Bulletin # 14 - February 3, 2026
February 3, 2026 Vol. 1 No.14
Members Overwhelmingly Ratify New 3-Year Contract
After a two-and-a-half-hour presentation by Local 423 Vice President/Chief Negotiator Pat Mann, the Union Negotiating Committee and the Union’s attorney, Local 423 Members last night overwhelmingly ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The tentative agreement had been reached between the Union and company last Friday afternoon. The new 3-year Contract is effective Feb. 1, 2026 through Jan. 31, 2029.
Members Overwhelmingly Ratify New 3-Year Contract
After a two-and-a-half-hour presentation by Local 423 Vice President/Chief Negotiator Pat Mann, the Union Negotiating Committee and the Union’s attorney, Local 423 Members last night overwhelmingly ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The tentative agreement had been reached between the Union and company last Friday afternoon. The new 3-year Contract is effective Feb. 1, 2026 through Jan. 31, 2029.
Members who attended the ratification meeting were provided with a red-lined copy of the MOA, a summary of the terms of the new contract, and other documents. The Committee engaged in dialogue with Members who asked questions throughout the presentation. After every term was explained and all questions were answered, Members made a motion to proceed with the secret-ballot ratification vote, with the option of voting “Yes” to ratify or “No” to reject. Ballots were immediately counted under the watch of the Union’s Sergeant-at-Arms.
Examples of Gains in the New Contract
• a total 9.5% wage increase over the life of the contract.
• an increase in clothing and shoe allowances to $425 for lab techs, $300 for sewer operators and sewer subforemen, and $750 for all other Union Members.
• an increase in meal allowance to $15 per day.
• an increase in shift premiums to $2.20/hour for afternoon shift and $2.35/hour for night shift.
• Members can carry-over five days of unused vacation to the following calendar year.
• All Telematics-related disciplines prior to Feb. 1, 2026 will be dismissed and removed from personnel files. Members will receive back pay where applicable. All Telematics progressive discipline is reset, but the Union maintains its right to file grievances on behalf of members.
These gains maintain Local 423 Members’ status as the highest paid in the country, and enjoying the highest of other monetized benefits compared to other locals in the country. There are locals that paid a hefty price for a minimal gain, conceding on many of the company’s giveback demands and surrendering protective language in exchange for a wage bump or longer term.
“The company tried to set the bar at the level of these other negotiated contracts. We told the company Local 423 sets the bar. We don’t follow anyone. We not only had to fight back company demands, but unfortunately, we also had to overcome what other locals settled for. We were able to remain as standard bearer with across-the-board gains, while also defeating damaging language and demands, and maintaining protective language,” Mann said.
• an increase in clothing and shoe allowances to $425 for lab techs, $300 for sewer operators and sewer subforemen, and $750 for all other Union Members.
• an increase in meal allowance to $15 per day.
• an increase in shift premiums to $2.20/hour for afternoon shift and $2.35/hour for night shift.
• Members can carry-over five days of unused vacation to the following calendar year.
• All Telematics-related disciplines prior to Feb. 1, 2026 will be dismissed and removed from personnel files. Members will receive back pay where applicable. All Telematics progressive discipline is reset, but the Union maintains its right to file grievances on behalf of members.
These gains maintain Local 423 Members’ status as the highest paid in the country, and enjoying the highest of other monetized benefits compared to other locals in the country. There are locals that paid a hefty price for a minimal gain, conceding on many of the company’s giveback demands and surrendering protective language in exchange for a wage bump or longer term.
“The company tried to set the bar at the level of these other negotiated contracts. We told the company Local 423 sets the bar. We don’t follow anyone. We not only had to fight back company demands, but unfortunately, we also had to overcome what other locals settled for. We were able to remain as standard bearer with across-the-board gains, while also defeating damaging language and demands, and maintaining protective language,” Mann said.
Two Significant Company Demands We Rejected
The Union Negotiating Committee rejected two significant company demands that would’ve had a detrimental impact on your family life and chilling effects on your future employment.
• The company wanted contract language that would’ve enabled management to amend schedules at-will. The Union said NO. “Company negotiators tried numerous times throughout the process to make this part of the agreement, but we pushed back every time and made it clear that this language was a strike issue,” Mann said.
• The company wanted to completely eliminate “protected headcount” language that would’ve given management the right to subcontract at-will. The Union said NO. “We are the only New Jersey local, and one of the only locals in the country, that has protective language against the company replacing us with outside contractors. We maintained this language by making the headcount ‘kill-switch’ 190 (from 200). The company was adamant about completely eliminating this protection, which would’ve been detrimental to the future employment of all Members, but especially to Members with fewer years on the job,” Mann said.
• The company wanted contract language that would’ve enabled management to amend schedules at-will. The Union said NO. “Company negotiators tried numerous times throughout the process to make this part of the agreement, but we pushed back every time and made it clear that this language was a strike issue,” Mann said.
• The company wanted to completely eliminate “protected headcount” language that would’ve given management the right to subcontract at-will. The Union said NO. “We are the only New Jersey local, and one of the only locals in the country, that has protective language against the company replacing us with outside contractors. We maintained this language by making the headcount ‘kill-switch’ 190 (from 200). The company was adamant about completely eliminating this protection, which would’ve been detrimental to the future employment of all Members, but especially to Members with fewer years on the job,” Mann said.
Thank You for Your Support
“On behalf of the entire Union Negotiating Committee, we thank you for your support and confidence throughout the negotiations process. The combination of your strike authorization, the Union’s public information campaign, and the Committee’s resolve played a major role in securing a new contract that meets the needs of all Members and our families,” Mann said.
