32bj strike

Received a long letter from the management company. Have yet to reply. We may need to apply for a building pass to get in& out during the strike.

Pretty common issue - Last 24/7 doorman building I lived in we didn’t even have keys for years and years until the last narrowly averted strike ~10 years back..

Good luck to owners in condos with a lot of renters
I’m sure whatever volunteer garbage/cleaning/security duties people decide to take on during the strike will not have renters participating..

We ain't scabs, you know! I wouldn't object to doing my part, but is this gonna be like a food co-op thing where it's bad form to hire someone to take on your duties? Also wonder about the fallout w.r.t. rent reduction claims, for reduced services.

Our building has made plans for security at front desk and given resident passes to all of us. Guess we will be doing the rest (with bldg manager) if it comes to that

Our building has issued passes, and made arrangements for security services. There is a signup list for those who want to try out their doorman and mail sorting skills, but I haven't seen how many have signed up. Given the general composition of the building, I'd imagine it's very few.

Email from my management company explained that this contract does not include the supers so I imaging mine will just stay in the building, barring a medical emergency etc. We all have keys as the evening dm doesn't have relief when he goes out to pick up his dinner etc.

Correction, this does not include my super as I am guessing he has cut a deal of some kind. I'm sure he pays dues etc. but for some reason he calls himself resident manager. This could get messy.

I believe resident managers are covered by another contract (same union) that is not expiring.

Supers are not affected by this negotiation.

Thank you. I was watching a news segment that included supers in the contract.

The city has been anti-building for some time. Local law 97, real estate abatements tied ot paying union benefits, city raising the minimum wage and a new carbon tax raising the price of fuel. The cost of running or living in a builidng has gone up way past the rate of inflation. Add to that rising insurance costs. Something has to give.

You forgot increase in real estate taxes. One of the issues is that renters don’t understand how the politicians they elect contribute to increasing the free market rent. And then the same politicians want the increase rent affordability by passing new rent regulations.

BTW, in my mind unions salaries and minimum wages are lesser issues as the buildings can opt to have fewer staff.

Except when you switch from full service to part time DM for example, the value of your apartment drops.

If that is true, it just means that people are willing to pay union prices for doorman service and hence the unions striking for more.

buildings continue to neeed more staff , not fewer. since the pandemic the volume of ups , fed ex and food delivries has gone up tremendously. the pandemic speeded up a trend the trend to on-line by about ten years

Riversider, I understand the need (perhaps want is a better word) but if people want more optional services, they should fork out some more money as they do not have a right to other people's labor. In the doorman's case, they at least have a choice to use fewer services. But with real estate taxes, LL97 etc they don't have any choice.

-The highest raises in 32BJ SEIU history, with almost 12.6% wage increases over four years
--A $3,000 bonus for essential workers
--Ensuring no premium share and maintenance of 100% employer-paid healthcare
--Protecting paid sick leave and paid vacation

-The highest raises in 32BJ SEIU history, with almost 12.6% wage increases over four years
--A $3,000 bonus for essential workers
--Ensuring no premium share and maintenance of 100% employer-paid healthcare
--Protecting paid sick leave and paid vacation

-The highest raises in 32BJ SEIU history, with almost 12.6% wage increases over four years
--A $3,000 bonus for essential workers
--Ensuring no premium share and maintenance of 100% employer-paid healthcare
--Protecting paid sick leave and paid vacation

Kinda sounds like the workers got the short end of the stick. The way I figure it, there has been 15% inflation since 2018 and another 15% expected through 2026, so 32% total. Between the old contract's wage increase (11.3% over 4 years) and the new one (12.6%), that's a 25% increase over 8 years. So roughly, a 8% decrease in real terms over 8 years. The $3K bonus is nice, but that amounts to only a ~1% bump. Perhaps healthcare coverage expansion over time adds something? But overall, seems like negative to zero real compensation change over the 8 years.

As a comparison, the 2018 contract's wage increase represented, compared to inflation expectations back then, a ~3% increase in real terms over the 4 years.

3 25% annualized. Not much. Curious if it's front loaded or back loaded

It may sound like the union got the short end of the stick but they avoided paying for health care which is becoming the norm and Healthcare costs are escalating way above inflation

It may sound like the union got the short end of the stick but they avoided paying for health care which is becoming the norm and Healthcare costs are escalating way above inflation

I’m glad they got what they wanted but genuinely shocked they settled for such low increases given current level of inflation / private sector wage growth. Seems like they put a line in the sand of $0 healthcare contribution and held there on principle.

They gave up two paid holidays

who was the union negotiating with?

>>>who was the union negotiating with?<<<

the Realty Advisory Board

3% annual increase was the standard for many years, then there was an effort across the board for 1 & 2% increases starting in the nineties. I used to do a lot of negotiations. There will be pressure against inflationary adjustments but in the long run it will have to happen. Money becomes worth less as time goes on.

The workers deserved an increase for all the extra work and stress of the last two years. Hard to begrudge 3% raises and a 3k bonus.

I've heard that their medical insurance , even though 100% paid by co-op/condo/rentals, is not so great ?