Residential contract up in April.

With the contract for 29,000 residential members of Local 32B-32J of the Service Employees International Union expiring at midnight on April 20th, both the union, its new trustees and the building owners, through the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, are starting to think about changes.

"It's a new ballgame," said James F. Berg, president of the RAB, which represents both commercial and residential ownership. For the first time in 20 years, the industry's bargaining team will be sitting across the table from new union leadership. "We anticipate that we will have a good, reasonable negotiation, but there is no track record."

Since the ouster of long-time Local president Gus Bevona last year, the trustees of the union have been working to ensure its membership has input into the bargaining process.

Kevin Doyle, deputy trustee of Local 32B-32J, says they recruited over 1,200 members for a Contract Action Team (CAT) that will provide a communication link between their negotiating committee and the membership.

The CAT's first job was to survey the members about the current contract, and they brought in over 14,000 completed responses, more than half the members affected by the residential contract. "For 32B-32J it's unprecedented, and was a very good response," said Doyle.

The trustees are analyzing the information and will present it to the CAT at a meeting Wednesday, February 16th at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers. "We will be working with the CAT to develop the proposals," said Doyle, which will then be presented to the RAB, which conducts the collective bargaining for the 2,900 residential building owners and boards in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island affected by this contract.

The CAT group will also be choosing their negotiating committee. "In order for the negotiations to be successful, the members have to be as involved as they possibly can be," Doyle added.

These proposals will be handed to the RAB at the first meeting of the two negotiating committees, now expected to take place in the first week of March.

"I assume it will include [requests for] economics and benefits, but I don't know their shopping list yet," said Berg. "I've never known them not to ask in those areas."

Although the results of the survey are not totally compiled, Doyle said the members feel they need a wage increase to maintain and improve their standard of living.

Additionally, Doyle said, "A very big concern, and what will be priority during the negotiations, is the retirement, the pension, and annuity plans, and our goal is to make improvements in that area."

He recognizes there is a range of building types and incomes, and stressed that the members of the union are working people, who live in the middle class co-ops, condos and rental buildings that will be affected by the new contract.

Since the "owners are doing quite well, this is a good time for people to show the employees that they do appreciate their efforts, and we can have our fair share of the prosperity that is out there," Doyle continued.

"We're not looking to make as much money as the magnates of the industry," Doyle advised. "All we're looking for is for the industry to support their loyal employees in a way they can live decently, both while they are employed and during retirement."

Currently, aside from the superintendents who get more, there are two levels of wage scales for buildings, which are also subclassified into A, B, and C classes, based on square-footage.

"Handipersons get more," said Berg. "They have mechanical skills." The current "A" rates for a handiperson's 40-hour week in most buildings is $658.63. All other employees, including the doormen, get $597.63. But with pension, health care and other benefits, Berg says the actual cost to the building owners is closer to $47,200 a year for a doorman or porter. B and C rates are a few dollars less.

To have a doorman 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 4.2 people are needed to cover 21 shifts a week. "It costs right around $200,000 a year to run a door," he said.

Since the concierge position has been expanding due to the number of new luxury buildings, Doyle said they are looking at that position to see if it should become a separate classification, for instance, or if specific training programs should be developed and funded for these workers.

After the 1996 strike, the contract allowed a lower wage to be paid for new employees and for replacements. "We were allowed to hire at 80 percent of scale and fill in at 60 percent," said David Kuperberg, president of Cooper Square Realty, who complains of a labor shortage at all levels. "But almost all of the time, we have to pay 100 percent of scale to get good people, because there is a larger pool of qualified people. You are entrusting people with your front door, your keys... and they are coming to us from lesser quality buildings and want to improve themselves."

Berg does not anticipate a strike, but advises that because of the uncertainty "It's everyone's responsibility to be ready for every eventuality. Anytime there's a negotiation, that's possible. I fervently hope that doesn't occur, but it's possible. The negotiating committee on this side and on their side will work to avoid that, but it could happen. I'm not trying to be an ultra alarmist. The more prepared you are, the more prepared you are to avoid a strike."

The RAB is issuing a preparedness manual, and will hold meetings throughout the city to educate boards and owners so they can keep buildings operating normally in the event of a strike.

The New York Area Managers Association was to hold such an event on the morning of February 16th at Madison Square Garden, where Berg and labor lawyer Paul Salvatore, a partner with Proskauer Rose LLP, were to brief the group's members.

Other members of the seven-member industry negotiating team include chairman Kenneth Patton of Manhattan Apartments; Rita Chu, East 67 Tenants Corp.; Arnold Goldstein, Samson Management; James V. O'Connor, Insignia Management; Jack Levy, Rose Associates; Mary Ann Rothman, Council of New York Cooperatives; and Seymour Zuckerman, Zuckerman & Waldorf.

Because the contract expires at midnight of the Thursday that is the second night of "Passover, and Good Friday starts that morning, schools will be out and many residents may be conducting holiday or religious observances, or may be on vacation. That means the pool of residents to recruit for volunteer jobs could be limited, yet the number of visitors needing to be screened could increase. Security of the buildings will be an issue, as well as the operations.

"Make sure any work is completed prior to April 20," advised Berg. The RAB checklist will prepare the building and the residents, and institute systems so the buildings will continue to operate and be habitable.

The superintendents are covered under a different contract that is due to expire June 20, and are expected to work until that time, even if the other employees are striking. But their contract states they can only continue with their normal duties, not the work of striking employees, except in emergencies involving health and safety.

The RAB web site at www.rabolr.org has advice on preparing for any strike, and will be updated as needed and if any settlement occurs.