Ee ae oe ie oe od
Warmest holidays
A happy new year
Amid the frenzy of business and the burden of
responsibility we all manage somehow to set aside our
daily chores and habits at this special time of the year
to observe the happiest of holidays and the promise of
the new year.
T wish to take this opportunity to convey to you all
on behalf of the Civil Service Employees Association,
our best wishes-for peace, joy, happiness and success
this holiday season and throughout the coming new
‘ear.
: This is a time when all men and women can pause
to reflect and give thanks for the warmth and com-
forts of friends and family and to join with those
around them in observation of this most special time
of year.
My hope for the coming year is that we may all ?
continue the spirit of joy and peace that we share this
holiday season. With the support and guidance which
you have given us in the past, | am sure that a peaceful
and prosperous new year is in store for us all.
From all of us at CSEA, we wish you and yours the
warmest of holidays and the happiest new year.
William L. McGowan
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Official Publication of The Civil Service Employees Association
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- Wednesday, December 20, 1978
DOT contracting out case
‘resolved with major award
ALBANY — A class grievance filed in 1976.
by the Civil Service Employees Assn. which
alleged that more than 800 Department of
Transportation employees were laid off as a
Stony Brook Local may strike
STONY BROOK — A proposal by
the State University of New York
at Stony Brook to institute a park-
ing registration fee has SUNY
employees up in arms, and Albert
J. Varacchi, President of CSEA
Local 614 says members of his
Local are prepared to strike rather
than pay the fee.
The SUNY at Stony Brook says it
plans to institute a $2.50 parking
registration fee for teaching and
non-teaching employees and
students at the Stony Brook cam-
pus at the start of the spring
semester. ‘Our people are ready to
take whatever action is necessary,
including a strike if that’s what it
takes, to prevent the university
from imposing this registration
fee,’’ Varacchi stated.
The CSEA Local has received the
backing of the university faculty
and a campus-wide student
organization, POLITY, in its effort
to prevent imposition of the fee.
Varacchi said the fee is intended
to subsidize on-campus bus ser-
vice, but that cost would rise rapid-
ly and it could be expected the in-
itial proposed fee would also in-
crease. “We'll fight it here and
now,”’ he stated.
New pension fund raids possible
UTICA — The union’s represen-
tative on the State Comptroller’s
Pension Advisory Committee has
warned of a “clear and present
danger’”’ that the funds of the State
Employees’ Retirement System
will be the target of renewed ef-
forts to bail out New York city
from financial difficulties in the
near future.
James H. Currier, President of
the CSEA Fort Schuyler Local 014,
in a letter of CSEA President
William L. McGowan, noted that
the IRS codes were modified as a
rider to federal loan guarantee
legislation, reducing the state’s
fiduciary responsibilities fot the
plan and making the pension plan
more vulnerable.
The following are excerpts of Mr.
Currier’s letter to President
McGowan, updating activities sur-
rounding the pension funds:
“T would direct your attention to
what could be a serious problem
with the ERS pension fund in 1979;
specifically the use of pension fund
dollars to bail our New York City in
its next round of financial crisis.
“During the last session of the
United States Congress, PL-95-339,
the New York City Loan Guarantee
Act of 1978, was passed and we as a
group concurred with Mr. Levitt’s
purchase of guaranteed MAC
Bonds. What I have just learned,
however, is that in conjunction
with the loan guarantee legislation,
HR 12051, a modification of the IRS
codes, was also passed and this
reprehensible law permits a State
operated pension system to loan up
to 10% of its assets,to the employer
and still keep harmless under the
plans fiduciary responsibilities re-
quirement. In short, the Feds
authorized public plans to do what
they would jail private plan
managers for doing.”
“os part of Mr. Levitt’s
defenses rested on his fiduciary
responsibilities under a number of
laws, not the least of which was the
IRS codes sanctioning the tax
position of the $10.5 billion ERS
fund. The modification of that IRS
code now means that the
Comptroller could, and undoubted-
ly will, lose a substantial part of his
argument against making what he
would otherwise term an im-
CSEA COUNSELING SERVICE — CSEA has been successful in greatly reducing
the number of Westchester county employees facing layoffs due to budget con-
siderations. And to assist those who are facing that potential, the union has set up
a counseling service to assist the affected employees in several ways. In the ad- =
jacent photo, CSEA Southern Region Director Thomas Luposello, left, counsels
Bonato Ricozzi of the Westchester County parks department, as CSEA Southern
Region Président James Lennon, center, observes. See pages 6 and 7 for latest up-
date on the Westchester County situation.
_members’
prudent investment. I think we
should take immediate action to
look into this situation . . . and find
out what can be done to plug up this
loophole that could drain our
money and _ seriously
jeopardize their future.”
“T recommend we take positive
action at the federal level, push for
enactment of our version of the
pension fund trusteeship, and keep
very close watch on the gyrations
we can expect from those who
would rob our retirees of a secure
future.” ’
result of the State of New York ‘‘contracting
out’’ for goods and services, was settled late
last week for $500,000.
It is the biggest arbitration award of its
kind in the history of the collective bargain-
ing relationship between CSEA and the
State.
While most of the employees laid off on
January 23 and May 14, 1976 have returned to
state service and are working in their
original grades, 27 people still remain on
preferred lists. The settlement included a
commitment by the State to canvass the 27
employees for job placement.
Timothy Mcinerney,
Transportation representative on CSEA
Board of Directors and a key union:
representative in the successful clas:
grievan , said ‘‘this decision reinfor
the absolute importance of 2
protection of employees language contain-
ed in Article 22 of the union contract.’ He
also had praise for the cooperation of the
DOT employees originally affected and
assistance of CSEA’s law firm, who handl-
ed the grievance under the union’s Legal
Assistance Program. :
It was alleged that the massive layoffs oc-
curred in violation of the Protection of
Employees article in the CSEA-State
agreement which provides that layoffs of
permanent employees will not occur as a
result of the State’s exercising its right to
contract out for goods and services.
Before determinations can be made for the
distribution of the $500,000 award, a thorough
review of each affected employee's
employment data must be conducted by
CSEA and the State.
Legislature expected
to pass court bill
ALBANY — The long-awaited contract for CSEA-represented state
court employees is expected to be approved by the state legislature next
month, according to CSEA Collective Bargaining Specialist Pat
Monachino.
He expects the legislature to vote in favor of the bill sometime during
the week of Jan. 8, 1979. He based his optimism on commitments from the
legislative leadership.
The contract, which was negotiated with the Office of Court Ad-
ministration (OCA) in July and ratified in the late summer, covers
employees of the former county and city courts in Judicial Districts 3
through 8 (all of New York State except for Long Island, New York City
and the southern most counties of the state).
The contract calls for:
© The allocation of the former county and city court employees to the
1978 state salary schedule.
¢ The guarantee of three increments in allocated grade to all
employees involved on April 1, 1978, 1979 and 1980.
* Retroactive pay from April 1, 1977, to those employees whose pay
increased because of the allocation to the state salary schedule.
« A wage and benefits reopener in January 1979 for April 1, 1979.
CSEA represents the court employees in the six upstate judicial dis-
tricts and in eight bargaining units in the ninth district (southern-most
counties). Those eight units are voting on the ratification of a separately
negotiated contract.
Monachino said the state legislature did not act on the contract dur-
ing the two times Gov. Hugh L. Carey called the legislature back into
session in the fall because only the governor's agenda was considered.
The legislature, in 1976, passed a law merging the county and city
courts into the state court system. That law also allowed the 131 jurisdic-
tions to merge into larger bargaining units.
In 1977, CSEA yon elections merging the individual units into six
separate bargaining units based on the six upstate judicial districts.
We encourage letters from readers
pertaining to items which have
appeared in THE PUBLIC SECTOR
or which are of interest to public
employees. Letters must contain the
name, address and telephone
number of the writer for verification
purposes. Telephone numbers will
not be printed, and names may be
withheld upon request. Send all
letters to THE PUBLIC SECTOR,
Clarity Publishing Inc., 75 Cham-
plain Street, Albany, N.Y. 12204.
Cost-of-living for retirees
Editor, The Public Sector:
The election year salary increases
to the state employees after a three
year hiatus, and promises of ad-
ditional largesse for both civil service
and palace guard employees are
laudable, but as usual the governor
has forgotten one group who are
greatly in need of such generosity.
The retired employees of New York
State have received neither pension
or cost of living increases in the four
years of his stewardship and for many
years prior, and are now barely keep-
ing their heads above the flood of
inflation.
