Members of AFSCME Local 2719 (Council 13) who work for the city of Pittsburgh won big with a powerful new contract.
The agreement includes:
- Wage enhancements, a new minimum wage and wage compression counter measures;
- Stronger grievance language;
- A sick bank seeded with 20 days paid leave for members in times of need;
- Longevity payments for the first time ever;
- And a reinstatement of a fifth week of vacation for all workers with 15 years of service to the city.
“Our local members showed up, not only at the bargaining table through our bargaining team, but also at the ballot box to have their voices heard,” said Craig Sippel, president of AFSCME Local 2719. “We as a team put in the work, and it paid off big for our members.”
Members more than doubled their turnout according to local leadership, a sign of strong member engagement. As part of the push for voter turnout, the local also signed up 27 new members.
There were no significant givebacks in the three-year agreement. What’s more, through the negotiation process, our union was successful in accreting new bargaining unit positions, growing the base of workers protected by the contract.
That’s the power AFSCME members have when we mobilize. We negotiate strong contracts, establish strong local unions, and provide strong public services for the people we serve.