The Public Sector, 1990 June 11

THE
PUBLIC

Official Publication of The Civil Service Employees Association, Local 1000, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO

;

IINSIIDIE NEWS YOU CAN USE

PAGE 3

Was it incompetence and neglect? CSEA
thinks so, but whatever the reasons, a
foul-up by a previous personnel
administrator at Manhattan Psychiatric
Center will result in hundreds of CSEA
members there sharing more than
$300,000 in back pay.

PAGE 4

You can find more ‘‘Gone Fishin’”’ signs
in Onondaga County, per capita, than
anywhere else in the state. CSEA
members have a lot to do with the great
fishing in Central New York.

PAGE 5

It’ll be Moran, Boncoraglio, Mascioli,
Mead, Moore and Lattimer as all six
incumbent CSEA regional presidents are
scheduled to begin new three-year terms
July 1.

PAGE 6

If you’re one of the 35,000 CSEA
members affected by the state’s new
commercial motor vehicle legislation,
here’s what you need to know.

PAGE 7

English can be an imposing challenge for
many. Now CSEA educational programs
are helping some DOT members get
ready to master the new commercial
motor vehicle legislation requirements.

PAGE 8

The state’s early retirement plan,
described by CSEA as a “‘flim-flam,”’ is
now a fact-of-life. But if you’re thinking
about taking the state up on it’s offer at
feast read all the fine print carefully.

PAGES 9-10-11

With the state budget finally out of the
way, legislators are making some moves
on bills of interest to CSEA members. A
group of CSEA member-activists recently
lobbied legislators in support of bills
backed by the union.

PAGE 12

Management at Rockland Psychiatric
Center is apparently a little thin-skinned.
Administrators got irked and irritated by
a recent article in The Public Sector, but
the CSEA local president there is
sticking to his guns.

PAGE 13

A couple of CSEA retiree-activists in
Region 3 are hoping to be able to fill the
mighty big shoes left empty with the
passing of Don Webster.

PAGE 14

An election has been scheduled_to fill a
vacant seat on CSEA’s statewide Board
of Directors.

PAGE 75

The state barge canal system is into it’s
165th season, but for the first time
there’s a female running one of the locks
on the system.

PAGE 16

Upcoming CSEAINYS contract
negotiations might be among the most
difficult in recent memory. Which is why
CSEA President Joe McDermott is
sending the best prepared teams
possible to the tables to represent the
interests of 100,000 state members.

PAGE 17

Everybody loves a good story, but they’re
no fairy tales when CSEA members swap
work-related stories.

PAGE 18

Rosetta Shepard will soon be going back
to work at the Nassau County Medical
Center, complete with back pay, thanks
to a successful CSEA arbitration on her
behalf.

You can never have enough education.
Now is the time to get ready for CSEA
LEAP’s fall courses.

PAGE 19

Iva Lawson says management at Staten
Island Developmental Center broke so
many promises to her that they could
hold a place in the Guinness Book of
World Records.

PAGE 20

**Sit down with us, Tom ... and let’s talk
it out together!’’ That’s the message for
Nassau County Executive Tom Gulotta
from 14,600 angry and disgusted CSEA
members who are tired of the county
dragging its feet in contract talks.

EBF gets new toll-free telephone number effective June 4

-800-ESF-CSEA

The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund (CSEA EBF) has changed its toll-free telephone number effective June 4. For
questions and information on EBF's benefit plans, call the new toll-free number on or after June 4. THE NEW
TOLL-FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-EBF-CSEA (1-800-323-2732). The local number remains unchanged — (518) 463-4555.

f =
The Public Sector (445010) is published every other Monday by The Civil Service
THE Employees Association, 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210. Publication
PUBLIC Office: 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210. Second Class Postage paid at
Post Office, Albany, New York.
Address changes should be sent to: Civil Service Employees Association, Attn:
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Official publication of The Civil Service COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATES
Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000, SHERYL C. JENKS Region | RON WOFFORD Region Vi
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Albany, New York, 12210 LILLY GIOIA . Region I STEPHEN MADARASZ Headquarters
(212) 514-9200 (518) 434-0191
MICHAEL P. MORAN Publisher TEMES (oi ba6-8180
ROGER A. COLE Editor DAN CAMPBELL Region IV E> Ei 4
KATHLEEN DALY Associate Editor (518) 489-5424
MARK M. KOTZIN . . . Region V
\__ STANLEY HORNAK Asst. Dir. of Communications (315) 433-0050. Dy

2 June 11, 1990

Hundreds of CSEA members to share

$300,000 back pay

at Manhattan Psychiatric Center

By Lilly Gioia
CSEA Communications Associate

CSEA Local 413 member Samuel
Koroma went to the union to file a
grievance against Manhattan Psychiatric
Center (MPC) when he was refused both
his night differential and supervisory
pay. The veteran 12-year therapy aide's
case unlocked a Pandora's box.

That successful grievance is leading to
hundreds of other CSEA members at
MPC being awarded lost back pay
totaling more than $300,000.

The final total in lost back pay will not
be known for several months as MPC’s
Personnel Department sorts back
through years of records for each
affected employee, according to CSEA
Local 413 President Mohamed Hussain.

System was tainted

“At first we thought this problem
affected a few employees here and
there,'‘Hussain said, ‘but the more
vigorously we pursued our
investigations, we found we had a really
serious problem throughout the whole
system affecting hundreds of union
members,"’

More than 300 employees have
already been identified as having been
deprived of annual increments, some as
far back as 1981, CSEA Labor Relations

Specialist Bart Brier said.

Hussain blames a previous personnel
administrator's negligence and
incompetence for failing to provide
hundreds of CSEA members with annual
performance evaluations. Then, because
the evaluations were missing,
management denied workers annual

‘increments, hazardous duty pay,

supervisory pay and night differential
ay.
q ritisea tn credits new managers in the
MPC Administrative Services and
Personnel Departments for their efforts
to work with the union to unravel years
of neglected personnel records in order
to correct salary inequities.

Management cooperative

“Both Administrative Services Director
John Fellin and Ed Herman, the new
personnel director, are committed to
straightening out the years of payroll
errors that kept CSEA members from
getting their rightful monies,” Hussain
said.

“We are concerned about individuals
receiving any compensation that is due
to them,” facility Director Dr. Michael
Ford confirmed.

Some examples

Jeraline DeShazo, a therapy aide for

MANHATTAN PSYCHIATRIC CENTER DIRECTOR Dr. Michael Ford fans through a
computer print-out of names of facility employees identified so far as being eligible
for back pay. Others include CSEA Local 413 President Mohamed Hussain, leit front,

and CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Bart Brier, third from left. Seated at right is MPC

Administrative Services Director John Fellin and standing far right is MPC Personnel

back pay.

