Newsline Nov 08 - Teamsters Local 237

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Local 237
NEWSLINE
S
Vol. 42, No.9
D
EAMSTE
FT
R
RNATIONA
TE
N
O H R O
November 2008
I
R
NOV.4
2008
YES,
WE DID!
Working People Celebrate
Historic Election Day
A record turnout of voters participated in making U.S. history on
Nov. 4, electing Barack Obama as the nation’s first African-American
president. Huge celebrations erupted in Harlem, Times Square,
Chicago, and points around the world, welcoming a leader who
embodies hope and change in deeply troubling times.
“I congratulate President-Elect Obama on helping to unify
a divided nation behind a progressive plan for positive
change,” said Local 237 President Gregory Floyd.
“Union members deserve a hand as well, for making
the difference in this election,” he added. “We
volunteered tirelessly to promote a canContinued on page 5
Sign up now for “Action Alerts” at www.local237.org
and you may win a prize! See details on page 8.
Photograph of Barack Obama courtesy of the Daily News
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
Local 237 Member Services
UNION HEADQUARTERS
EXECUTIVE OFFICES, 5th Fl.
216 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10011-7296
212-924-2000
Gregory Floyd, President
Richard Hendershot,
Vice President
Ruben Torres,
Secretary-Treasurer
Abbey Pabon, Trustee
LOCAL 237 DIVISIONS
CITYWIDE DIVISION, 2nd Fl.
Donald Arnold, Director
Peter Gutierrez, Deputy Director
Al Soto, Deputy Director
Randy Klein, Assistant Director
HOUSING DIVISION, 2nd Fl.
Remilda Ferguson, Director
Brooklyn, Queens & Staten
Island
James Giocastro,
Deputy Director
LONG ISLAND DIVISION
1727 Veterans Memorial
Highway
Suite 308
Islandia, NY 11749
631-851-9800
John Burns, Director
Benedict Carenza,
Deputy Director
John Sepulveda,
Assistant Director
Long Island Welfare Fund:
For information on the various
funds call 800-962-1145
RETIREE DIVISION, 8th Fl.
Provides a variety of pre- and
post-retirement services, including pension and health insurance counseling to members.
(Pension counseling by appointment, Thursdays only). General
retirement counseling and
retirement planning series during spring and fall.
212-807-0555
Nancy B. True, Director
LOCAL 237 DEPARTMENTS
(Citywide and Housing)
SKILLED TRADES, 2nd Fl.
Donald Arnold, Director
HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2nd Fl.
Donald Arnold, Director
Diane Stein, Coordinator
MEMBERSHIP, 2nd Fl.
Provides membership services
and records, including address
changes.
Laverne White,
Administrative Manager
LEGAL SERVICES, 4th Fl.
Lawyers advise and represent
members on covered personal
legal problems, including domestic relations (family court proceedings, divorce and separation), purchase and sale of a primary residence, wills, adoptions,
credit and consumer problems,
tenant rights and bankruptcies.
212-924-1220
Office Hours:
Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mary Sheridan Esq., Director
Kenneth Perry Esq.,
Deputy Director
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND
SPECIAL PROJECTS, 5th Fl.
Felipe Luciano, Coordinator
POLITICAL ACTION &
LEGISLATION, 6th Fl.
Local 237 protects members’
rights by helping to sponsor legislation that is important to members, and by opposing initiatives
that would hurt members.
Patricia Stryker, Director
GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINARY
PROBLEMS, 6th Fl.
For grievances and job related
problems, first contact your shop
steward and/or grievance representative. If they cannot resolve
the issue, they or you should
contact your business agent.
Mal Patterson, Director of
Grievances and Hearings
Todd Rubenstein,
Grievance Coordinator
Debbie Coleman,
Grievance Coordinator
CIVIL SERVICE BAR
ASSOCIATION, 7th Fl.
212-675-0519
Gloria Johnson, Esq., President
Aldona Vaiciunas,
Office Administrator and
Grievance Coordinator
John Picucci, Esq.,
Grievance Representative
CSBA Welfare Fund
Alicare 212-539-5117
COMMUNICATIONS, 8th Fl.
Tania M. Lambert, Editor
Local 237 Newsline
Website: www.local237.org
EDUCATION, 8th Fl.
Provides a variety of training
and educational advancement
opportunities for members.
212-807-0550
Frederick Dunn, Director
USEFUL NUMBERS
FOR PRE-RETIREES
NYCERS (New York City
Employees Retirement System)
By Mail: 335 Adams St., Suite
2300, Brooklyn, NY 11201-3751
In Person: 340 Jay Street,
Mezzanine, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Gen’l Information: 347-643-3000
Outside NYC toll-free:
877-6NYCERS
NYCERS Internet
www.nyclink.org/html/nycers
NYC Department of Education
Retirement System
65 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-5400
Social Security Administration
800-772-1213
NY State and Local Retirement
Systems
518-474-7736
Giving Thanks for a Dream Fulfilled
J
ust before midnight on the evening of
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008, history was made.
After 232 years of existence and 40 years
since the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
the people elected the first African American to
serve as President of the United States.
During the presidential campaign of 1968,
Senator Robert Kennedy of New York was
asked how long he thought it would take for
an African American to be elected President.
His reply: “Forty years.”
America is a better place today, not just
because it has gained a leader with the great
promise of Barack Obama, but because the
dreams of millions have been realized by his
historic victory.
Wherever you were, whatever you were
doing on Election Day, we were all participants in this historic event, one which many
thought they would never live to see. We are
proud that Local 237, and our International,
not only witnessed this achievement, but
helped make it happen. In President-elect
Obama, Local 237 has a friend and strong ally
who understands the needs of working-class
people, and will fight alongside us to make
our dreams a reality.
Throughout the campaign, members of
Local 237 knocked on doors, organized voter
registration drives, distributed information and
energized the electorate to participate in the
election. I am honored to have played a role in
this historic campaign and proud of the contribution Local 237 made to its success.
