Public Employee Press

PAA wins 12-year time-and-leave struggle

Jubilation best describes the mood of longtime Police Administrative Aide Yvette Callistro as the union straightened out misinterpretations of her city time and related problems that spanned a 12-year period.

Her tribulations began in 1993 when the NYPD Personnel Dept. rejected her application to have her annual leave balance corrected, claiming she had a break in service. Later the agency denied her longevity raise and miscalculated her Recurring Increment Payment. In April 2003, she got a letter stating with no explanation that she owed the city $4,636 and that pay deductions were about to begin.

For assistance, Callistro immediately turned to Local 1549 and the DC 37 Clerical-Administrative Division. With advice from Assistant Director Eddie Gates, Grievance Rep Janine Thomas began negotiations with the department and steadily upped the pressure as management refused to budge.

When the matter went to arbitration, DC 37 attorney Alan Brown represented Callistro. In a consent award signed Sept. 28, the city agreed to drop the matter of the $4,636, reinstate the longevity increment and recalculate her RIP based on her full 18 years of service.

“The union was 100 percent there for me,” said Callistro. “Assistant Director Ron Arnero followed my case from the beginning. Ms. Thomas was terrific!”

“There’s always a struggle and sometimes, it’s lengthy,” said Thomas. “Some members get frustrated. But Yvette Callistro won because she hung in there.”

Arnero said that members should understand that their due process rights mean “management must provide an explanation before garnishing their wages.”