Dateline: Philadelphia, PA Monday, December 30, 2013 3:00 pm

Contact: Bob Wolper, 215-896-2970

Source: AFSCME District Council 33

Pete Matthews, the President of AFSCME District Council 33, the City Municipal Workers Union, along with Barry Cox, President of Local 403, Bobby Davis, President of Local 696 and Frank Halbherr, President of Local 1637 today announced that a four year contract settlement between local unions in District Council 33 and the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) has been unanimously ratified by the union’s membership.

The agreement, also approved by the Board of the PPA, calls for bonuses for members, based on seniority, of between $600 and $2,400 as well as a 2.5% wage increase retroactive to September 1, 2013 and additional wage increases of 3% on September 1, 2014, 2.5% on September 1, 2015 and 3% on September 1, 2016. It also contained a schedule of technology fee payments to Parking Authority employees based on their job classifications.

Matthews announced that the Parking Authority also agreed to make increased contributions to the union’s Health and Welfare Fund.

“In addition to these increases in wages, bonuses and other increases as well as increased health benefit contributions for our members it is important to note that District Council 33 agreed to a contract that was fair to its members, the Parking Authority and the citizens of Philadelphia,” said Matthews. “This settlement is a result of honest bargaining with an employer that respects their employees.”

Parking Authority Board Chairman Joe Ashdale and Executive Director Vince Fenerty agreed with the settlement noting the urgency in reaching an accord with the union by stating that PPA employees had not had a raise since 2007 and that the PPA had a responsibility to provide “a living wage and reasonable benefits” and further characterized the wage increases as “modest” and the benefit increases as “adequate though not extravagant”.

Matthews said the contract settlement with the Parking Authority should serve as an example to the City of Philadelphia on how to achieve a fair contract settlement and bring a successful conclusion to a contract negotiation that has dragged on for more than five years due to the Nutter Administration’s insistence on what Matthews characterized as “unjustified concession demands” (i.e. furlough days, pension adjustment, work rule and health and welfare benefit changes). Matthews said that all District Council 33 members have continued to work in every department in the City for the last five plus years, (i.e., trash collection, snow emergencies, and crossing guards protecting our children), have not gone on strike and have helped the City financially by foregoing raises and health care increases during that time.

That opinion was recently shared by City Councilman Bobby Henon on his Facebook page. Referring to the catastrophic water main break on Frankford Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia as a specific example, Henon noted that District Council 33 members have been “working 12-16 hour work days during the holiday season on water main breaks from 2 inch to 60 inch mains – ALL without a contract”.

Matthews said that District Council 33 members, just like members working for the Parking Authority, have earned the right to a fair contract settlement as a result of their dedication and the sacrifices they have already made.

The union was instrumental in helping the Nutter Administration achieve legislative approval for an increase in the sales tax which generated over $425 million in new revenue and allowing pension trustees to defer pension payments saving the City millions of dollars.

“District Council 33 members who work for the City have waited long enough, and contributed more than their fair share to help the City through the recent recession, not receiving health benefit and wage increases in over five years,” said Matthews. “That has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in savings, five balanced budgets and kept the City on a steadfast growth to a Wall Street A plus bond rating that the Mayor himself said reflected the City’s strong financial management practices. It is time for the Nutter Administration to step up and follow the lead of the Philadelphia Parking Authority and get these contracts settled.”