New Yorkers also made history in local
politics by electing a Democratic majority to
the State Senate for the first time in over 40
years. In doing so, it was all but assured that
Malcolm Smith would become the first
African American to hold the position of Majority Leader of the State Senate.
From the time the position of Majority
Leader of the State Senate was first created,
following the adoption of the New York State
Constitution in 1938, only one Democrat has
held the Senate’s top spot. Now, for just the
second time in 70 years, Democrats have regained control of that body. Local 237 looks
forward to working with all members of the
State Senate, irrespective of party affiliation,
to support the needs of working
families and the labor community.
Local Victory
Local 237 also earned a substantial victory this past month
when we reached a labor agreement with Mayor Bloomberg. Facing the worst fiscal crisis in
decades and the potential loss of
tens of thousands of jobs across
the state, Local 237 negotiated the
successful settlement of a contract
that guarantees the protection of
our members during these economically uncertain times.
The contracts we engineered
contained a wage increase greater
than the rate of inflation and sur-
passed the contracts other unions throughout the
country and within the city received — all accomplished during the near collapse of our financial institutions and the expected loss of substantial tax revenue for the city.
It has been estimated that in the fiscal year
2010, beginning July 1, 2009, the city’s budget
deficit will reach a staggering $3.3 billion.
Worse yet are the estimated 200,000 jobs
which might be lost in the year to come.
Protecting jobs must be of paramount importance in any plan for economic recovery.
During tough times, people have always gotten by with less, but they can’t get by with
nothing. Local 237 will fight to protect the
jobs of our members.
Funding for Housing
Our strong advocacy for increased funding
for public housing is already showing signs of
success at the federal level. I look forward to
working with President-elect Obama, Senators
Schumer and Clinton, and the New York Congressional Delegation, to secure the funding
required to meet the needs of the New Yorkers
who live and work in public housing.
Last month we testified at a City Council
hearing on elevator repair and maintenance,
emphasizing the critical importance of not
cutting jobs in that area. I also drafted a letter
to Congress demanding the inclusion of more
funding for public housing in any future stimulus packages.
Local 237 looks forward to working with
President Obama, a new Congress and new
Democratic majority in the State Senate to
provide quality and affordable housing for
New York City’s working families.
The presidential campaign gave us renewed hope and a vision for the future of our
country. Now that the rhetoric is over, the real
work begins. And we intend to redouble our
efforts to engage all city, state and federal officials on behalf of the interests of working families and the labor community.
Regardless of how weak the city and state
economy become over the coming months,
Local 237 will stay strong, will stay united,
and will stay committed to improving the
quality of life of our members.
Bill Kresse
WELFARE FUND, 3rd Fl.
The Fund administers the eligibility, enrollment, disability,
optical and death benefits
directly by the Fund’s in-house
staff, as well as prescription
and dental programs indirectly.
212-924-7220
Paul E. Juergensen, Director
PERSONNEL, 5th Fl.
Edmund Kane, Director and
Chief Negotiator
A Message From
the President
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
3
Citywide & Elevator Mechanics Pacts Ratified
Citywide
Elevator Mechanics
Local 237 officials and members signal success after two separate ballot counts at union headquarters result in ratified Citywide and Elevator Mechanic contracts.
M
embers of the Citywide
Division overwhelmingly
ratified a new contract
with more than 90 percent voting in
favor. The agreement provides two
raises of 4 percent and 4 percent
over the course of two years and 13
days, plus a quarter point of special
compensation and a one-time $200
lump-sum payment to the active
and retiree Welfare Funds.
“It’s the best contract we’ve had
in 10 years,” said President Gregory
Floyd in an interview with The
Chief-Leader. Floyd added, “I think
it was a combination of the rate of
inflation, which is projected at 3.2
percent this year, and also there
were no givebacks; and then the
economy.”
An economic crisis not seen
since the Great Depression intensified on the day the agreement was
announced, and since the contract
was ratified, on Oct. 10, the crisis
has spread around the world.
The official ratification vote totals were 3,050 votes in favor and
306 opposed. About 9,000 Local 237
members are covered by the contract. Ballots were counted at union
headquarters, where observers included several union officials and
members.
Local 237
NEWSLINE
216 West 14 St., New York, NY 10011
212-924-2000
Website: www.local237.org
e-mail Newsline: Tlambert@local237.org
Local 237 Newsline (USPS 700-000 ISSN 1083-3536) is published 10 times a year in the
following months: January, February, March, April, May, (June, July and August will be
combined into one issue), September, October, November and December by Local 237,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 216 West 14 Street, New York, NY 10011.
Periodical postage paid at New York, NY. Postmaster: Send address changes to
Local 237 Newsline, 216 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10011.
Executive Board
Gregory Floyd Richard Hendershot
President
Vice President
Evaristo Pabon Jr.
Trustee
Ruben Torres
Patricia Stryker
Secretary-Treasurer Recording Secretary
Noreen Hollingsworth
Trustee
Newsline and www.local237.org
Edmund Kane
Trustee
Tania M. Lambert
Editor
Local 237 Telephone Numbers
Citywide Division .................212-924-2000
Housing Division..................212-924-2000
Long Island Division ............631-851-9800
Welfare Funds .....................212-924-7220
Education Department.........212-807-0550
Legal Department ................212-924-1220
Health & Safety ...................212-924-2000
Retiree Division/
Pension Counseling ..........212-807-0555
Membership.........................212-924-2000
CSBA...................................212-675-0519
If you move...
Please send your change of address in writing to Membership to insure that you
continue receiving your newspaper.
Metro NY
Labor
Communications
Council
A
solid 95 percent of elevator
mechanics, elevator mechanic helpers and supervisors of
elevator mechanics voted to ratify a
new contract on Oct. 1.