The cruel hoax imposed on them as
an added injury is that from their
meager, frozen pensions they are re-
quired to pay federal income taxes
which in part pays for the consistent
cost of living increases which the
federal government grants to its
retired employees. In the period dur-
ing which a New York State retiree
has received no pension increase, a
federal retiree’s pension has almost
doubled through cost of living in-
creases paid for by the state
retiree’s taxes on his pension income.
But things will get even better next
year. Under the President’s voluntary
wage control program, those private
sector employees whose collective
bargaining wage increases do not
keep pace with the rate of inflation
will be reimbursed by the government
for the excess of inflation over 7%,
subsidized naturally by the taxes paid
by the frozen pensions of the New
York State retirees. At this rate, with
continuing inflation the time will be
soon when their pensions will be sup-
porting everyone but themselves.
J. L. Modell
Eastchester, N.Y.
About those pensions
Editor, The Public Sector:
I think the narrow and dis-
criminatory view expressed by the
Retiree Coordinator with regard to
the present State Tax Exempt status
of state and municipal employees is
unfair to the vast majority of retired
people with private and federal pen-
sions. In many cases the retiree in the
private sector receives a much
smaller pension than the retired state
employee. Even though he or she paid
both federal and state taxes on his
contribution to his retirement plan all
the time they worked the pension in-
come is still subject to state tax after
retirement. Many State Employees
enjoy a non-contributory retirement
plan today. Thus these employees
upon retirement receive dual
benefits. It is just this type of greedy
Page 2
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
pee
29 — Tompkins County Local 855, Holiday Party and Dance, 6 p.m. until 1 a.m.,
VEW Hall, West State Street, Ithaca.
29 — Syracuse Local No. 013, Happy Holidays Party, 5-8 p.m., Local Office,
second floor, 237 East Genesee Street, Syracuse.
a JANUARY
6 — West Seneca Developmental Center Local 427, Stewards and Effective
Grievance Handling Training Class, 9:30 a.m. V.F.W. Post, 299 Leydecker
Road.
=
DECEMBER
ee
Eligible lists printed in ‘Sector’
based on size, space available
Although eligible lists are published
as space permits, it is not always
possible to print some lists simply
because of the number of people tak-
ing and passing certain exams.
For example, the following is a
summary of some eligible lists
recently established by the
Department of Civil Service.
A test for senior stores clerk, held
last May, attracted 2,912 persons, and
1,279 people passed the exam to
appear on the recently established
list. A. M. Gadbois of Clinton leads
the list with a score of 96.9, with Alice
Needham of Athol second at 96.4.
A recently established eligible list
attitude that spurs taxpayer
resentment and revolt. I think your
newspaper and Mr. Gilmartin could
make this benefit more just by spon-
soring legislation that would limit the
non-taxable portion of all pensions to
say, ten thousand dollars, for all
pension income. This action would
eliminate the discrimination now
practiced by the State among its
retired population. The taxes
collected from the fat cats as you call
them could help keep the state finan-
cially sound. In my opinion Comm
Dyson’s recommendation did not go
far enough. I would like to see all
elected and appointed officials ex-
cluded from any state financed
pension plans. Any benefits the
legislators have granted to the lower
echelon employee have been out-
stripped by the benefits they have
granted themselves. Even a cursory
investigation of the benefits they en-
joy would expose their greed. Is it any
wonder why Prop. 13 type legislation
is having such success? We, the tax-
payers, need the right of initiative and
referendum in New York State to
check the greedy politicos.
John Keezer
Central Islip, N.Y.
Editor’s Note: CSEA Retiree Coor-
dinator Thomas Gilmartin recently
noted that Commerce Commissioner
Dyson proposed to exempt all pen-
sions of retirees, private or public,
from state income tax. Public
employment retirees are already ex-
empt, but the newest proposal would
place a ceiling on the amount of pen-
sions to be tax exempt. That means
that thousands of retired public
employees who now have tax exempt
status would be forced to pay state in-
come taxes on a portion of their pen-
sion. Such a proposal at this time also
for senior file clerk has 1,108 names
on it, headed by Carol Meloon of East
Amherst with a mark of 95.2.
A total of 807 people passed the
exam for data entry machine
operator trainee, with Carl Johnson of
the Bronx heading the list with a
mark of 101.0 with 5 veterans credits.
An eligible list for senior mail and
supply clerk shows Dawn Lawson of
Voorheesville and Patricia Dawson of
Albany tied at 92.2 to lead the list of
628 people.
A senior payroll audit clerk/senior
underwriting clerk list has 1,020
names, headed by Dennis O’Rourke of
Flushing at 97.0.
could cause problems with efforts to
gain a badly needed cost of living ad-
justment to retired public employee
pensions, Mr. Gilmartin pointed out.
A harmful attitude
Editor, The Public Sector:
There seems to be a prevalent view
among public employee unions that
their members must necessarily be
opponents of any attempts to reduce
or limit government spending. Such
an attitude can only be harmful to the
already tarnished image of the public
employee that is found among the
general public.
It must be realized that the tax-
paying private sector employee is
merely trying to gain control over the
current tax more, spend more trends.
Rather than vicious direct attacks
against such attempts, I feel ways
must be found to educate the public
along the following lines:
1. The public needs to be informed
of the specific effects spending cuts
may have on vital services.
2. Some blame for high government
cost must be placed on the wealth of
political patronage jobs, many of
which may be only marginally useful,
but would probably not be eliminated
in the event of a budget reduction.
3. Inflationary effects need to be
considered.
4. In many cases, proper ad-
ministration may be able to provide
better service and hold down costs
without large numbers of public
employee layoffs. There are other
costs involved in government
operation besides worker salaries.
It is the right of the voters to make
their choice.
Robert Jutton
Syracuse, N.Y.
Jamestown
raise set
JAMESTOWN — Workers of the
City of Jamestown, represented by
Chautauqua County Local No. 807 of
the Civil Service Employees Assn.,
will receive a raise of 11.2 percent
over two years, under terms of the
new contract they approved this
month. a
The union also negotiated agency
shop and upgrading in several titles,
as well as improvements in all
longevity payments, in addition to the
new 25 year payment of $500.
A new vacation schedule will give
workers eighteen days after 16 years
of service, nineteen days after 17
years of service and twenty after
eighteen years of service, during the
first year. During the second year of
the pact, they will reach the nineteen
day level after 16 years and the
twenty days of vacation after 17
years.
CSEA Field Representative Samuel
Carmen was the Chief Negotiator for
the negotiating team which included
President Delores Jackson;
Secretary Bobbie Erikson; Frank
Kaluza, Delores Lee, Carrie Mazzone
and Vern Yerberg.
Phoenix pact
gets approval
PHOENIX — Members of the
Phoenix Central School Unit of
Oswego County Local No. 838 have
voted unanimously to ratify a new
contract that will affect 78 employees
in the bargaining unit.
The new one-year pact, retroactive
to July 1, 1978, includes wage in-
creases of 6 percent for cafeteria
employees, bus drivers and
mechanics. Due to an inequity in the
previous contract, custodial and
maintenance employees will receive
an increase of 7 percent. Other new
contract language calls for all
employees to hold step locations, a
guaranteed minimum of two hours
eall-back pay for custodial and
maintenance employees and a bid
system for open and vacant runs for
bus drivers.
CSEA Field Representative Jack
Miller served as chief negotiator for
the unit team which also included:
Chairperson Mildred McDermott,
David Zogg, Sheldon Ford, Virginia
Carrioti, William Breckenridge,
Darlene Yerdon, Louis Beasley and
Beverly Clute.
The Phoenix Central School District
representatives are also expected to
ratify the new pact in the near future
At that same meeting, unit elec-
tions were held and Mildred McDer-
mott was elected President of the un-
it, Grant DeLong, Ist Vice-President;
2nd Vice-President, Bob Ungleich;
Secretary, Beverly Clute and
Treasurer, Margaret Wilkinson.
SHERMAN — Non-teaching
employees of the Sherman Central
School, represented by Chautauqua
County Local 807, CSEA, will
receive raises of 6.5 per cent,
retroactive to July 1, 1978, in each
year of their recently-ratified new
two year pact.
SYRACUSE — An employee of
the Hutchings Psychiatric Center
who has beaten three previous ar-
bitration cases has done it again.
The institution has dropped dis-
ciplinary charges against her and
backed out of an impending ar-
bitration
The Civil Service Employees
Assn. says charges against the
employee in the previous ar-
bitration cases were ‘‘trumped up”
and the latest charges amounted to
“‘harassment.’”