OS ee EE eae se eee 11, 1990 3

Director Ed Herman. Therapy Aide Samuel Koroma, who filed the original grievance, is
second from left, second row, among a few of the more than 300 employees eligible for

( Check-cashing now
available on-site

‘When those employees at
Manhattan Psychiatric Center receive
their back pay, they won't have very
far to go to cash the checks. Thanks
to efforts by CSEA, employees at the
facility and Manhattan Children’s
Psychiatric Center can now cash their
paychecks more easily.

There are no banks on Ward's
Island where the two facilities are
located, but now employees don’t
have to make an additional trip off
the Island and over the TriBorough
Bridge just to cash a paycheck.

CSEA worked out an agreement
with a firm that provides a cash-
checking van on the facility grounds
for several hours each pay day, CSEA
Local 413 President Mohamed
Hussain said.

“Tt was time consuming and an
extra expense just to get paid before,"
Hussain said. “We promised the
membership that the union would get
them some relief from that annoying
situation. Now every pay day
members are reminded that CSEA

\ cele on its promises.’

11 years at MPC, expects about $1,000
in back pay for ward charge duties she
performed since 1985 without being paid.
She said she plans to use some of the
money to buy new video tapes for her
patients.

“At the time, the job needed to be
done and | am here to assist in patient
care, so I did the out-of-title work
without payment,’’ DeShazo said of the
years of supervisory work she
performed without compensation.

Mildred Evans, an MPC therapy aide
for 22 years, also performed ward
charge work without pay. She intends to
use the $1,600 back pay due her to pay
bills,

“Caring for our patients was the most
important thing for me, but I really
appreciate what Mr. Hussain and CSEA
have done to get this money,” Evans
said.

“TI was aware that the hospital owed
me money, but it wasn't the first thing
on my mind,"’ Therapy Aide Ruby
Pettiford said, ‘I knew when I brought
my problem to CSEA that something
would be done about it. Doing
medications, charting and journal
reports needed to be done and done
right, so I just did it.”

P CSEA LOCAL 834 member Richard H 7
* Fey uses a grating to corral trout
at end of trough so they can be

scooped for stocking in waters in

L | Onondaga County.
Pa pm
a

It’s no accident that more fishing
licenses per capita are sold in
Onondaga County than in any other
county in the state. The fact is, trout
fishing is great in streams, rivers and
lakes throughout Onondaga County.

The waters are stocked annually
with tens of thousands of Rainbow,
Brown and Brook Trout raised at
Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery. The
20-acre facility in western Onondaga
County operated by the Onondaga
County Parks Department is one of
only a few hatcheries in the United
States managed by a county.

CSEA Onondaga County Local 834
members nurture the trout from the
moment they arrive as fish eggs from
federal and state hatcheries until they
are ready to be stocked about 18
months later when the fish are eight
to 10 inches in length.

Photos by Mark M. Kotzin
Communications Associate

Fs
Tt

‘oe eed
REENTER'S SROOK FISH HATCH

TROUT ARE PLACED in a
truck-mounted tank by
Carpenter's Brook Fish
Hatchery employee Kirk
Handov. The trout will then a “a

be transported for stocking in
streams ci lakes. BROOK TROUT raised from fish eggs by CSEA Local 834 members at
Onondaga County's Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery are stocked in

Butternut Creek by John Derisio, an Onondaga County Parks employee.

4... My, Pree erates nearer ee ERM Lec ai OM OREM

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CSEA REGIONAL
ELECTION RESULTS

All six incumbent CSEA regional presidents
have beenre-elected to new three-year terms
according to election results announced by the
Independent Election Corporation of America
(IECA), which oversaw the balloting. The race
for Metropolitan Region II president was

CENTRAL
REGION 5

conducted under the supervision of the U.S.
Department of Labor.

Regional officers are scheduled to begin
three-year terms July 1.

Following is a list of CSEA regional officers
scheduled to take office July 1.

METROPOLITAN
REGION 2

SOUTHERN
REGION 3

LONG ISLAND
REGION 1

PRESIDENT
Gloria Moran

Ist VICE PRESIDENT
Carol Guardiano

2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Susan S. Duffe

3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Cathy Green

4th VICE PRESIDENT
Barbara Jones

SECRETARY
Dolores Gabay

TREASURER
Barbara Allen

PRESIDEN

PRESIDENT +
Pat Mascioli

George Boncoraglio

Ist VICE PRESIDENT
Rose Marcinkowski

2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Diane Y. Lucchesi

Ist VICE PRESIDENT
Denise Berkley

2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Denis J. Tobin

3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Tony Bailous

3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Patricia Nealon

RECORDING SECRETARY
Maryjane MacNair

TREASURER
Darlene Foust

SECRETARY
Harriet Hart

TREASURER
Sharon Katz

“Special note: The following additional
information applies only to the Region II
President/Statewide Vice President
Election.

The election for the position of Region
II President/Statewide Vice President
shall be conducted under the
supervision of the United States
Department of Labor; Office of Labor-
Management Standards.

For purposes of protesting the Region
Il President/Statewide Vice President
election only, any member in good
standing may protest the supervised
election of Region II
President/Statewide Vice President for
valid cause. Such protest must be made
in writing and can be filed at any time
before, during or within 10 days after
the election. Any protest should be
addressed to the Election Supervisor,
U.S. Department of Labor; Office of
Labor-Management Standards, 201
yank Street, Room 878, New York, NY
10014,

PRESIDENT
James J. Moore

EX. VICE PRESIDENT
Bud Mulchy

Ist VICE PRESIDENT
Patricia Crandall

2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Sharon Connor

3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Roslie M. Tallman

RECORDING SECRETARY
Dorothy Penner-Breen

CAPITAL
REGION 4

TREASURER
Maureen S. Malone

WESTERN
REGION 6

PRESIDENT
C. Allen Mead

Ist VICE PRESIDENT
Joan M. Tobin

2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Carmen Bagnoli

3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Lou Altieri

SECRETARY

Judy Remington PRESIDENT

Robert L. Lattimer

TREASURER

Barbara Stack Ist VICE PRESIDENT

Florence Tripi

2nd VICE PRESIDENT
Marie Prince

3rd VICE PRESIDENT
Sylvia B. Thomas

SECRETARY
Candy Saxon

TREASURER
James V. Kurtz

EES rt nme Tee eS A a A ene A ny eC 11, 1990 5

aa

At long last New York has a law
bringing the state into compliance
with the federal Commercial Motor
Vehicle Safety Act.

Vehicle Safety Act of 1986
required all states to establish
tougher commercial drivers’
licensing and testing requireme:
The purpose is to improve road
CSEA has been actively involved safety by ensuring the
throughout the legislative process
and successfully lobbied for
several provisions to protect the
interest of nearly 35,000 CSEA
members who could be affected by
the changes.

or risk losing federal highway
money.

must take the new written test.