The 3-year, 12-day contract, from
May 28, 2005, through June 8, 2008,
provides a 9.27 percent wage increase
for mechanics and helpers, and an
8.73 percent increase for supervisors.
Retroactive pay and retroactive annuity payments are estimated through
Sept. 30. It also gives mechanics and
supervisors a substantial rise in their
annuity to $15.44 and $18.40, respectively, for each day worked by the
end of the contract.
Of the 320 ballots returned by
members and counted at Local 237
headquarters by Election Services Solutions, 304 were marked approved,
and only 16 rejected the contract.
“It is gratifying to see the overwhelming ratification of a fair contract
by our members at a time when chaos
rules the city, state and national economy,” said President Gregory Floyd.
“This solid contract serves to acknowledge the essential services pro-
vided by the titles and helps to retain
their loyalty as public employees.”
The employer’s annual contribution to the Local 237 Welfare Fund
for active employees and retirees
will rise by $100 on June 9, 2006.
For retirees, the contribution will increase by another $200 a year on
April 3, 2008, and on that same date,
the employer will pay a one-time
lump-sum to both funds of $166.67.
Annual leave or vacation will
increase by one and one-half (1.5)
days, retroactive to June 9, 2006, for
elevator mechanics and supervisors
of elevator mechanics.
For elevator mechanic helpers,
annual leave or vacation increases
three days retroactive to June 9,
2006, and another four days retroactive to Feb. 26, 2007, for a total gain
of seven days.
Beginning April 3, 2008, elevator mechanics, helpers and supervisors may again use excused leave for
bereavement and jury duty.
Local 237 filed a 220 complaint
with the comptroller’s office to begin
the process for the next contract.
On Guard
President Gregory Floyd
addresses the audience at a
Housing Forum, “Safeguarding Affordable Housing for New York’s Labor
Workforce,” held Oct. 18 at
the Murphy Institute
CUNY Center for Worker
Education in Manhattan.
The forum, co-hosted
by Local 237 with City
Comptroller William C.
Thompson Jr. and the Central Labor Council, presented workshops on foreclosure prevention, tenants’ rights and banking products. Representatives from banks, government agencies, unions,
and community organizations attended. “The housing crisis is at its
peak,” said Floyd, emphasizing, “We’re trying to turn it around, but it
will take long; not in one president’s first term.”
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
In Praise of Good Works
Special Officers, Administration
For Children’s Services
Debra Hamilton, Bronx West –
School Safety Agent of the Month
During a routine patrol outside
the central command office in Manhattan, Special Officer Edwin Toro
saw a 16-year-old female client on
the corner of East 28 Street and First
Avenue. She was trying to escape
from the agency without permission. Toro tried to dissuade her, but
she fled toward oncoming traffic on
First Avenue. Toro radioed for help
and pursued the girl, but she put up
a struggle, while shouting that she
An 18-year veteran, SSA Debra
Hamilton was named “Agent of the
Month” by the Bronx West Command for her quick response to an
incident on Sept. 15 at JHS 22.
At lunchtime that day, Hamilton saw two male youths trying to
run inside the school. She was also
approached by several students
who reported that one of the suspects had a knife and attempted to
stab a female student. When
did not care if she was hit by a car.
Special Officer Roy Alequin of
the Department of Homeless Services, who happened to be passing by,
saw the situation and also braved oncoming traffic to help. Following
him into the fray were ACS officers
Jason Harris, Peter Lee, and R. Stancil, who helped restrain the emotionally disturbed teenager, and carry her
out of traffic. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation.
Pictured from left are ACS Special Officers Peter Lee, Jason Harris, Edwin Toro
and R. Stancil, with DHS Special Officer Roy Alequin.
School Safety,
Manhattan South
A brawl broke out among students of Chelsea High School and
Unity/The Door H.S. during a fire
drill at about 10: 30 a.m. on Sept. 24.
Manhattan South Command school
safety agents were deployed as well
as Port Authority police and First
Precinct police. In the end, eight male
perpetrators, including five from
Unity H.S. and three from the other
school, were arrested for assault.
Five SSAs were injured and
EMS came to the scene. SSA Yolanda Quirindongo was taken to Bellevue Hospital; SSA Luise Frias,
SSA3 George Acevedo, SSA Edward
Lopez-Vasquez and Shirley Rosedo
went to St. Vincent’s Hospital.
Hamilton ran after the suspects,
they fled.
Later, during dismissal, Hamilton saw the suspects riding bicycles
at the perimeter of the school and
called her supervisor. A school safety task force was at the site and arrested a 14-year-old truant from JHS
22 who was in possession of the
knife. The boy had been arrested
previously for trespassing in an
apartment building.
Bronx West Commanding Officer Sherman Richards presents a plaque to SSA
Debra Hamilton.
Special Officers, Dep’t of Homeless
Services – Bedford Atlantic Shelter
A federal marshal visited Bedford Atlantic men’s shelter on the
morning of Sept. 26 searching for a former shelter client who had an
outstanding warrant for drug trafficking. He showed photographs to
DHS Sgt. Javier Agosto, who recognized the client. After searching for
the wanted man, the marshal gave Agosto a photo and asked him to call
if he saw him.
Later that day, DHS Special Officer Stevie Johnson was on his way
home from work when he saw the perpetrator standing on a nearby corner. He called Agosto who alerted his supervisor, Lt. Greg Adams, and
responded with a team of officers to pick up the “perp.” When Agosto
called the marshal to announce that the man was in custody, he learned
that the man was also wanted for a 1991 homicide in Hartford, Conn.
The marshal thanked the DHS team of officers for doing a great job
in getting a suspected killer off the streets.
SSA John Warr,
Manhattan North
During lunchtime on Sept. 29,
the principal of P.S. 133 received an
anonymous call naming a student
with a gun on the premises.
The principal, accompanied by
SSA John Warr and a counselor,
identified the suspect’s class, and
while the class was at lunch officials searched book bags for the gun.
