Public Employee Press

Grievance gets School Aide $1,000; she says, "Call the union right away."

Last fall, 11-year veteran School Aide Teresa Varelli was working regular seven-hour shifts at the Frederick Douglas Academy High School in Queens when she noticed a problem: The Dept. of Education was only paying her for five hours a day.

Varelli had worked the unpaid hours at the Far Rockaway school from Oct. 1 to Nov. 20, 2009 when she caught the mistake. She contacted Council Rep Ingrid Fraser, who initially fi led a grievance for her, pointing out that DOE was violating the contract and demanding compensation for the extra 74 hours she had worked during that period.

The school's principal, the union rep and Varelli discussed the grievance Sept. 13, 2009, at a Step 2 hearing. The principal agreed with the union that Varelli did in fact work seven hours during that period, not five, and that she was entitled to pay for the hours that were owed to her. To resolve the matter, DOE sent her a check for $1,069 in October.

"When you see that something is not right, you have to call the union right away," said the Local 372 member, who now works at PS 63 in Ozone Park.

"It helps get justice for members when they respond quickly," said Grievance Rep Latreva Scott, who took over for Fraser and followed through on the grievance.