NEWSLINE, December 2010 Local 237 Member Services
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Local 237 NEWSLINE HERHO OT O R D B O L F A T N E O A I M T A S T N E R R E S T N I December 2010 Vol. 44, No. 10 R IT’S ALL ABOUT JOBS NOW! Exploring Partnerships to Put America Back to Work President Gregory Floyd moderated a recent President Gregory Floyd addresses seminar participants from the public and pri - vate sectors; and, below, Vincent Pitta, Managing Partner, Pitta and Giblin LLP, a seminar, “Putting Ameri - labor law firm, emphasizes a point. ca Back to Work,” which brought together repre - sentatives from unions and investment firms to explore public-private partnerships for invest - ing in infrastructure and creating union jobs. “The bailout was wonderful who are out of work, who can go for the banks, insurance compa - to work on these projects.” Af - nies and Wall Street, but regular firming Labor’s position that folks were left behind,” Floyd public/private partnerships can said at the seminar, held in New be successful, Floyd declared, York City District Council of “We’re willing to invest from Carpenters headquarters in our pension funds to put Amer - Manhattan on Nov. 10. ica back to work.” railroads need repair. ment of these funds.” Hughes With unemployment contin - Exploring how Labor can col - “We need a mechanism,” also proposed partnerships uing at around 10 percent and lectively invest in putting union urged Hughes, to put pension with state agencies, such as the the slow pace of economic re - workers back to work, Denis money in a fund that is able to Port Authority. covery, “We can’t always look to Hughes, president, New York invest the money in govern - Unions will insist, of government for solutions; we State AFL-CIO, noted that while ment infrastructure projects. course, that projects they help need to come forward,” empha - the newly elected Congress leans But, he added, “We have an ob - fund employ union labor and sized Floyd, adding, “We have toward anti-stimulus policies, ligation to make sure no one is guarantee returns on invest - the resources and the people our nation’s roads, bridges, and disadvantaged by private place - ment for public pensioners. ITALIAN HERITAGE CELEBRAZIONE – The annual Local 237 event in October when we celebrated the cultural contributions of our Italian brothers and sisters was favoloso ! See more great photos on pages 6 and 7. 2 NEWSLINE, December 2010 Local 237 Member Services UNION HEADQUARTERS EXECUTIVE OFFICES, 5th Fl. 216 West 14th Street Gregory Floyd, President A Message From New York, NY 10011-7296 Richard Hendershot, The President 212-924-2000 Vice President LOCAL 237 DIVISIONS Ruben Torres, Secretary-Treasurer CITYWIDE DIVISION , 2nd Fl. Donald Arnold, Director PERSONNEL , 5th Fl. Peter Gutierrez, Deputy Director Edmund Kane, Director and Al Soto, Law Enforcement Chief Negotiator Closing 2010 With Grace and Hope Director POLITICAL ACTION & Randy Klein, Assistant Director LEGISLATION , 5th Fl. HOUSING DIVISION , 2nd Fl. Local 237 protects members’ e can be proud of another year ing a better government will be disappoint - Remilda Ferguson, Director rights by helping to sponsor leg - well spent! I am always amazed, ed by even more political games and grand - Brooklyn, Queens & Staten islation that is important to mem - excited and a little relieved standing in the near future. bers, and by opposing initiatives W Island when December arrives. It’s a time to look It will be up to incoming Governor An - James Giocastro, that would hurt members. back on all that we have accomplished and drew Cuomo to try to control the political Deputy Director Patricia Stryker, Director look forward to new opportunities and circus in Albany. Cuomo has expressed the GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINARY LONG ISLAND DIVISION alliances in the face of future challenges. best of intentions to bring order to Albany PROBLEMS , 6th Fl. 1727 Veterans Memorial The Holidays are also a time for celebra - and bring a tough, prosecutorial attitude to Highway For grievances and job related Suite 308 problems, first contact your shop tion and coming together with friends and the position. Unlike some of his predeces - Islandia, NY 11749 steward and/or grievance repre - family, as well as a time of change and re - sors, however, he also knows how to work 631-851-9800 sentative. If they cannot resolve birth. We all promise to be kinder, better within the political system. John Burns, Director the issue, they or you should people and make our New Year’s resolutions I hope that the new governor addresses Benedict Carenza , contact your business agent. to stay in shape or spend less money. Even the real problems in our government and Deputy Director Mal Patterson, Director of John Sepulveda, Grievances and Hearings if we don’t keep those promises as time doesn’t blame organized workers for every - Assistant Director Todd Rubinstein, Esq. moves forward, we always appreciate the thing that is wrong with the