Warr picked up a bag, felt the shape
of a gun, and recovered the weapon
and seven cartridges. After lunch,
the student was arrested.
Warr’s vigilance helped prevent
a violent or even fatal incident and
earned him a nomination from Supervisor of School Security Nelson
Sepulveda for a meritorious award.
CPO Greg Rodriguez, College of Staten Island: The EMT’s Man Friday
Campus Peace Officer Greg Rodriguez received three awards in September from the
North Shore Rescue Squad on Staten Island for
his outstanding volunteer service to the organization and the community it serves.
A 13-year veteran CPO at the College of Staten Island, Rodriguez says he was given the opportunity by CUNY three years ago to become an
EMT on campus. Since joining the Rescue
Squad he has been promoted to scheduling officer and has become an instructor at the SIEMT
school, where he trains several classes of students and other CPO’s as EMT’s.
The North Shore Squad is among more than
CPO Greg Rodriguez, right, and Councilman Michael
E. McMahon, honorees of Staten Island’s North
Shore Rescue Squad, congratulate each other.
150 volunteer EMT units in the five boroughs,
which rely on donations and respond to emergencies such as the tragic disasters at the Staten
Island Ferry and the World Trade Center. More
routine runs involve saving lives of heart attack
and accident victims.
“I love what I do,” says Rodriguez. “It
makes me feel good.” He says he rides an
ambulance every Friday. On such a Friday
last month, Rodriguez helped save the life of
a 61-year old woman, who suffered a heart
attack. “We thought she wasn’t going to make
it,” but thanks to the swift interventions of
EMT’s she did.
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
5
The Political Scene
Floyd Defends Elevator Mechanics at City Council
In the wake of two tragic deaths
tied to faulty elevators and increasing tenant complaints in New York
City Housing Authority complexes,
President Gregory Floyd defended
elevator mechanics, helpers and supervisors in his testimony before the
City Council’s Subcommittee on
Public Housing on Oct. 29.
The trouble with elevators is not
the mechanics, but the loss of $611
million due to the Bush administration’s budget cuts over the past eight
years, Floyd told the Council. “The
deadliest consequences of the cuts
are that NYCHA has been forced to
cease its regular program of rehabbing elevators,” Floyd added, noting
that before the program was halted,
as many as 40 contractors worked to
annually upgrade elevator equipment. Now, only 185 teams of elevator mechanics and helpers perform
the hands-on work of servicing a
total 3,335 elevators, which make
about 1.7 million trips daily up and
down the high-rise towers of public
housing throughout the city.
The equipment is generally old
and replacement parts are hard to
find, said Floyd, pointing out that
the “good old days,” when storage
facilities kept parts on hand, are
gone, along with adequate federal,
state and city funding.
“We’re going to take swift action,” said NYCHA Chairman Tino
Hernandez, in his first public statements following the deaths of 5year-old Jacob Neuman, who fell
down an elevator shaft in August,
and infant Christian McFadden, who
was stuck in an elevator on his way
to the emergency room, where he
was pronounced dead in October.
The city’s biggest landlord said
President Gregory Floyd testifies before the City Council as, from left, Citywide
Division Director Donald Arnold and Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Torres look on.
NYCHA planned to spend $107 million to replace 630 elevators in five
years and another $5 million to hire
inspectors and maintenance teams to
focus on the complexes with the most
elevator failures. A portion of the
Mayor Seeks to Cut Jobs and End Tax Rebates
New York City’s post-election
revelers were rudely awakened Nov.
5, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg
announced a plan to cut 3,000 city
jobs, and eliminate the $400 property tax rebate and the 7-percent property tax reduction.
The plan, which faces the legislative process in Albany and the
City Council, calls for laying off
about 500 city workers, mostly administration positions in the Department of Education. Another
2,500 jobs will be cut through attrition. Each city agency was asked to
History Is Made on Nov. 4
Continued from page 1
didate who promises to be a strong ally
in labor’s fight to restore the American
dream for working families.”
Local 237 and labor unions
across America solidly supported
Obama with endorsements, get-outthe-vote efforts, phone banks, voter
education literature and an unprecedented grass-roots mobilization across the nation.
Nationwide, 67 percent of union
voters supported Obama.
In his victory speech before
thousands of cheering supporters in
Chicago’s Grant Park, the presidentelect acknowledged challenges
which he called “the greatest of our
lifetime,” including two wars and
the worst financial crisis in nearly a
century. Change, he said, begins
with “a new spirit of patriotism; of
service and responsibility, where
each of us resolves to pitch in and
work harder and look after not only
funds was previously allocated, but
$50 million will come from other projects, delaying repairs elsewhere.
NYCHA’s operating budget deficit of
$177 million in fiscal year 2009 is projected to rise to $207 million in 2012.
Council Speaker Christine
Quinn and other Council members
expressed concerns that the plan
lacked specifics on prioritizing elevator repairs. Subcommittee Chair
Rosie Mendez brought up reports of
moonlighting by elevator staff. Hernandez replied that he placed a
moratorium on outside employment
for the elevator staff.
The following morning, NY 1
News reported that a Manhattan
woman fell down an elevator shaft
at East River Houses in Manhattan
around midnight. Fortunately, she
was on the ground floor when she
opened the elevator door, took a
step and fell in the shaft. She was
treated for back injuries.
In a letter to members of Congress considering economic stimulus measures, Floyd called for federal funding to protect NYCHA residents. “It is imperative that greater
resources for the Public Housing
Capital Fund be included in the list
of critical infrastructure projects.”
ourselves, but each other.”
Teamsters President James Hoffa
said Obama’s promise to sign the
Employee Free Choice Act would
“set off a new wave of union organizing,” and raise the ranks of organized labor by thousands of new
members. Under EFCA, also known
as “card check,” all that would be
required for a shop to be considered
unionized is for a majority of the
workers to sign cards stating their
desire to join a union. It would give
U.S. workers a “fair shake,” said
Hoffa. Card check passed the U.S.