Eva J. Jones, a cafeteria aide at
Hutchings and a CSEA member of
Local 435 there for the past four
years, was scheduled to have an ar-
bitration hearing on disciplinary
charges brought against her under
Article 33 of the current In-
stitutional Services bargaining unit
contract. But just prior to the
scheduled hearing, Ms. Jones got a
letter from the institution’s per-
sonnel administrator, telling her
all charges were being dropped due
to ‘‘a marked improvement in your
work performance.”
CSEA Field Representative
Terry Moxley and Local 435
President Audrey Snyder,
however, agree that there’s more
to the story than meets the eye.
“T have a feeling the Office of
Mental Health in Albany finally
told Hutchings to stop harrassing
her,’’ Moxley said. ‘‘They’d gone to
Harassment alleged,
charges are dropped
arbitrations three times against
her, and lost all three cases. They
‘were all trumped-up charges, and
everybody knew it. I think that,
when the Central Office heard
about it, they told Hutchings to stop
wasting time and money in
harassing Ms. Jones.”
Ms. Snyder added that previous
vendettas against Ms. Jones in-
clude a series of ‘‘counseling
memoes”’ that were put in her per-
sonnel file and resulted in an ‘‘un-
satisfactory’ evaluation of her
work, which the institution then
used to try to deny her a salary in-
crement last year. CSEA took that
case to arbitration and won it, also.
Mr. Moxley noted that, while the
cost to the union in terms of time
and legal expenses may have been
high, the principle involved made
the effort well worth while.
“Ms. Jones was very persistent
and patient,” he said. ‘‘She follow-
ed the procedure as the union in-
structed her, every step of the way.
It shows that when our union
members stick to their guns and
follow all the legal procedures cor-
rectly, they will win in the end.”’
Mr. Moxley speculated that the
real reason behind the history of
harassment was a personal
problem involving a previous
supervisor of Ms. Jones.
Legal assistance in the case was
provided by CSEA Regional Atty
Earl P. Boyle of Syracuse.
New board member
ALBANY — Nancy J. Roark
of Elmira, president of CSEA
Judiciary Local 334, has won
election to the CSEA Statewide
Board of Directors representing
the Judicial Department.
The election was conducted by
the union’s Special Election
Procedures Committee, to fill
the vacancy left by the
resignation of Ethel Ross.
Her term of office will run
through June 30, 1979.
Union files for
reclassification
of state nurses
ALBANY — An appeal to reclassify
state-employed Practical Nurses
(LPNs) from grade 9 to grade 12 has
been filed with the Division of
Classification Compensation, State
Civil Service Department.
The reclassification, if approved,
would effect LPNs working for the
State Health Department and in state
mental hygiene facilities.
The reason for the appeal is to bring
LPN’s who are licensed and undergo
prior training, into salary grades
more commensurate with other state
employees with licenses and training,
Thomas Coyle, CSEA assistant
research director, said
The actual appeal was filed by Alice
Pope, LPN, of CSEA Local 404, an
employee of the Central Islip
Psychiatric Center.
Declare impasse in Cattauraugus County
Characterizing Cattauraugus Coun-
ty’s continuing failure to move from
the original two percent pay offer as
“unconscionable and incredible,”’ Lee
Frank, regional director, Region 6 of
the Civil Service Employees
Association, (CSEA), which rep-
resents the county’s workers, say
the union has declared an impasse in
negotiations and asked that the Public
Employment Relations Board,
(PERB), name a mediator.
“Coming as it does on the heels of a
38% raise which the legislators gave
ALBANY — A $3.7 million library
funding bill was _ passed
overwhelmingly by the New York
State legislature in the wee hours of
the morning on Dec. 7, 1978.
The inclusion of the bill on the
legislature's limited agenda was due
in part to lobbying efforts by CSEA,
the union’s Director of Legislative
and Political Action Bernard Ryan
said.
The legislature only considered
those items on Gov. Hugh L. Carey’s
agenda when it met during the first
week of December.
The bill provides the payment of
funds for school, college and public
libraries, which can be used for book
purchases, salaries or other library
expenses.
Ryan said CSEA became involved
with the bill because in some cases
CSEA members would have lost their
jobs without the state funds.
themselves, that puny two percent
raise shows that the county has no
conscience,’ Mr. Frank continued
“And it’s unbelievable that they
would hold to that position for the
duration of the negotiations,” he said,
explaining that there have been
eleven meetings between the county
and the union with no progress.
“Because of the impact of inflation
the county really wants the workers
to have less than they started with.”
“Other issues which constitute
stumbling blocks in the negotiations,”
he said, ‘‘are job security, a no sub-
Union lobby effort helpful in passage
CSEA members and staff who were
involved in the effort to have the
legislation passed were:
Joseph McDermott, Region IV
president; Ryan; James Feather-
stonhaugh, attorney for CSEA;
Martin Langer, legislative and
political action chairman; Mary
Jarocki, CSEA SUNY Albany; Harold
Cropsey, CSEA Albany County; Jean
Myers, Region IV political action
contracting clause, agency shop and
contract language.”’
Also participating in the
negotiations are Field Represen-
tative, Sam Carmen, Local 805
President, Jean Freeman; Olean
Nursing Home Unit President, Ann
Timme; Negotiating Team Chair-
man, Tom Bruno; Patsy Howard,
representing clerical workers; Eileen
Marsh and Joe Finn, Social Services;
Barbara Hastings, public health
nurses; Claire Charberlin, highway
and alternates Tim Anderson and
Judson Spring.
of library bill
chairman; and Dick Evans, Ernie
Strobel, Carol Bedore and Mary
Leggett, Region IV political action
committee
Ms. Leggett, an employee of the
Clinton, Essex, Franklin Library
System, said: ‘CSEA worked for a
public service, keeping a great
resource for the people of New York
State.”
Cutoff set on NYC blackout credit
NEW YORK CITY — Victor S.
Bahou, president of the state Civil
Service Commission, has announced that New York City-area state
employees affected by the July 14, 1977 power outage will receive the
previously announced vacation credit for that day, but in order to be
eligible employees must have been in service on the state payroll as of
October 12, 1978.
‘No vacation may be credited to persons who separated, for any
reason, prior to that date,’ Bahou said in a November 30 memoran-
dum to all state departments and agencies.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978 Page 3
REGION 1 — Long Island Region
Region
(516) 691-1170
Irving Flaumenbaum, President
Ed Cleary, Regional Director
REGION 2 — Metro Region
(212) 962-3090
Solomon Bendet, President
George Bispham, Regional Director
REGION 3 — Southern Region
(914) 896-8180
James Lennon, President
Thomas Luposello, Regional Direc-
tor
REGION 4 — Capital Region
(518) 489-5424
Joseph McDermott, President
John Corcoran, Regional Director
REGION 5 — Central Region
(315) 422-2319
James Moore, President
Frank Martello, Regional Director
REGION 6 — Western Region
(716) 634-3540
Robert Lattimer, President
Lee Frank, Regional Director
«A
)
XX gs
RRS!
Need pension fund safeguards
It is a human characteristic to
slip into a feeling of relief and
security with the passing of a
crisis. It has been quite some time
since the financial problems of
New York City have been page one
items, so the reality of that con-
tinuing problem has diminished
But CSEA’s representative on
the State Comptroller's Pension
ry Committee, Jim Currier,
rred us back to reality with a
flatly stated warning — ‘‘There is a
Mass
The wholesale layoff of public
employees, a bi-product of the
Proposition 13-meat ax approach to
government financing, is an expen-
sive way of cutting government ex-
penses. A SUNY professor explain-
ed that layoffs are more costly
than attrition in reducing a
government's payroll. (See Page
93),
Layoffs were found to be 20
percent more costly than attrition
® Public
SSECTOR
Official publication of
The Civil Service
Employees Association
23 Elk Street,
Albany, New York 12224
: 4
clear and present danger of renew-
ed efforts to bail out New York City
finances through the State
operated pension fund.’’ A
modification of the IRS codes by
the federal government tied in with
NYC loan guarantee legislation,
Mr. Currier warns, makes it much
easier to force a sizeable amount of
the State Employees’ Retirement
System funds to be used to help
New York City in another fiscal
crisis, a crisis Mr Currier warns is
present and growing.
His warnings of approaching
danger, and his recommendations
on how to further safeguard the
pension funds must be considered
carefully, for his position on this
important and sensitive committee
places him in a place to view con-
ditions from within. The hundreds
of thousands of CSEA-represented
public employees whose pensions
are involved can be assured the
union is already taking necessary
steps to counteract the dangers
outlined by Mr. Currier. (R.A.C.)
layoffs more costly
because of a number of reasons, in-
cluding
¢ The public employer must pay
back the unemployment insurance
fund dollar-for-dollar of payments
made to the laid off worker.
