CWA, ATU Locals Join Forces in Palm Beach County Contract Fights

CWA Local 3181 and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1577 are both facing some tough bargaining with the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. So, the two locals have joined forces in a media and community support campaign, calling on the county commissioners to "do the right thing" by bargaining fair contracts that include real wage increases.

CWA Local 3181 represents about 1,400 county employees who work as electricians, maintenance workers, parks employees, animal-control workers and in other jobs. ATU Local 1577 represents about 380 Palm Tran paratransit drivers, mechanics, store clerks and maintenance workers. This joint campaign is a great example of how these partnerships build workers' power in bargaining.

CWA Local 3181 President Rick Poulette said that county workers had lost as much as 20 percent of their compensation over the past four years, because of inflation, a wage freeze, health care increases and a new pension payment required by the state. And ATU hasn't been able to get anywhere over the past four years in bargaining a new contract. The drivers are forced to work 12-14 hours a day with no break, currently have no health care benefits and have been fighting for back wages.

"We knew it was time to take our message public and we knew we would be stronger working together," he said. "We want the public to know that we're asking the county commissioners to do the right thing" and to treat workers with some respect.

The joint campaign includes billboards (top left), bus ads (bottom left), and a newspaper ad, plus calls from community supporters — all Palm Beach County residents — and state and federal legislators to the county commissioners' offices.

"Together we are committed to holding our local elected officials accountable for a fair and equitable contract that will show the value of public service workers whether a secretary, sanitation worker, park ranger, maintenance worker, bus operator, building trades person or any other job," said ATU's Local 1577 President Dwight Mattingly. "Our members work hard to keep the critical County services going for the residents of Palm Beach County, Florida."

The county commissioners will meet next week, with more bargaining scheduled for April 3.

The unions also are encouraging union members and community allies to sign a petition to the Palm Beach County Administrator and the County Commissioners' bargaining chair to negotiate fair contracts and fair wages for county and transit workers.