Public Employee Press

Finance employees win out-of-title case

An impartial arbitrator awarded three Dept. of Finance employees in Local 1113 a total of more than $13,000 for out-of-title work.

"It took close to four years and management put a lot of pressure on these members, but they stayed with it and we prevailed," said President Deborah Pitts.

Barry Roberts was hired as an Office Machine Aide to make copies, fax, and service adding machines for DOF's Collections Dept., which brings in city revenue through parking tickets and taxes on homes and businesses from bodegas to multimillion-dollar corporations.

DOF downsized the unit and told the OMAs to fill the gaps. They dealt with irate and often abusive callers, resolved tax issues on multiple computer systems run by the city and the state Dept. of Motor Vehicles, and arranged installment payments - the work of higher-paid Clerical Associates 3.

"We were constantly on the phone with the public, solving their problems and getting yelled and cursed at. Soon our jobs had nothing to do with office machinery," said grievant Gwendolyn Chisholm.

"We asked for raises, but management claimed we were not entitled to anything, since we were already doing the work," Roberts said.

In 2006 White Collar Council Rep Madonna Knight filed the grievance, and former DC 37 Attorney Joe Barrett took the case to arbitration. "This is a good example of the union working with members to get what they deserve," Knight said.

"We are glad the union came to our aid and grateful that we won," Chisholm said. She and Roberts took civil service tests and eventually won promotions to Clerical Associate.

"The city will continue its practices, but I will deal with it because I have a family to raise," Roberts added. "If we didn't take the test they would have dropped us back," to the lower title, "or given us the boot and shown us the door."

"This award is long overdue," Pitts said. "Management knew they were wrong from the beginning. We fought for our rights and let management know we're not taking anything from them."