* Lower productivity from layoff
anxiety
* Cost of operating the preferred
hiring system.
The conclusion reached was that
planned attrition eliminates many
of the extra costs of layoffs while
keeping most of the savings of
layoffs.
These findings demonstrate that
government financing is not a sim-
ple situation that can be adjusted
with simpleton solutions. The best
way for a government to cut its
costs is not by simply laying off
workers. (G.A.)
Published every Wednesday by Clarity Publishing, Inc
Publication Office, 75 Champlain Street, Albany, N.Y. 12204 (518) 465-4591
Thomas A, Clemente—Publisher
Roger A. Cole—Executive Editor
Dr. Gerald Alperstein — Associate Editor
Oscar D. Barker—As:
Deborah Cassidy—
iate Editor
aff Writer
Arden D, Lawand—Graphic Design
Dennis C. Mullahy—Production Coordinator
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
Opinion
Union taps
its potentic!
Sincere congratulations to all
those CSEA members and staff
who combined their efforts to help
save approximately 200 jobs in
Westchester County (see pages 6
and 7)
The combined efforts by the
Westchester County Unit of CSEA
Local 860, by CSEA Region III, by
CSEA in Albany and by AFSCME
in Washington, D.C., reduced a
proposed layoff of more than 200
CSEA members in 1979 to between
30 and 40 employees.
The individuals who met with the
county, researched the county's
budget and/or helped counsel laid-
off employees, demonstrated the
great strength of CSEA.
The union has tremendous, un-
harnessed potential. The situation
in Westchester is just an example
of that potential. (G.A.)
The Public Sector is published every
Wednesday except January 3, July 4,
August 8 and November 28, 1979, for $5.00
by the Civil Service Employees
Association, 33 Elk Street, Albany, New
York, 12224
Second Class Postage paid at Post Of-
fice, Albany, New York
Send address changes to The Public Sec-
tor, 33 Elk Street, Albany, New York
12224
Publication office
Albany, New York
Price 25
5 Champlain Street
12204. Single copy
WATERTOWN — The CSEA statewide non-
teaching school employees’ committee has
targeted the agency shop, unemployment
benefits for part-time non-instructional
employees and equity for public employees as
legislative priorities in 1979.
The priority list — which now goes to the
statewide political action committee — was an-
nounced in Watertown at a workshop held on
December 2.
Other priorities singled out by the committee
include revisions in the state’s Taylor law, anda
resolution in 1979 of the issues of state aid for
school districts, and more specifically, aid for
the small city districts.
Arne Wipfler, the CSEA’s coordinator for
school district affairs, said the issue of equity en-
compasses two other matters targeted by the
committee, protection from the contracting out
of busing and of cafeteria services.
Ms. Wipfler called contracting out ‘‘a tremen-
dous problem, that’s getting worse day by day.”
Most of the workshop dealt with the un-
employment question and agency shop. It was
attended by over 40 union members from Jeffer-
son, St. Lawrence and Oswego counties.
The Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Oswego non-
instructional workers present unanimously went
on record as supporting legislation making
agency shop mandatory for all employees in all
of the state’s political subdivisions and school
districts.
Wipfler also said the full Public Employment
Relations Board (PERB) cannot be expected to
act on a request to overturn a hearing officer’s
ruling on unemployment until the end of
January.
On November 22, PERB hearing officer
Robert J. Miller ruled against the CSEA and
another union, in a case involving noh-
instructional employees in three school districts.
CSEA charged the districts had violated the
Taylor law by giving the employees notices of
continuing employment, effectively blocking the
‘ @-—HUGH E.
@-CSEA COORDINATOR
FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT AF-
FAIRS Arne Wipfler, who told
those in attendance that
“contracting out is a tremen-
dous problem, that’s getting
worse day by day.”’
@~—MARY M. BROUTY of the
Watertown City School system
asks a question about the status
of unemployment benefits for
non-instructional school
- employees.
@-CSEA FIELD ~—REP
THOMAS DUPEE makes a
point during Watertown
workshop earlier this month.
@—CSEA CENTRAL REGION
PRESIDENT JAMES MOORE
addressed those attending the
workshop, and told the par-
ticipants that non-instructional
school district employees are
important people performing
important duties.
CRAPSER,
chairman of CSEA’s statewide
non-teaching school employees
committee.
employees trom drawing unemployment
benefits. CSEA contends that a notice of con-
tinued employment, be it written or oral, does
not constitute a contract.
Wipfler warned the group that districts are us-
ing letters of continued employment to ‘‘cir-
cumvent’’ the law.
She also predicted that several union test cases
now pending before the state’s unemployment
appeals board will be appealed to the courts,
regardless of who wins.
Wipfler also had some harsh words for school
districts on the topic of agency shop, contending
schoo! districts “‘want to prevent you from hay-
ing an agency shop because they are fearful of
the growing effectiveness of the union and be-
lieve stopping agency shop will lessen your
growth and strength.”
Committee chairman Hugh E. Crapser added
that many school board members are opposed to
agency shop, because they don’t want to be seen
as ‘‘aiding and abetting’ public employee
unions,
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
Page 5
FSS RST RAE SA RGEC ARN
SEA scores victory in Westchester layoffs fight
For the past several weeks Westchester
County has been a battleground of sorts, pitting the
Civil Service Employees Assn. against the county
over a proposed 1979 budget that would have re-
quired laying off 192 people immediately and more
later.
The victory here is shaping up as decisive, but
not absolute, in favor of the union and its
employees.
These articles and photos illustrate the
current activities in the continuing battle.
WHITE PLAINS — Efforts by the
Civil Service Employees Assn. to
lessen the impact of scheduled layoffs
of Westchester County employees
caused by purported budget con-
siderations have resulted in a lower-
ing of the anticipated number of
layoffs to between 30 and 40 as of this
time.
The 30 to 40 figures is considerably
below the number of layoffs originally
proposed in County Executive Alfred
DelBello’s proposed 1979 budget,
which projected 192 layoffs as of
January 1 and an undetermined ad-
ditional number of layoffs later in the
year.
According to Raymond J. O'Connor,
P ident of the Westchester County
Unit of CSEA Local 860, the county
has opened 35 vacant job titles during
almost continuous discussions with
the union over ways to reduce the im-
pact. Thus, he said, while the county
is officially 1 ig off 62 employees,
as many as ps le will be fitted into
the 35 positions being opened up. The
county Personnel Department inter-
viewed those scheduled to be laid off
between December 11 and 14 to see
how many could qualify for the vacant
spots.
O'Connor said he expects about 25
of the vacant lines to be filled, based
on the qualifications of the laid-off
employees.
At the interviews, the employees
were accompanied by O'Connor,
Chief Shop Steward Carmine DiBat-
tista, Region III staffer Bruce
Wyngard or the head shop steward
from the employee’s department.
To prepare the employees for the
meetings with the Personnel
Department, the 62 were urged to
attend a counseling session on Dec. 6.
(See related story.)
About 50 of the employees showed
up, and they were instructed on
preparing resumes and their
qualifications were matched to the
vacant lines, O’Connor said.
The restoration of the positions in
the 1979 proposed budget came about
after a number of meetings by the
Union with DelBello and his key
staffers and by Union appearances at
budget hearings of the county Board
of Legislators.
Those representing the county unit
at the meetings with the executive
branch were O'Connor; Battista;
Wyngard; and Ron Mazzola and
Manny Vitale, CSEA staff.
O'Connor credited the new
cooperation by the executive branch
and the board to the political strength
exhibited by Local 860 in the
November election.
“We hope we delivered the message
that we are politically active,’’ O’Con-
nor said.
In that election, the local heavily
supported a victorious Assembly can-
didate who defeated a DelBello-
backed candidate.
O'Connor also reported that the ex-
ecutive branch backed off its plan
for additional layoffs later in 1979
from not funding all of the contracted
pay raise.
He said the county expects attrition
and funds for vacant job lines to make
up the difference.
In addition to the 30 to 40 layoffs,’
the 1979 budget also will abolish 375
job lines, he said
A key factor in the meetings
between the union and the executive
branch was information on the budget
supplied by the research departments
of CSEA and of AFSCME.
Their analyses revealed additional
funds available to the county.
LAYOFF THREATS CREATE TENSION, and CSEA Southern Region
President James Lennon, right, and Tom Kelly of the parks department,
are engaged
a heated discussion over the situation.
Page 6
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
COUNSELING EMPLOYEES on thelr ATT rights, CSEA Field Representative Ron Mazzola,
right, discusses the layoff situation in Westchester County with Bob Turner, Iqwer left; Donald Hunt,
standing, and John Nyahaig.
