Public Employee Press

Juvenile Justice workers join Local 371

Members of the local representing 400 Counselors at the city’s three juvenile detention centers voted in December to merge with Social Service Employees Union Local 371, which has more than 15,000 members, including over 250 at the centers.

Alex Parker, outgoing president of Juvenile Center Employees Local 1457, said the merger would give the Counselors stronger union representation as members of a large local with a militant tradition. Planning to step down after three terms as president, Parker sought the merger in part because a new leadership team didn’t appear to be emerging.

“Inexperience would be dangerous at this moment,” Parker said. “Now 371 will be the dominant force in Juvenile Justice.”

Heightened union presence

“We are very happy to have the Counselors on board,” Local 371 President Faye Moore said. “We have a community of interest since Local 371 already represents the Social Worker and Institutional Aide title series at the centers. The merger will make the union presence at the workplace stronger.”

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts and DC 37’s parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, approved the merger plan. Before the vote, Parker accompanied Local 371’s elected leaders at meetings to discuss the plan with members.

The Counselors will now receive prescription drug and other benefits, including legal services and tuition assistance, from SSEU Local 371 rather than the DC 37 Health & Security Plan.

Parker said he is confident that Local 371 will continue Local 1457’s priorities, which include addressing workplace violence and health and safety issues. With the help of the DC 37 Safety and Health Dept., Local 1457 exposed violations of evacuation procedures and protections against blood-borne pathogens, and the Dept. of Juvenile Justice now faces $3 million in state fines for the violations.

During Parker’s administration, the local won $3 million in back pay for overtime through a legal suit. Local 371 expects to work with DJJ on a new policy on canine searches that Local 1457 pressed for after an incident in which members felt their privacy was invaded when police dogs were used at a facility to look for drugs.