Its members are among the minority of American workers who do not bear any of the cost of their insurance premiums. 32BJ has a self-funded health plan and has worked to keep health insurance costs down. The board is asking workers to kick in on health insurance premiums - a nonstarter according to the union. “We hope to reach a deal by the deadline that protects the future of the industry and our workforce.”

“The current labor agreements contain healthcare provisions and unsustainable work rules that do not exist in any other major city in the country nor in other 32BJ contracts outside New York City,” Rothschild said. Pastreich said the parties have made little progress since negotiations began last month.Ĭommercial landlords are looking for a contract that reflects “the horrible economic conditions RAB members face,” RAB President Howard Rothschild said in a statement Wednesday.

“But in this one, they feel like they need relief, and that’s an argument they haven’t made before.” “Bargaining is always hard, even when the industry is seeing rapid growth in values and rents,” 32BJ President Manny Pastreich said on Tuesday night before this week’s vote. The union won a 10.8 percent wage increase that year, bringing the average worker’s hourly wage to about $29. Much has changed since the two sides came to the table to hash out a new contract in 2019. We do not want to strike, but we will if we have to.” We don’t really want to be out in the cold. “I’m just hoping that the RAB board will realize how hard we have worked,” Ena Softley, a 66-year-old cleaner at Rudin’s 3 Times Square, said. For many, the memory of working on the frontlines of the pandemic is still fresh. Commercial landlords say their bleak economic outlook is more than enough to justify cost-cutting measures, while workers balk at the proposed concessions. The two sides are at an impasse over changes to workers’ wages and health benefits. SEE ALSO: NYC Building Workers Avert Strike After Reaching Tentative Contract

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