Public Employee Press

Million dollar grievance victory

Local 1549 wins $1 million for 150 Eligibility Specialists II in the Human Resources Administration

The union members in HRA’s Family Health Plus unit are getting payments totaling over $1 million to replace assignment differentials that HRA never paid over the years since 2002. A stipulation providing for the payments was signed Jan 31.

“It’s more than I expected and I’m pleasantly surprised,” said Local 1549 member Reather Stevenson. “The union really fought for us.”

Their grievance charged that HRA violated the provision in the clerical contract that requires the pay differential for ES IIs who perform certain specialized work on Medicaid cases.

“We fought hard to win this money in our contract,” said Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez, who led the battle for the differential.

When members at a lunchtime meeting told Rodriguez that management was not paying the differential, “That started the ball rolling,” said Ron Arnero, assistant director of the Clerical Division. “It’s important for members to come to union meetings and share information,” he said. “Without everybody doing their part, we wouldn’t have been able to win this victory.”

Rodriguez met Feb. 4 with the ES IIs to deliver the good news. “This took a long time, and we couldn’t have done it without the active participation of many members,” he said.

“Winning this case required the coordinated efforts of our staff and the union’s Legal Department,” said Division Director Ronnie Harris. “Our victory puts money in members’ pockets at a time when the economy is in retreat.” Those who worked on the case were DC 37 General Counsel Mary O’Connell, Associate General Counsel Robin Roach, attorney Kim Hsueh, and union representatives Alpine James, now retired, Pilar Oquendo and Kenneth Mulligan.

ES II Linda Peshkin, a 14-year veteran HRA employee, received over $3,000. “I’m very happy working for HRA and knowing that because of the union my rights aren’t being violated. The union has helped me in a lot of ways,” she said.