JOHN NYAHAIG of the Westchester County parks dspartmisit speaks out during meeting
held by CSEA to inform members of latest developments and offer special counseling
services.
=
SHOP STEWARD DON BALLOU, right, of the county
parks department, and Vince Allison, also of parks
department, discuss the proposed 1979 county budget
calling for layoffs of some employees. The parks
department is among the hardest hit.
SOCIAL SERVICES would be hardest hit of county
departments under the county’s projected layoff
schedule. Ray O'Connor, center, President of
Westchester County CSEA Unit, discusses the
situation with department employees. At left is CSEA
Field Representative Laura Woolis, and Bill Smith is
at right.
wii ll a
CHIEF STEWARD CARMINE DEBATTISTA gestures to make a
point during a recent meeting of Westchester County CSEA unit
members,
Threatened
employees
assisted by CSEA
WHITE PLAINS — While talks
between the Civil Service Employees
Association and Westchester County
have yielded impressive reductions in
the number of county workers
originally slated for layoff, those
Westchester County Unit members of
CSEA Local 860 who did receive ‘‘pink
slips’’ last week participated in a uni-
que workshop designed to inform
them of their rights and assist them in
their search for reemployment.
The sessions were held for some 60
county employees at the Westchester
Local 860 office and CSEA’s
Westchester Satellite Office, both in
White Plains. CSEA staff, led by
Thomas J. Luposello, Field Director
for the CSEA Southern Region,
apprised the workers of their contrac-
tual rights in regard to bumping,
retreating and transferring to vacan-
cies as well as provisions of Civil Ser-
vice Law as it might apply to their
situation. CSEA officers and shop
stewards, including Unit President
Raymond J. O'Connor, CSEA Local
860 President Raymond G. Cassidy,
and Regional President James J. Len-
non, helped to instruct the workers on
writing job resumes for re-
employment, and advised them of
in our
Opinion
social services programs
(unemployment insurance,
Comprehensive Employment and
Training Act) available to them.
Continuous pressure by CSEA also
led the County to open 67* vacancies
for which employees would be eligible
and an additional 35 openings where
eligibility is as yet undetermined. The
County is also scheduling interviews
with laid off workers to assist in their
reemployment and make possible
“‘matches’’ between the applicant and
the existing vacancy. CSEA union
representatives are present at each
interview between the County and its
employee
“It’s one of the many ways CSEA is
saying to these workers, ‘We're with
you’,’’ said James J. Lennon,
Southern Region President. ‘We
fought for their jobs and, though
we're not done yet, should anyone
have to be laid off, they're now walk-
ing with a resume in one hand, their
contractual and social services rights
in the other, and, for many, heading
directly for a CSEA-arranged inter-
view with the County for
reemployment. This is a total, max-
imum effort,’ Mr. Lennon said
Affiliation helped
Thanks in part to efforts in Albany and in
Washington, the impact of scheduled layoffs in
Westchester County is considerably less than it was
just a few days ago. When members ask what benefits
derive from affiliation with AFSCME, the
Westchester situation is just one of many examples
that occur without fanfare.
Only one month ago, the unit was facing the pos-
sibility of more than 200 layoffs in 1979. Today that
number is approximately 35.
Part of the reason for an 85 percent reduction in
the number of layoffs by Westchester County is the
assistance given the unit by AFSCME’s research
department.
Both AFSCME’s researchers and CSEA’s
researchers studied the proposed Westchester budget
and found discrepencies in estimated expenditures and
revenues and uncovered poor accounting practices.
From what we have seen in a number of important
areas and situations, Westchester County being but
one of them, CSEA members are receiving, directly, a
wealth of benefits since CSEA expanded its horizon
through affiliation.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978 Page 7
— aaa aia isa Men ui SLR ee ae a ia | ee
Part of the wheel
A biweekly column for and about
the thousands of non-instructional
employees of school districts
throughout New York State
represented by the Civil Service
Employees Association. Comments
and/or questions concerning non-
instructional school district
employees should be directed to Ms.
Arne Wipfler, Coordinator of School
Affairs, CSEA, 33 Elk Street,
Albany, New York 12224,
At a recent gathering of non-
instructional employees the guest
speaker related to the audience his
experiences as a grade school
student. One story went something
like this:
“I was a rotten little kid. I
remember being thrown out of
class on several occasions. One
time while I was spending time ad-
miring the concrete and cinder-
block construction of the school,
the principal approached me.
“Knowing I would be chastised
for being naughty again, I quickly
pulled out my hanky and started to
clean a nearby door window. ‘Could
I pass myself off as a custodial
helper?’ was my only thought.
“Needless to say, the ploy to
avoid punishment failed and I was
marched to the main office. After
sitting in the office for what seem-
ed like an eternity, the truth of who
CSEA, Fulton
reach agreement
FULTON — Following a
marathon negotiating session
lasting more than 18 hours,
CSEA and the City of Fulton
have reached a two-year con-
tract effective Jan. 1, 1979
through Dec. 31, 1980.
New contract language in-
cludes an agency shop clause, in-
crease of $500 over basic salary
for salaried employees in 1979,
followed by an increase of $700
over basic salary in 1980.
Other benefits include:
equitable distribution of over-
time, City of Fulton to pay 100%
of employee’s family cost of
health insurance and new
language covering bereavement
leave, personal days leave, sick
leave, posting of non-
competitive positions and
vacancies.
Jack Miller, CSEA Field
Representative, served as chief
negotiator for the unit which is
part of Local 838, Oswego Coun-
ty.
NEW YORK STATE ELIGIBLE LIST
Associate Landscape Architect
(Exam No. 36300)
Test Held June 24, 1978
1, Nagel, Charles J., Pine Plains 88.5
2. McCready, Roy V., Clarence... 87.7
3. Lewendon, John S., Albany... 86.9
4, McCoy, Dovid P., Poughk 84.5
5. Edwards, R. K., Point Jefferson St. ..........83.0
6 Lewthwaite, G. W., Voorheesville ............80.1
7. Vrooman, Jan B., Castile pene nies: 8S
8, Macigiak, Daniel, Brooklyn ...........2+0.005 71.8
runs the school popped into my
head. It was the school secretary
who kept a watchful eye over the
problem children like myself.”
The message from the speaker
was clearly defined. The non-
instructional employee is an in-
tegral part of the educational com-
munity.
Parents rely on you to deliver
their children safely to the school.
They know their children will be in
clean surroundings. +
Teachers rely on you to provide
them with the extras: dealing on an
individual basis with the child ex-
periencing difficulty in math;
cleaning up the spilled paint of an
overly zealous group of first
graders.
Principals rely on you to ready
the auditorium for an evening con-
cert; preparing lunches on
schedule.
And, of course, the children know
you are their friend. How many
children have said to their parents,
“T want to be like Mr. Smith when I
grow up. He sweeps the floor and
runs the school.’’?
Each and every non-instructional
employee provides an important
service to the school community,
Remember: your importance must
be felt by you. You are a part of the
wheel.
Board ballots mailed:
ALBANY — Ballots have been
mailed out to all CSEA members of
public corporations locals, for voting
to fill the vacant seat on the union’s
Board of Directors representing
public corporations employees.
The deadline for return of the
ballots is Jan. 6, 1979 at 6 p.m. Any
CSEA member who does not receive a
ballot, or who misplaces it, can obtain
a replacement by calling Kathy
Barnes at CSEA headquarters, (518)
434-0191, after Dec. 26. Ballots will be
counted on Jan. 8th.
The name of Jo Ann Lowe, of the
union's Teachers’ Retirement System
Local, has been placed in nomination
for the position. Ms. Lowe, of Albany,
has served several times as proxy for
Richard Helmes, the board member
who has vacated the public cor-
porations seat because of a transfer to
another department.
Although Ms. Lowe’s name will be
the only one to appear on the ballot, a
space will be provided for write-in
candidates.
The election is being conducted by
the CSEA Special Election
Procedures Committee.
Region Ill court employees
ALBANY — Court employees in
eight different jurisdictions in
CSEA’s Southern Region have ratified
a coalition contract with the state’s
Office of Court Administration.
The contract is retroactive from
April 1, 1977, extends through April 1,
1980, guaranteeing three incremental
raises for the 200 employees involved.
The employees who accepted the pact
by a vote of 64 to 7, with three void
ballots, are employed in courts in the
cities of Newburgh, Middletown, Port
Jervis, New Rochelle and Poughkeep-
sie, and in the counties of Orange,
» Putnam and Dutchess. All of these
| jurisdictions are within the Ninth
! Judicial District of the State of New
Y York.
