Public Employee Press

City Council proclamation honors Lenny Allen

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn honored Lenny Allen, the late president of Off-Track Betting Employees Local 2021 and vice president of DC 37 posthumously Jan. 23 with a proclamation praising his unwavering dedication to workers' rights and helping New Yorkers.

"Lenny Allen was a passionate fighter for fundamental values - the right to organize, to bargain collectively, and to work with dignity and respect," said Quinn. City Council members Michael Nelson, Inez Dickens, Leroy Comrie, Robert Jackson and Joel Rivera co-sponsored the City Hall award. Allen earlier received a proclamation from Council member Charles Baron.

A Korean War veteran, Allen lost his battle with cancer in May.

"This award means a lot to my family," said daughter Sonaye Allen. "My father was devoted to his family, his members, the labor movement and this city."

With DC 37 and AFSCME, Allen led a tireless fight for more than a decade to save OTB jobs and union benefits for Local 2021 members. At its peak in 2008, OTB's unionized workforce handled $1 billion in bets at parlors throughout the five boroughs and provided a steady stream of revenue to the New York City budget.

Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg made numerous attempts to shutter OTB, which after a state takeover and failed bankruptcy filing, finally closed in Dec. 2010 when the state Legislature failed to enact a rescue bill.