Orange public works employees were back on the job Monday after reaching a tentative agreement with the city and bringing a close to the strike that began earlier this month.
More than 70 employees in Orange’s maintenance, crafts and water divisions, represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 47, went on strike March 1, picketing in front of City Hall, chanting and asking for wages and benefits they said would bring parity with other cities of the same scale.
The agreement reached between city leaders and Local 47 members settled negotiations, which span back to last spring, around the time the union’s contract with the city ran out.
“Following two weeks on strike, the city returned to the bargaining table and offered a 2-year contract with back pay,” Local 47 Business Manager and Financial Secretary Colin Lavin said in a statement. “Members from both the Water Department and Maintenance and Crafts Department voted overwhelmingly to approve a two-year agreement with retroactive pay and an additional wage increase.”
The new agreement expires June 30, 2027, a city statement said, and the settlement “is consistent with the compensation pattern that is being proposed to all collective bargaining groups.”
“The resolution recognizes the importance of the hardworking employees represented by IBEW Local 47, who play a critical frontline role in serving our community,” Mayor Dan Slater said. “I’m proud we were able to reach an outcome that reflects the city’s commitment to fairness, equity, and respect for our employees.”