Oliver Gray brings more than 25 years of experience in the city's public sector to his new job as associate director, the number two staff position in the union.

A lot of his time will be dedicated to his duties as the top advisor to newly elected Executive Director Lillian Roberts. He will also oversee the development of the union's public policy positions and day-to-day operations at 125 Barclay St.

"Though I have always been involved in the political process in my career, I certainly do not consider myself a politician or political groupie," said Mr. Gray, who is a jazz aficionado with a collection of 10,000 CDs and LPs.

"By and large, I am an administrator and technician," Mr. Gray said. "I view my role as asking why things are happening here and making sure what needs to get done is carried out."

Though Mr. Gray comes to DC 37 without experience at a union, he has a keen appreciation of the labor movement and DC 37's central role in the city's economy and politics. "People who doubt unions have made major contributions to the daily lives of Americans are deluding themselves," said Mr. Gray.

As the leader of the largest municipal employees union in a city whose budget is bigger than the economy of many countries, Ms. Roberts tapped Mr. Gray for his knowledge of the complex interconnections between the budget, the local economy, politics and government.

From 1992 to 1999, Mr. Gray - who earned his bachelor of science degree at Hampton University in Virginia and a master of science in urban planning at Hunter College - supervised staff research and oversight hearings as director of human services at the City Council.

As deputy commissioner of the Dept. of Business Services and director of the Bureau of Labor Services from 1985 through the early '90s, he headed staffs that reviewed employment practices and city contracts. Earlier, he served as special advisor to Mayor Edward Koch for education, immigration and intergroup relations and held administrative posts at the Health and Hospitals Corp.

Like Ms. Roberts, Mr. Gray said he was troubled by DC 37's corruption scandal in recent years. But he said that now that DC 37's parent union has ended a 3 1/2-year trusteeship, DC 37 is back on track. "The recent problems were an aberration," Mr. Gray said. "What's important is whether the union is doing a good job day-to-day in serving and helping its members. There remains work to be done, but we are moving forward."

—GNH