Local 010 hits Koch plan
NEW YORK CITY — The executive
committee of CSEA Local 010 has
voted unanimously to ‘vigorously op-
pose” passage, if submitted, of a
suggested proposal by New York City
Mayor Edward Koch dealing with civil
service reform.
According to Local 010 President
Solomon Bendet, the mayor's
proposals included widening the
definition of managerial employees to
excluded ‘‘hundreds of additional
workers out of their unions’ since
managerial employees are excluded
from union membership. Such
workers would be subject to a higher
possibility of dismissals, it was noted.
Other reform proposals call for
employees hired within a 2 year
period to have equal seniority and the
use of new evaluation procedures in
choosing workers for dismissal. Local
010’s executive committee voted un-
animously for a resolution to advise
CSEA that ‘“‘when and if Mayor Koch
submits his proposals to the
legislature CSEA should vigorously
oppose its passage.””
Mechanic exam set Jan. 23, 24
The State Department of Transportation has announced it will hold exams
for two continuously open positions during late January and has set January 5
as a cutoff date for interested individuals to submit applications.
Exams will be held January 23 and 24 in Poughkeepsie for the positions of
motor equipment mechanic, a grade 12 position with a salary of $10,024 (exam
number 20-568); and maintenance assistant mechanic, grade 8 with a salary of
$7,997 (exam number 20-578)
Interested persons should immediately complete the standard XD10
application form and forward it to the Civil Service Department.
Local 850 elects new officers
WATERLOO — Members of Seneca County Local No. 850 of the Civil Ser-
vice Employees Assn, have elected new officers to represent the 250 County
employees.
Following the election, Jack Miller, CSEA Field Representative, swore in
the following new officers: Rino Piagentini, Seneca County Highway
Department, President; Merlin Brignall, Seneca County Sheriffs’ Department,
Ist Vice-President; Sharon Irland, Skoi-Yase School, Corresponding Secretary;
Joan Swarthout, Motor Vehicle Bureau, Treasurer; Brian Dombrowski, Health
Department, Representative.
Page 8
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
ratify new coalition contract
The financial portions of the con-
tract are retroactive to April 1, 1977,
and the time and leave provisions to
April 1, 1978, according to Pat
Mohachino, the union's collective
bargaining specialist assigned to the
court employees. In addition, there is
a wage re-opener clause in the pact,
allowing talks to begin soon on the
1979-80 salary hike for the employees.
Also, the court employees of the
city of New Rochelle will receive a 6
percent location-pay differential,
with a maximum of $1,020, as a result
of the new contract.
“T was gratified to see that some 75
percent of the members involved ac-
tually voted on this contract
ratification,” Mr. Monachino said.
“It shows there was a great interest,
as well as overwhelming approval,
for this contract.”
Carol Dubovick, acting president of
CSEA’s Court Employees Local 332,
had strongly urged ratification.
False statement
on application
leads to firing
An appeals court has rules that even
though a State employee completed
his probationary period before it was
discovered that he made a false
statement on his examination
application, he can still be fired
without a hearing.
The case involved a former
employee who contended that since he
had acquired permanent status, he
had a “‘constitutionally protected
property interest’ in the job under
the due process clause and, therefore,
could not be discharged without a
hearing. In a recent decision, the
Appellate Division of State Supreme
Court rejected his argument.
The court unanimously ruled that
the New York State Civil Service
Department ‘‘may terminate
employment without a hearing where
post-appointment investigation
reveals facts which, if known prior to
appointment, would have warranted
disqualification.”’
The employee was fired following a
Civil Service Department in-
vestigation concerning his answer to
an application question about the
reasons for his separation from
previous employment.
Study shows
Layoffs more costly than attrition
BUFFALO — Basing his con-
clusions 9n the October, 1978 report of
the Continuity of Employment Com-
mittee, Dr. Walter L. Balk told a
productivity forum sponsored by the
Erie County Legislature, that
“layoffs are a more costly strategy
than attrition.”
Dr. Balk, chairman of the
department of public administration
at the State University of New York,
at Albany, also suggested that any
campaign to increase productivity
“has got to be a joint effort, between
management and workers,” with a
stress on maintenance of morale to
keep workers until they are retrained
for new tasks, if their jobs are found
to be no longer as important as
previously
He also pointed out that while civil
servants are sometimes stigmatized
as “‘unproductive,”’ they are frequent-
ly victims of the ‘‘system.’’ For in-
stance, he said, ‘‘social workers must
waste time in defining a juvenile
delinquency case and coming up with
the appropriate remedy because
there are five state laws which
govern.”’ The Legislature, Dr. Balk
said, could reduce the response time
by consolidating the laws and the
definitions into one statute so that the
workers wouldn't have to go to five
laws before they could take action.
Dr. Balk said that the Continuity of
Employment Committee, headed by
Dean Robert B. McKersie of the New
York School of Industrial and Labor
CSEA backs arthritis telethon
NEW YORK CITY — The Civil
Service Employees Assn. has an-
nounced that, for the fifth con-
secutive year, it will lend support
to the annual Stop Arthritis
telethon of the New York Arthritis
Foundation.
The telethon will be broadcast on
WOR-TV (Channel 9), beginning at
10 p.m. Saturday, February 10 and
continue through 6 p.m., Sunday,
February 11.
CSEA President William L
McGowan has accepted chair-
manship of a special VIP Panel to
announce contributions from CSEA
members during the televised
program, and CSEA Long Island
Region President Irving Flaumen-
baum has again been named coor-
dinator of the union’s fund raising
effort in connection with the
telethon.
Both Mr. McGowan and Mr.
Flaumenbaum have co-signed a
letter being mailed to CSEA’s
more than 300 Locals and their
units calling for statewide support of
the fund raising effort. Advance
gift cards are being sent out to en-
courage contributions in advance
of the telethon to be credited to the
union ‘effort.
Mssrs. McGowan and Flaumen-
baum are also appealing in general
to all CSEA members and their
families to help support this im-
portant telethon effort ‘‘to help
fight what is truly our Nation's
NUMBER ONE Crippling
Disease.’’ Proceeds will go to sup-
port program services of the
Arthritis Foundation in behalf of 2
million arthritis sufferers, young
and old, in our own area as well as
many more millions throughout the
country.
The CSEA has participated in the
four previous telethons and as Mr.
Flaumenbaum put it, ‘‘we intend to
once again show everwhelming
support in behalf of arthritis suf-
ferers here and everywhere during
this fifth annual telethon. We are
determined to provide the Arthritis
Foundation, the only organization
dedicated to finding a cause and
cure for this disease, with the
means for carrying on their
programs of research and patient
services.”
They stressed also the tremen-
dous impact that crippling arthritis
brings to bear on the worker and
his family. ‘‘Arthritis is not just a
minor ache or pain, it is a serious
and devastating problem that has
reached epidemic proportions: in
our country and we must continue
to do whatever we can to help
eradicate it.’
Early scheduling indicates that
entertainers from Broadway,
WATCH THE
SATURDAY NIGHT
FIGHT.
Hollywood and Las Vegas will take
part in this star-studded telecast.
CSEA leaders from across the
state will also appear on the
telecast to acknowledge support
generated by the CSEA pre-
telethon arthritis campaign
Civil Service Department turns down
ALBANY — The State Department
of Civil Service, which was recently
highly criticized for its handling of
civil service examination situations,
has turned down a detailed suggestion
from a public employee which may
have within it the seeds of a workable
revamping of civil service ex-
amination situations which could
result in the State saving money and
time in administering civil service ex-
aminations
Teresa M. Nenni is a stenographer
in the Department of Transportation,
Region 1 Design at 84 Holland
Avenue, Albany. Recently she had an
unfortunate experience in taking a
series of civil service examinations in
conditions which were far from ideal
Based on her personal experience and
her desire to contribute a worthwhile
idea to help with the needed solution
to the problem, she developed a six-
point suggestion to improve the civil
service examination procedure which
included the prepackaging of
materials needed for each of the
various examination candidates.
Her idea contained the following
points. First, when the Civil Service
Department receives an application
for an examination or a series of
related examinations to be given on
the same day at the same location it
should then replace an examination
folder with all required materials for
the applicant. This would eliminate
unnecessary last minute shortages of
essential materials, tests, answer
sheets, finger print cards, and scrap
paper which seems to plague the
present system. This pre-packaged
folder could then be sealed and serve
as a roster of scheduled candidates.
