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 2013/January 2014 Vol. 47, No. 6 R HIn hois inapugurael speesch on Nfew oHalrl just baefore ElNectioneDay two “Get Progressive Era Year’s Day, Mayor Bill de Blasio re - Out the Vote” for de Blasio for mayor. newed his campaign vow to “take Addressing New Yorkers for the dead aim at the Tale of Two Cities.” first time, Mayor de Blasio noted This tale of income inequality has early in his inaugural speech that mu - been true for at least a generation of nicipal workers are essential to a New Yorkers living in a city where a well-run city. “We recognize a city minority of people are gaining un - government’s first responsibilities,” precedented wealth while the major - said de Blasio, “to keep our neighbor - ity are losing ground financially. The hoods safe; to keep our streets clean; Labor Movement has fought tireless - to ensure that those who live here — ly against such injustice, but with de and those who visit — can get where Blasio, our first liberal mayor in 20 they need to go in every borough.” years, we have a formidable ally on That mission “reaches deeper,” the front lines of the War on Workers. added de Blasio, who as the city’s “It’s time we have a mayor with a 109th mayor advanced his over - strong record of working with unions whelming mandate to pursue a Pro - and a firm commitment to work with gressive agenda to end income in - them in the future,” said President equality that puts 46 percent of New Gregory Floyd as he stood with many Yorkers on or near the poverty level, New York City union leaders and the and 50,000, a record number, in home - rank-and-file at a Labor Unity Rally on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Continued on page 5 The Labor Movementʼs rank-and-file stands behind then mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio at a Labor Unity Rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall on Nov. 1. Spotlight on NYCHA At the start of the transition to a new Headquarters. The goal of this meeting mayoral administration, President Gre - is to review the actions and ideas gen - gory Floyd on November 8 held the first erated at the first meeting and set an summit of all 18 unions representing agenda and strategies to work with New York City Housing Authority work - Mayor de Blasio on improving condi - ers and the New York City Congression - tions at NYCHA. al Delegation. They discussed the im - We’ll bring you the results of that pact of the agency’s mismanagement on meeting in the next edition of residents and the nearly 12,000 union Newsline. Pictured from left at a press conference on NYCHA reforms at Local workers serving the agency, and set Some of the major issues identified 237 Headquarters: Mario Cilento, president New York State AFL-CIO; goals to achieve reforms. in the first summit meeting were: Congresswomen Yvette Clarke and Carolyn Maloney; President Marking a new year and a new ad - • Plans for privatization; Gregory Floyd; Congressman Jerrold Nadler; Vincent Alvarez, presi - ministration, Floyd scheduled a fol - dent, New York City Central Labor Council; and Congresswoman low-up summit on Jan. 17 at Local 237 Continued on page 5 Grace Meng. pick garbage to sort recyclables from regular pairs are being done or compactor jams released. Protecting Housing trash, the union reached an agreement with • The mandatory safety shoe policy is being re - Division Workers NYCHA to stop this practice, which exposed viewed and will likely change. The union supports caretakers to hazards like broken glass, discard - safety shoes when a worker’s feet are at risk. But The safety of our members is a union priori - ed needles, bacteria and rats. these shoes are uncomfortable, and we want to be ty. President Floyd has taken many steps over the Other hazards are not resolved through ne - sure they are required only for hazardous duties. years to improve dangerous conditions on the job gotiations, about which the union has filed com - More information will be available in the at NYCHA. “Every day several hundred of our plaints with the state Public Employee Safety coming months. Housing Division members are out sick because and Health Division (PESH): Local 237’s safety and health program of injuries they have gotten on the job,” notes • One successful complaint resulted in an strives to reduce or eliminate all work hazards. Floyd, who took action in 2012 to prevent the as - agency-wide citation mandating NYCHA to Our members’ eyes and ears are critical to the signing of caretakers to conduct emergency overhaul its Confined Space program and insti - success of our efforts. Several dozen Housing clean-ups in areas hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. tute practices to protect workers that must enter members serve on different committees, includ - In normal times, the union negotiates rou - crawl spaces and other confined spaces. ing Safety Associates and Workplace Violence tinely with NYCHA to change work rules that • Local 237 filed another agency-wide com - inspectors. If you want to be more active in our could hurt members. For example, when sever - plaint to force NYCHA to implement a Lock-out- safety efforts, contact your business agent or al developments required caretakers to hand- Tag-out procedure to protect workers from electri - Diane Stein, safety and health coordinator, at cal hazards and moving machine parts when re - 212-924-2000 . 