Drivers’s manuals for preparation
purposes will be mailed to all 1

commercial drivers. =) qT

School bus drivers can be reimbursed by
|x their employer for the testing fees.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles
bel estimates 550,000 people will take the
written exam. Mass testing will be
scheduled for next spring. After that,

testing will be held at DMV offices.

qualification of commercial motor
vehicle operators by April 1, 1992,

Now there is some detail about

State sets new commercial
driver’s requirements

Throughout the debate, CSEA
has consistently called for
exempting drivers with clean

nts. records from the road test
provisions, making preparation
material for the written exam
available to all commercial drivers;
providing alternatives to the
written exam and requiring some
employer payment of increased
charges for the testing.

These concerns are incorporated

The federal Commercial Motor how New York will comply. into the law.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Drivers with good records will not have to Individuals who fail the written exam may
take the road test. request an oral exam.

your license. You can retake the test as
many times as you can schedule it prior
to the renewal of your license or April 1,

fa All commercial motor vehicle operators @ If you fail, you will not immediately lose

992, whichever comes first.

he new fee schedule is as follows:

—$48 for four years for license and $2
for photo;

—$10 for each written test, $40 for the
road test;

—$5 each time you take an
endorsement test or tests (during
each sitting you can take as many
different endorsements as you
choose).

6 June 11, orescence TINE SOND LADEN Cra e aver UNC eee <

State employees REACH for help on

new driver's test

EDITOR'S NOTE — CSEA's successful lobbying onthe
commerical motor vehicle licensing changes ensured that
study materials will be distributed to all CSEA members
affected by the new requirements.

But for CSEA state employees, a jointly administered,
CSEA/NYS program can also help in preparing for the new
tests,

REACH, which stands for Reading Education and
Achievement, offers several different programs that can be
tailored to meet the needs of participants. As the following
story explains, some members are already taking
advantage of the opportunity to get ready for the
commercial motor vehicle testing.

KATONAH — Some of them have worked as laborers for
many years. Most of them speak excellent English, but admit
they have some difficulty reading and understanding the
language.

So when the tough new testing requirements for commercial
driver's licensing were announced, it was panic time for these
members of CSEA Department of Transportation Local 507.

“It's not easy for an adult to admit that he needs help," said
George Ballard, a member and past president of the local.

The members discovered that help was available through the
CSEA/NYS REACH program. REACH is designed to meet the
specific needs of workers by improving their basic skills.

In the case of Local 507, two courses were established, one
for non-English speaking employees and one for English-speaking
workers who have difficulty reading.

Teacher Bea Fassler emphasized that the men know their

LEARNING EXPERIENCE — Teacher Bea Fassler poses with her
DOT class of 1990.

jobs, but need help understanding tests. ‘‘They're very bright,
ut they just have difficulty understanding the written language.

“The main purpose of these classes is to help them get their
commercial driver's license but improving their language and
reading skills will also help them in other aspects of their work
and help them gain promotions,” she said.

“They're hard workers”’ Ballard said. ‘They're so afraid they
won't pass the test.’

During one recent class, the group was studying common
expressions.

“Sayings like ‘it's raining cats and dogs’ or ‘you're pulling my
leg’ are confusing," Fassler explained.

“Sometimes it's difficult to bridge the gap of their needs,”
she added. ‘‘It takes months of classes.”

REACH programs are available around the state. For more
information about REACH, call (518) 473-3939.

COMMERCIAL

DRIVERS
LICENSING

OF THE STUMBLING BLOCKS

Si

June 11, 1990 y

ALBANY — State employees eligible
for retirement will soon be given an
opportunity to work 100 percent of the
time for 60 Perceny of their salary.

It's part of a budget-balancing scheme
concocted by the governor and state
Legislature who insist it is not an
“early’' retirement program but instead
a two-part ‘‘incentive’’ that includes
both phased and targeted retirements.

Phased retirements

Under the phased “‘incentive,''
employees would pay themselves to stay
on the job by simultaneously collecting
retirement pensions — their deferred
wages — while collecting only 60
percent of their salary.

Employees eligible for retirement
would have to cut a deal with their
supervisor to retire but agree to keep
working for another six months to two
years.

Employees would keep sick leave they
had on the date of their ‘‘retirement”’
but would begin earning other leave

credits as if they were new employees.
Health insurance would be maintained
as if they were fully active employees.

Their final average salary on which
pensions are calculated would be frozen
on the date of ‘retirement’ but they
would get additional service credit for
the extra months worked.

State officials have no idea how
overtime pay would be calculated for
people in this half-in, half-out status.

But this much they do know:
Retirement applications must be filed
between June 5 and Aug. 31.

Targeted retirements

The twist here is that supervisors get
the right to choose job titles that can be
given this “‘incentive."’ The enticement
is an extra month's service credit for
each year on the state payroll.
Employees in large agencies would have
to quit by Sept. 30, small agencies Aug.
31.

The targeted ‘‘incentive"’ is really a
“deadwood” incentive because targeting

YOU
LOSE!

means the job will be abolished. It won't
be refilled. It also creates opportunities
for supervisors to reward friends and
punish enemies,

The fine print

Employees eligible to retire under
Tiers 1, 2, 3 and 4 can expect an
avalanche of materials singing the
praises of these “‘incentives,."’ CSEA
wants employees to do what is best for
them but urges that they proceed with
eyes wide open and pay special
attention to the fine print.

Supervisors get the
right to choose job
titles that can be
given this
“incentive.”

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& June 11, 1990

nor Cuomo 18 offy

ALBANY — As the state Legislature
settled down to work on issues other
than the budget, CSEA was walking the
halls of the state Capitol and Legislative
Office Building to press its legislative
concerns.

More than 100 CSEA political action
liaisons (PALs) came to Albany to meet
with legislators and discuss the union's
legislative program. The broad program
includes legislation to improve health
and safety on the job, protect retirees’

health insurance, provide permanent
pension supplementation and create sick
leave banks for state emplovees. (See
photos, pages 10 and 11.)

“We had a very productive day,”’ said
CSEA Legislative Counsel Fran Turner.
“Our PALs were well-informed and had
the chance to meet with a number of
influential legislators."

CSEA Director of Legislative and
Political Action Larry Scanlon said the
lobby day serves an important purpose.

CSEA and the
Legislature

eee. PALs lobby for union program

“The legislators see that our members
are not only concerned about what's
happening in Albany, but willing to do
something about it,” he said. ‘’That
means they're willing to work in
elections, too. That carries weight with
legislators who want to be re-elected."

The Legislature is already considering
some of CSEA's legislative program
goals and has acted on others. For an
update on their progress, read the
stories below.

Gov. Mario Cuomo has signed a law
which increases the ethics law salary
limit for Office of Court
Administration (OCA) employees so
that it coincides with the limit for
other state employees.

Last year, the limit was raised for
most state employees from $30,000 to
more than $50,000.

Under the ethics law, state
employees who are policy makers or

Law raises OCA ethics income limit

who perform certain duties including
awarding contracts and purchasing,
must complete a financial disclosure
form for the state. Employees who
make more than the limit must also
complete the form unless they are
exempted.

