In Newark, union helped save the day

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2010/12/in_newark_union_helped_save_th.html


Patti Sapone/ The Star Ledger

The union local for Newark's sanitation employees worked out a compromise with city officials that saved jobs and money.

Published: Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 5:55 AM

By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist Rahaman Muhammad

For months, Newark sanitation workers lived under the looming threat of privatization and layoffs.

Those who followed the workers’ struggle to retain their jobs and dignity may have thought it looked like a David vs. Goliath battle. A betting man probably would have picked the Booker administration to be the ultimate winner.

But as one wise man said many years ago: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.” Last month, our union local worked out a compromise with city officials, and as a result, the privatization plan was trashed. About 200 men and women will remain on the payroll and the city will still save millions of dollars. On top of this, the city, which had an outside contractor picking up trash in one ward, will end that contract next year.

At a time when unions are losing battles left and right, how did we buck the negative trend in the largest city in New Jersey?

As the head of SEIU Local 617, I had argued for months that privatization made no sense because folks would end up paying more for fewer services. No surprise there. What else would one expect a union to say on behalf of its dues-paying members? But here’s the deal: The union first did a careful analysis and came up with the numbers to back its arguments.

FULL story at link.

Rahaman Muhammad is president of the Service Employees International Union Local 617.