Public Employee Press

"Union, yes!"
98% of finger-imaging workers vote to join DC 37

Clerical workers who take digital fingerprints of public assistance applicants voted overwhelmingly to be represented by DC 37.

In a mail-ballot vote tabulated March 10 at the National Labor Relations Board in Manhattan, the Automated Finger-Imaging Systems Operators voted 48-1 to join Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549.

“This is incredible,” said Ana Anaya, an operator at the Human Resources Administration building at 216 10th Ave. in Manhattan, one of 43 HRA and Homeless Services Dept. locations where the AFIS Operators work. “We’re happy to be part of DC 37,” said Anaya, an organizing committee member.

“This is an important victory for us,” said Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez. “We look forward to fighting for job security, benefits and better wages for our new members.”

About 100 operators are employed by Distinctive Personnel, a subcontractor of MorphoTrak, which has a finger-imaging contract with the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The new union members digitally record the fingerprints of applicants for food stamps, housing and other benefits.

Most of the AFIS Operators are minority women. They make only $8.50 an hour, which ironically allows them to qualify for benefits themselves, and many have worked without a raise for as long as 10 years. They have no medical insurance or paid vacations. During the organizing drive, management cut their holidays from 12 a year to 10.

“The plight of these workers is an example of how temp agencies exploit the working poor,” said Jim Cullen, acting director of the DC 37 Organizing Dept. and New York State field director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, DC 37’s parent union.

“With tax dollars funding the jobs of these workers, we felt it was appropriate for DC 37, a public employees union, to fight for their dignity,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

Roberts praised the operators who served on the organizing committee for their perseverance and courage. She offered kudos for hard work in the organizing drive to Cullen and the organizing staff, leaders and staff of Local 1549 and the Clerical-Administrative Division and the Legal and Communications departments.