Public Employee Press

Grievance news
Met Hospital clericals win back pay

Grievances over Metropolitan Hospital's failure to make recurring increment payments in recent years are putting big retroactive checks in the pockets of Local 1549 members.

The best present Dasny Troche got last year came two days after Christmas, thanks to her union - three years back pay of the RIP.

"Since our members don't have enough promotional opportunities, Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez and the union fought to win the RIP for clerical workers," said Clerical Division Director Renee Gainer.

Troche works in the Outpatient Dept. as a Clerical Associate III. According to the contract, she was due for a RIP, but she wasn't getting it.

"These increments are due at 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 years of service," explained Grievance Rep Efrain Perez, who filed Troche's grievance. After a Step II hearing, management decided to pay up.

"I paid my rent for three months and all my bills," she said. "I went food shopping and celebrated Three Kings Day with my family. This story had a really happy ending."

Clerical Associate II Luis Lozada works in the Medical Records Dept. "My shop steward, Karen Palmer, always gives us information about our contract," he said. "Something told me to check on the RIP and it turned out they owed me the money for the past six years!"

He filed his grievance with Chief Shop Steward Danny Linares and again the union won. "These grievances went very well," Linares said. "It was fast and the results were great!"

"Thank God I met these wonderful union people," Lozada said. "They helped me out with my grievance and the hearings, and I will be receiving my money in time for taxes."

"Members should keep close track of their years of service and when their increments are due, and check their paychecks, so we can make sure they get what they deserve," Perez said.