BRONX, NY – Workers at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market voted yesterday to approve a three-year contract, thus ending the possibility of their first strike in almost 30 years.
As we previously reported, the three-year agreement would give workers a raise of $20 a week the first year, $22 the second year and $24 the third year. This would be a compromise between the union’s earlier push for a raise of $25 a week each year and the merchants’ counter of $16 in the first year and $22 thereafter.
Teamsters Local 202 says that the workers voted in favor of the contract by 97%, granting the 1,300 workers significant wage increases in each year of the contract.
“It’s our best wage and benefits package in two decades,” said Daniel Kane Jr., President of Teamsters Local 202.
Robert Leonard, a Spokesman for the market, told the New York Times that the merchants were pleased with the ratification of the agreement.
“The new contract fairly addresses a number of concerns raised by both management and labor throughout the negotiation process,” Mr. Leonard said. “We can now continue our focus on working together to provide our region with the freshest and highest quality fruits, vegetables and produce.”
This contract offer came on the heels of a strike vote that members took last week. 95% of the members approved the strike after merchants gave what was deemed a “final offer” with raises far short of those proposed by the union. After the strike vote, merchants raised their wage offer to what has now been agreed upon.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest news as we continue to cover labor issues and their effects on the produce industry.
