SFC, Cappelli, union detail their labor organization accord
By ALEX PHILIPPIDIS :: January 25, 2007

Artist's renderings of the $1.5 billion River Park Center, a mixed-use project planned as part of $3 billion in new development for Yonkers by a trio of developers under the partnership SFC Yonkers L.L.C.

 

SFC Yonkers L.L.C. and one of its partners, Valhalla-based Cappelli Enterprises Inc., joined officials from Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ today in announcing details of the union organization agreement reached between the parties.

SFC and Cappelli will allow the porters, superintendents, maintenance employees and other building staffers hired for a trio of planned mega-projects (see WHAT’S COVERED below) to vote for representation by SEIU 32BJ by checking off cards with neutrality promised by the developers. That’s the method for representation votes preferred by unions, versus the longer government-supervised secret ballots sought by some employers.

That vote is expected to ratify SEIU 32BJ as representative of the employees, which sets the stage for talks toward a formal collective-bargaining agreement between the developers and the union. Joseph V, Apicella, executive vice president of Cappelli Enterprises, projected that some 1,000 new union members would be covered between the three projects.

He said the union presence would cover the apartment and office buildings to take shape in Yonkers and New Rochelle. A presence in the retail and hotel buildings envisioned would be up to tenants.

Apicella and the union officials joined a bevy of Yonkers elected officials in announcing the agreement during a photo-op at the Yonkers Riverfront Library.

“This is an example where the developer sat down with us in a serious fashion. This wasn’t some sort of dance they were going through hoping to placate us and make us go away,” said Mike Duffy, SEIU 32BJ supervisor for the district that includes Westchester.

Duffy credited Yonkers City Council member Dennis Robertson (D-3rd district) and New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson with persuading Cappelli and SFC to embrace SEIU 32BJ. Bramson termed his contribution very modest: “I exhorted Cappelli Enterprises to participate in discussions with 32BJ in good faith, and make every effort to reach an agreement. I’m pleased they were successful.”

Apicella said Cappelli – who did not attend the photo-op -- reasoned he wouldn’t lose money recognizing SEIU 32BJ since he was paying prevailing wage anyway.

In addition, Apicella said, many union members live in Yonkers and New Rochelle: “It works best from the dveeloper’s perspective to have people fro the community work in that very same community. It makes for an easier commute. It makes for a more consistent employee.

“It was a no-brainer for us,” Apicella said.

WHAT THE DEAL COVERS

A memorandum of understanding between SFC Yonkers L.L.C., one of its partners Valhalla builder Louis R. Cappelli, and Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ allows for union organizing in the apartment and office buildings of the following projects:

* River Park Center: A 1 million-square-foot mix of retail and office space, restaurants, a multi-screen movie theater, 950 apartments in two 50-story buildings and a 6,500-seat minor league ballpark.

* Palisades Point: 436 condominium apartments in two 25-story bbuildings with 9,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, restaurant and office spaces, plus a bridge over the Metro-North tracks linking Prospect Street to Palisades Point.

* LeCount Square: 1.2 million square feet, most of which will be in two 500-foot-tall towers. One will include a 187-room hotel and 180,000 square feet of office and retail space; the other, 459 apartments. Below the towers will be a three-level, 30,000-square-foot “podium” with restaurants and stores.

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