Public Employee Press

Union to city: Shovel your 2010 snow policy

The union is challenging the city's policy on employee absences caused by the blizzard in late December. If the city does not excuse workers who did not report to work because of the snow storm, DC 37 will file a group grievance.

Ariella Maron, acting commissioner of the Dept of Citywide Administrative Services, instructed agencies to require employees to cover unscheduled absences during Dec. 26-28 with either annual leave or compensatory time. The Health and Hospitals Corp. agreed to follow the policy, which did excuse workers for lateness caused by transportation delays.

DC 37 Research and Negotiations Director Evelyn Seinfeld urged the city to excuse workers affected by the snowstorm in a Jan. 1 letter to Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley.

"Many employees were unable to reach their place of employment in the days after the snowstorm due to widespread mass transit shutdowns as well as unplowed streets," Seinfeld wrote.

"Service was suspended on many MTA buses and subways as well as commuter railroads," she said. "City employees who were unable to travel to their job due to transportation difficulties should not be required to charge absences to their annual leave or compensatory time balances."

Seinfeld said that workers with disabilities who were unable to get to work because of the snow conditions should also be excused.


Management goes to court to block Laborers' raises

A state appellate court in April will consider the city's appeal to throw out Comptroller John Liu's order to increase the wages of Laborers represented by Local 924.

In October, the Comptroller issued a "final determination" that called for consolidating the three current Laborer pay rates into one higher rate of $32.72 an hour.

The ruling capped a battle of several years in which the local pressed for pay increases through a complicated wage survey process. Local members have gone without a salary increase since 2002.

"We are confident that justice will prevail," said Local 924 President Kyle Simmons.

"But we are frustrated and angry, because the city has put up obstacle after obstacle despite our best efforts to settle. I am happy, though, that we've remained resolved, and that reflects the unity of our members and the support we have had within the union and from our outside counsel."