CSEA has already filed for
exemptions for its OCA members,
who must comply with the law
beginning next year. The union was

successful
last year
in winning
exemptions
for many
other state
employees
who are
affected
by the
law.

Assembly passes

The Assembly has already passed
legislation which would allow the
state labor commissioner to set
oecupancnal safety and health (OSH)
standards for workplaces not covered

OSH legislation
in federal law.

In the Senate, the bill is now in the
Senate Rules Committee. If the Rules

Committee passes the bill, it will go to
the floor for debate and a vote.

ee
pes

VDT bill
makes progress

A bill to protect workers who spend
most of their time working at video
display terminals (VDTs) has moved to
the Assembly Codes Committee, If it
passes there, it will go to the Ways
and Means Committee, which
considers fiscal implications of
legislation.

If the Ways and Means Committee
votes in favor of the legislation, it
goes to the floor for debate and a vote
by the entire Assembly.

The Senate Labor Committee is also
considering the bill. If it passes there,
the bill will move to the Senate
Finance Committee before it can go to

Leave bank
bill moves

Legislation that would allow state
employees to donate accumulated
leave time to a sick leave bank for co-
workers is moving through both
houses,

The Senate Rules Committee is now
considering the bill, as is the
Assembly Government Employees
Committee.

A sick leave bank allows employees
with unused sick leave to contribute it
for the use of other employees facing
long-term or terminal illness or who
are caring for an immediate relative
with a serious illness.

CSEA is leading the support for the
bill in memory of CSEA member
Jackie DeMars, who died last year
after a long illness.

the Senate floor for debate and a vote.
Secto a nesses JU ° 11, 1990 9

"t=  CSEAPALS in action ==

(
\

The photos on th
CSEA activists who c&
day.

bages show only a few of the many
to Albany for the recent lobby

SENATE MINORITY LEADER Manfred Ohrenstein meets with CSEA PALS from Region II
Connie Indovina and Peggy Eason to discuss CSEA's legislative program.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN EARLENE
Committee, meets with a group
and Lee Pound, retiree represenfa
Committee.

left, a member of the Assembly Labor
BEA PALs including Helen DuPree, center,
ve to the CSEA statewide Political Action

ASSEMBLY MAJORITY LEADER James R. Tallon Jr. gets some important CSEA

information from PAL Mark Mandyke, one of several CSEA PALs who met with
the Binghamton legislator.

Yate) §=—-CSEA Gnd AFSCME
win inwvVashington

group of CSEA PALs some tips as they prepare to meet with
members of the state Legislature to ask for support on CSEA
legislative program.

wy \/
WASHINGTON — CSEA and Ay t ME those offices stay open and the
can claim an important victory at he employees can stay where they are,”
federal level. said Joe Conway, CSEA's federal issues
President Bush has signed a la’ mat coordinator. ‘That's the kind of federal
restores $99.6 million to the Depalftment political action that hits home in New

of Labor budget. York. That's why we have to be active
Until he did so, some state lab in Washington as well as Albany."'
department offices in New York e in CSEA President Joe McDermott
danger of closing, resulting in tray S galvanized CSEA's network of political
for hundreds of CSEA members activists, Conway said. CSEA activists
drastic cuts in important service! lobbied New York state's congressional
New York state residents. delegation to support restoration of the

4 “The restoration of this money Miheans Department of Labor funds.

ASSEMBLY LABOR COMMITTEE Member William R, Sears, right,
meets with several Region V CSEA PALs, including Dorothy

Penner-Breen, leit.
June 11, on | 1

= Uae ® ‘i
CHAIR OF THE SENATE Civil Service and Pensions Committee Caesar Trunzo meets w
a group of CSEA PALs from Region I. Pension supplementation and mandatory Medicare
assignment were the major topics of discussion.

1 0... 11, 1990

beat
goes on

A recent article in The Public Sector

criticizing the state Office of Mental

Health's new Overtime and Attendance

Control Units (OACUs) has apparently

angered some administrators.

But CSEA is not backing down from its

contention that the program is doing
little more than harrassing employees.

For one CSEA local president, having

the courage to speak out has meant

catching flack from the local
management.

The OACUs were established as a

pilot project at six facilities — Rockland,

Kings Park, Kingsboro, Creedmoor,
Manhattan and Bronx. OMH claims
they're supposed to be cooperative

NO IMPROVEMENT

efforts to help labor and management
ensure adequate staffing.

Instead, CSEA contends that the sole
purpose at several of the facilities seems
to be punishment. The OACUs go after
employees who are off the job with
injuries, discipline long-term employees
with clean records and seek the
maximum penalties for minor
infractions.

The situation at Rockland Psychiatric
Center is a good case in point.

Scores of disciplines have been issued
against employees for alleged time and ,
attendance abuse and injured employees
are receiving threatening phone calls at

ee ee |

YOmH actions add

by OMH make the problems worse.

EDITOR'S NOTE — CSEA’s recent compilation of on-the-
job injury figures for the state psychiatric centers and
‘mental retardation facilities presents a devastating picture

{ of pain and suffering. But the numbers, which show the
loss of nearly 270,000 workdays due to occupational injury,
also are an indictment of deficient management.

As the following story demonstrates, the Office of
Mental Health (OMH) is not working with CSEA to find
solutions. And CSEA believes the unilateral actions taken

Blackman and
President Veri
filed in OMH's time and attendance crackdown. CSEA believes
OMH is clogging the disciplinary process for no good reason
and hurting employee morale,

If getting hurt on the job in the state's
dangerous psychiatric centers isn’t bad
Office of Mental Health is
up a system to harass
too. sc

|
EY

six facilities — Rocklar
———Kenusharo, Manh

| So

details
CSEA

guise o! a pilot project at Noti

At Rockland Psychiatric Center,
management has refused to share any
the program with CSEA. But
ell aware it's there because
members have been hit with

1s of Discipline (NODs) fer alleged
time and attendance abuse. Injured
employces have received thre
telephone calls demanding thu
come back to work,

We've had emplgy
26 years of s

|

\

OMH OVERKILL — CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Glenn

— CSEA Rockland Psychiatric Center Local
421 President Vernon Cason holds up some of the dozens of
notices of discipline filed against CSEA members. Cason has
come under fire from facility management for his comments in
an earlier edition of The Public Sector that the OMH time and

‘ attendance crackdown is hurting employee morale.

home demanding that they return to
work,

Yet, CSEA Local 421 President Vernon
Cason was taken to task by an
administrator for his comments in The
Public Sector that morale had sunk to a
new low as a result of the OACU.

“She was not happy about the article,”
Cason said. ‘'I told her that I have a job
to do — I shouldn't be harrassed for
telling the truth. I won't be a puppet on
a string for management.”

Cason said there's been no
improvement since the article was
published. The notices of discipline
continue and staffing is still critically
short.

“This is an injustice to the
employees," he said. ‘‘Most of them are
burned out, but no one in management
seems to understand the problems."

