Grievance makes her a shop steward

Filing a working-out-of-title grievance won Human Resources Administration worker Regina Eisom a substantial back pay award and a new role as a shop steward in Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549.

Chief Shop Steward India Nelson and then-Grievance Rep Eddie Rodriguez filed the grievance on behalf of Ms. Eisom in April 2000, and an arbitrator finally ruled in her favor in November 2003.

Ms. Eisom was awarded the difference between the pay she received as a Clerical Associate II and the correct pay for the actual duties she performed as a Principal Administrative Aide I.

“I love the grievance process,” said Ms. Nelson. It rights a lot of wrongs.” As a new steward in 1996, she went to union training classes and to the Cornell Labor Studies program.

“The money was a partial vindication. Money’s important, but I would actually prefer the promotion, because I was doing the work,” said Ms. Eisom. “I also became a shop steward behind this grievance,” she said. “India Nelson recruited me. The members voted and I was elected. Now I get to help the rest of the members fight for their rights,” she said.

According to the two stewards, there is a lot of work to be done at HRA. “Out-of-title work is common. Management uses Clerical Associates as Supervisors and even as Directors. My strategy is to file grievances and keep the heat on,” said Ms. Nelson. “Never refuse a direct order. But be sure you file a grievance.”

As she enforces the contract, Ms. Eisom says, “Management can’t just do what they want. We use the power of the union to enforce members’ rights.”

Clerical Division Director Ronnie Harris underscored this point. “All too often we accept management’s word on work assignments. That is why there is a union — to enforce the contract,” he said.

Now Local 1549 President, Eddie Rodriguez says the case “shows that the members shouldn’t give up hope. It took a while to win, but we didn’t give up. Once again, the agency was proved to be in the wrong.”