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June 14, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CSEA RATIFIES AGREEMENT WITH WESTCHESTER COUNTY
WHITE PLAINS – Westchester County employees represented by CSEA are today celebrating a victory after overwhelmingly ratifying the union’s tentative agreement with the county, putting to an end a nearly three-year fight to win a fair and equitable agreement.
About 67 percent of the eligible membership cast their ballots, and, of that number, 70 percent of the members voted to ratify the contract. (Yes votes: 1,581 No votes: 680)
The four-year agreement is retroactive to January 1, 2002 and extends through December 31, 2005. About 4,000 county employees had been forced to work 29 months without a contract after the previous agreement expired on December 31, 2001. The contract will not take effect until the Westchester County Legislature also ratifies the pact. (Ratified June 21 Yes votes: 16 No votes: 0)
“The Westchester County Employees Unit of CSEA has ratified a contract with the county that is fair and equitable,” CSEA Westchester County Unit President Jack McPhillips said. “The negotiations were long and often very tense, but our agreement with the county is fair. The contract will not only help our members better meet their needs, but will not harm our fellow Westchester County taxpayers.”
The union’s long fight for a fair contract was marked by member mobilization, which included numerous demonstrations in front of the Westchester County Office Building, “walks” in the home neighborhoods of county officials and grassroots political action efforts.
"The CSEA Work Force mobilized," said Statewide President Danny Donohue "and our efforts resulted in a ratified contract that meets their needs."
CSEA and Westchester County jointly reached the agreement in late May. Negotiations had been in fact-finding at that time, after the sides had reached impasse and attempts at mediation had been exhausted. The new agreement contains raises in every contract year and includes retroactive pay. Employee longevity payments have been significantly increased, and there have been improvements to the employees’ optical and dental care plans. Other contract gains include increases to tuition reimbursement. While Westchester County will continue to pay the full cost of the workers’ health insurance premium, there have been other changes to the current health plan.
“I am proud of the CSEA negotiating team and the members of our Westchester County Unit for a job well done,” CSEA Southern Region President Diane Hewitt said. “They stood together to fight for a fair and equitable agreement, and I am heartened by their resolve to never back down. This contract will help all of our members employed by Westchester County better support themselves and their families.”
“I would like to congratulate the CSEA Westchester County Unit for winning their fight for a fair contract,” CSEA Westchester Local 860 President Gary Conley said. “Our members who are employed at the county have waited three years to reach an agreement that is acceptable to them, and it is encouraging to see that they will be able to move forward from this hard fight.”
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Karen
Pecora, 1st Vice President
Noel
De La Cruz,
2nd Vice President
Ed Magilton, 3rd Vice President,
P.
Andrew Swain, 4th Vice President
Joanne
Castaldo, Secretary Elio Giuliani, Treasurer
Jim Kelly, Sergeant at Arms
112 East Post Road, Room 428,
White Plains, New York, 10601- 3311
Phone
(914) 995-2151
Fax (914)
995-5629
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