Secondly, the employee suggested
that the outside of the folder be
designed so that it could contain the
general examination instructions, the
candidates name and established
identification number and a series of
signature and time lines which would
allow the proctor to identify the in-
dividual candidate, the candidate to
verify the contents of the sealed
folder and the completion of the ex-
amination
Nenni pointed out in her suggestion
that if implemented this idea could
save time, cut the number of proctors
needed for an examination, and save the
State money by stopping the number
of objections to an examination which
seem to arise following the ad-
ministration of examinations under
the present procedures
However, the Department's
Suggestion Committee has reviewed
the employee suggestion and has re-
jected it as not being realistic, es-
pecially for the large amount of work
it would take to prepare such exam
packages and the cost that would
result.
After reviewing the. suggestion
made by the employee and the answer
from the Department of Civil Ser-
vice, the Civil Service Employees
Assn, sees no reason why the
Department should ever object in the
future to CSEA requests that an ex-
amination be re-run since apparently
Relations at Cornell University found
that layoffs are about 20% more cost-
ly than attrition
In the committee’s conservative
calculations were, he said, such fac-
tors as unemployment insurance
charge-backs, insecurity-induced
quitting of valuable employees, the
lower productivity which accom-
panies layoff anxiety, lost state
revenues, the cost of operating the
preferred hiring system and many
more items not calculated because of
the statistical methods used
First, he said, there is the obvious
cost that public employers must pay
the total cost of unemployment in-
surance payments since the public
employer must reimburse the un-
employment insurance fund dollar for
dollar payments made to the laid
off worker.
Private employers, on the other
hand, he explained, prepay their
share of unemployment insurance by
a certain percentage of their payroll
depending on prior unemployment in-
surance claims history
The report, summarized in a
newsletter of the committee which
came to the attention of Erie County
Legislators Leonard R. Lenihan, (D)
Tonawanda and Joan K. Bozer, (R)
Buffalo, prompted the form for the
legislature which may be forced to
reduce spending levels following the
adoption of new tax limits in the
November elections
Dr. Balk called the attention of the
legislators to the conclusion, ‘‘plann-
ed attrition programs represent one
way of eliminating many of the costs
of (the) side effects, while maintain-
ing most of the savings of the lay-
offs.’
Also in attendance at the forum
were John P. Eiss, President of Erie
County Local No. 815, Steve Caruana
its Medical Center Unit President and
CSEA Western Regional President,
Robert L. Lattimer, a member of the
Continuity of Employment Com-
mittee, which was formed following
the lay-offs in recent years.
suggestion
it costs little for management to do a
haphazard job
John D. Corcoran, Jr. CSEA Capital
Region Director indicated some dis-
belief in the attitude of the Civil Ser-
vice Department towards an idea
which reflects the concern of public
workers to see that the Department of
Civil Service functions in an effec-,
tive, efficient manner in the area of ex-
amination administration.
Corcoran commented ‘‘State
Regent examinations go off like clock
work, numerous scholarship and com-
petitive achievement tests are also
run smoothly because of basic
preplanning by the appropriate
management level. Civil Service
should review its procedures in light
of this suggestion and see if it could be
of use and value, Mistakes are costly
in both the long and short run
Suggestions to improve such mistake,
riddled procedures should not just be
evaluated on paper, but possibly by
use in an actual testing situation
Then the evaluation will be valid.”
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
Page 9
Patricia Robins wins award
POUGHKEEPSIE — Patricia Robins, formerly president of the
Dutchess County Unit of the Civil Service Employees Assn.,
has been
presented an Award of Merit for her dedication and service to the Dutchess
County Unit.
Ms. Robins, who resigned her position because of a promotion, is shown
receiving the Award of Merit from CSEA Southern Region President James
J. Lennon. Looking on, right, is Regional Director Thomas J. Luposello.
The special award was given at a dinner held in honor of Ms. Robins by
members of the Dutchess County CSEA Local and Unit.
More problems reported
to Civil Service Commission
NEW YORK CITY — Problems
with scheduled Civil Service exams
continue to mount. One of the latest,
involving an examination for senior
stenographer given at Julia Richman
High School in Manhattan, caused-
more than 50 angry employees of the
Downstate Medical Center to write a
formal letter of protest to Civil Ser-
vice Commissioner Victor Bahou.
The employees.protested what they
termed ‘‘the ‘able conditions’
to which they were subjected.
In their lettet, a Copy of which was
sent to Gov. Carey, the employees’
charge they were émstructed to appear
for the test at 9:30.a.m., but that some
of them had to wait till noon, some till
1 p.m. for the arrival of dictating
equipment used in the test. The
employees also complained of con-
fusion among proctors regarding in-
structions and the poor quality of the
‘testing equipment.
The Downstate employees call their
treatment at the test ‘‘a perfect ex-
ample of Civil Service's lack of under-
standing of employees’ human
rights’ and said they were treated
like ‘‘a herd of sheep rather than
qualified, experienced and responsi-
ble adults”. The shabby treatment,
protested the employees, caused
“much anxiety and tension’ which
affected their performance in the
test.
STATE OPEN COMPETITIVE
JOB CALENDAR
The following jobs are open. Requirements vary. Apply with the state Civil Service Department, 2
World Trade Center, Manhattan; State Office Building Campus, Albany, or 1 West Genesee St., Buffaio.
FILING ENDS JANUAR*’ 2, 1979
Title
Principal Account — Audit Clerk (NYC Area Rue
Campus Security Specialis
Medical Laboratory Technician ‘i
Laboratory Technicians 11
Bacteriology and Microbiology
Biochemistry.
Biology
Biophysics
Chemistry...
Food Chemistry
Nucleonics.....
Physiology 5
Sanitary Bacteriology oy :
Assistant Sanitary Engineer (Design)
Principal Rail Transportation Specialist
Assistant Railroad Engineer
Senior Railroad Engineer...
Associate Rail Transportation Specialist...
Coordinator of Substance Abuse Federal
Ferm Manager .
Coordinator of Uniform Reporting and
Accounting Systems
FILING ENDS JAD
Salary Exam No.
$11,450 No. 20-935
$13,511 No. 20-937
$10,024 No. 24-880
-s-,$10,024 No.
»..$10,024 No.
$10,024 No.
$10,024 No.
“$10,024 No. 24-885
+-+$10,024 No. 24-886
$10,024 No, 24-887
$10,024 No. 24-888
$10,024 No. 24-889
$14,850 No. 24-890
$27,842 No. 27-834
$14,850 No. 27-848
+..$18,301 No. 24-849
$22,623 No. 27-851
..$26,420 No. 80-020
$11,904 No. 80-028
Relations
(UARY 22, 1979.
$25,295 No. 27-835
You can also contact your local Manpower Services Office for examination information.
Page 10
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
Title
Pharmacist (salary varies with location)
Assistant Sanitary Engineer ...
OPEN CONTINUOUS
STATE JOB CALENDAR
Salary Exam No.
Senior Sanitary Bugineet
Clinical Physician I .
Clinical Physician II
Assistant Clinical Phy: cian.
Attorney
uu 388-$15,562
: . $16,040
$18,301
- $27,942
- $31,055
«$25,161
“$14,850
Assistant Attorney ..
Attorney Trainee
Junior Engineer. . r
(Bachelor's Degree) |
Junior Engineer
(Master's Degree)
Dental Hygienist
Licensed Practical Nurse.....
Nutrition Services Consultant
Stationary Engineer
Senior Stationary Engineer ....
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapy Assistant I ..
(Spanish Speaking)
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Trainee .
Medical Record Technician
Histology Technician
Professional Positions in Auditing and Accounting
Computer Programmer ...... fi
Computer Programmer (Scientific)
Senior Programmer
Senior Computer Programmer (Scientific) .
Mobility Instructor .. 5
Instructor of the Blind
Health Services Nurse...
(salary varies with location)
Senior Heating and Ventilating Engineer
Senior Sanitary Engineer (Design) ..
Senior Building Electrical Engineer .
Senior Building Structural Engineer .
Senior Mechanical Construction Engineer
Senior Plumbing Engineer. .
Assistant Stationary Engineer
Electroencephalograph Technician
Radiologic Technologist
(salary varies with location)
Medical Record Administrator ..
Food Service Worker ....
Mental Hygiene ‘Therapy Aide Trainee
Mental Hygiene Therapy Aide Trainee ..
(Spanish Speaking)
Associate Actuary (Casualty)
Principal Actuary (Casualty) ......
Supervising Actuary (Casualty) .
Assistant eet
Nurse II (Rehabilitation)
Medical Specialist II ..
Medical Specialist I ...
Psychiatrist I......
Psychiatrist II ..
Social Services Management Trainee ..
Social Services Management Specialist
Social Services Management Trainee
(Spanish Speaking)
Social Services Management Specialist .
