Public Employee Press

Seven union bills enacted in Albany

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

In its ongoing mission to protect members’ jobs, strengthen their rights and improve their working conditions, District Council 37 saw seven union-backed bills become state law in 2007 and was awaiting the governor’s signature on another.

“This year, working with Governor Eliot Spitzer, we were able to move a significant portion of our legislative agenda,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. “We are the only union to have many pension bills enacted that were vetoed in the past.”

Parks Dept. Climbers and Pruners who were laid off between 1991 and 1993 can now buy back pension credit for that period. The bill was blocked twice before, but Spitzer signed it.

He also signed a pension reopener that will let about 50 eligible Local 372 Loaders and Handlers in the Board of Education Retirement System retire at 55 after 25 years of service or at 57 or older with 10 years of service. The enrollment period for similar options closed in 1996, explained DC 37 Political Director Wanda Williams. The union’s five-year battle to improve working conditions in school cafeterias ended in a second legislative victory for Local 372 as Gov. Spitzer signed a new law authorizing the commissioner of labor to set air temperature standards for school kitchens to protect employees’ health and safety.

The governor extended to 2009 the deadline for the city to comply with new state requirements for training and certification of Assessors. It took a team effort to pass the bill, said David Moog, Local 1757 president. “Assembly attorney Anthony Cantore reviewed the wording, DC37 lobbied for us and state legislators listened to our arguments for the bill,” he said. “Members are very happy with the outcome.”

DC37 and public sector unions statewide persuaded legislators and the governor to enact the Wein­garten Rights Law, entitling public workers to representation at any meeting with supervisors or management that may lead to disciplinary proceedings (see page 7).

Lobbying with labor, community and public housing advocacy groups, Roberts helped convince the legislature and the governor to approve $47 million to pay public agencies such as the city Housing Authority the same rent private landlords get for tenants on public assistance.

DC 37 lobbied for and won an extension of the deadline to 2010 for members who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts after 9/11 to file a statement with their retirement system to be eligible for accidental disability pensions.

As PEP went to press, DC 37 was awaiting the governor’s signature on legislation to protect provisionals’ rights and increase the number of permanent civil servants by replacing provisionals to comply with the Civil Service Law’s nine-month employment limit for provisionals.

Reviewing the legislative accomplishments of 2007 Roberts said, “We look forward to a continuing partnership with the governor and state lawmakers and we are grateful for the governor’s concern in correcting longstanding inequities.”