Public Employee Press

Local 1549 conference aims to build
political power to fight cutbacks

Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 brought together solid information, eager participants and strong leadership Jan. 28 for its second all-day Advocacy and Political Action Training Conference.

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts shared the union’s concerns with the hundreds of members who came. “You all have families and other things that you could be doing on a Saturday, but this is just as important as the contract,” she said.

Roberts spoke about the new union initiative to spearhead a national campaign for universal health care and price controls on drug prescriptions. “Health care costs are eating up everybody’s raises,” she said. “We all need to tell Congress to fix the problem!”

Interactive workshops focused on voter registration and the PEOPLE program; health care and the threat of budget cuts; and the campaign for civilianization in the Police Dept. The workshops focused on three top priorities: lobbying, member-to-member contact, and community organizing.

DC 37 Political Action Director Wanda Williams explained the mission of Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equity — the political action committee of DC 37’s national union, AFSCME. “We need to involve as many people as possible,” she said. “You should explain to your co-workers that the issues we are fighting for affect them.”

Newly-elected City Council members Rosie Mendez, Dan Garodnick and Darlene Mealy attended and expressed support for the local’s political agenda. State Sen. Diane Savino spoke about the importance of this November’s elections.

Civilianization discussion
Alvin Carter, Local 1549’s chapter chair for Police Administrative Aides and Senior PAAs and Assistant Clerical Division Director Ron Arnero led a lively discussion at the workshop on civilian-ization.

“A civilian in the seat puts a cop on the beat” was more than a cute slogan for the activists who packed the room. Members from the uniformed agencies shared their frustrations over the time it is taking to implement the 2004 arbitrator’s decision that the NYPD must replace cops doing desk jobs with clericals. Arnero introduced SPAA Pat Peterson, one of the members who signed the first reverse-out-of-title grievance 12 years ago. “Hopefully we will now see progress in civilian hiring and promotions,” she said.

Local 1549 2nd Vice President Ralph Palladino and Moira Dolan of DC 37’s Research and Negotiations Dept. led the workshop on health care. Dolan explained the importance of the 21st Century Commission, set up by Gov. George E. Pataki to recommend hospital closings.

“The Governor is trying to save money on our backs,” she said. “The mission of political activists on the health care front is to convey the devastating economic impact of health care cutbacks.”

Steward ready for Lobby Day
Chief Shop Steward Brian Griffin, a Clerical Associate IV at Jacobi Hospital, was one of many activists who attended this workshop. Like his fellow Local 1549 member Olivia Crum from Elmhurst Hospital, he is active on the Community Advisory Board at his facility.

“Now I really know what to say when we go to Albany on Lobby Day,” he said.

The day concluded with action — a letter-writing campaign. Members signed cards and drafted letters to legislators on numerous issues, including legislation on Workers’ Compensation, fair taxation, childcare and affordable health care.

After 27 years as a union activist, Peterson, a shop steward at the 33rd Precinct and her chapter’s recording secretary, felt that her time was well spent. “These conferences are always informative,” she said. “There’s always something you don’t know.”