Public Employee Press

Arbitrator rules Parks Dept. must pay $80,000 to eight workers for supervising JTP crews

An impartial arbitrator has ordered the Parks Dept. to pay $80,000 to a group of eight City Parks Workers who were assigned to supervise Job Training Participants and scofflaws in the Community Service program.

“Parks thinks CPWs just drive the JTPs to the park, but they show them how to use equipment safely and clean parks to pass inspection. These CPWs were actually working as Crew Chiefs,” said Local 1505 President Dilcy Benn.

“It’s only fair that my members be paid for the extra work and responsibility. That’s what this decision means,” she said. The arbitrator also ordered Parks to stop assigning CPWs supervisory work without compensation.

Parks managers “frequently use CPWs to supervise JTPs for three to five days a week,” said Blue Collar Council Rep Tony Mammalello, who filed the group grievance in 2008. “In some boroughs, Parks will assign over 800 JTPs for six-month stints, with one CPW overseeing 10 or more JTPs.”

CPWs are the backbone of the department. They keep playgrounds, trails and beaches clean and safe by removing broken glass, graffiti, low tree limbs, spent condoms, and drug needles. Associate Parks Service Workers in Local 983 periodically supervise CPWs, but ultimately the CPWs are accountable for a park’s condition.

“We each have parks and playgrounds to maintain,” explained grievant Shaniece Cromer, “but in addition to our own assignments, we had to spend a lot of time assigning, training and directing JTPs and Community Service Workers. We had to know where they were and what they were doing.”

The arbitrator found that the duties detailed in the CPW grievance were “substantially different” from their job descriptions and noted that, “APSWs are not on site, but come and observe for short periods of time, a couple of days a week,” the arbitrator wrote.

“I had confidence that if we stuck together, we would win,” said Cromer.

“Because this is still going on, other CPWs who are working out-of-title should come to the union,” said Benn. “If Parks would assign the Crew Chief title and pay us, grievances like this would not come up so frequently.” Crew Chiefs get a differential of about $8,000 more annually.

“This decision makes it clear that assigning CPWs supervisory work without the pay violates the contract,” said DC 37 attorney Tom Cook, who handled the arbitration case.