By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor

Utica Department of Public Works (DPW) Employees were long-standing members of their former Union, but in recent years their representation had been lacking. So, when their current contract negotiations got off on the wrong foot, they wasted no time seeking an alternative.

“We did start negotiations with AFSCME. It was after that first meeting that we decided to look elsewhere for a union,” said Mike Francis, Utica DPW Employees Local Union Steward.

During negotiations, their American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) representative didn’t speak up, and it was up to the Employees to do all the talking, Francis said. So, they reached out to the Governmental Employees Labor Council (GELC), voting in March 2026 to join. By April, they already had their second negotiations meeting — this time with their new GELC Labor Representative Joe Stone.

“I inquired (about representation) with our police Union because I knew they had switched as well. They are with the POLC,” Francis said of Utica Police, which are represented by GELC’s sister union. “It was a unanimous vote with our unit! Then it had to go to our City Council to be approved for the switch. Once it was approved by Council, I believe Joe handled the transfer as far as us being relinquished from AFSCME and switched to GELC.”

Replacing their Labor Union was significant for the seven-member group, which had been with AFSCME for over half a century. “I believe they first joined with them in the 60s,” he said. “Let’s just say 50-plus years at least. Things change.”

What changed for Utica DPW Employees was the quality of representation they were receiving. “I believe it was a mutual agreement with the group that we were not being represented as efficiently as we felt we should be,” he said. “They were not returning phone calls, not being as prepared as we would like to see in negotiations.”

“There seemed to be a large turnaround as well. I remember 3 to 4 years ago — at the last negotiations — we went through 5 different representatives,” Francis said. “That was very frustrating on our end having to deal with that. We feel that partially led to us not getting as good of a contract as well. To be fair, in their defense, it was during Covid. It was a very lengthy, drawn-out negotiations because of that fact, but still 5 representatives! It was like having to bring them all up to speed, and it was not very easy.”

Those delays and frustrations are now a thing of the past as Utica DPW Employees continue talks with their current contract expiring June 30, 2026. Thus far, the experience with Representative Stone has been the polar opposite of their prior Union interactions. 

“We are happy with the returning of the calls quickly — the response time. As far as the knowledge goes, we are happy with and impressed with that as well, and we felt that Joe really handled himself well in our first negotiations,” Francis said.

He cited Stone’s extensive experience as a retired City of Warren Foreman of Sanitation, who held several positions during his 28-year career with the city.

“He represented us well. We liked that he would do most of the talking. We strongly feel that’s important. We don’t want the Employees to be directly arguing with the mayor,” Francis said. “We’re there if Joe needs us to answer any questions or reiterate, but I think all of his years in (local government) service himself has made a difference as well.”