Clerks, Tracks Agree to Sign Two-Year-Old Contract

The union that represents all pari-mutuel clerks in California and the organization that represents all of the race tracks have agreed in principle to sign a labor contract that has been unsigned for two years.

Both Joe Stellino, president of Service Employees International Union Local 280, and Richard Hughes, director of industrial relations for the Federation of California Racing Assns., said the contract will be signed in the next few weeks.

“There are no problems; it’s finally put together,” said Hughes, who added that there never was a problem. However, Hughes opened the latest skirmish by sending a letter to Stellino saying he would request all tracks “to withhold pension payments to the Building Service Employees Pension Trust” if the contract was not signed by Oct. 1.

Stellino responded by letter: “If this action is taken by you, SEIU Local 280 will have no choice but to ‘strike’ all racing associations and satellite facilities throughout . . . California.”

The contract was ratified in 1988 but has not been signed because of disagreements over the interpretation of specific language. The contract will expire in two years.

A pari-mutuel clerk receives a base pay of $112 a day on-track after health and welfare, pension and vacation deductions. An off-track clerk receives a base pay of $90. There are about 2,400 union members in California.