Public Employee Press

Local 375 grievance leads to new cafeteria and office renovation at the Buildings Dept.

The mice and cockroaches have abandoned the Dept. of Buildings's headquarters in Manhattan.

A Local 375 grievance on the working conditions at its Plan Examination Unit prompted the DOB to renovate the third floor of its headquarters at 280 Broadway. The office now has new furniture, equipment and lighting, as well as a staff cafeteria complete with a refrigerator, microwave oven and enough tables and chairs to accommodate dozens of people.

Nearly two years ago, 23 members signed a petition demanding that the agency clean up the office space and open a cafeteria because of a nasty infestation of cockroaches and hungry mice, that regularly left behind a trail of feces.

The critters were attracted to the office because staffers - lacking a cafeteria -regularly ate at their desks and deposited leftover food in open wastebaskets. Now, agency policy forbids eating at desks, and there are waste containers with lids.

"We are very happy with the renovation," said Claude Fort, president of Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375, which represents about 35 members in the unit. "People didn't look forward to going there before. Now the office is very bright and there is a section where members can interact with the public away from their personal workspaces; the office is more attractive and professional."

Fort thanked management, especially Chief Administrative Officer Mark Zanabria, for agreeing to the changes.

Local 375 Grievance Rep Eduardo Rosario handled the group grievance with help from the DC 37 Safety and Health Dept.'s Principal Program Coordinator Lillian Goodwine, who inspected the office and monitored the renovation project, and Principal Program Coordinator Guille E. Mejia, who pressured management for a solution.

"They are really the salt of the earth at Safety and Health, and their technical support was crucial," Rosario said.

Late last year, the group grievance wound up at the city Office of Labor Relations. Rather than issue a formal ruling, the hearing officer gave both parties a couple of months to work out a solution.

After prolonged discussion, the agency agreed to incorporate the union's concerns into a long-term plan to improve its offices, Rosario said. Earlier this year, the unit was transferred to the sixth floor during the three months it took to renovate the office.

"We all worked together to make the project succeed," said Mahmoud Gouda, a Plan Examiner. "They ended up taking our input into consideration. Now the mice and cockroaches are gone, and we have our cafeteria."