Public Employee Press

Local 1359 ends delays in members‘ longevity pay

More than 90 state employees at the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal in Local 1359 received a total of over $23,000 for delayed longevity payments.

Local 1359 members are entitled to five-year and ten-year longevities.

But the way the state had paid the money meant that some workers had to wait as long as a year to get their raises. Previously, the longevity increases had been improperly provided to workers on the first pay period after April 1; if you reached your fifth or 10th anniversary after that, you had to wait until the following April.

Members received the back pay under a 2006 state law passed at the behest of the local and DC 37. The law, which is retroactive to April 1, 2004, provided for affected members to receive from a day to a year of back pay.

“This was a long-standing problem, and we were happy to get the required change in the law to guarantee that our members would see this well-deserved benefit on time,” said Ralph F. Carbone, president of Rent Regulation Services Employees Local 1359.

New York State agreed to the change during the last round of contract bargaining. After negotiations, the union worked to ensure that the legislation on the longevities was drafted and passed.

Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan, Assistant Director Michele M. Trester and Political Action Director Wanda Williams provided key technical assistance in negotiations and lobbying on the legislation, Carbone said.

“Everybody is happy,” said Verna Scott, a Rent Examiner 1, whose back pay was nearly $850. Scott said her coworkers were pleased to receive the extra pay shortly before the holidays.

“Anytime you are paid more it’s always great,” said Rent Examiner 1 Mireille Midi, who received just under $620 in back pay.

Under Local 1359’s contract, members qualify for an extra $850 after five years on the job and an additional $850 upon their 10th anniversary.