AFSCME contracts through the years

Written by Jim DeLarre, President of Local 2105

Editor’s Note: Jim DeLarre, President of Local 2105 (Beaver Co. Penn DOT) authored this article which was originally published in Local 2105’s newsletter, “The Local Connection”.  According to Ruth Ann Hoschar, Editor of The Local Connection, DeLarre painstakingly researched every AFSCME contract with the Commonwealth of PA to answer the question, “What has the Union done for me?” Hoschar said, “Take the time to read DeLarre’s contract analysis.  Try to imagine where we came from, and where we are today.  The next time someone asks me, what has the Union done for them, I will respond, what did you do for the Union?”

“I started as an employee May 10, 1971.  AFSCME just started to negotiate with the Commonwealth.  There was a lot of room to negotiate.  The pay was low.  There was no paid hospital and medical insurance, nor paid life insurance.  Pay for overtime was straight time and usually overtime was given to the bosses friends, or offered only if you would take comp time in place of overtime pay.  Yet all I heard was: “If the Union can only get me job protection, that is all I want.”  Well here’s what we got in our first “unit” contract AFSCME negotiated for the Commonwealth Maintenance & Trades employees, and which was effective from November 4, 1971 through June 30, 1973:

  • Union Security
  • 14 Paid Holidays
  • Furlough & Bidding Rights based on Seniority
  • 5% on 11/14/1971
  • 5% on 2/15/1972
  • 5% on 7/1/1972
  • 5% on 11/15/1972
  • Anniversary Pay Increase (5%)
  • Overtime Pay at time and one-half
  • Equalization of Overtime
  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield Major Medical Plan
  • Fully paid Life Insurance
  • A Grievance and Arbitration Procedure 

This was and still is the groundwork for all we have.  One of the finest agreements ever negotiated with much more for us than job protection, which is the only thing the members wanted.”

 First AFSCME Master Commonwealth Employee Contract effective July 1, 1973 through June 30, 1976:

  •  Two Personal Days
  • General Pay increases:
    • July 1, 1973 26 cents per hour
    • July 1, 1974 26 cents per hour
    • July 1, 1975 to be determined by wage reopener
  • Double-time pay for the 7th day worked
  • Shift differential of 15 cents per hour
  • Creation of PA Public Employees Health & Welfare Fund
  • One year’s whole salary for work-related injuries
  • Units’ special working conditions incorporated as ‘appendices’ in the Master Contract
  • Anniversary pay increases

AFSCME Contract effective July 27, 1976 — June 30, 1978:

  • Shift differential increased to 25 cents per hour
  • General Pay increases:
    • July 1, 1976—30 to 51 cents per hour based on employees pay range
    • July 1, 1977— 34 to 56 cents per hour based on employees pay range
  • Major improvements in health benefits
  • Anniversary pay increases

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 1981 through June 30, 1983:

  • One additional personal day
  • General Pay increases:
    • July 1, 1981— 80/0
    • July 1, 1982— 8%
  • Shift differential increased to 35 cents per hour
  • Anniversary pay increases

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 1981 — June 30, 1983:

  • One additional personal day
  • Annual days
  • Up to 1 year — 4% of total hours paid
  • 1-15 years—6% of total hours paid
  • 16-25 years—8% of total hours paid
  • Over 25 years—10% of total hours paid
  • Standby time pay increases to 25%
  • General pay increases:
    • Jan. 1, 1984—2%
    • July 1, 1984—3%
  • Anniversary pay increase or 2% cash payment

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 1988 through June 30, 1991:

  • Total seniority came into effect
  • Shift differential increased to 40 cents per hour
  • General Pay increases:
    • July 1, 1988—5%
    • Jan. 1, 1989—1%
    • July 1, 1990—5%
    • January 1, 1991—1%

“We have gone through some tough times of givebacks; but AFSCME remained fast, and we lost nothing.  We always got pay raises.  Most important, we kept our health plan with no co-pay.  I still have sick days, lots of annual time and making almost $16 an hour more than when I started 27 years ago.  All that I have now means that anyone who started after me, starts out better than they would have had I not been granted these benefits through AFSCME’s hard work!”

AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 1993 through June 30, 1996:

  • Temporary employees given rights to bid for fulltime positions and recall rights to temporary positions.
  • General pay increases:
    • July 1, 1993—3%
    • Jan.1, 1994—1 pay schedule or cash payment
    • July 1, 1994—3.5% or 45 cents per hour, whichever is greater

AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 1996 through June 30, 1999:

  • July 1, 1996—2%
  • July 1, 1997—3%
  • July 1, 1998—3%

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 1999 through June 20, 2003:

  • Annual service increment or cash payment each year of the agreement
  • General pay increases:
    • July 1, 1999—3%
    • July 1, 2000—3%
    • July 1, 2001—3.5%
    • July 1, 2002—3.5%
  • Continue health, eye care & dental care coverage for employees and their families at no cost to the employee
  • Increase in the amount of paid sick family leave that may taken according to years of service
  • Increase in shift differential to $1 per hour

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 2003 — June 30, 2007:

  • July 1, 2004—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2005—3%
  • July 1, 2006—step increment or lump sum
  • Jan. 1, 2007—3.5% & step increment or lump sum
  • Increases in Commonwealth’s contributions to the PEBTF to preserve our health care as modified by the fund.

