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Public Employee Press
Grievances pay
off for members at HHC Grievance
victories at two hospitals under-scored the importance of the union in protecting
workers at the Health and Hospitals Corp.
Staten Islands Sea View
Rehabilitation Center was home to Clerical Associate Rajinser Sharama for 23 years.
As he planned for his imminent retirement, Sharama wrote to management requesting
information on his accumulated annual leave and sick time. Shortly after
that, he got sick and took six days off to recover. Management jumped to the conclusion
that he wasnt actually sick, denied his request for sick time and brought
him up on charges for excessive use of overtime. At that point, Sharama had between
300 and 400 hours of sick time accrued. Clerical Division Grievance Rep
Dottie Lorenzo pointed out that, For 23 years, hes had no counseling,
no warnings, and has never been late for work. Fast forward: The iron-fisted
management style backfired: As a result of Sharamas grievance, he was awarded
payment for the full six days in a stipulated agreement between Local 1549 and
the HHC. Local 1549 member Russell Thomas cooperated with management
three years ago and moved from the Renaissance Hospital Center to a job at Harlem
Hospitals Management Information Systems department. Management promised
that he would be upgraded to the correct title for the work he actually did at
both worksites monitoring the computer systems and keeping everything up
and running. But after two years with no upgrade and no financial
compensation, his patience ran out. Thomas finally listened to the counsel offered
by Dottie Lorenzo, his union rep, and filed an out-of-title grievance. In November,
a union-management agreement awarded him the difference in pay between the Clerical
Associate IV and Computer Associate. Dottie was tenacious on my
behalf, said Thomas. Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez noted, Its
just like the AFSCME motto: When we fight, we win!
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