Members Overwhelmingly Vote in Favor of Deal that Covers 3,500 Bronx Residential Workers
NEW YORK, NY – March 23, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Bronx Residential workers overwhelmingly ratified a new 4-year contract tonight that will give them a $64.75 per week raise over the next 4 years and maintain the health care and retirement benefits for over 3,500 residential workers. Their new contract also includes an employer 401k contribution of five dollars per week starting in the second year of the contract.
“This new contract will help us keep up with the rising cost of living in the Bronx, take care of our families and look forward to a real retirement,” said Marcos Morillo, a building superintendent in Pelham Bay. “We work hard and our bargaining committee got us a deal that values that hard work. We’re proud of all we do to keep buildings across the Bronx clean, safe, and well maintained and to keep the Bronx strong.”
The contract approved by 32BJ Bronx residential members was tentatively agreed to by the union and the Bronx Realty Advisory Board on March 12. Members ratified the deal at a meeting at Hostos Community College this evening. The new contract will expire on March 14, 2019.
“We fought for and won a contract that allows our members to continue to raise their families in the Bronx,” said 32BJ Secretary-Treasurer Kyle Bragg, who led the union’s negotiations at the bargaining table. “These hardworking doormen and doorwomen, supers, porters and handypersons will be able to keep up with rising costs and continue to enjoy the good benefits that are so important to them and their families. We won a good deal at the table and tonight’s strong vote in favor shows that our members are happy with this new agreement.”
The campaign was called “Bronx Strong” and 32BJ reaffirmed its commitment to fight for good jobs for everyone in the Bronx.
“Apartment building workers make the Bronx strong and now it will be a little easier for these hard-working men and women to pay the bills and provide a bright future for their kids,” said 32BJ President Hector Figueroa. “We plan to continue our campaign in the Bronx and all over the city to organize non-union workers and make sure all residential workers earn fair wages and good health and retirement benefits. We are committed to making sure that all New York City apartment building workers can afford to live in the city where they work.”
With more than 145,000 members including 70,000 in New York City, 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country.
Contact:
Rachel Cohen, 917-370-8464 rcohen @seiu32bj.org
