutting goal. They include greater use of health clinics or doctors’ offices rather than hospitals—with no additional charges for employee health-care premiums—for procedures such as arthroscopies, colonoscopies, cataract removals, radiology and ambulatory surgery. A new fertility support program will supplement wellness initiatives already in place to manage chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes, and prices will be cut for some drugs.

In addition, new employees will be put on HIP for year one. So much for keeping your own doctor if she/he is not in HIP.

If you don't believe me that the DC37 contract sets a pattern for the rest of us, maybe you will take the word of  City Labor Commissioner Robert Linn who is quoted in the Chief Leader:

“I believe this is a framework for negotiations going forward with the rest of the workforce.”

City has an $8 billion surplus and we are funding some of our salary increases with health savings and there are still 8 months of 0% raises in the pattern setting agreement. Maybe, that .6% that is included for each local in DC37 to basically meet their needs will find its way into the overall UFT package for us to stop another zero.

Here's the DC 37 salary increase breakdown year-by-year:
September 26, 2017: 2% 

September 26, 2018: 2.25%

October 26, 2019: 3%

Contract ends May 25, 2021. 

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

They can take their 2% and shove it where the sun don't shine- I will NEVER vote for a contract that includes a longer day/year. I'm still recuperating from this past school year.

jeff said...

Oh ok, so after 10% over 7 and a half years, we are getting this garbage? And I am to pay dues? Not even a lump sum at the beginning? If there was ever time to get 3% plus per year, I would have thought...

James Eterno said...

You are right Jeff but unions are very weak.

Anonymous said...

Good thing Mulgrew didn't negotiate first, it could have been a lot worse.

James Eterno said...

Fair point.

Anonymous said...

No more givebacks! The givebacks and the minuscule 'raise' equals a net loss. Keep the old contract.

James Eterno said...

How do you plan on stopping the givebacks?

Anonymous said...

I wrote a letter to Mulgrew and the UFT. I'm trying to figure out how to start a petition like the one you started.

Anonymous said...

The number one priority should be legislation to bring back the strike. Real Union would be doing that. UFT/NYSUT is so busy worrying about a seat at the table they failed to recognize they are forced to sit at the kiddie table. What's the alternative. Hold up on dues. They will get the message and change, if not, they will perish and new organizations ready to represent members will rise up

Bronx ATR said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TJL said...

James, do you have any take on how exactly this pattern will translate to us, us their first raise is retro to Sept. 17, and we just got 3% this spring? Additionally the parental leave MOA extends the current contract into 2019, after which DC37 will have received the second of their raises. Does this mean we are in for a 3% next October, being the sole raise in a Feb '19 to May '21 contract?

Bronx ATR said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

March 1st of 2019-2%
March 1st of 2020-2%
March 1st of 2021-3%

Anonymous said...

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/305/080/798/atrs-want-our-own-chapter/

Bronx ATR said...

Just got the kinks out the petition. It's for ATRs to have our own chapter. https://www.thepetitionsite.com/305/080/798/atrs-want-our-own-chapter

James is right. We all have step up and do something to make things better for all of us. Make the UFT work for us.

Anonymous said...

Why do those who want open borders not want open shops?

Anonymous said...

You guys need to be proactive yourselves and do your own research instead of relying on James' opinion. He is a farce. I no longer fall for his hidden agenda and propaganda

James Eterno said...

Our contract will start on Feb 14, 2019. The 2% first year will kick in on that day.

James Eterno said...

My agenda is to support public school teachers, students, parents and public education in general. Pretty clear. Chief Leader is a pretty solid source.

Anonymous said...

Thank you James.

Anonymous said...

James, ignore the jaded morons. Though I still very much disagree about paying dues(though haven’t decided to end them yet) I thank you for your efforts at educating us.

James Eterno said...

I understand your frustration with the union. I just wish there were enough people who will demand change.

Anonymous said...

You're not as thick skinned as I thought James. You remove any negative posted comments made about you but you encourage and permit negative posts and comments about others. You can't have it both ways as my mom used to say. Do to others as you want them to do to you.

Just a neutral observer.

Anonymous said...

I agree. I've had comments removed too. This sucks, that sucks, but keep paying the union to make it suck. If you really oppose, where's the opt out info?

Anonymous said...


Anons 7:42 and 7:53:

I hear your frustration and am also frustrated with the UFT but taking it out on other teachers is not productive.

If you wrote in an educated manner, I do not believe your posts would be removed. It is possible to disagree and share your thoughts without being insulting, derogatory and pointless. I read this blog to get some information and to read what others are thinking. This is not my only sole source of opinion and information.

Is this blog the only place you are looking for regarding the opt-out information? Do some reading on your own, email/call the UFT, email/call your CL, email the NY Post, start a blog of your own, etc.

Please, lets be productive and not use blogs as our therapy sessions.

Anonymous said...

In other words, please shut up. Like we don't understand English.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:27,

If the only way in which you can express yourself on this blog is to be insulting, derogatory and void of any solutions then it is difficult to take your seriously. So, what would be the point of keeping your comments posted? You can post anything you want on your own blog.

James Eterno said...

7:42-What comment was removed? We haven't removed anything in a while.Say what you want about me.

James Eterno said...

"You guys need to be proactive yourselves and do your own research instead of relying on James' opinion. He is a farce. I no longer fall for his hidden agenda and propaganda"

Was not censored. What are you talking about 7:42?

Anonymous said...

C'mon James, lets not act like you haven't removed comments regarding you before. It's ok if that is your M.O. I typically ignore your blogs that celebrate the demise of a DOE official or most often school principals because judging others may lead to one day being judged myself.


Anyway, I just want to know how to opt out of unity and how Janus affects city employees.

James Eterno said...

1:36, You obviously have no clue what I have had to go through to keep free speech alive here. Criticize me to your heart's content. Just try to minimize the profanity as kids read this blog.

Janus means city workers can opt out of their unions.

I have no idea how to opt out of Unity. I have never been a part of that caucus.

Anonymous said...

Profanity? Where do you see profanity used?
You are right, students read these web pages. Imagine what they feel when you celebrate the demise of others, only for them to find out that an educator is the author of the hateful agenda you spew.

I agree with Anonymous, I often skip reading when you post those type of blogs.

James Eterno said...

I was talking proactively about profanity. Read the student comments on the blog. I was a fairly popular teacher. You clearly don't know me.

Anonymous said...

Toot your own "Mr. Popular"
We all know you are popular at being an angry old farce that Anonymous called you in an earlier post.
My youngest sister was a student of yours and she wasn't too fond of you.

I am now a teacher and don't want to be bitter old man when I retire.

Anonymous said...

Nobody believes you had a sister in James class who didn't like him. Get a life 9:23.