Cason pointed out that the facility
officials should investigate problems
with the employees instead of bringing
charges against them.

“If a person who has been here for 20
years suddenly becomes a time and
attendance abuser, there has to be
something wrong,’ he said.

“The OMH claim that this is a
constructive program rings hollow
because the record proves otherwise,"
said CSEA Deputy Director of Contract
Administration Mark Lawrence. ‘All

\ A ;
> we've seen from this program so far are

dozens of disciplines that clog the system
and ‘hurt employee morale.”

n Cason review some of the hundreds of NODs

management immediately seeks the
maximum penalty even for minor
infractions,

At the other locations it’s difficult to
judge what the OAC

is all about

A Rockland Psychiatric Center Local 421
J

“So far the absenteciy
more like a bab;
cning
thoy

SOURCE OF DISSATISFACTION —
This recent Public Sector article
criticizing an OMH time and
attendance crakdown under the
guise of a pilot program to address
staffing problems has apparently
irked some OMH administrators. But
CSEA is sticking to its belief that the
program is counterproductive.

oT i OT OO lll a a ee ee ee ee

1 CSEA Retirees: active and concerned

"He will fight to preserve
health benefits for retirees

By Anita Manley
CSEA Communications Associate

WHITE PLAINS — Pledging to carry
the banner of his predecessor, CSEA
Westchester County Retiree Local 921
President Victor Coster said he will
continue to fight for guaranteed health
benefits for retirees.

“We are in danger of losing
everything we have,"’ said Coster, who
became local president when retiree
activist Don Webster died in February.

“There are no safeguards in medical
benefits,"’ Coster explained. ‘‘They can
take them away from us at any time.”

Health insurance coverage for
survivors was another issue Webster
was fighting for when he died.

“We want to see the county offer
coverage to a surviving spouse for 25
percent of the cost. The state offers it,’
Coster said.

In fact, Webster's widow lost her
health insurance in May, leaving her
and her children without insurance. If
she wants to continue coverage, she will
have to pay nearly $500 a month.

Long Island retirees have suffered,
too. One school district eliminated
retirees from the medical plan and told
them they would have to pay $2,100 a
year to maintain their insurance.

Coster is also concerned about
preserving the state pension system.

He hopes to continue Webster's
leadership on the retirees’ battle front.

“I'm going to do the best I can,'’ he
said.

Success requires political awareness,
Coster said, so he is encouraging local
members to be politically active.

Coster has been involved in politics
for years and now serves on the
Republican Committee. He was active in
Westchester County Executive Andrew
O'Rourke's campaign.

A member of the retiree local for four
years, Coster was a Westchester County
Public Works employee for 35 years. In
his spare time, he directs and teaches a
stop-smoking course; he estimates he
has helped 3,000 people quit smoking
over the last 15 years.

Victor Coster

“I'm going to
do the best
Ican.”

Retirement won't end her activism

NEW CITY — She may have retired
from her job with the Town of
Clarkstown, but Lee Pound has no
intention of retiring as a CSEA and
community activist.

Recently elected to the CSEA Retiree
Executive Board as the Region III Local
Government representative, Pound fills
the seat most recently held by the late
Don Webster.

“No one can fill Don's shoes,’ said
Pound, former CSEA Rockland County
Local 844 president. ‘‘He was tough. |
would like to carry forth some of Don's
causes.""

Pound is already involved in causes. A
member of Consumer Health Care
Education Service for Seniors (CHESS),
Pound speaks to senior citizens groups
about health care problems, including
drug and alcohol abuse among the
elderly and problems with Medicare and
Medicaid.

One of her concerns is that less
than 6 percent of the physicians in

“No one can fill
Don's shoes.”

Lee Pound

Rockland County accept Medicare
assignment rates. When doctors charge
above the Medicare assignment rates,
senior citizens must pay the balance.

“We live in a fairly affluent
community, but many of our seniors are
having a tough time financially,'’ Pound
said.

Pound also serves on the Rockland
County Senior Health Coalition and is
urging all retirees to send letters to
elected officials to emphasize the need

>

“Many of our
seniors are
having a tough
time
financially.”

\ y

for a national long-term health care
program.

Most of all, Pound wants retirees to
become involved.

“A lot of seniors are intimidated,'’ she
said. ‘They're reluctant to get involved.
They feel their efforts won't help.”

A 21-year Town of Clarkstown
employee, Pound also served as CSEA
unit president for two terms and as first
vice president. She is a member of the
Rockland County Commission on
Women’s Issues, is chair of the CSEA
Retiree Women's Committee and the
retiree representative on the CSEA
statewide Women's Committee.

| tt 11, Pe | 3

—

A special election has been
scheduled to fill a vacant seat
representing University employees on
CSEA's statewide Board of Directors.
One of four seats representing
University employees is currently
vacant.

Nominating petitions are now
available from CSEA headquarters and
CSEA regional offices.

Any member who meets the
eligibility requirements can have his
or her name placed on the ballot by
obtaining the required number of
signatures of CSEA members on
Official petition forms. A candidate
must be at least 18 years of age; must
be a member in good standing of the
Department since June 1, 1989; must
not be serving a disciplinary penalty
imposed by CSEA's Judicial Board and
must not have been a member of a
competing labor association or union
since June 1, 1989.

Signatures on the nominating
petition form must be of CSEA
members in good standing eligible to
vote in the election. The nominating
petitions must include the Social

Security numnbers of the members
signing the form. Not less than 450
valid signatures on official petition
forms are required to qualify as a
candidate,

The petitioning period began June 4
and the deadline for nominating
petitions to be received at CSEA
headquarters is 5 p.m. June 22.

CSEA's statewide Board of Directors
has adopted the following election
schedule. The union's statewide
Election Committee will conduct the
balloting.
June 4 _— Start of nominating
petitioning period.
Nominating petition
request forms and petitions
available.

Deadline for nominating
petitions to be received at
CSEA headquarters,
Petitions must be received
by the CSEA Membership
Records Department at
CSEA Headquarters in
Albany not later than 5

June 22

CSEA sets special election to fill Board seat

July 9 Deadline for declinations
(8 a.m.). Drawing for
positions on the ballot (12
noon), CSEA Headquarters
conference room. Address
labels available to
candidates for mailing
campaign literature.
Deadline for receipt of
campaign articles by The
Public Sector. Deadline for
campaign literature to be
submitted to CSEA
Headquarters for
distribution (5 p.m.).
Campaign articles printed
in The Public Sector.
Ballots delivered to Post
Office for mailing (5 p.m.).
August 6 Replacement ballots
available.

August 20 Deadline for return of
ballots (8 a.m.). Ballot
count begins.

August 30 End of protest period (5

July 17

July 23
July 30

p.m.
Publication of election
results in The Public
Sector.

