By GREGORY N. HEIRES

State court workers represented by Local 1070 overwhelmingly approved a new contract that provides for 2 percent annual pay increases over three years.

Members voted 687-54 in favor of the contract in a mail ballot vote tabulated on May 31.

“We worked very hard on this contract, and we’re glad members recognized that in approving our new economic agreement,” said Fausto Sabatino, president of Local 1070 Court, County and Dept. of Probation Employees. “We didn’t have any givebacks. At a time when unions are under attack across the country, we were able to improve our contract, protect our benefits and get fair salary increases.”

The contract boosts location pay — the extra compensation members receive for the high living expenses of New York City — and the longevity bonus for years of service. The contract, which runs from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2019, includes retroactive pay.

Significantly, the new agreement doesn’t impose higher premium contributions and copays for health care coverage even if insurance and prescription drugs cost go up during the term of the contract.

In a side letter, the union and court system agreed to strengthen the sick leave bank by increasing the days available for coverage.

The contract includes a “me too” provision that requires the court system to match wage and other pay increases won by other unions that represent court workers.

This article originally appeared in the July-August 2017 issue of Public Employee Press.

The DC 37 Blog is an online publication of DC 37, AFSCME, which represents 125,000 municipal workers in New York City.