2 NEWSLINE, December 2013/January 2014 Local 237 Member Services UNION HEADQUARTERS EXECUTIVE OFFICES, 5th Fl. 212-924-2000 212-924-2000 A Message From 216 West 14th Street Gregory Floyd, President The President New York, NY 10011-7296 Richard Hendershot, LOCAL 237 DIVISIONS Vice President CITYWIDE DIVISION , 2nd Fl. Ruben Torres, 212-924-2000 Secretary-Treasurer Donald Arnold, Director PERSONNEL , 5th Fl. Peter Gutierrez, Deputy Director 212-924-2000 Al Soto, Law Enforcement Edmund Kane, Director and Toast to a New, Improved New York Director Chief Negotiator Randy Klein, Assistant Director POLITICAL ACTION & HOUSING DIVISION , 2nd Fl. LEGISLATION , 5th Fl. s Mayor Bill de Blasio assumes watched as New Yorkers voiced opposition 212-924-2000 212-924-2000 Remilda Ferguson, Director Local 237 protects members’ leadership of New York City, we to the status quo and went to the polls this Brooklyn, Queens & Staten rights by helping to sponsor legis - A rejoice in the hopes that the new fall to elect leaders who will swing the Island lation that is important to mem - and improved New York — the one we pendulum toward blue-collar workers. It James Giocastro, bers, and by opposing initiatives voted for — will soon be all that it can be was inspiring to see so many people come Deputy Director that would hurt members. for all its denizens. It’s an exciting and together under a common dream that we Patricia Stryker, Director LONG ISLAND DIVISION meaningful time, especially for public can make conditions better for all workers. 631-851-9800 GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINARY 1727 Veterans Memorial PROBLEMS , 6th Fl. employees, as we welcome the first For too long, the challenges of work - Highway 212-924-2000 Democratic Mayor in 24 years to this ing people have been ignored in favor of Suite 308 For grievances and job related great city. the rich. Now we are finally in position Islandia, NY 11749 problems, first contact your shop But aside from the designation Demo - to restore New York as a city for all in - John Burns, Director steward and/or grievance repre - Benedict Carenza , sentative. If they cannot resolve crat, Progressive is a word most frequent - come brackets. We look forward to work - Deputy Director the issue, they or you should con - ly used to describe de Blasio and his sup - ing with Mayor de Blasio to establish fair Long Island Welfare Fund: tact your business agent. porters. It’s a term that he himself em - wages, new union contracts and new For information on the various Mal Patterson, Director of funds call 800-962-1145 braces. But what does that word mean for NYCHA leadership to fix the city’s public Grievances and Hearings New York’s working class, who have con - housing. We know he understands the RETIREE DIVISION , 8th Fl. Todd Rubinstein, Esq. 212-807-0555 Grievance Coordinator tinued to churn this city’s economic en - importance of giving workers a voice at Provides a variety of pre- and post- Debbie Coleman, Esq. gine through good times and bad? City Hall and will fight for strong unions retirement services, including pen - Grievance Coordinator We hope that the “progress” we see is to help rebuild the city. sion and health insurance counsel - ing to members. (Pension coun - CIVIL SERVICE BAR ASSN toward a vision of this city as one that We are also fortunate to have a City seling by appointment, Thursdays 6th Fl., 212-675-0519 props up its workers and the middle Council that is as Progressive as our only). General retirement counsel - Saul Fishman, President class, instead of catering to the small but mayor elect. We are pleased that all of the ing and retirement planning series Aldona Vaiciunas, increasingly wealthy population. Many council members are focused on issues of during spring and fall. Office Administrator and Nancy B. True, Director Grievance Coordinator people are concerned that the Progressive importance to working people. While LOCAL 237 DEPARTMENTS John Picucci, Esq., philosophy is one that caters only to the many members have long supported (Citywide and Housing) Grievance Representative poor and the needy, and it ignores the working families and the Teamsters, we CSBA Welfare Fund SKILLED TRADES , 2nd Fl.