Sept. 3

YOUTHS RAISE $5,000 TO FIGHT DRUGS — A group of
youngsters from the Remington Flyers Track Club in New
Rochelle, coached by a CSEA activist, raised more than $5,000
to be used for drug prevention programs in Westchester
County. The group, affiliated with the New Rochelle Boys and
Girls Club, raised the money from pledges during a four-day relay
race from New Rochelle to Washington, D.C. Half the money
raised will go directly to community drug prevention programs
and the remainder will support the track program. Tony

1 4 June 11, a

Washington.

Blaisie, a construction engineer for Westchester County and an
activist in CSEA Westchester County Local 860, helps coach the
youngsters. Team members, parents and supporters are shown
on the steps of the nation's Capital building in Washington.
Blaisie and his wife, Linda, are seated left front. At right is team
coach and founder Walter Brown, a guidance counselor at New
Rochelle High School. Congresswoman Nita Lowey met the
group and presented them with a flag during their stay in

She's the first

Member is first woman lock chief in canal’s history

By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

NISKAYUNA — The muddy water of the river
surged through the cracks in the massive red gates.
Electric motors circa 1890 clicked to life and the 165th
season of the New York State Barge Canal began.
recently.

Despite all those years of service, history is still
made on the canal.

An unprecedented event took place on Lock 7 this
spring, when CSEA member Karen Smith became the
first woman ever to hold the job of Lock Chief.

“I'm very happy with my job,’’ Smith said. ‘I'm
proud to say I took a test for the position — they didn’t
give it to me, I earned it.”

“More women should be out here in these jobs,"
she said as she busied herself repairing a part of one of
the ancient motors. In a matter of minutes the antique
part was repaired and the motor operational again.

Smith's involvement with the canal began in 1978
when she took a job as lock attendant. Her late
husband was a lock chief then.

“The job keeps you busy,'’ Smith said and raced off
to the other end of the long lock structure to check on
some welding being done by one of the workers.

“The guys have accepted me, for the most part,”
she said. “They know that I wouldn't ask them to do
something that I couldn't do or haven't done.”

Commenting on her future, Smith looked toward
the cascading water: ‘’Ten years from now I'd like to be
a section superintendant; maybe less than 10 years
from now."

Smith said the future of the canal is in tourism
and recreational use.

“Lock 7 is the second busiest lock on the canal.
We're located between two marinas and we have a lot
of tour boats coming through,” she said.

“The people who use the canal really grow to love
it and they use it more and more each season."’

a 5 :

HISTORY MAKING MEMBER — CSEA member Karen Smith
made history this spring when she became the first woman

Lock Chief in the 165 years of state Barge Canal operations.
Smith, shown repairing equipment, above, works at Lock 7 in
Niskayuna, near Schenectady.

Keep asking

The state's secretarial reclassification process continues to

plod along. But CSEA members can do something to put
additional pressure on the state — file an out-of-title work
grievance,

“The situation is a mess and the state has no excuse. This
is their process,’ said CSEA President Joe McDermott. ‘‘If
people are doing the secretarial work, they should get the
pay. If the state won't act on the reclassifications they should
be buried in out-of-title grievances."

More than 6,000 reclassification applications have been
filed but the Division of the Budget has only approved about
1,000 and most of those are in the SUNY system.

CSEA is furious that there have been no secretarial
reclassifications at all in most of the major state agencies.

As CSEA previously suggested, individuals waiting on

reclassification should file an out-of-title grievance.
Here are some points to keep in mind.

¢ Let your reclassification application take its course,
but file for the out-of-title pay in the meantime. The
two procedures are separate and distinct.

¢ To qualify for out-of-title pay, you must be performing
the duties of the higher paying job at least 40 percent
of the time. Compare your job duties to the Secretary 1
and 2 job specifications.

¢ You probably stand a better chance of qualifying for
the out-of-title pay if your agency supported your
reclassification application.

¢ In filing your out-of-title grievance DO NOT list
“reclassification” as the remedy sought. It's a different
procedure. In the out-of-title grievance you are seeking
to have the state end the out-of-title work or pay you
accordingly.

© Out-of-title pay is only retroactive for 15 calendar days
prior to the filing of your grievance, so the sooner you
file, the better.

la lane JN 11, 1990 1 5

CSEA/NYS contract talks affecting
more than 100,000 employees in five
bargaining units will begin later this
year. r

Contracts covering state workers in
the Administrative Services Unit (ASU),
Institutional Services Unit (ISU),
Operational Services Unit (OSU),
Division of Military and Naval Affairs
(DMNA) and Office of Court
Administration (OCA) all expire March
31, 1991.

When CSEA sits down with state
negotiators for what are expected to be

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES UNIT

TEAMS NAMED

extremely difficult negotiations, union
members will be represented by the best
prepared teams CSEA has ever sent to
the bargaining tables.

The CSEA teams will be a blend of
dedicated union member-activists and
tough, experienced professional union
negotiators, The teams will be backed
by the full resources of CSEA's contract’
administration department with,
assistance from legal, research and
communications departments.

CSEA President Joe McDermott has
appointed 33 member-activists to the
union's five teams. é

“These will be tough talks and I'm

aw

AN,

sending tough teams to the tables,"
McDermott said. ‘By the time
negotiations begin later this year, the
union teams will have undergone
intensive education and training to
prepare them for the rigorous sessions
we expect. CSEA members have always
been well-represented at the bargaining
tables and this will be no exception — I
think we'll be the best prepared we've
ever been.”

McDermott announced the following
member appointments to CSEA's five
state negotiating teams:

OPERATIONAL SERVICES UNIT

Mary P. Fox (Chair), Clerk I, Local 648;

Claudette Sullivan, Tax Compliance Agent, Local 460
Barbara A. Allen, Principal Account Clerk, Local 404
Patricia A. Westerman, Sr. Mail & Supply Clerk, Local 180
William McMahon, Purchasing Assistant, Local 688
Donna Murray, Claims Examiner, Local 013

Wilma Hasser, Sr. Account Clerk, Local 552.

INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES UNIT

Terrence L. Melvin (Chair), MH Therapy Aide II, Local 427
Willie Allen, MH Therapy Aide II, Local 430

Joel Schwartz, MH Therapy Aide, Local 446

Thomas D, Patterson (Chair), Highway Equipment Operator,
Local 513

Daniel Quail, Construction Equipment Mechanic, Local 505

Francis W. Celentano, Sr. Stationary Engineer, Local 614

Antoine Bailous, Prin. Stationary Engineer, Local 419

Cyrus Holdeen, Carpenter, Local 426

Milo Barlow, Highway Maintenance Supervisor I, Local 676

Thomas J. Warzel, Stationary Engineer, Local 602.

DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS

Roy Seabrook, Mechanic I, Local 254
Victor Isca, Maintenance Worker, Local 016
Susan Stelmack, Principal Account Clerk, Local 250

Harold Soutar, Armory Superintendent, Local 256
Timothy J. Ippolito, Firefighter, Local 252
Richard Seeley, Mechanic II, Local 251.