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 2007 — June 30, 2011:

  • July 1, 2007—$1,250.00 bonus
  • Jan.1, 2008—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2008—3%
  • Jan. 1, 2009—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2009—3%
  • Jan. 1, 2010—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2010—4%
  • Jan. 1, 2011—step increment or lump sum
  • Significant increases to the Commonwealth’s contributions to the PEBTF to preserve our health care benefits
  • Enhancements to bereavement leave eligibility
  • Increase timeframe to use compensatory leave from 90 days to 120 days

AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 2011 — June 30, 2015:

  • Jan. 1, 2012—No increase
  • July 1, 2012—1%
  • April 1, 2013—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2013—.5%
  • Jan. 1, 2014—.5%
  • April 1, 2014—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2014—2%
  • Jan. 1, 2015—step increment or lump sum
  • Two personal leave days will be considered “Preferred Personal Days”
  • If an employee does not use any time of sick leave other than bereavement in that calendar year, they will receive 1 extra personal day
  • Employees will not need to exhaust all sick leave before going on unpaid SPF leave
  • Employees who lost seniority due to parental leave utilized prior to 7/1/1993, will be entitled to reinstatement of seniority
  • Employers will contact employees by phone in need over overtime, if employee cannot be reached the employer will leave message or document the call. If the employee does not call within 10 mins, is determined unavailable and when the employee does return the call, they will not be charged for equalization purposes
  • Employer Contributions to PEBTF increase: 2011—$375.00; 2012—$390.00; 2013—$425.00; 2014—$455.00
  • Employer proposed changes to the Classification and Pay Plan affecting bargaining unit classification will be processed through the Job Evaluation Committee
  • Language will be added to indicate when an employee is escorted off the employer premises they will be treated in a respectful manner which will not embarrass them or demean their dignity
  • Military service time language will be updated to reflect the current Veteran’s Preference Act
  • Full-time employees will be able to utilize their seniority to bump into either a full-time or part-time position
  • Leave Donation Program: Included language for “severe medical conditions”

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 2015—June 30, 2016:

  • January 1, 2016—step increment
  • Health care benefits remained the same for both employee and employer

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 2016—June 30, 2019:

  • October 1, 2016—2.75%
  • Jan. 1, 2017—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2017—2%
  • Jan. 1, 2018—step increment or lump sum
  • July 1, 2018—2.25%
  • Health care benefits 7/1/17—2.25% of base salary w/waiver program
  • Health care benefits 7/1/18—2.5% of base salary w/waiver program
  • Seniority for Civil Service employees will be maintained as classification seniority in compliance with civil service
  • Employee bump refusals of over 50 miles from employee’s residence will NOT result in loss of recall or replacement

 AFSCME Contract effective July 1, 2019—June 30, 2023:

  • July 2019—3%
  • April 2020—step increment or lump sum
  • October 2020—2%
  • April 2021—step increment or lump sum
  • October 2021—2.5%
  • October 2022—2.5%
  • January 2023 – step increment or lump sum
  • Health care benefits July 2019—June 2023: NO INCREASES
  • Health care benefits July 2019—June 2023: Employer contribution increases 17.8%
  • Shift Differential: $1.15/hr for a shift beginning at or after 8pm and before 6am; $1.25/hr for a shift beginning at or after 12noon and before 8pm
  • Stronger language and requirements for Alternative Work Schedules (AWS) labor/management committee meetings
  • Temporary employees able to carry over 5 full days of annual leave for use during next period of employment
  • Sick and Bereavement Leave: include grandchildren and step parent for sick and family; include niece and nephew for sick bereavement
  • Leave Donation Program: remove requirement to use anticipated sick leave

 

“What has the Union done for me?  I hear this or statements just like this from the members of my Union almost daily.  I know that without the Union, most if not all the gains I have listed would not be here for any employee. My family and I live well on the money and the health care that AFSCME gained for me at the negotiating table.  I wish to thank them!”

Joining AFSCME gives you and your fellow members increased strength in numbers and more power at the bargaining table to continue to fight for better wages, seniority, benefits, and protections on the job!

AFSCME Council 13

150 S. 43rd St. Suite 3

Harrisburg, PA 17111

1-800-523-7263

[email protected]

afscme.13.org

www.facebook.com/AFSCMEcouncil13