House of Representatives last year,
but could not beat a Republican filibuster in the Senate.
The labor movement is on a roll
with Democrats at the wheel in the
White House and gaining ground in
the newly elected 111th Congress. We
look forward to more victories ahead
as we gain universal health care,
more funding for education, and new
jobs to rebuild a broken economy.
submit a “hit list” that would trim
2.5 percent this year and 5 percent
next year.
“The gravity of the budget situation requires us to make hard choices that will not be popular with
everyone,” said Bloomberg. “But
they’re the right ones to see us
through these very difficult economic times and they will help
speed our recovery, while continuing to keep our streets safe and
clean, and keep improving our
schools.”
Addabbo Wins State Senate Seat
City Councilman Joseph
Addabbo (D-Ozone Park,
Howard Beach, Queens)
won the race for the 15th
District State Senate seat
against 20-year incumbent
Serphin Maltese (R-Middle
Village, Queens). The election-day victory helped Democrats gain a slim majority
in the State Senate, and stronger representation for New York City.
Addabbo, son of the late Congressman Joseph Addabbo, was elected to
the City Council seven years ago. He
has fought for funding local schools,
senior centers, parks and
playgrounds while voting to
cut property taxes and give
homeowners a $400 tax rebate for four straight years. In
the State Senate, Addabbo
says he plans to continue the
fight for a fair share of state
aid for schools, to create new
jobs, and hold down taxes
and spending.
“In these tough fiscal times, we
need courage, not complacency, which
is exactly the work ethic I will bring
with me to Albany,” Addabbo was
quoted as saying in the Queens Gazette.
Labor Committee Gets New Chairman
Harry Nespoli, president of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association,
became the new chairman of the Municipal Labor Committee, succeeding
Randi Weingarten, president of the United Federation of Teachers and the
American Federation of Teachers.
A 38-year veteran of the Sanitation Department, Nespoli said in an
interview with the Chief Leader in September that he hopes to help
unions expedite contract talks “only if they ask.” He added, “There’s
money that could be in the members’ pockets immediately, and right
now is not the time for members to be without it.”
Acknowledging there are obstacles to getting negotiations done before old contracts expire, Nespoli praised Mayor Bloomberg’s fiscal
policies that made it possible for the city to reach reasonable contracts
with several major unions, including Local 237, the Patrolmen’s
Benevolent Association, and DC 37.
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
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Music, dance,
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Assemblyman
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Photographs by
Pat Arnow
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
7
flanked by Local 237
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
A Family Tree Grows Fast in Whitestone
Victor Carpio, a New York City Housing
Authority caretaker J, and his wife, Digna,
welcomed sextuplets into their lives on Oct.
6. Although the parents were preparing for
the big delivery, the four boys and two girls
arrived early, about 11 weeks premature, according to a Daily News report. They weighed
in at about 1½ to 2 pounds each.
Carpio, 36, who has worked since January
at Throgs Neck Houses in the Bronx, said the
mother, 31, and babies are doing well. The
newborns will remain at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan until January, the original
due date, when they are expected to be ready
to go home to Whitestone, Queens.
The babies were named at three weeks
old. The four boys are Justin, Jesreel, Joel and
Jaden; the two girls are Danelia and Genesis.
The couple also has a 7-year-old son, Jhancarlos.
His biggest worry, says Carpio, a native of
Ecuador, is how to make ends meet for his
suddenly large family on a caretaker’s salary.
The Daily News reported that the couple’s
city councilman, Tony Avella, launched a collection drive for baby products and supplies
that the family will need when the babies
come home.
Anyone wishing to help, can also send
money donations to:
Joel Cairo/NY Daily News
Victor and Digna Carpio, with their son Jhancarlos, can’t wait
for the sextuplets to be home and sucking on those bottles.
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Carpio
P.O. Box 570105
Whitestone, NY 11357-0105
She’s a ‘Model’
Labor Leader
Patricia Stryker, Local 237 trustee
and director of political action and
legislation, was a showstopper at The
18th Friends Parade of Labor Women
Leaders Fashion Extravaganza, hosted by State Senator Velmanette Montgomery.
Stryker was one of 20 women
honored at the event, held Oct. 30 at
1199 SEIU, where she was also selected as a model, along with several
honorees, who walked the runway
wearing beautiful clothes by up-andcoming Brooklyn designers.
Patricia Stryker sports an Amadou
Gueye top.
Subscribe Now for a Chance
to Win a Prize!
www.local237.org is the place to go for the latest union news.
Plus, you may win a prize for subscribing to “Action Alerts.”
Starting now until January 1, members subscribed to “Action Alerts”
will be eligible to participate in a raffle. We are giving away more
than 100 prizes!
■ First prize: 30 winners will receive “100 Years of Teamsters
History: A Strong Legacy, a Powerful Future.” The beautiful soft-cover
book features photographs and essays about our international union’s
greatest achievements.
■ Second prize: 100 winners will receive a 2008 Election memento
Teamsters Local 237 T-shirt. The royal-blue T-shirt is printed in white
with the slogans “Yes We Can. Vote! Si Se Puede.”
To subscribe to “Action Alerts” and enter the raffle, sign onto www.local237.org and click on the red tab
labeled “Get Involved.” Fill in all the blanks on the form labeled “Sign Up for 237 Action Alerts.” Click
on “subscribe” and you’re done.
“Action Alerts” subscribers receive e-mail notifications directly from Local 237 whenever there is an
important political, legislative and union development that members should know about.
If you win a raffle prize, it will be mailed to the address posted on the “Action Alerts” subscription form.
DON’T DELAY!
Join “Action Alerts”
today, and you might
be a lucky winner.