Joseph A. Gleason, MH Therapy Aide II, Local 412
Nunzio Russo, Youth Division Aide III, Local 559

June Donald, Licensed Practical Nurse, Local 437
Kathleen Button, Community Residence Aide, Local 405.

OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION

Edward A. Heffernan (Chair), Senior Legal Editor, Local 694
Pasquale M, Ferraro, Court Analyst, Local 330

William Vasallo, Sr. Appellate Court. Clerk, Local 010
Robert Lorenc, Senior MHIS Attorney, Local 332

Thomas F, Jefferson, Court Clerk, Local 694

Shirley Payne, Court Clerk, Local 334

Ralph W. Hesson, Court Officer, Local 335.

State CSEA members
. reminded to send in
contract proposals member by CSEA President Joe
McDermott, Thousands of members

1 6 June 11, ialcliciscilescs aia

CSEA members in the five state
bargaining units have an opportunity to
provide direct input to the union
negotiating teams concerning issues to
be raised at the bargaining table.

Contract proposal survey forms were
mailed to each CSEA state division

have already returned their survey
forms and CSEA is compiling the
information to formulate the union's
overall bargaining strategy.

President McDermott reminds
members there is still time left for those
who have not yet returned their survey
forms to do so.

Labor/Management Committees offer

A chance to learn

Everybody loves a good story, but
when CSEA members swap some of their
work-related recollections, you can be
sure they aren't fairy tales.

The stories based on real-life events
members experience in their contact
with the public were recently the basis
of a new seminar called ‘Effective
Public Contact Skills.””

Initiated by SUNY/Empire State
College and the CSEA/NYS
Labor/Management Committees, the
seminar is just one of several new
programs offered across the state for
state employees.

Gloria Jaeger, a six-year veteran at
Jamaica Queens Traffic Violations
Bureau, credited the seminar with
helping her cope with people.

“T had a screamer last week and using
what I learned at the public contact
training really helped,” she said. ‘‘We
learned so many things about keeping a
calm and positive attitude and they
stuck with me back on the job.”

Don Marryott, director of the
Operations Development Bureau for the
state Motor Vehicles Department (DMV),
conducted the public contact seminar.

“It's in your best interests to keep
responding in positive terms to members
of the public, even when they are
negative,” he told participants at a
Manhattan seminar. ‘Keeping them in a
positive vein helps you to get your job
done more quickly and efficiently.”

Rudy Grinbaum, a state Tax and
Finance Department employee since
1975, thought the seminar was very
helpful.

“In my job, I deal mainly with
employers, collecting taxes. That's
stressful in itself because you get more
excuses than anything else,’ he
explained. ‘‘We get cursed out on some

RON MANCHESTER works with food service employees during training at Bernard

Fineson Developmental Center Corona Division Kitchen.

occasions and you never know what
you're going to run into with irate
people, especially once you tell them
the state is seizing their assets,”

Betty Kurtik of the CSEA/NYS
Labor/Management Committees said the
new programs have received excellent
reviews, especially those for food
service workers.

Ron Manchester, a former food
service manager, dietician and cook in

nursing homes, hospitals and state
facilities, led the day-long seminars in
“Food Preparation and Production."

“Providing the most current
information available to front-line
employees on an ongoing basis is one of
the most constructive advances to come
out of CSEA contract negotiations. It's
great because everybody benefits,”
Kurtik said, ‘Employees are better
trained and motivated to advance them-
selves and that results in better service to
the public.”

““We get cursed out
and you never know
what you're going to
run into with irate
people.”

— CSEA member Rudy Grinbaum

> -

DON MARRYOTT leads at “Public Contact Skills” class at the CSEA

Region II Office in Manhattan.

SL.

June 11, | 7

with

eras

Me NASSAU <= couNTy |
@ MEDICAL CENTER

RESERVED PARKING AS POSTED
PARK IN DESIGNATED STALLS ONLY

Lasor EDUCATION AcTION ProGram

Course announcements and
application forms for the fall semester of
CSEA's Labor Education Action Program
(LEAP) will be available at state agency
training or personnel offices on June 20.

The deadline for applying for the fall

LEAP is the Labor Education Action
Program of CSEA. It offers tuition-free
courses at two- and four-year public and
private colleges, BOCES and various
state facilities across the state. LEAP is
available only to CSEA-represented
employees in the Operational Services,
Administrative Services and Institutional
Services units, the state Teachers
Retirement System, Health Research
Inc., SUNY Construction Fund and
Division of Military and Naval Affairs.

CSEA/LEAP courses are designed to
increase upward career mobility in state
service and improve quality of life on
and off the job.

Center (NCMC). An
possible.

insubordination and

months in back pay

was attacked.

of the story.
“The grievant w

said.

to help him.

the union."

“Because of the
back and 14 months
quite a win."

1990 semester is July 23. Completed
applications must be received in the
LEAP office by that date. LATE
APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE
ACCEPTED.

Check the ‘‘Bulletin’’ page in the

“I was shocked to win,”
did a great job for me.”
CSEA argued that Shepard had not started the fight, but

before the decision was rendered in her case,"’

Rosetta Shepard is going
Back to work

back pay

EAST MEADOW ~— Rosetta Shepard is returning to work
as a patient care assistant at the Nassau County Medical

d she credits CSEA with making it

Shepard, who had worked at NCMC for almost eight
years, lost her job in 1988 after she was charged with

fighting with another employee.

CSEA took the case to arbitration and won. Shepard, a
member of CSEA Nassau County Local 830, will get 14

and her seniority restored.
Shepard said. ‘‘The union really

The arbitrator not only ruled in Shepard's favor, he also
admonished the county for firing her without hearing her side

as not afforded an impartial investigation
the arbitrator

The county claimed Shepard started the fight with the
other NCMC employee, even though both employees
admitted having argued. The other employee also admitted to
punching Shepard in the side and the stomach. The county
did not discipline that employee, who was a supervisor.

The fight started when the supervisor yelled at Shepard to
help him even though she was on her break and began calling
her names, Shepard said. When her break was over, she went

The employee continued to call her names. Then he hit
her, knocking her to the floor, Shepard said. She swung at
him to keep him away from her and he struck her again.

Local grievance representative Tony Giustino praised
CSEA regional attorney Lou Stober for “

doing a great job for

union, Rosetta Shepard is getting her job
of back pay," Giustino said. ‘“‘This was

Time to plan for fall ‘90

yourself and mail it early.

Remember, the fall 1990 deadline is
July 23. If you have any questions, call
the LEAP office at (518) 434-0191, ext.
226 or 228.

course announcement publication for
the latest developments in the LEAP
programs. Look for information about:

e two new LEAP workshops
“Surviving and Thriving in College”’
and "The Balancing Act;’’ new
courses that are part of Cornell
University's certificate program in
labor studies;
many new schools and new courses;
many trade and technical courses
offered in cooperation with the Joint
Apprenticeship Committee; and
the cross registration program that
allows some CSEA employees to
register for MC and PSTP training
courses.

