Public Employee Press

Buiding a stronger union
Fighting for laid-off members

More than 150 shop stewards from Board of Education Employees Local 372 participated in a Friday night and all-day Saturday training conference Jan. 13 and 14 at DC 37. The weekend workshops focused on improving communication skills, understanding Workers' Compensation, handling on-the-job safety issues and more.

"You are the ground troops in the union's constant battle to save jobs and protect working conditions and benefits," said Local 372 President Santos Crespo Jr. as he welcomed the stewards. He stressed the importance of well-trained shop stewards, especially during difficult times. "And your job is to provide the leadership at your work locations that the members are looking for."

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts also welcomed the stewards and pledged to continue fighting to bring back the 642 members who lost their jobs last year. "I'm doing everything I can to get those jobs back," said Roberts. "It's outrageous that our tax dollars are being used to set up consulting jobs while these vital support service workers are unemployed!"

The keynote speaker was DC 37 Associate Director Henry Garrido, a former member of Local 372. Garrido attacked the huge amount of waste and contracting out at DOE and sharply questioned the agency's priorities. "Does it make sense to have all this contracting out when there are schools that do not have a SAPIS counselor or a Health Aide?" he asked. "We haven't seen any new schools built, but we do have two new stadiums."

Shop Steward Tyrone Smith, a Senior School Lunch Helper at I.S. 90 in Manhattan's District 6, said he found the session on Workers' Compensation very helpful. "That's an issue that the members always ask me about," said Smith. "So this helps to refresh my memory."

DC 37 Ed Fund Administrator Barbara Kairson led the workshop on communication skills, Associate Administrator Viviana Tillman and Assistant Director Claire Menelas reviewed the responsilbilities of shop stewards.

— Alfredo Alvarado