Contract Preserves all Member Benefits
Food Service Supervisors at a grievance hearing pictured with Mal Patterson, Director of Hearings and Grievances (second from the left), Jerry Simmons, Sidney Grabill, Chris Maniace and Kelly Bacci.
Local 237 has succeeded in delivering the final pieces of a contract for 600 members who perform food service duties in our schools. The terms follow the pattern established by the Citywide contract and include wage increases of 10.41% (compounded) increases in employer Welfare Fund contributions, a $1,000 bonus and retro pay.
The contract preserves all benefits with no additional costs to members.
This is the food service workers second contract since joining Local 237 in March of 2009. And for the first time, they now have parity with Local 237 Citywide members. Most importantly, retirees will now have all the same benefits as Local 237 retirees in other Citywide titles. Food Service retirees can now take advantage of union benefits including prescription drugs, optical and dental benefits, as well as a life insurance policy and participation in the Local 237 Legal plan.
President Floyd said, ”When these members approached us about joining 237, we told them that we would fight for them, but that it would take time to get them up to the same standards as other 237 members. Despite the DOE’s delays, we achieved that with this contract. Our dedicated school food service workers deserve nothing less.”
The contract applies to members working in the titles of Supervisor of School Lunch, Associate School Food Service Manager, School Lunch Manager, School Food Services Manager, Chief School Lunch Manager, Stock Worker, Supervisor of Stock Workers and Education Facilities Officer.
The contract was finally completed after the union filed a complaint with the state Public Employees Relation Board. The delay was caused by the Department of Education’s failure to sign a successor agreement. Local 237 President Gregory Floyd argued, “These employees have been owed raises since last May. A year ago, the DOE told us it would take two weeks to close the agreements, but ‘two weeks’ should not take almost a year.”