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
ATI
RN
TE
EAMS
TE
FT
mailbox
O
R
S
R
IN
R
In Praise of Floyd
Congratulations to…
I am a 20-year veteran and I am proud of the outstanding job our
Teamsters Local 237 President Gregory Floyd is doing. President
Floyd and his team …work effortlessly for the members. What other
union can you call at two o’clock in the morning and have someone
come to your assistance
The recent contract he negotiated with the City of New York is
the most lucrative contract that we have received in more than 10
years. We will reap the benefits of this negotiation over the next two
years.
This is the first time in a long time that we were not required to
give something back to the city for a small raise. And for the first time
in my 20-year tenure, we will not have to wait months and sometimes even years for a contract. His relentless efforts have given us all
hope for a brighter future.
What I admire most about President Floyd is that although he is
constantly dealing with the stress of being in an acting position, he
has not forgotten us. He could have simply allowed things to play out
with the city negotiations like past presidents have, regardless of
whether it was an election year or not. But he didn’t — he went to
the mayor and the City Council and fought for us. He fought for not
just a contractual raise, but an across-the-board pay increase.
Derrick Neville, School Safety Agent Level III
…SCHOOL SAFETY AGENT DELVIA JENNINGS of Brooklyn North Command
on the birth of her daughter, Aiyanna Miracle, on Sept. 28.
•••
…SSA CYNTHIA JENKINS of Brooklyn North Command, on the birth of
her first son, Nasir Jeffrey Jennings, Oct. 7. Nasir weighed 6 pounds 4
ounces.
•••
…HOSPITAL POLICE OFFICER JOSÉ MIGUEL PEREZ of Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility on Roosevelt Island, who was promoted to sergeant last month. Perez and his wife, Claribel, are also celebrating the birth of a granddaughter, Hanna Jolie Pimentel, on Sept. 25.
Baby weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and has a 4-year-old sister, Jasmine,
and a 2-year-old brother, Hector Daniel. The children’s parents are Hector and Jennifer, Perez’ daughter. The Perez’s have six adult children,
two sons and four daughters. One son was married in September.
Pursuing Issues
It’s Better to Give
I was pleased to read the article in the October 2008 Newsline
about the horrible conditions in a moveout at Millbrook Houses.
What was more pleasing is the fact that the union intervened and
something was done to save staff from working in a dangerously unsanitary environment. The sad fact is that members are asked to work
under similar conditions in all five boroughs all day, every day…I
think you should go after these types of issues vigorously and print
them in Newsline every month. I think that there should be an area
on the Local 237 website where members could post issues with
which they are not pleased.
Tom Breiter, NYCHA Maintenance Worker
Call for Hoffa
Scholarship
Candidates
Applications for 2009-2010
James R. Hoffa Memorial
Scholarships are available for
eligible applicants who are
high school seniors and are
children or grandchildren of
Teamster members.
To request a Scholarship
Guide and an application,
contact Local 237’s Education
Department at 212-8070550. In addition, applications can be downloaded
from the Teamster website at
www.teamster.org.
Thirty-one of the awards are
four-year scholarships totaling $10,000 each. Sixty-nine
awards are one-time grants
of $1,000. The deadline to
return completed application
materials to Local 237 is
March 24, 2009.
We’d like to hear from you. If you’d like us to report on what’s
happening in your life, drop a line to Teamster Notes, Newsline,
216 W. 14 Street, NY 10011, or call 646-638-8636,
or e-mail Tlambert@local237.org.
Terence Elmore, school safety agent and shop steward, is screened before donating
blood at Brooklyn’s I.S. 68 during a blood drive sponsored by the Brooklyn South
Training Unit on Sept. 30. Many SSAs participated in the drive to respond to a rising
need for blood reserves, as corporate blood drives in the city have declined in the
face of the financial crisis, and demand for blood has risen.
CONDOLENCES TO...
…the family of the late SSA WILLIAM JAMES CLINTON MOORE JR. of Brooklyn North Command. Moore, who died Oct. 5, worked at P.S. 26 in District 16, where the 20-year veteran was fondly called the “Mayor.” Formerly an Army sergeant, Moore was awarded a Purple Heart for his bravery in the Vietnam War. Moore served at various churches, and his last
fellowship was with Pleasant Grove Tabernacle in Brooklyn, where the
funeral service was held. The service included a solo violinist and choir
as well as a tribute delivered by Local 237 Business Agent Steve Gordon.
Moore is survived by his wife, Fox; son, Schon; four daughters: LaTeasha,
Shakenna, Jeanelle and Angel; five grandsons, one great-granddaughter;
two brothers and eight sisters.
•••
…SSA MICHAEL JONES of John Jay H.S. in Brooklyn South Command, on the
death of his mother, Bernice Jones. The funeral service was held Oct. 4.
•••
…THOMAS KIMBALL, caretaker at Glenwood Houses in Brooklyn and Housing Division shop steward, on the death of his wife, Barbara Jones Kimball, on Oct. 1.
•••
…SSA CELESTE MORRISON of Manhattan North Command’s Eleanor Roosevelt H.S. on the death of his father, Selestee Howell, on Oct. 13. The funeral service was held in Brooklyn.
9
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
Added to the Roster of Retirees
two sons, a third is deceased, and 10 grandchildren. She says she plans to “do
a little traveling,” and has sisters down south. Her parting words to colleagues are: “I enjoy working with people. When you enjoy what you do, the
years go faster.”
Tending the Flock
‘Double Happiness’
Newly retired NEVILLE AUDAIN is flanked from left by Al Soto,
deputy director Local 237 Citywide Division, and Vincent Lattimore, a
business agent. The former associate water use inspector with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Customer Service in
the Bronx plans to continue as a volunteer in pastoral services at Calvary
Hospital and as an assistant instructor at St. Anthony of Padua Church in
the Bronx, where he prepares children for the sacraments. Audain is married and has two adult children.
People Person on the Move
Retired from Rikers Island Food Service, former food service manager COLIN BRATHWAITE, left, and WENDELL WEST, a former cook,
flank Carletta Fonseca, a cook. Behind them is Frank Yearwood, food
service manager. Brathwaite logged in 20 years of service, and West, 17.
