VOTE NOV. 4 ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS – Page 5 Local 237 NEWSLINE R O H O D A F N T O E I A T M A S N T R E E R T S N I Vol. 42, No.8 October 2008 Citywide ContR ract Secured Before the Economic Storm As the stock market crashed and major financial firms threatened to col - lapse on Sept. 16, Local 237 President Gregory Floyd and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg stood firm with an agreement providing two 4 percent raises over two years to more than 9,000 city workers. “It’s a timely deal in a tough climate,” said Floyd, emphasizing that the contract’s com - pounded raise of 8.16 percent not only exceeds the projected rate of inflation (5.4 percent) but also provides an additional annuity of .25 percent with a $200 lump sum contribution to the active and retiree Welfare Funds. Local 237 negotiators, led by Floyd, brought the historic contract to agreement one day before the end of the old contract, with no givebacks, and may set the pattern for other city employee unions during the greatest fiscal crisis since the Great De - pression of the 1930s. “It’s the best contract we’ve had in 10 years,” Floyd noted. “Today’s agreement allows the city to fairly compensate the members of Local 237, who pro - vide vital city services,” said Bloomberg at a Continued on page 3 President Gregory Floyd is joined from left by Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Torres and Mayor Michael Bloomberg as he speaks to the press at City Hall. Building a Bridge Over Troubled Water At press time, major news States, Barack Obama, who is headlines were spelling out the leading the march, demanding “End of an Era,” “Stock Market change, heralding a new era, that Runs Wild,” “Decline of the would renew the American American Empire.” Our nation Dream, not just for the wealthy, appears to stand on the brink of who grew accustomed to record ruin, threatening to take the glob - profits during the past eight years al economy down with it. Mean - of the Bush administration, but while, Congress is trying to ham - for workers, who have seen their mer out the biggest government living standards decline over the bailout in history. same years that greedy unregulat - History is also being made by ed big-businesses got richer. the first African-American nomi - nee for president of the United Continued on page 3 President Greg Floyd and Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama shake hands at the Democratic Convention in Denver as Floyd’s wife, Wendy Bolton Floyd, looks on. 2 NEWSLINE, October 2008 Local 237 Member Services UNION HEADQUARTERS 212-924-1220 216 West 14th Street Office Hours: A Message From New York, NY 10011-7296 Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the President 212-924-2000 Mary Sheridan Esq., Director LOCAL 237 DIVISIONS Kenneth Perry Esq., Deputy Director CITYWIDE DIVISION , 2nd Fl. Donald Arnold, Director PERSONNEL , 5th Fl. Peter Gutierrez, Deputy Director Edmund Kane, Director and Al Soto, Deputy Director Chief Negotiator Keeping Moral Obligations Randy Klein, Assistant Director COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND Skilled Trades SPECIAL PROJECTS, 5th Fl. When the Going Gets Tough (Citywide and Housing) Felipe Luciano, Coordinator Donald Arnold, Director POLITICAL ACTION & nacceptable! Just over one month ago a crease greater than the rate of inflation; 2) Health and Safety LEGISLATION , 6th Fl. 5-year-old child fell to his death at the how does the contract compare with other (Citywide and Housing) Local 237 protects members’ New York City Housing Authority’s unions throughout the country and within the Donald Arnold, Director rights by helping to sponsor leg - U Taylor Wythe apartment complex in Brook - city; and 3) what is the economic climate of Diane Stein, Coordinator islation that is important to mem - lyn. The elevator where the accident oc - the employer. The contract we reached not HOUSING DIVISION , 2nd Fl. bers, and by opposing initiatives curred was scheduled to be modernized in only meets all measuring tools, but actually that would hurt members. Remilda Ferguson, Director 2004, but the work was twice deferred be - exceeds every characteristic of a fair and suc - Patricia Stryker, Director Brooklyn, Queens & Staten cause of cuts in federal aid; and this is simply cessful contract. Island GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINARY unacceptable. Facing a nearly $200 million The wage increase we negotiated is over 4 James Giocastro, PROBLEMS , 6th Fl. operating deficit, NYCHA is daily losing the percent a year, for a total increase of 8.16 per - Deputy Director For grievances and job related ability to meet the needs of its residents and cent for the two-year duration of the contract. ensure the safety of its workers. LONG ISLAND DIVISION problems, first contact your shop Comparatively, the rate of inflation over the As the representative of nearly 9,000 em - 1727 Veterans Memorial steward and/or grievance