Public Employee Press

City workers respond to the crisis
Getting the aquarium back in the swim
Union stops fishy action in Coney Island

Through labor-management meetings, DC 37 and Local 1501 won back the jobs of five members who had been improperly barred from their work site at the New York Aquarium. Nine days after an errant manager kept them from work in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the union employees were restored to duty with back pay and overtime.

"Whether this was a misunderstanding or was done on purpose, we can't know for sure," said White Collar Division Director Mike Riggio, "but it was not the intention of upper management, who cooperated fully to rectify the situation."

The massive Oct. 29 hurricane submerged the Wildlife Conservation Society's Coney Island water world in 15 feet of seawater that corroded its computers, electrical and ventilation systems as waves tossed cars around like toys.

The violent storm threatened the lives of hardworking and dedicated staff who scrambled frantically to save thousands of sea creatures housed at the Brooklyn seaside institution. Besides the Army Corps of Engineers, WCS needed contractors and emergency teams to remove the mounds of sand, splintered boardwalk and wreckage Sandy left.

All hands on deck

Maintainer Ralph Ramos, Attendant Raul Dominich, who is also a shop steward, and Supervising Maintainer Bill Sheehan and two others in NY Zoological Employees Local 1501 showed up for work Oct. 30 to "help clean up a community crippled and washed out to sea," Ramos said. "Our hearts are with the aquarium and thousands of children and visitors. We have to bring it back."

But their manager said they were not needed and sent them home.

"This miscommunication removed the eyes and ears of the union," said Riggio. "It could have been disastrous to the health and safety of all."

"With the amount of devastation, there's no way the Aquarium could recover without using contractors and emergency teams," Riggio said. "Our members provide the crucial life support for the sea life and mammals. Union Keepers feed them and Maintainers fuel the generators and water pumps that keep them alive."

Riggio led the negotiations with WCS that canceled the unlawful action against the members and ensured that the five are paid with overtime and not forced to use their earned time, comp or vacation days. The five returned to work Nov. 7.

Additionally, WCS agreed to provide DC 37 with a list of contractors and facilities that did testing and the results, and to give workers safety gear including special respirators for claustrophobic employees.

"The union is here to protect members' jobs and to make sure the Aquarium reopens," Riggio said. "In emergencies and disasters, we need all hands
on deck."

—Diane S. Williams