In an effort to improve union services for members and enhance staffing in critical areas, DC 37 has hired and promoted several employees recently.

Two lawyers and a paralegal have joined the union’s Legal Department. Last year the department hired attorneys Tom Cooke and Kim Hsueh (pronounced Shea) to defend union members in disciplinary cases. In October Cynthia Moore was hired as a paralegal.

Before joining DC 37, Mr. Cooke, a 1998 New York Law School graduate, represented claimants in an insurance industry class action lawsuit. On working for DC 37 he said, “The one-on-one contact and fighting to protect members’ jobs is the reason I went to law school.”

After an internship in the Legal Department, Ms. Hsueh said she knew she wanted to practice labor law at DC 37. “I get the greatest satisfaction knowing that when the little guy gets stepped on, we’re here to fight on their behalf,” she said.

Ms. Moore currently works on the union’s WEP lawsuits. She worked at several major law firms over the past 15 years before joining DC 37.

Jose Alamo recently was promoted to Research Analyst in the Research and Negotiations Department. He worked as a staff assistant in the DC 37 Health and Security Inquiry Unit for three years while he earned his bachelor’s degree from the DC 37 Campus of the College of New Rochelle. Mr. Alamo first joined DC 37 as a mailroom clerk 20 years ago.

The DC 37 Political Action and Legislation Department has hired three new staffers. Patrick Brennan and Cleon Edwards are Policy and Legislation Analysts and Marietta Kremmidas is a Legislative Aide.

Mr. Brennan works on DC 37 field operations and organizing for the upcoming mayoral and City Council elections. Before becoming part of DC 37 staff, Mr. Brennan organized for the International Longshoremen’s Association, ILA Local 333, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s succesful 1998 campaign.

New lobbyist
Mr. Edwards assists in the union’s day-to-day lobbying efforts at City Hall. Before joining DC 37 last September, he worked as a partnership specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau; communications director for a Harlem-based environmental group and policy analyst specializing in criminal justice and public safety issues for Public Advocate Mark Green and former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger.

After completing an internship through the Union Semester program at Queens College, Marietta Kremmidas, a St. John’s University graduate, was hired as a Legislative Aide working primarily on the union’s voter registration drive and telephone banks.

Last year, almost 8,000 DC 37 members registered to vote, “but there’s still a significant number who are not yet registered,” she said.

Chandler Henderson was promoted to Council Rep in the Blue Collar Division. He will work closely with Locals 1087 and 1797, the Prevailing Rate Employees and Custodial Supervisors. Mr. Henderson previously was a clerk in the Education Fund, where he served for seven years as a shop steward in Local 153 of the Office and Professional Employees Union.

He sees his new job as a chance to “help people who need help most.”