Local 1-2 reached an agreement with Westchester Joint Water Works for you that will feature raises of more than 11.733% over the life of the contract, improved benefits and an $800 ratification bonus among other provisions. The pact came on November 29, with the prior Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring at the end of this year. The new CBA will run from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2025; and, if you vote to ratify this agreement, you will not have to wait months or years for your wage increases and other benefits to go into effect.
Included in the Memorandum of Agreement are:
Wage increases of 2.75% each January 1 from 2022 through 2024; and a 3% increase effective January 1, 2025. This equals a compounded wage increase of more than 11.733% during the life of the Contract.
Once you have ratified this Agreement, you will also receive an $800 bonus.
When the new CBA goes into effect, your contribution to the cost of your medical insurance will be decreased from 25% to 20% of the monthly costs (and those hired before 1997 will continue their medical coverage at no cost to themselves). Employees hired on or after January 1, 2022, will have to pay 25%. Once you retire, your percentage of the cost of the medical premiums will remain the same as when you were working, if you choose to continue that coverage.
As of January 1, 2022, and each year thereafter, you will have the option of replacing one of the holidays now listed in your CBA with Juneteenth (June 19). Also, ALL of you, not just those hired before 2013, will now have a Floating Holiday each year.
ALL of you, not just those hired before 2013, will have 25 vacation days per year once you have 17 years or more of employment by WJWW. And once you have earned vacation of more than 10 days, you may take more than two (2) weeks in a row of vacation, provided that the Manager approves it. This, too, is no longer restricted to those hired before 2013.
Everyone will have 3 days of Personal Leave per year, without having to explain why. Again, this will no longer be restricted to those hired before 2013, but will be available to ALL of you beginning January 1, 2022.
In addition to the general, annual wage increase, the premium rate for work on the midnight shift is increased to $1.00 per hour (from the current 40 cents); and an afternoon premium of 75 cents per hour will be added as of January 1, 2022. As of that date, there will also be a premium rate of $1.25 per hour for all hours worked on a Sunday. These premium rates are, of course, over and above your regular wage rates.
If you are on-call or if you are otherwise called at home to perform work, you will now be guaranteed to be paid for at least 4 hours at your overtime rate.
If and when you work 2 hours of overtime, your meal allowance is increased to $15.00; and you will receive the same meal allowance each 4 hours of overtime thereafter.
Longevity pay will no longer be restricted to employees hired before 2013, but will be available to ALL of you each year beginning in 2022.
Safety Shoe allowance is increased from $150 to $200.
Once the Rye Lake Filter Plant is built, each of you will be eligible for jobs in that Plant, if you so choose, and this Union can represent the workers in that Plant. The MOU which restricted that employment and representation ends as of December 31, 2021.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE NO GIVEBACKS IN THIS MoA!
Your Negotiating Committee strongly urges you to vote to AFFIRM this MoA.
The Ratification Vote took place at WJWW, 1625 Mamaroneck Ave., Mamaroneck, NY, on Thursday, December 9, 2021, from 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
It is important that you vote and that you vote to support this Agreement. A full copy of the MoA will be available for you to review at the time of that vote.
