–New Contract Averts Strike at More Than 3,200 NYC Apartment Buildings—
–New Four-Year Agreement Includes $547 Million in Wage and Benefit Increases-–
New York, NY – April 21, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — 30,000 New York City apartment building workers won a tentative four-year agreement early this morning that provides nearly 10% in wage increases, maintains fully employer-paid family health care coverage and keeps pension benefits secure.
“The contract is an important victory for keeping New York a place where working people can call home,” said Mike Fishman, 32BJ President. “We stood together and fought hard to maintain health care and get wage increases that will help thousands of hard working men and women make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the world.”
The four year agreement between 32BJ and the Realty Advisory Board (RAB) maintains benefits, including sick days, overtime, vacation and increases employer contributions to health care by nearly 20%–or $182 million–and pensions by over 20%.
“It’s a good contract. I am happy for this agreement,” said Nelzon Nunez, a 27-year doorman on the Upper East Side. “I have to support my mother and my kids, and now I can continue to do so.”
The deal was reached at 12:10 A.M., just past the formal expiration of the previous contract. The tentative agreement must be ratified by the union membership and the RAB’s Board of Directors.
Residential workers gained significant wage increases in this agreement exceeding the last contract’s 8.5 percent wage increases.
With more than 120,000 members, including 70,000 in New York, 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country. For more information, visit http://www.standwithbuildingworkers.org/press.
Contact:
Kwame Patterson: 212-388-3676; 312.371.2485
Matt Nerzig: 212.539.2882; 917.5840787
