Laborers approve 4-year pact with Providence

PBN Staff

06/25/2008

PROVIDENCE – A contract approved yesterday by members of the city’s largest union will limit health-care costs, end the city’s 90-degree day-off policy for outdoor workers and pare crossing-guard wages and benefits, according to Mayor David N. Cicilline. But it also will avert layoffs and give most workers five raises in the next 25 months.

Donald S. Iannazzi, business manager of Public Service Employees Local 1033 of the Laborers International Union of North America – representing more than 860 Providence municipal workers – and Vicki Virgilio, the president of Local 1033, joined city officials in announcing the four-year deal.
“Since I took office, Local 1033 has been at the forefront of the effort to develop progressive union contracts that are fair to our valued employees and fair to Providence taxpayers,” Cicilline said. Director of Administration Richard I. Kerbel, the city’s lead negotiator in its contract talks with Local 1033, also was on hand for the announcement.
The contract, which averts layoffs, now goes before the City Council for ratification.
“With this contract, the job security, financial security and retirement security of [Local] 1033 members remains strong, even in these difficult economic times,” Iannazzi said. “This contract also reinforces the fact that [the local’s] employees are valuable partners in government reform, not adversaries.”
Under the contract, most union members will receive raises of 1 percent this July; 1 percent in January and 2 percent in July 2009; and another 1 percent in January and 2 percent in July 2010. And employees in five positions – land records clerk, senior land records clerk, foreman, general foreman and senior parking enforcement officer – will see their pay grades increase.
But union members’ health-care co-share costs will roughly double over the next four years, from the current maximums of $400 per individual and $1,000 per family to $900 and $1,900, respectively. That and other changes to the health plan will save the city $1.2 million over the deal’s four-year term, the mayor’s office said.
School crossing guards will see sharp declines in benefits and wages over the next 12 months, yielding savings to the city of $2 million. Their pay will be slashed to $12 per hour from the current $18 per hour; they no longer will receive vacation pay when school is not in session; their unemployment eligibility will be ended; and family health care no longer will be offered to crossing guards.
The 90-degree rule that gave paid leave to outdoor workers on the hottest days will be eliminated. Over the last three years, the temperature has exceeded 90 degrees on 43 days, costing the city 14,749 employee working days, the mayor’s office said.
The new contract also will eliminate the Good Friday holiday; add floating holidays; impose new restrictions on the accrual of sick time and vacation time by employees on leave; and modify the grievance and arbitration process.
“With its major, structural reforms, this contract marks the next big step forward in public employee labor negotiations in Providence,” Cicilline said. “I am optimistic about the possibility of coming together with all of our union partners in the spirit of bringing our contracts up to date with the realities of the 21st century.”
For more news from the City of Providence, visit www.ProvidenceRI.com.