The retirement party was held at the Robert N. Daverin Reception Center.
Toasting Babylon’s Babjak
A former senior housekeeper at Lincoln Hospital, MAXCINE
MITCHELL, holds her retirement plaque in September, after 22 years of service. She is flanked from left by Randy Klein, assistant director, Citywide Division, and Vincent Lattimore, business agent. Mitchell, a Bronx resident, has
BOB BABJAK holds his retirement plaque as a group of colleagues
look on. The former material control clerk 2 for the Town of Babylon retired with more than 36 years of service and the respect of his co-workers
for his vast knowledge of the job. Pictured at the retirement party, held
Oct. 3 at Gicco D’oro Restaurant in Babylon, are, from left: James Barger,
automotive mechanic 3; Andy Viegas, business agent; Tom Coppola, shop
steward; Ben Carenza, deputy director; and Babjak.
Social Security Launches Fast-Track Plan
Social Security announced a new program last month,
Compassionate Allowances, for faster processing of disability claims for people with cancers and rare diseases.
“Getting benefits quickly to people with the most
severe medical conditions is both the right and the compassionate thing to do,” said Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue. “This initiative will allow us
to make decisions on these cases in a matter of days,
rather than months or years.”
The expedited decision process covers a total of 50
conditions that are so severe that they obviously meet
Social Security standards. The impairments include 25
rare diseases and 25 cancers. More diseases and conditions will be added in the future. To see the list, sign on
to www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.
Compassionate Allowances is the second piece of a
two-track, fast-track system for certain disability claims.
When combined with the agency’s Quick Disability Determination process, the two-track system could result
in a significant reduction in disability backlogs.
Raises and
Promotions
DEBBIE COLEMAN was appointed grievance coordinator for
the Citywide Division effective
Nov. 3. Her salary is $1,971 per
week ($102,492 per year). She
will receive an auto allowance of
$860 per month ($10,320 per
year).
All meetings listed below will be held at Local 237 headquarters, 216 W. 14 St., Manhattan.
The shop steward and chairperson of each title are required to attend. The monthly meeting
schedule is also posted on our Website: www.local237.org.
CITYWIDE DIVISION
Cement Masons & Mason Helpers .....Nov. 20........5 p.m.
Plasterers & Supervisors ....................Nov. 24........5 p.m.
HOUSING DIVISION
Supervisors of Caretakers ..................Nov. 25........6 p.m.
Exterminators......................................Nov. 25........6 p.m.
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NEWSLINE, November 2008
11
Resumen en Español
Los Trabajadores Celebran Día
de Elección Histórico
Un número record de votantes
hicieron historia en los Estados
Unidos el 4 de Noviembre, cuando
eligieron a Barack Obama como el
primer presidente Afro-Americano
y el 44º mandatario. Hubo grandes
celebraciones
espontáneas
en
Harlem, Times Square, Chicago, y
en varias localidades a través del
mundo, dándole la bienvenida a un
líder que representa en sí la esperanza y el cambio que tanto se anhela
en nuestros tiempos de profundos
problemas.
El Local 237 y los sindicatos en
todos los Estados Unidos dieron
apoyo sólido a Obama, con endosos,
organizando campañas animando a
los votantes, llamadas telefónicas,
literatura para educar al votante y
una movilización de personal sin
precedente por toda la nación.
“Felicito al Presidente-Electo
Obama en su afán de traer unidad a
una nación dividida bajo un plan
progresivo para lograr cambio positivo,” dijo Gregory Floyd, Presidente del Local 237. “Los miembros
sindicales también se merecen un
aplauso, por su papel decisivo en
esta elección,” añadió Floyd.
“Servimos incansablemente como
voluntarios para promover un candidato que prometió ser un fuerte
aliado de los sindicatos en la lucha
para restaurar el Sueño Americano
para las familias trabajadoras.”
Los trabajadores sindicales
dieron el 67 por ciento de apoyo a
Obama contra el Senador John McCain. En los estados de mayor controversia, la diferencia fue 69-28 por
ciento por Obama.
En su discurso de victoria ante
una muchedumbre de miles de sus
agitados simpatizantes en el Grant
Park de Chicago, el Senador de Illinois reconoció los retos grandísimos
que le esperan, “los más grandes de
nuestras vidas,” incluyendo dos
guerras y la peor crisis financiera en
AP Photo/Dave Guttenfelder
Barack Obama saluda simpatizantes en el Grant Park de Chicago.
un siglo. El Cambio, dijo él, empieza
con “un nuevo espíritu de patriotismo; de servicio y responsabilidad
en donde cada uno de nosotros re-
suelve unirnos y trabajar más fuertemente y buscar no solamente nuestro bienestar, sino también del
prójimo.”
El mensaje de solidaridad de
Obama se armoniza con los principios perennes del movimiento laboral. James Hoffa, Presidente General
de los Teamsters, dijo que la promesa de Obama de firmar la Ley de
Libre Albedrío del Trabajador (Employee Free Choice Act, o EFCA por
sus siglas en inglés) “desataría una
nueva ola de organización de miembros por los sindicatos,” aumentando por miles el número de sindicalistas nuevos. EFCA, también conocido como “card check” (o sea
chequeo de tarjetas) eliminaría la
necesidad del voto por balotas secretas para aprobar un sindicato en el
lugar de trabajo y les daría una
“oportunidad justa” a los trabajadores Americanos, dijo Hoffa. El
“card check” fue aprobado por la
Cámara de Representantes de los EU
el año pasado, pero no sobrevivió la
obstrucción Republicana en el Senado.
El movimiento laboral está en
pleno progreso con los Demócratas
en la Casa Blanca y ganando terreno
en el nuevo Congreso 111º. Anticipamos ver más victorias por delante, al lograr cuidado de salud
universal, mayor financiamiento
para la educación, y nuevos empleos para reconstruir la economía
arruinada.