state. So far, he Long Island Welfare Fund: Grievance Coordinator sense of hope and optimism that the prom - has made a serious effort to include minori - For information on the various Debbie Coleman, Esq. ise of renewal brings. ties and friends of labor on his transition funds call 800-962-1145 Grievance Coordinator Our resolutions for 2011 as individuals team and initial staff hires. He will have to RETIREE DIVISION , 8th Fl. CIVIL SERVICE BAR and as a nation can impact our economic re - make many difficult choices next year, but Provides a variety of pre- and ASSOCIATION , 6th Fl. covery. November’s elections proved voters they must be made based on the best inter - post-retirement services, includ - 212-675-0519 resolved to change, in only two years since ests of all the people in New York and not ing pension and health insur - Gloria Johnson, Esq., President ance counseling to members. President Obama’s election, the direction our motivated by the political winds. Aldona Vaiciunas, (Pension counseling by appoint - government has been taking. They want to Cuomo’s main concern should be jump - Office Administrator and ment, Thursdays only). General spend fewer taxpayer dollars and stop the Grievance Coordinator starting the still sputtering economy. While retirement counseling and corruption that runs rampant in Washington. many private companies and banks are now retirement planning series dur - John Picucci, Esq., ing spring and fall. Grievance Representative Republicans took back control of the House prospering, unemployment is still too high. 212-807-0555 CSBA Welfare Fund and made big gains in the Senate by telling The government needs to help both private Nancy B. True, Director Alicare 212-539-5117 the country that they would bring real and public sector workers by encouraging COMMUNICATIONS, 8th Fl. change to Washington. But people don’t nec - spending and hiring. This plan will pump LOCAL 237 DEPARTMENTS Tania M. Lambert, Editor essarily know how to fix Washington; they more tax money into the state budget and (Citywide and Housing) Local 237 Newsline just know they don’t like what they see. ultimately be better for all New Yorkers. Ac - SKILLED TRADES , 2nd Fl. Website: www.local237.org Much like our personal New Year’s res - complishing that goal is easier said than Donald Arnold, Director EDUCATION, 8th Fl. olutions, it remains to be seen if the incom - done, and there will be many challenges HEALTH AND SAFETY , 2nd Fl. Provides a variety of training Donald Arnold, Director and educational advancement ing Congress will actually keep their prom - along the way. Diane Stein, Coordinator opportunities for members. ises to the American people. The fight that I have high hopes for our government, MEMBERSHIP, 2nd Fl. 212-807-0550 took place earlier this month over extend - our union and our members. I pray that the Provides membership services Frederick Dunn, Director ing tax cuts for the rich signals another government keeps those resolutions that are and records, including address USEFUL NUMBERS tough year ahead, full of political bickering for the greater good, as we will try to keep changes. FOR PRE-RETIREES and backroom deals. There will be many Laverne White, ours. As we move into 2011, let us also be Administrative Manager NYCERS (New York City battles in Washington, but the question is thankful for the gifts we received in 2010. It WELFARE FUND, 3rd Fl. Employees Retirement System) whether anything will get accomplished for was at times frustrating and even worrisome, The Fund administers the eligi - By Mail: 335 Adams St., Suite the American people. but we made it through the year together. I bility, enrollment, disability, 2300, Brooklyn, NY 11201-3751 In New York, the situation is very simi - know we will do the same next year. Happy optical and death benefits In Person: 340 Jay Street, lar to Washington. Voters, fed up with the Holidays to you and your family. directly by the Fund’s in-house Mezzanine, Brooklyn, NY 11201 dysfunction of the State B i staff, as well as prescription l Gen’l Information: 347-643-3000 l K Senate Democrats, hand - r and dental programs indirectly. e Outside NYC toll-free: s s 212-924-7220 877-6NYCERS ed the chamber over to e Carnell Joyner Jr., Director Ya R 2011 NYCERS Internet the Republicans. When N LEGAL SERVICES, 4th Fl. in power, Democrats ... www.nyclink.org/html/nycers W c Lawyers advise and represent failed to pass many members on covered personal NYC Department of Education A Sab b legal problems, including domes - Retirement System meaningful laws and re - A L a tic relations (family court pro - 65 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 forms — like saving the A G d a b a ceedings, divorce and separa - 718-935-5400 New York City OTB and A D d A Vaca a d da tion), purchase and sale of a pri - Social Security Administration instituting new ethics mary residence, wills, adoptions, A S a 800-772-1213 credit and consumer problems, rules — and it will only A S da tenant rights and bankruptcies.