repre - next two years is expected to be 5.4 percent; Highway sentative. If they cannot resolve ployees of the Housing Authority, Local 237 therefore, our contract provides for a wage in - Suite 308 the issue, they or you should Teamsters has challenged members of the fed - crease nearly 2.8 percent greater than the av - Islandia, NY 11749 contact your business agent. eral government to immediately address this 631-851-9800 Mal Patterson, Director of problem and meet their obligation to fund erage rate of inflation, guaranteeing that our John Burns, Director Grievances and Hearings public housing. Even if NYCHA was properly members will see significant gains throughout Benedict Carenza , Deborah Singer Esq., the term of the agreement. Further, the aver - Deputy Director funded, this accident may have unfortunately Grievance Coordinator age wage increase for a two year period John Sepulveda, occurred, but the incident serves as an ap - throughout the country is only 6.4 percent. Assistant Director CIVIL SERVICE BAR palling example of the federal government’s Our contract package will put us at least 2 Long Island Welfare Fund: ASSOCIATION , 7th Fl. failure to fund public housing. For information on the various 212-675-0519 From 2001-2008, NYCHA accumulated a percent ahead of other contracts being settled nationwide at this time. And, aside from the funds call 800-962-1145 Gloria Johnson, Esq., President deficit of $611 million, including $450 mil - wage increases, we arranged for the city to Aldona Vaiciunas, lion which was cut from funding for renova - RETIREE DIVISION , 8th Fl. Office Administrator and tions including elevator repair. Other basic contribute $200 per retiree to the Retiree Provides a variety of pre- and Grievance Coordinator maintenance services, including carpentry, Health and Welfare Fund and .25% of addi - post-retirement services, includ - sanitation, painting, and heat and HVAC tional compensation to purchase recurring ing pension and health insur - John Picucci, Esq., maintenance are often delayed because of fed - benefits. ance counseling to members. Grievance Representative eral cutbacks. The failure of the federal gov - (Pension counseling by appoint - CSBA Welfare Fund The financial outlook for the city, state ment, Thursdays only). General Alicare 212-539-5117 ernment has severely diminished the quality and our country is bleak. The State faces a $6 retirement counseling and of life for residents and created a danger to COMMUNICATIONS, 8th Fl. billion deficit and the city anticipates a $3 retirement planning series dur - workers who lack the proper equipment and Tania M. Lambert, Editor billion budget deficit; and that was before the ing spring and fall. resources. collapse of our financial market came into ef - 212-807-0555 Local 237 Newsline fect. However, even during these dire times, Nancy B. True, Director Website: www.local237.org From Day One Local 237 was able to secure the best possible EDUCATION From my first day in office as President of LOCAL 237 DEPARTMENTS financial package for our members. 8th Floor Local 237, I have fought to restore funding for In the coming months, the collective (Citywide and Housing) Provides a variety of training public housing and protect the jobs of our strength of our union and that of all other SKILLED TRADES , 2nd Fl. and educational advancement members. It is a moral imperative that the municipal workers will be put to the test by Donald Arnold, Director opportunities for members. nearly half a million residents and workers of an economy struggling to survive. But as al - HEALTH AND SAFETY , 2nd Fl. 212-807-0550 public housing have an opportunity to receive Donald Arnold, Director Frederick Dunn, Director the educational, recreational and employment ways, your leadership at Local 237 is pre - services NYCHA was created to offer. This is pared to act on your behalf and will continue MEMBERSHIP, 2nd Fl. USEFUL NUMBERS an ongoing struggle that our collective con - to explore all possible avenues to ensure that Provides membership services FOR PRE-RETIREES and records, including address scious demands we cannot and will not lose. our members receive the benefits they are en - changes. NYCERS (New York City In addition to carrying the flag in the fight titled to and the services they deserve. Laverne White, Employees Retirement System) to save public housing, B i l l Administrative Manager Local 237 earned a sub - K By Mail: 335 Adams St., Suite r e s s WELFARE FUND, 3rd Fl. 2300, Brooklyn, NY 11201-3751 stantial victory this past e The Fund administers the eligi - In Person: 340 Jay Street, month when it reached a bility, enrollment, disability, Mezzanine, Brooklyn, NY 11201 tentative labor agreement optical and death benefits Gen’l Information: 347-643-3000 with Mayor Bloomberg. directly by the Fund’s in-house Outside NYC toll-free: While the financial mar - staff, as well as prescription 877-6NYCERS kets were crumbling and and dental programs indirectly.