As essential workers, the many dispatchers represented by UE Local 222 in Connecticut have been working full-time at their centers throughout the pandemic. Numerous dispatcher sub-locals also have been in contract negotiations.
Local 222-Sublocal 86 came to an agreement with the Town of Groton on pension negotiations on July 21, following mediation. The new agreement increases the amount of overtime income that workers can count towards their pension calculation by a third, from $6,000 per year to $8,000 per year. Retirees’ co-insurance payments will be reduced from 15 percent to 12 percent, to reflect the current contract between Local 222-86 and the town. Employees’ pension contribution will be increased by one percent and a cash balance plan was added to the pension for members hired after July 1, 2022. The Sublocal 86 negotiating committee consisted of President David Smith and Vice President Deb Main.
In Tolland, Sublocal 76 extended their contract for one year. The Dispatch Center is in negotiations to add more communities, so both union and management agreed to wait on doing a new three-year contract to see what this will entail. The contract extension retains all existing language, with a two percent wage increase and no increase to insurance contributions. The Sublocal 76 negotiating committee consisted of President Correy Church and Alex Moore.
Vernon Civilian Dispatchers, Sublocal 47, negotiated a new three-year contract with the town of Vernon which provides for a 1.95 percent wage increase each year and a $400 signing bonus. Insurance contributions will be frozen for the first two years of the contract, and increase by one percent in the last year. The negotiating committee consisted of President Sean O’Sullivan and Melissa Nadea.
All three sublocals were assisted by Field Organizer Sherry Bryant.