Public housing maintenance and service workers Thursday morning voted to end their eight-day strike, approving a contract settlement with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA). They will return to work Monday, after the Christmas holiday.
The vote by members of Laborers Local 563 to approve the settlement was "overwhelming," said Tim Mackey, financial secretary-treasurer.
"Our people want to get back to work and take care of the residents they serve in public housing," he said.
The settlement was reached after 11 hours of negotiations Wednesday between Laborers Local 563 and MPHA management, with the assistance of a mediator from the state\'s Bureau of Mediation Services.
Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council, also was part of the negotiations.
Part of the negotiating session included Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and city council member Barb Johnson.
Mackey said the settlement includes "some back training pay, wages, and contract language."
A chief issue in the strike, Mackey said earlier, was MPHA\'s resistance to pay workers for promised pay increases due after workers completed required training.
"The training is being eliminated," said Tom Streitz, MPHA\'s deputy executive director. "MPHA may in the future create a new training program. We\'re going to retool."
Streitz said the settlement, which provides workers with a one-time lump sum payment, was "fair, reasonable, responsible."
Here are key provisions of the settlement agreement:
- Each worker will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,100.
- MPHA will implement a general increase of two percent in hourly pay, effective October 1, 2004.
- The union will withdraw its pending pay progression grievance.
- The new agreement will not reference MPHA?s training program or pay progression steps.
In 2005, Mackey added, MPHA will reclassify job categories and implement new pay scales upon completion of wage negotiations. That could mean additional pay increases for some workers, he said.
The old contract for MPHA\'s 76 service and maintenance employees, represented by Local 563, expired at the end of March 2004. The new contract will expire March 31, 2006.
The agreement is subject to approval by the MPHA board and the federal department of Housing and Urban Development.
"We thank all the unions for their support and especially all the donations for the toys for strikers\' families," Mackey said.
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Public housing maintenance and service workers Thursday morning voted to end their eight-day strike, approving a contract settlement with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA). They will return to work Monday, after the Christmas holiday.
The vote by members of Laborers Local 563 to approve the settlement was "overwhelming," said Tim Mackey, financial secretary-treasurer.
"Our people want to get back to work and take care of the residents they serve in public housing," he said.
The settlement was reached after 11 hours of negotiations Wednesday between Laborers Local 563 and MPHA management, with the assistance of a mediator from the state\’s Bureau of Mediation Services.
Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council, also was part of the negotiations.
Part of the negotiating session included Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and city council member Barb Johnson.
Mackey said the settlement includes "some back training pay, wages, and contract language."
A chief issue in the strike, Mackey said earlier, was MPHA\’s resistance to pay workers for promised pay increases due after workers completed required training.
"The training is being eliminated," said Tom Streitz, MPHA\’s deputy executive director. "MPHA may in the future create a new training program. We\’re going to retool."
Streitz said the settlement, which provides workers with a one-time lump sum payment, was "fair, reasonable, responsible."
Here are key provisions of the settlement agreement:
- Each worker will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,100.
- MPHA will implement a general increase of two percent in hourly pay, effective October 1, 2004.
- The union will withdraw its pending pay progression grievance.
- The new agreement will not reference MPHA?s training program or pay progression steps.
In 2005, Mackey added, MPHA will reclassify job categories and implement new pay scales upon completion of wage negotiations. That could mean additional pay increases for some workers, he said.
The old contract for MPHA\’s 76 service and maintenance employees, represented by Local 563, expired at the end of March 2004. The new contract will expire March 31, 2006.
The agreement is subject to approval by the MPHA board and the federal department of Housing and Urban Development.
"We thank all the unions for their support and especially all the donations for the toys for strikers\’ families," Mackey said.