Be sure to mail your LEAP application

Do you need help
choosing a LEAP course?
Do you have questions
about your education?

CSEA/LEAP can help. Call the CSEA
LEAPLINE on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 3:30

Mm.

CSEA LEAPLINE: 1-(800) 253-4332

The LEAP adviser is available to help
you find your way through the
education maze,

a | 8... June 11, Ee

Aaueuenune

eueunaneceye

DSCURRKEENDCMENSRRERS EMER EERE NCE EAHES

Broken promises —

She wins
out-of-title grievance,

but Staten Island DDSO
suffers even bigger loss

CSEA Labor Relations
specialist Bart Brier 4

By Lilly Gioia
CSEA Communications Associate

STATEN ISLAND — Staten Island
DDSO (formerly Staten Island
Developmental Center) should win a
place in the Guinness Book of World
Records for broken promises according
to Iva Lawson, whose recent out-of-title
grievance win taught her a tough lesson.

“At Staten Island DDSO it doesn't
matter if you are a good employee,”’ she
said. '‘As someone who has spent so
many years willing to do 110 percent
and believing promises that if you work
hard you will be rewarded, I've learned
that there's no guarantee.

“That's why I'm glad I had CSEA and a
union contract there to help me gain the
recognition I had earned and deserved,"
Lawson said.

Unfortunately her out-of-title
grievance win was a bittersweet victory.

After 21 years of doing work she
“loved,'' Lawson finally gave up hope of
being fairly compensated at SIDC. She
transferred to another agency for a
higher paying position last October.

Record of success

Lawson began working as a therapy
aide at the facility in 1968. Over the
years she received numerous
promotions, always with glowing
performance evaluations. She moved up
through the ranks to the very
responsible position of Incident Review
Coordinator for the entire Borough of
Staten Island.

As a grade 13 employee, CSEA
member Lawson was asked to handle
duties that were the responsibility of
grade 19 to grade 25 employees at other
state facilities.

“The more they gave me to do, the
more I would do,’ Lawson said. ‘And all
the while they kept promising to do
something about getting me upgraded.”

While initially clerical in nature, over
the last five years Lawson's position

a

: x
Iva Lawson

evolved into a complex job collecting
information and reviewing details about
client injuries at both state and private
Staten Island mental retardation
facilities.

A top-notch organizer, Lawson created
tracking systems, followed up on
investigations, wrote reports and was
deeply involved in quality of patient
care issues. She frequently conducted
training programs in incident reporting
procedures for hundreds of
administrators and state employees.

Hard to replace

Lawson's departure from Staten Island
left a gaping hole that the facility
director promptly filled with not one,
but two employees, a grade 19
Utilization Review Coordinator and a
secretary to assist with the mountainous
record-keeping tasks.

“I never had a secretary to help me,"
Lawson said.

“Don't worry Iva, we'll take care of
it,’’ or ‘We'll talk to someone about it,"
were the usual promises when Lawson
pressed facility Deputy Director Don
DeCicca and facility Director Robert
Witkowsky about an upgrading. But
nothing ever happened.

According to Lawson, management
eventually told her she could not be
upgraded without a college degree. So
she put herself through college at night

and on weekends to earn a degree in
human services.

A full three years after getting her
degree, Lawson remained in exactly the
same place, getting nowhere.

CSEA gets action

“Two years ago I seriously considered
filing an out-of-title grievance through
the union, but I didn't follow through
because again I was promised something
would be done, but nothing was,’ she
explained.

At the urging of CSEA Staten Island
DDSO Local 402 President John
“Bunny’’ Jackson, Lawson finally filed
last year and got results.

Last March the Governor's Office of
Employee Relations ordered Staten
Island DDSO to cease and desist from
out-of-title work assignments and
awarded Iva Lawson back pay in an
amount still being determined.

Lawson regrets having to leave a job
and place where she clearly excelled in
order to finally achieve the recognition
and pay she deserved for so long.

“I do feel gratified by the number of
glowing recommendation letters given
to me by the Staten Island chiefs of
service when I left, acknowledging my
contributions to the quality of patient
care, even if the director and personnel
department didn't seem to notice,’ she
said.

Lawson’s departure left gaping hole
the facility director promptly filled
with not one, but two employees

ecto a 7! June 11, ian oS

At te

MINEOLA — More than 600 CSEA Nassau County Local 830 members turned
out in a torrential downpour to show their disgust with the county's negotiating
tactics that have left 14,600 Nassau County employees without a contract since
Dec. 31.

“The county has stalled long enough,’ Local 830 President Rita Wallace said as
union members demonstrated for two hours in front of Nassau County Executive
Thomas Gulotta’s office.

The previous contract expired Dec. 31. Negotiations are at impasse and have
been in the mediation process for some time.

The day before the demonstration CSEA ran a full-page ad in
Long Island's
Newsday newspaper,
taking the county
executive to task for
his stalling tactics
and imploring him to
“Sit down with us,
Tom ... and let's
talk it out together!”

“There's hardly
anyone who doesn't
rely on CSEA
members in one way
or another,'' the ad
read beneath a large
headline reminding
County Executive
Gulotta that he once
publicly proclaimed
“Nassau County has
the greatest work
force in the
world." ‘We care for
the sick and elderly.
We're security
people, corrections
officers, probation
officers. We're
school guards. We
run the sewage
plants. We maintain
the roads, parks and
recreation facilities.
We touch the lives
of practically
everybody in this
county,” the CSEA
ad read.

North Hempstead
Supervisor Ben
Zwirn, a member of
the county's Board of THIS AD RAN IN NEWSDAY the day before hundreds of CSEA
Supervisors, joined members demonstrated in Mineola.
the union members in the demonstration. Zwirn, a Democrat, said he was
displeased with huge raises Gulotta, a Republican, gave to himself and other
elected and appointed officials this year.

The county refused to negotiate on salaries at a mediation session on May
18, claiming they would have to wait until the state budget was finalized. The
state budget was completed the next day, and CSEA said the budget will have an
overall positive effect on Nassau County. The union noted that the county will
save about $19 million in reduced pension contributions alone under the new
state budget.

Still, in spite of the favorable state budget, union ad and large demonstration,
a mediation session on May 30 was unproductive. Another mediation effort was
scheduled as this issue of The Public Sector went to press,

“Sure we're upset,’ Local 830 President Wallace said. ‘‘After this amount of
time, the negotiations should be completed.”’

N

“NASSAU COUNTY
HAS THE

GREATEST

WORK FORCE

You said it...

were
and equiable
St down wih us, Tom. and

te Av

plane crash, when county

CSE

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES. LOCAL 1000, AFL-CIO

Nassau
County’s
stalling
tactics

By Sheryl C. Jenks

CSEA
Communications
Associate

S

OO «: sanesce enn eee