Public Employee Press

Letters to the editor

MTA worker asks what happened to the second 4% raise

DC 37 has at least 1,500 workers in at least three locals (375, 1655, 2627) at NYC Transit.

The MTA has stalled the 4 percent raise that was due in March, and is now trying to wiggle out of it altogether.

It’s important that DC 37 not forget its Transit members.

It’s important that the MTA not realize its ambition to become the leading edge of union busting in the city and state. (Just ask the TWU.)

At a minimum, there should be no DC 37 support for the governor’s re-election until such time as he instructs his MTA to ease up in its all-out war on organized labor.

George MacDonald
Computer Specialist, Local 2627

Editor’s note: DC 37 has not forgotten any members, at Transit or elsewhere.

DC 37 members are apparently victims of “collateral damage” in the MTA’s war on the Transport Workers Union.

In an effort to get Transit to pay the second 4 percent raise, a labor-management meeting was scheduled with the MTA for early October, after this issue of PEP went to press.

MTA is refusing to implement TWU’s contract. DC 37 and the other unions in the Municipal Labor Committee are filing a court brief in support of the union. DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, who is executive vice chair of the MLC, led a contingent of members supporting the TWU Sept. 29 at a rally outside MTA headquarters.

Proud marcher hits Bloomberg’s attitude

Once again, I marched with Local 372 and DC 37 at the Labor Day Parade. I am still bursting with pride this morning. It was so uplifting to see our members united and marching side by side in unity with pride and dignity.

We have decent jobs and benefits, because we perform services for the public that we enjoy doing. We should be shown appreciation for the things we do.

It’s unfortunate that we have a mayor who doesn’t share this sentiment. He would like to cut as many positions as he can and leave us jobless.

We perform our jobs at the highest level possible. Mayor Bloomberg doesn’t feel that what we do is important or necessary work. If he did, he would never consider trying to take jobs from us. He would never contract out jobs! He doesn’t believe in union pride and union dignity for city workers. He would love to break the union along with our spirits.

I hope “Mayor Mike” was able to see and feel the pride our members were bursting with, as we marched up Fifth Avenue in solidarity with all the other unions that make this country the greatest in the world!

There was a great showing this year, and next year I hope we can double the attendance and really make a statement about standing in solidarity.

Karen L. Durnin
School Aide, Local 372

Thompson, YES!

I am so proud of Lillian Roberts and DC 37 for supporting Bill Thompson for mayor.

It’s wonderful to see that my union really speaks for me and is willing to work for an underdog who backs the needs of our membership. But if you think about it, under Bloomberg all working people are underdogs.

Susan Green
Local 1549



65 years with DC 37

I was appointed on May 1, 1944, to the position of Bookkeeper in the NYC Transit Authority. At the time of my retirement on August 10, 1979, my title was Administrative Assistant and I was Treasurer of Local 1655.

DC 37 is celebrating its 65th anniversary, and I am celebrating 65 years as a member and retiree of DC 37. I had 35 years of service and on August 10 of this year I celebrated my 95th birthday. I have been a member of the Retirees Association for 30 years.

Mr. Herman Gordon
Retiree, Local 1655



Correction

There is an error in the February 2009 PEP article about me. It is not true that my parents were Jewish. It would be
accurate to describe them simply as German immigrants.

William Schiller
Senior Museum Instructor (retired)

Editor’s note: PEP apologizes for the mistake.