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Public Employee Press
Local 384 Conference Back
to school for CUNY activists Members of Local 384 hit the jackpot when they
went to Atlantic City in October for a two-day education conference but
the big payoff wasnt in the casino. The prize was in the classroom, where
50 activists studied valuable union skills such as handling grievances, dealing
with management, explaining health issues on the job and planning for retirement.
Local
384 represents employees at the City University of New York and Educational Opportunity
Centers. One of the lucky union activists at the Oct. 22-24 conference was Miguelina
Roman Acosta, a CUNY Office Assistant Level 3 who has been a shop steward for
less than a year at York College in downtown Jamaica, Queens.
The
workshop on the role of the shop steward helped me understand the importance of
getting members more involved in the union, she said.
Dealing
with management Larry Kelly, an assistant director in the DC 37
Education Dept., taught the steps for handling workplace problems and provided
practical education in dealing with management by having participants play the
roles of managers and stewards in grievance disputes.
Secretary Office
Assistant Ingrid Hamer is also a new shop steward. I learned a lot; its
just what I needed, said Hamer, who works at Manhattan EOC in Harlem.
Guille
Mejia, principal program coordinator for DC 37s Safety and Health Dept.,
led a workshop on job hazards, health issues and Workers Compensation. She
advised members that if they are injured on the job, they should go straight to
the hospital by ambulance and quickly fill out the required forms. Members out
on Workers Compensation should attend all hearings, keep track of records
and keep a journal, she said.
Unfortunately, most people dont
learn anything about Workers Comp until they get hurt, said Mejia.
Dennis
Deahn, director of field services inDC 37s Health and Security Plan, reviewed
retirement benefits and advised members to keep accurate records of factors that
could affect their pensions.
Local President Esther Sandy
Tucker wasimpressed with the high level of participation by the members and the
quality of the workshops. Im especially happy to see several of
our new shop stewards here, she said. They have a tough job, so the
information provided here during these two days will be extremely valuable to
them and to the general membership.
The conference concluded with
a reception, where DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts reminded the activists,
The union is here to help you. She also revealed plans for a campaign
to provide affordable quality child care for members in every borough and to press
fast and hard for a new contract with increased benefits and wages.
Alfredo Alvarado | |