DRPA chair 'optimistic' on new union contracts

The Delaware River Port Authority's chairman has assured staff members who have waited years for new contracts that relief is on the way.

Ryan Boyer said during Wednesday's DRPA board meeting that he was "cautiously optimistic" that the contracts could be ready for the board to sign within the next month. About 580 unionized employees have been working without contracts for four years.

At the DRPA board's January meeting, the authority's chief executive, John Hanson, was slated to receive a $39,474 pay increase, to bring his salary to the level of his predecessor's. That raise didn't go through in January due to a procedural problem, and though board members said the raise could be approved at Wednesday's meeting, it was not part of the agenda and was not voted on.

"We won't have any executive pay raises until everyone gets a pay raise," Boyer said.

Board member John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, an influential leader of the Electricians union in Philadelphia, raised the issue of employee contracts following presentations of employee awards at the monthly meeting.

"I appreciate giving people a plaque and a handshake," he said. "It'd be nice to give them a raise, too."

DRPA representatives have met with representatives of the New Jersey governor's office, Boyer replied. A major sticking point, he said, was the percentage of health insurance premiums employees are obliged to cover. The state wants the premiums to be in line with those of the rest of New Jersey's public employees.

A request for comment from Gov. Christie's office was not answered.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, the board approved a $3.5 million contract to inspect the main suspension cables that support the deck of the Ben Franklin Bridge and the PATCO rail line that spans it, and design a dehumidification system and HVAC upgrades in an effort to combat corrosion. The contract went to Weidlinger Associates of New York City.

The board also approved about $3 million for the biennial inspections of its four bridges and PATCO. Those contracts went to several firms, including AECOM Technical Services, HAKS Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, and HNTB Corp., all of Philadelphia, and Modjeski & Masters of Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Source: Philly.com