(Spanish Speaking)
Industrial Training Supervisor ..
(salary varies depending on specialty)
Physical Therapist .
Physical Therapist (Spanish Speaking).
Senior Physical Therapist
Senior Physical Therapist (Spanish Speaking) nai
Speech Pathologist
Audiologist
Assistant Speech Pathologist . sa ee
Assistant Audiologist .
Dietician Trainee ........
Dietician
Supervising Dietician .
Stenographer .
Typist
Senior Occupational 1 Therapist ..
Senior Occupational Therapist
(Spanish Speaking)
Occupational Therapist 5
Occupational Therapist (Spanish Speaki ig
You may contact the following offices of the New York Stot
- $12,397
. $11,723
. $12,890
$13,876
+. $8,950
$8,051
« $13,404
- $10,042
. $11,250
$9,029
«+ $9,029
++» $14,142
- $11,983
$9,481
$8,051
- $11,250
. $11,250
~ $11,250
- $14,075
. $14,075
- $11,904
- $11,250
“$11,250-$12,025,
- $18,301
- $18,301
. $18,301
- $10,624-$12,583
$11,337
ve $11,337
. $12,670
ve $12,670
. $12,670
vse $12,670
.. $11,337
$11,337
$10,118
$10,714
$12,670
+ $6,650
.. $6,071
- + $12,670
$12,670
-. $11,337
$11,337
20-129
20-122
20-123
20-118
20-119
20-117
20-113
20-113
20-113
20-109
20-109
20-107
20-106
20-139
20-100
20-101
20-174
20-174
20-140
20-140
20-143
20-170
20-200
20-220
20-222
20-221
20-223
20-224
20-225
20-226
20-227
20-228
partment of Civil Service for on:
nouncements, applications, and other details concerning examinations for the positions listed above.
Building Compus, First Floor, Building 1, Albany, New York 12239 (518) 457-6216.
State Of
2 World Tr
Suite 750,
Center, 55th Floor, New York City 10047 (212) 488-4248.
jenesee Building, West Genesee Street, Buffalo, New York 14202 (716) 842-4260
]
|
}
Legal
EDITOR’S NOTE: As this article
on CSEA’s Legal Assistance
Program was going to press, the
major settlement involving the
union and the State Department of
Transportation, which appears on
page one of this issue, was an-
nounced. That legal proceeding, in-
terestingly enough, was handled by
the union’s law firm of Roemer and
Featherstonhaugh under the Legal
Assistance Program. Every penny
awarded under the settlement goes
to the affected employees; there is
no diminishing of the award
amount for legal services, which
would be the case if private at-
torney were involved. In a followup
article, ‘The Public Sector’ will
discuss the Legal Assistance
Program in greater detail through
interviews with those people
closest to the administration of the
massive membership assistance
program.
ALBANY — Despite its better
than 80% success rate in thwarting
efforts by the State of New York to
terminate CSEA members involv-
ed in disciplinary actions, the un-
idn’s ‘massive Legal Assistance
Program remains one of its least
known services.
Last year alone, the Legal
Assistance Program averaged a
better than eight out of ten success
rate in preventing the state form
firing employees that it accused of
wrongdoing. Think about those
numbers for a moment. The state
proposed firing about 200 state
workers, but could only impose
that penalty on 37.
While this type of activity is only
one of the many functions of the
Program, it is the clearest exam-
ple in the complex world of labor
relations as to how a union can
effectively protect its members.
In disciplinary proceedings,
grievance arbitration or appeals
matters, and in litigation revolving
around law, contract doctrine and
rulings by the state’s Public
Employment Relations Board, the
Program is working every day to
make justice in the working place a
reality for public employees
employed by the State of New York
or its political subdivisions and
represented by CSEA.
Last year alone more than $1.5
million was spent by CSEA on
Legal Assistance for public
employees represented by the
state’s largest public employee
union, Through a complex formula of
direct assistance from the unions
statewide headquarters and shared
grants with its Locals, the Legal
Assistance Program is frequently
all that stands between justice and
the wrongful destruction of a work-
ing man or woman’s career.
During the 1977 calendar year,
TONY CAMPIONE is Administrator of
Legal Assistance Programs for the
Civil Service Employees Assn. He is
located at CSEA Headquarters, 33 Elk
Street, Albany and spends full time on
the massive legal assistance programs.
Son ON TCR I
assistance protects you
the State of New York filed 2,559
notices of discipline against
employees represented by CSEA.
While most of these disciplinary
actions involved relatively minor
infractions and are settled in the
early stages of the disciplinary
proceedings established by CSEA’s
contracts with the state, more than
500 ended up in arbitration
proceedings. Still more fights oc-
curred in the political subdivisions.
The cost of fighting these actions
is enormous, but there is no prac-
tical alternative. There are, of
course, cases where a disciplinary
action is justified, but there are
also many cases where no dis-
cipline is justified. In order to
protect employees both directly
and indirectly involved in such
proceedings, the union created its
Legal Assistance Program to
Byte
wow
oversee the complex areas of dis-
ciplinary and _ grievance
proceedings as well as to fund
related court action and PERB
proceedings where necessary.
To the thousands of public em-
ployees faced with a disciplinary
charge, the need and Value of the
Program is obvious, But to the
many thousands more who are for-
tunate enough never to face such
proceedings, the need is still very
real.
The need for the Legal
Assistance Program is similar to
the need for a police force. While it
certainly serves a real value in
handling wrongdoings which do oc-
cur, it serves an equally important
value as a deterrent to potential
wrongdoing.
CSEA carefully built up strong
contractual protection for the
oberon
Ptr
beeen
CR ARERR RAE TACT oman ecru
public employees it represents
through years of negotiation.
Stronger protections for CSEA-
represented employees not only in
state service but also in political
subdivisions is still being won, but
the complex procedures involved in
these protections still varies from
contract to contract
Generally, however, all seek to
build upon the protections provided
by state laws for public employees
and expand those protections to
assure real job security and what is
increasingly becoming known in
the labor movement as the ‘‘law of
the working place.”
CSEA’s Legal Assistance
Program is the vanguard of the
union’s committment to bringing the
“law of the working place’ to
every public employee work
location in the state.
ATTORNEYS FROM CSEA’S LAW
FIRM, ROEMER AND FEATHER-
STONHAUGH, are constantly involved
in various phases of legal proceedings
on behalf of union members under the
Legal Assistance Programs. Atty.
James Roemer, second from left, goes
over legal matters with some of the
firm's lawyers. Attorneys shown are
Marge Karowe, Richard Burstein,
Stepnen Wiley and Michael Smith.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
Page 11
_
ogy one
AFSCME holds
leadership panel
in Region VI
BATAVIA — The first in what
will be a series of Leadership
Training seminars conducted for
Civil Service Employees Assn.
leaders by the training and
education staff of AFSCME was
held recently here.
Local CSEA officers, stewards,
grievance chairpersons and other
local officers and members from
CSEA’s Western Region attended
the day-long session. CSEA
Western Region President Robert
Lattimer called the workshop a
successful venture, and CSEA
statewide President Wiliam L.
McGowan, who attended the
program, said it was an excellent
example of a benefit of the af-
filiated relationship of CSEA and
AFSCME. It is expected that a
followup session will be scheduled
next spring, according to Mr. Lat-
timer.
AFSCME Director of Training
and Education Dave Williams and
several members of his staff out of
AFSCME headquarters in
Washington conducted the
program.
{ Conmantentiin
esenlalion,
sox anennieny
INDIVIDUAL WORKSHOP SESSIONS were conducted throughout the day-long program. Here Evelyn
Rieder of the AFSCME staff conducts a group session as part of the overall program.
a.
(Above)
ROCHESTER AREA employees par-
CSEA PRESIDENT BILL McGOWAN, right; Western Region President Robert |
Lattimer, center, and AFSCME Director of Training and Education Dave |
Williams, left, discuss the initial Leadership Training workshop conducted for
CSEA leaders and members by AFSCME.
——E
JOANNA WILLIAMS actively participates in a
workshop session. She is from Monroe County Local
828,
ticipating in training session are L. Jean Smith from
Rochester Psychiatric Center CSEA Local 420, and
Charles Fletcher and Francis Head, both from
Department of Transportation Region 4 CSEA Local
506,
(Above right) AFSCME STAFF MEMBER John
Dowlinger is shown conducting one of the many
workshop sessions held throughout the day.
(Bottom Right) CSEA LOCAL 607 from SUNY
Fredonia was represented by Mary Ann Bentham, left,
Local President Sara Sievert, center, and Barbara
Saletta.
Page 12
v ait i (aie
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 20, 1978
