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Members of Local 445 still without a contract

Rebeca C. Rivera - Reporter/Photographer
Posted 9/20/18

MAMAKATING —“Now is the time. We're fed up. We need to get this done.” Ray Stainshia expressed these exasperated words to the Town Board of Mamakating during last week's work session meeting.

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Members of Local 445 still without a contract

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MAMAKATING —“Now is the time. We're fed up. We need to get this done.” Ray Stainshia expressed these exasperated words to the Town Board of Mamakating during last week's work session meeting.

Stainshia is a business agent representing the employees from Local 445, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents over 3,000 workers throughout seven counties, including Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan.

Currently, Mamakating has over a dozen employees tasked with covering over 130 miles of town roads year-round. However, for more than three years, workers have been in the midst of contract negotiations with the town, and nearly a dozen union workers appeared at the meeting as a sign of unity to plea with the board to consider finalizing the contract.

According to Stainshia, negotiations are still underway, stating, “We are taking steps in the right direction, it's just not happening soon enough.” He added, “We feel like we have been treated like second-class citizens for a long time now and we need to settle the contract.” Although Stainshia thanked the board for their work, he also noted that the negotiations committee had changed several times causing delays and conflicts. “We've gotten one set of proposals that was different from what we had discussed verbally, outside of a complete rewrite. That's what we've gotten in the three years. Correct?”

To this statement, Town Supervisor Bill Hermann replied, “I don't believe so… Anything I've given to you, we have discussed. Unless it was a minor error in something. The thrust of what we have negotiated has been given to you.” Herrmann retorted Stainshia's claim stating, “On the other hand, we have gotten something totally different from the union.”

Neither party provided details of said meetings, a standard practice in these types of matters. However, several employees took this opportunity to express their grievances about aspects of the contract that they believe are being removed or not fairly treated.

Mitchell Durr expressed his concerns about this process. “The frustration we're feeling doesn't only come from this board, but past boards. Because in my 13 years, this is the second time that we've gone over three years beyond the contract. That's where a lot of our frustration comes from. And also too, as Buddy [Platt] has said, another frustration that we have in this department is being short staffed.” Platt, who is the town's highway superintendent, explained earlier that workers are notorious for pitching in when others have been able to and admitted to taking on a member's route to ensure that the roads are clean and safe. He added that such coverage does come with a cost and that workers are paid extra to take on extra tasks. Richie Dunn, a highway employee for 19 years, aired his qualms stating, “I've never seen such a vindictive, negative atmosphere from a board then we've ever had in the past. To us, we've been probably five to six years without raises in our contracts between the last board and this board.” He added, “We've went up and beyond our call of duty… We pick up the slack, and we've been there for this town.”

Councilwoman Brenda Giraldi responded to several of the comments that were against the board. “There isn't anyone on this board or anyone in the public that would say that we do not appreciate you because we do.” Giraldi clarified that negotiation meetings had been canceled, by both sides, due to various circumstances. On August 30, the board did have a meeting with union members, to which Giraldi felt showed progress. “I'm really surprised at this tonight. It's okay, everyone has a right [to speak]; it's free speech. It's an open meeting, and that's fine. But to be attacked isn't fair.” She added, “Bill and I worked together for over two months on a proposal that was completely red-lined, and the public should know that. There wasn't one thing that was even considered.”

The next negotiation meeting was scheduled for September 13 and for Giraldi “everything is on the table.”

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