PEP, June 2006: Lobby Day Agenda: Save hospitals, workers comp, charter school cap

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

A CORPS OF 1,000 MEMBERS converged on Albany May 9 to talk with state lawmakers about the key issues at DC 37’s annual Lobby Day.
“We’re here to show our strength and voice our concerns about the proposed state budget cuts,” said Executive Director Lillian Roberts. “We’re here to put a face on the issues: These cuts would affect our jobs, the services we provide, and the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, Minority Leader David L. Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver headed a long list of supportive lawmakers who attended the Lobby Day rally to hear the union’s position. DC 37 is working to prevent proposed hospital closings, improve Workers’ Compensation, protect pensions and cap the number of charter schools at the current 100 statewide.

Gov. Pataki’s White House hopes seem to have clouded his responsibilities to the people of New York. He threatens to eliminate 20,000 hospital beds and close New York City hospitals. His plan would raise Workers’ Compensation payments slightly while limiting the number of years a disabled worker could collect. His education scheme would add 150 more charter schools, robbing public schools of funding, creating a student “brain drain,” and padding the pockets of educators in the privatized schools. “We have got to override the governor’s vetoes,” Paterson said.

DC 37 Political Action Committee Chair and Local 2021 President Len Allen led the rally. Republican and Democratic state Assembly and Senate members who support the union’s agenda received warm greetings on stage from Veronica Montgomery-Costa, president of DC 37 and Local 372; Maf Misbah Uddin, DC 37 treasurer and president of Local 1407; Cliff Koppelman, DC 37 secretary and president of Local 1070 and DC 37 Political Director Wanda Williams.

“The health and welfare of New Yorkers is too important for us to play Pataki politics,” Silver said. “The labor movement understands what needs to be done,” said New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes, who called for more equitable taxation and amending the Taylor Law to be “for workers and for better wages.”

“As the heart and soul of the labor movement, our power should never be underestimated or taken for granted,” said Allen. To make sure the union’s message got across, after the rally the rank-and-file lobbyists fanned out in groups and met with many of the legislators about the union’s issues.

“We can’t afford the unfair drain of the governor’s cuts,” said retiree Sallie Caldwell, a former Local 1549 member. “I had to get involved because it’s about our children and our grandchildren, our jobs, our community and our future.”