Local 374 presses multiple issues, wins on missing longevity payments.


Local 374 and DC 37 have succeeded in extensive efforts to make sure the 16 Special Investigators in the New York Public Library system are getting all they are entitled to. The drive has already brought the 16 a total of more than $239,000, and some of their grievances are still pending.

Since 2001, Quasi-Public Employees Local 374 has filed grievances or notified the NYPL of inequities involving out-of-title work, car and meal allowance rates, and the lack of contractual longevity payments that Special Investigators in other agencies have been receiving.

The out-of-title grievance claimed that the members, who investigate fraud and other criminal activity in the libraries, were doing the work of Senior Investigators. It was filed on Sept. 10, 2001, at Step I of the grievance procedure by Cuthbert Dickenson, who was then chapter chair and has since been elected local president.

Management denied the case at the earlier steps in the procedure and the union repeatedly appealed. With DC 37 Rep Keith Clarke arguing the union’s case, the members won at Step 4. The amount to be paid has yet to be determined.

When the union asked library officials to look into the longevity differential, on the other hand, they realized they had been underpaying the union members all along and agreed to make the necessary adjustments in their salaries. The NYPL completed payment of the $239,457.53 in retroactive pay in January.

The Special Investigators worked closely with their union leaders and staff to press for their rights. “The union was with us every step of the way during this process,” said one of the grievants, Special Investigator Mark Hamilton. Past president Jacob Azeke and the others “took care of business from the very beginning,” he added.

“This victory came about because of the great teamwork involved,” said Mr. Azeke, who served as the local’s president from 1999-2002. “Council Rep Keith Clarke, Local 374 President Cuthbert Dickenson and Mickey Greene of DC 37’s Research and Negotiation Dept. all worked together to resolve these issues on behalf of the members.”