Youngstown signs 3-year pact with street department workers

YOUNGSTOWN — City council approved a three-year contract tonight with its street department union that freezes the salaries of union members for 2017 and 2018 and gives them a 1-percent raise in 2019.

The Teamsters Local 377, which represents about 37 street department workers, had already ratified the deal before council’s vote.

Also, council voted to repeal a 1974 law making it illegal to ride bicycles and motorcycles in the heart of downtown.

The law hasn’t been enforced for years, and was approved shortly after the city closed Federal Street and turned it into a pedestrian plaza.

The city took down the plaza in 2005 and reopened Federal Street to vehicular traffic, but never took the law off the books.

Council also voted to allow the board of control to enter into a contract with the state to resurface two of downtown’s busiest streets – West Federal Street between Phelps and Walnut streets and Market Street from Front to Commerce streets.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com