Union Doormen And Handymen Get Contract With No Givebacks

Obviously a different thing than the municipal unions, but wanted to point out what looks to be a pretty good contract:

The union representing doormen and handymen reached a tentative agreement Friday with the Realty Advisory Board, averting a possible strike that would have affected thousands of city residents.

Service Employees International Union 32 BJ agreed to a four-year deal that includes a 11.3% raise for doormen, supers, handymen and porters who work in residential buildings.

If ratified by the SEIU 32BJ membership, the deal will cover 30,000 union workers in 3,300 buildings across the five boroughs.

The tentative agreement contained no givebacks and workers' pensions and health care packages are protected, the union said.

"We are proud to say that we have made it a little easier for 30,000 New Yorkers to make this city their home," said Hector Figueroa, president of SEIU 32BJ. "In a city that has become increasingly unequal, this contract will keep 30,000 building workers on a pathway to the middle class, which will also benefit the communities in which they live."

SEIU 32BJ's members are the highest-paid residential building service workers in the country. The tentative agreement includes a wage increase of 2.7% each year for four years.

That will bring the average wage for a New York City doorman from $44,389 to $49,402 by the contract's end.

The union's generous health care package - with no employee contributions - remains intact, as does its defined benefit pension plan. 

Landlords and condos are raking the money in these days, with rents in Manhattan up and prices for available condos higher than ever, so why shouldn't the doormen and handymen get an 11.3% raise with no givebacks and share in some of that?

Here's how the New York Observer described the contract:

In a city with growing inequality, the doormen’s union has become a rare bulwark of the middle class.

The deal will keep members ahead of inflation and the rising cost of living, according to the union, working out to a wage increase of some $4,972 for doormen over the next four years that will bring salaries to just under $50,000 in 2018. Though union members’ salary is also supplemented via tips and the deal will protect members’ pension and health care plans.

“This contract will allow me to pay my bills and get out of debt,” said Manhattan doorman Donald Killings in a statement. “The truth is, it’s a matter of respect. It makes me feel like I’m really respected on the job. And I won’t have to take on another job, as I have in the past.”

I'll be frank - I want the 4%-4% all the other municipal unions got for the 2009/2010 pattern, but after that catch-up contract, I would be happy with a 2.7% wage increase with no givebacks per year for four years.

But I'm pretty sure the UFT will negotiate something that "scrapes the skies" and sells off the few protections teachers have left for a measly few percentage points.

That's been my experience in the three contracts I have been around for.

Of course, I suppose getting a few percentage points for a sell-out on work protections is better than agreeing to it for free the way they did with APPR and RttT.

Senate Health Care Bill Will Tax Union Health Care Plans

The Senate bill passed last night will raise taxes on union members with health care benefits. This includes UFT members.

Here's how SEIU describes what is in the Senate bill:

The tax would be paid beginning in 2013 on 40% of the amount by which a health plan's premiums exceeded a dollar cost. Currently, the Senate bill would begin taxing your health care benefits if they cost more than $8,500 for individual or $23,000 for family coverage in that year.

...

EXCLUSIONS:

* Some for age and occupation:
For early retirees and certain "high-risk" occupations such as firefighters and law enforcement--the amounts are higher--$9,850 for individual and $26,000 for family coverage.

* Some for high-cost states:
For workers in the 17 highest cost states, there will be higher limits for the first 3 years. If you live in a high cost state, the amount in 2013 would be $10,200 for individual and $31,200 for family coverage.

Firedoglake has some good coverage on the excise tax on "cadillac health care plans." Jane Hamsher, quoting the CBO, says that by 2016 the excise tax will affect 19% of the people with employer-provided health care plans - that is roughly 30 million people. By 2019, the excise tax will affect 58 million American. You can be sure that will be every union member in America.

Now let me be very clear that what the Senate did last night was done with the approval of the president. The Obama administration supports this excise tax on union health care benefits. The administration does NOT want to raise income taxes on the wealthiest 1% in the nation to pay for the health care giveaway to the insurance companies, instead it wants to fund the giveaway on the backs of middle and working class Americans with union health care benefit plans.

We should be outraged by this betrayal from President Obama - this is the kind of attack we should expect from Republicans, not self-proclaimed "progressive Democrats."

The House bill does not have the excise tax proposal in it. The House and Senate bills still have to be worked in committee before the final bill is written. There is still time to kill this proposal.

Call your senator, call your congressman, call President Obama in the White House and explain to them that if they raise taxes on union members with health care plans, you will NOT vote for them for re-election and will work to make sure that many other working and middle class Americans do NOT vote for them as well.

Obama is a sell-out and shill for corporate America. He has bailed out Wall Street for the past year with trillions of tax dollars, the Senate, with his approval, has given the health insurance companies their bailout this week with this horrible health care proposal, and next year, the education privatization companies will get theirs when NCLB re-authorization gets done.

And it is middle and working class Americans who are bearing the brunt of this president's bailout policies.

Teachers especially are under assault from this president. Not only does he not think you are deserving of respect or deserving of tenure, he thinks you do not deserve your health care benefits either, not without paying a tax on them to fund his health insurance company bailout plan.

So call your senators, call your congressman, call the White House and let them know you're staying home in 2010 and 2012 if this thing passes with the excise tax on union health care plans in it.

Stop the sell-out.