Public Employee Press

Audrey Iszard is acting president of retirees

Longtime union activist Audrey Iszard is serving as acting president of the DC 37 Retirees Association. Iszard, 82, assumed the position in September, shortly after former President Stuart Leibowitz died.

Iszard formerly served as executive vice president of the association, which counts with over 25,000 members, many of them dedicated activists. The group's constitution calls for the executive vice president to become acting president if the presidency becomes vacant.

"I feel very honored and am excited about serving as acting president," Iszard said.

"I aim to strengthen our organization and fight for our core issues - preserving our retirement and health benefits and protecting Social Security and Medicare."

Iszard is highly regarded for her organizing skills. With Leibowitz, she helped initiate the association's popular spring education conferences, and she plays an important role in running activities and programs.

To her work at the association, Iszard brings years of experience as a public employee, unionist snd community activist.

She worked 22 years at Lincoln Hospital, finishing as head clerk in the pediatric cardiology clinic. She then spent three years as a clerk in the Transportation Authority's "money room" as a member of Local 1655, and concluded her career as a member of Local 1113, at the Finance Dept. from 1978 until she retired in 1992.

Iszard quickly got active in the Retirees Association as acting secretary and became executive vice president in 2001.

She has also been active in the Boy Scouts, the Masonic organization, Episcopal Church, Alliance for Retired Americans, Throggs Neck Senior Center, and AARP. She has a son and daughter, both professionals, and seven grandchildren.

January meeting

The Retirees Association has scheduled its first general membership meeting since Hurricane Sandy closed DC 37. The meeting was set for Tuesday, Jan. 8, at District Council 1707, 420 West 45th St. in Manhattan, from 10 a.m. to noon.