Public Employee Press

Representation vote set for JOS

“It’s time for the JOS title to be treated with respect. The city created a confusing mess, and now it’s up to the union to address the needs of the workers,” said Charles Ensley, president of Social Service Employees Union Local 371.

The chaos began with the reorganization plan orchestrated by the Human Resources Administration under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to reduce the welfare rolls. Starting in 1996, HRA moved to eliminate the existing Income Support Centers, replace them with Job Centers, and then in 2000 created new titles — Job Opportunity Specialist and Associate JOS. In devising the positions, HRA merged job functions and created confusion as to who does what.

Local 371 and Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 petitioned to represent the JOS, and Local 371 and Communications Workers Local 1180 requested to represent the AJOS. Historically, Local 1549 has represented Eligibility Specialists, Local 371 has represented Case Workers and Local 1180 has represented some higher titles.

On Jan. 3, the Board of Certification, a division of the impartial Office of Collective Bargaining, issued the long-awaited decision. The board concluded that, “the JOS and AJOS titles would be appropriately placed in any of the units sought by the petitioners.” The board directed that elections be held “in order to ascertain the wishes of the employees in each title as to their unit placement.”

In response to the decision, Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez said, “The unions are now positioning themselves to campaign for the choice to be made through the election.”