Public Employee Press

DC 37 Lobby Day focuses on OTB, housing and pensions

BY DIANE S. WILLIAMS

Hundreds of District Council 37 members and retirees went to Albany May 6 to press state lawmakers to save the jobs of Off-Track Betting Corp. employees, and protect affordable housing and pensions.

“Our brothers and sisters at OTB need our support, their situation is dire,” Executive Director Lillian Roberts told the crowd at the union’s annual Lobby Day. “We are a union and we stand in solidarity. We’re here to tell the people we elected our concerns. We supported them, we voted for them and now it’s time for them to support us.”

Roberts led the union’s grassroots lobbyists in conveying an important message to Albany: Save OTB jobs, reinvest in public housing, and reopen the Chapter 96 pension plan so members canretire at age 55 after 25 years of service. Local 2021 President Lenny Allen, the DC 37 PAC Chair, oversaw the day’s activities.

Save OTB jobs
DC 37 leaders, members and retirees lobbied state lawmakers to save the New York City Off-Track Betting Corp. with a permanent plan to fix its redistribution formula before the June 16 deadline to close operations.

They pressed the legislators to reopen Chapter 96 so DC 37 members can join that pension plan at no cost to the government. And they urged the members of the state Senate and Assembly to help alleviate the city’s affordable housing crisis by reinvesting government funds in the New York City Housing Authority and other programs, such as Mitchell Lama. DC 37 presented more than 45 additional legislative proposals.

“Because of you we have safer workplaces, safer cafeterias and fairer pensions, but there is more to do,” Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno told the audience. He said the governor and other key legislators are committed to saving members’ jobs at OTB and permanently resolving the agency’s solvency dilemma.

“Your concerns are our concerns. Your issues are our issues,” said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. “In this declining economy, it is critical that we continue to stand together to protect the interests of our public employees and to protect all working families who are struggling with household budgets that are tighter than ever.” Silver said the Assembly is also working on a solution to save OTB. State Labor Commissioner Patricia Smith and dozens of Senate and Assembly members attended the union’s event to show their commitment to DC 37, and particularly to OTB Local 2021.

“It’s not enough to elect labor-friendly candidates, we have to let them know what we want and what we need,” said guest speaker Terrence Melvin,secretary-treasurer of the state AFL-CIO.

As time ticked away for the 1,300 members of Local 2021, Melvin called for lawmakers to protect OTB employees.

“It’s time for politicians to be held accountable for their promises,” Melvin said. “We brought them to this dance and if they don’t deliver, we will escort them home.”