MONTICELLO, NY — The Sullivan County Legislature voted unanimously on April 18 to approve a two-year contract with the members of Teamsters Local 445. Over 90% of union members had voted in favor of the contract earlier in the week.

“The 516 members of the Teamsters Union form the backbone of this county,” remarked legislature chairman Luis Alvarez. “I am pleased they agreed to an offer designed to recognize the hard work they do, and I am even more pleased my colleagues and I agreed to make this proposal a reality.”

The contract provides a raise of $1,500 retroactive to January 1, 2018, and another $1,500 for 2019. The contract also establishes a minimum pay of $15 per hour for all employees. The contract expires at the end of this year.

Union representative Jerry Ebert said “We’re very grateful to county leaders for recognizing the need for these significant improvements. This is a good half-way point.”

“This is a contract we have worked diligently to complete, and it resulted in one of the most significant offers the county has ever made. I am gratified our Teamsters employees found it worthy of ratification,” said county manager Josh Potosek. “The negotiating team and the legislature recognized the wage issue and made our best efforts to address that concern within budgetary constraints.”

The contract includes an enhanced health insurance buyout plan for employees who opt out of county insurance for an entire year. New employees hired after May 1 will contribute 15% toward their health insurance premium, via the Excelsior Plan through New York State Health Insurance Program.