Contrato de Citywide Aprobado por los Miembros
Los miembros de la División de
la Ciudad ratificaron el nuevo contrato por voto abrumador, con más
del 90 por ciento votando a favor. El
acuerdo provee dos aumentos de 4
por ciento cada año en el transcurso
de dos años y 13 días, además de
una compensación especial de la
cuarta parte de un punto y una contribución única de $200 al los Fondos de Bienestar por cada miembro
activo y jubilado.
“Es el mejor contrato que hemos
tenido en 10 años,” dijo el Presidente Gregory Floyd en una entrevista con el periódico The ChiefLeader. Floyd añadió, “Creo que fue
una combinación de la rata de inflación, que ha sido proyectada al
3.2 por ciento este año, y también
no tuvimos que ceder devoluciones;
y luego — la economía.” Una crisis
económica no vista desde la Gran
Depresión se intensificó el día en
que se anunció el acuerdo, el 10 de
Octubre, y desde entonces se ha regado por todo el mundo.
El total de votos que oficialmente afirmó la ratificación fue
3,050 votos a favor y 306 en contra.
Unos 9,000 miembros del Local 237
están cubiertos por el contrato. Las
balotas fueron contadas en la sede
del sindicato, bajo la supervisión de
varios oficiales y miembros. #
Caretaker de Autoridad de Viviendas: Padre de Séxtuplos
Victor Carpio, un trabajador Caretaker J en la
Autoridad de Viviendas, y su esposa Digna, le
dieron la bienvenida a seis hijitos el 6 de Octubre. Aunque los padres estaban preparándose
para la gran entrada, los cuatro varones y dos
niñas llegaron prematuramente, por unas 11 semanas, según informe en el Daily News. Pesaron
entre 1½ y 2 libras cada uno.
Carpio, quien ha trabajado desde Enero en
Throgs Neck Houses en el Bronx, dijo que madre
e hijos se encuentran bien. Los recién nacidos
Joel Cairo/NY Daily News
permanecerán en el Centro Médico Mount Sinai
Seis recuerdos del nacimiento extraordinario.
en Manhattan hasta Enero, la fecha original fijada
para su nacimiento, y luego se espera que estarán
Los bebés fueron nombrados a las tres semlistos para irse a casa en Whitestone, Queens.
anas de edad. Los cuatro varones son Justin, Jes-
reel, Joel y Jaden; las dos niñas son Danelia y Genesis. La pareja también tiene otro hijo de 7 años de
edad, Jhancarlos.Su mayor preocupación, dice
Carpio, oriundo del Ecuador, es cómo lograr mantener su familia tan súbitamente crecida, con el
sueldo de un Caretaker. El periódico The Daily
News reportó que el Concejal Tony Avela, del
vecindario de la pareja, lanzó una campaña de
recolección de productos y artículos que la familia necesitará cuando los bebés lleguen a casa.
Cualquier persona que quiera ayudar también puede enviar una donación de dinero a:
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Carpio
P.O. Box 570105
Whitestone, NY 11357-0105
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Page 12
Welcome Graduates!
ast month, a windfall of hospital police
and special officers, as well as advanced
heating plant technicians, entered the fold.
Local 237 officials were on hand at the three
graduation ceremonies to congratulate the new
Citywide and Housing Division members, and
offer the full support of our extended family.
Below are the highlights.
L
Oct. 3 – Class of 2008 Advanced Heating
Plant Technicians
The ceremony was held at the New York City
Housing Authority’s headquarters at 90 Church
Street in Manhattan, where Local 237 SecretaryTreasurer Ruben Torres addressed the 25 graduates. Commissioner Margarita Lopez noted that
the female percentage of HPT’s rose to 20 percent
with this class, and emphasized that the title is
an integral part of an “army” dedicated to the
“greening” of NYCHA facilities. Graduate ShaKema Peterson was recognized for highest grades.
Oct. 14 – Department of Homeless
Services Police Officer Training Program &
New York State Peace Officer Certification
Training Program
The ceremony was held at John Jay College of
Criminal Justice in Manhattan, where 25 new
peace officers were addressed by DHS Commissioner Robert V. Hess. He emphasized that “even
in difficult times we are growing our peace officer
staff,” investing in maintaining DHS as the “safest
shelter system in the nation,” and helping thousands of clients “who come in crisis.” Graduates
Clarissa C. Mitchell and Christopher R. Sawyer
were recognized for academic achievement.
Leticia Barboza: NYCHA
Heating plant technician graduates are joined by
Local 237 Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Torres, right of
center, and NYCHA Chairman Tino Hernandez. Local
237 Chief Negotiator Edmund Kane stands between
them. Citywide Director Remilda Ferguson is second
from right in back row.
Oct. 17 – Hospital Police Entry Level
Graduation & Promotion Shields
Nearly 100 new recruits were sworn in and
six detectives were promoted to Gold Shields at
the ceremony at Goldwater Specialty Hospital on
Roosevelt Island. Local 237 Citywide Division
Deputy Directors Pete Gutierrez and Al Soto were
on hand to congratulate the special officers, who
are deployed throughout the five boroughs to
serve the most vulnerable citizens.
Local 237 Deputy Directors Al Soto, far left, and Pete Gutierrez, far right, join promoted
detectives Ricky L. Macklin, Valerie L. Smith, Timothy Depeiza, Michelle Hankerson,
Ronald Regan and Det. Sgt. George Ortega on their Gold Sheilds.
O H R O
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Name _______________________________________
Local 237, IBT
216 West 14 Street
New York, NY 10011
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Address _____________________________________
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Department of Homeless Services Police Officers listen attentively at their
graduation.
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Are you moving?
Det. Spc. Tommy Rodriguez is flanked by new
Hospital Police Officers Christine Cosenzo and Jerry
Torres.
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DATED MATERIAL
NOVEMBER 2008