Boston Carmen’s Union Members Approve Pension Agreement with the MBTA

10/29/07 - New pension agreement “protects active members, respects pensioners and prepares this union to deal with its pending working agreement,” says Local 589 President/Business Agent Stephan MacDougall.

Members of the Boston Carmen’s Union Local 589 overwhelmingly approved a new 4-year agreement covering their pension on Sunday, October 28th. The new agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2006 and expires on June 30, 2010.

Over 1, 200 Local 589 members attended the meeting to vote on the tentative deal between the MBTA and the Union. Members received a written review of the agreement which was unanimously endorsed by the entire Union Executive Board and all 27 elected Barn Captains.

All retirement allowances (including survivor benefits) will be increased retroactively to July 1, 2006 as follows:

• Retirements commencing prior to July 1, 1988 - 4% 
• Retirements commencing on or after 7/1/88 and before 7/1/94 - 3%
• Retirements commencing on or after 7/1/94 and before 7/1/02 - 2%
• Retirements commencing on or after 7/1/02 and before 7/1/06 - 1%

Local 589 members were invited to ask question and discuss the proposed agreement prior to a voice vote on ratification. President MacDougall credited the entire Union Executive Board’s strong positions during the bargaining for producing an agreement that “protects active members, respects pensioners and prepares this union to deal with its pending working agreement.”

MacDougall pointed out that the pension agreement did not include several Authority proposals that would have radically worsened benefits especially noting that the Authority sought to eliminate the right to retire after 23 years and proposed 25 years and attaining age 55 as retirement requirements. In addition, Management proposals to reduce the benefit formula to 2% and to control the members’ right to a disability pension were not in the final agreement.

The Union negotiating Committee included President Stephan MacDougall, Financial Secretary Michael Mastrocola, Vice President Jim Evers, Recording Secretary John Clancy, Assistant Secretary Daniel Burton, and Executive Board members/Elected Delegates John Burr, Robert Callahan, John Keller, James O’Brien and Kevin Connolly and was assisted by Tom Roth of the Labor Bureau, Inc.

Agreements covering health care coverage and wages remain unresolved and are the priority for the Union’s bargaining team.