SEIU employees finalize contract negotiations

Following eight months of rigorous negotiations, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Vassar College have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract. At a negotiation on Nov. 18, the agreement was accepted by both the College and union negotiating teams, and must now be ratified by a majority of the approximately 250 SEIU employees on campus. That vote will take place on Nov. 24.

The process surrounding this contract has been difficult; approximately 200 employees demonstrated outside of Main Building on Oct. 16 to demand that their needs be met. Central issues to the SEIU have been the wages of part-time workers, the wages of full-time workers and healthcare benefits for retiring workers.

During the day-long session on Nov. 15, the parties agreed to a 13 percent wage increase for part-time employees. By raising the wages of part-timers, the union hopes that the College will be more likely to hire full-time workers instead. During the shorter, Nov. 18 session, the parties also agreed to a 3.333 percent wage increase for full-time employees.

More contentious were the terms of the pension and retirement healthcare benefits. In the past, SEIU workers paid for post-retirement medical expenses using a combination of Medicare and Vassar's pension plan, in which the College used a formula to calculate pension after retirement. The union originally sought a union-based plan called the 1199, but eventually compromised with the College. "The post-retirement health benefits was not something that the College was able to do," said Associate Vice President for Human Resources Ruth Spencer, who negotiated on behalf of the College.

The union was successful, however, in achieving a pension increase. According to the terms of the tentative contract, first-year workers will have $52 saved, second-year workers will have $54 saved and third-year workers will have $56 saved. This policy will be grandfathered in, however, and workers who are hoping to retire soon will be given a lump sum of $15,000 from the College. "This money can be put toward any sort of personal health care or savings account of their choosing," said ACDC Chef's Helper and Vice President for the Union Cathy Bradford. "It wasn't as much as we wanted, but you have to make compromises."

The College's original offer for retirees was only $10,000, which was rejected by the union. The union originally hoped that the wage increase for full-time workers would be seven percent, but after increasing its retirement offering, the College decided on 3.333 percent.
"We realize, you know, that the economy is in a depression, so we came to the table in good faith. I just am worried that every three years, the College will say that the financial times are hard," said Bradford.

The contract is for a three-year term, like the previous contract that was signed in 2005. Spencer and Bradford agreed that the duration is adequate. "Something like this takes so much time from so many people that something as long as three years is certainly what we hope for," said Spencer. Bradford agreed, adding that the process has been "extremely stressful for me personally during these months."

Both parties were ultimately satisfied with the agreement. "I think we've found a mutual agreement," said Spencer. "We think they did a respectable job of negotiating, and we believe they got the best contract they were able to get, while we gave the best contract we were able to give."

At its Nov. 17 meeting, the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council passed a resolution in support of the workers. "I believe that was really key in pushing them on these issues," said Bradford. "[Council] and The Miscellany News are powerful groups, and their support and coverage really made this possible."

Spencer was hopeful that the contract would pass Monday's vote. "I think this is a good contract and I hope they vote to ratify," she said. "This has been an enormous amount of work, and I do believe this is a good compromise."

Bradford also expects that the tentative contract will be adopted by a majority. "I can think of six or seven who will still oppose it on principle, but I do expect it's going to pass."