Tagged: unions

The largest union representing Erie County government workers has voted down a new contract proposal with the county.

The deal included 11 percent raises over the next five years, as well as employee contributions toward health insurance and reductions in paid leave.

Joan Bender, president of the Civil Service Employees Association Local 815, reports the vote was 2,144 to 706, an approximately three-to-one margin.

The union has been working under terms of a contract which expired in 2006. The new proposal would have covered the years 2007 through 2016.

A recent remark the Lancaster Town supervisor made about government employees has unleashed a strong response from the Civil Service Employees Association. 

CSEA members and labor demonstrated at last night's town board meeting against supervisor Dino Fudoli. Fudoli was asked to retract his statement when he referred to government employees as a "non-producing part of society."

"I said let me make myself very clear. I am not anti-public employee, I am just pro-taxpayer. Wouldn't that tell you right there I am not against public employees?", said Fudoli.             

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced that he has reached a tentative labor agreement with the Civil Service Employees Association. 

The CSEA is the county’s largest labor union. The union has been without a contract since it expired in 2006.  

Both sides agreed not to disclose terms of the deal until members learn its details. 

Poloncarz thanked CSEA leadership for bargaining in good faith.  

Unions are a declining percentage of the public and private workforce.

This week on You and the Law, Mike Desmond speaks with labor lawyer Richard Furlong about how unions are doing in this country and some of the legal issues that come with collective bargaining.