More than 400 DC 37 activists caught the early bus to Albany May 7 for the union's annual Lobby Day.

At a lunch meeting, the unionists heard from the three most powerful officials in the Capitol, Gov. George E. Pataki, Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Other state legislators came to show support for DC 37's working families. DC 37 Political Action Chair Leonard Allen presided over the day's activities.

"It's not always about getting more," Executive Director Lillian Roberts reminded members. "Sometimes it's about keeping what we've got. So we're also here to protect the benefits we've won."

In the weeks preceding the daylong event, local leaders and political staff worked tirelessly with state officials on the union's legislative agenda. And at the grassroots level, the rank-and-file lobbyists took time from their jobs and families that day to press the lawmakers on housing, education, pensions and job security. Their personal visits helped put a face on issues that affect the lives of public employees and downstate New Yorkers.

"Lobbying is the bedrock of political action," state AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes said. He praised DC 37's new leadership for its pursuit of "honesty and integrity" as "a progressive social force."

Gov. Pataki attended the DC 37 Lobby Day luncheon for the first time in his eight years in office. He told the participants they were "ordinary men and women who responded with heroism on September 11 and kept the city going." Mr. Pataki said the state's "partnership" with public employees should go forward with "no gimmicks, no tax increases and no lay-offs."

"DC 37 is an important part of everything that goes on in New York from 9-11 to everyday services," Sen. Bruno said. He pointed out that he had sided with DC 37 to halt the sale of the Off-Track Betting Corp. and fought to stop Workfare participants from displacing city employees.

Still, some DC 37 presidents noted that the two Republicans had stopped short of making commitments to support the Rent 2002 Campaign, which calls for renewing and strengthening tenant protections this year, and other hot issues.

As legislators acknowledged the hit New York City had taken Sept. 11 and praised DC 37 members as "the true heroes who worked around the clock," Assemblyman Silver said that it would be "hypocrisy to reward your vital services with exorbitant rents and eviction notices."

After lunch, the union members fanned out through the Capitol and met legislators to advocate pension improvements, increased educational funding and reinstatement of the commuter tax.

"Lobby Day focuses on the members' future," said Local 924 member Joe Time. "It protects our benefits and gives our families hope for better education, housing and contracts."

"I came to learn more about the political process and to make a difference," said Agnes Whitehurst, a Juvenile Counselor in Local 1457 who has participated in Lobby Day for five years. "I see today as an opportunity to follow up on my vote."

Pressure from unions and community groups had convinced legislative majorities to support the Rent 2002 Campaign. The bills to extend rent regulations to 2008 and repeal luxury decontrol passed in the State Assembly in April. But as PEP went to press, it appeared possible that the state senators would not vote on the bills before the session ends.

The grassroots lobbyists soon got news of advances on other key legislation they had pressed for:

Grassroots Lobbyists win early retirement plan

On May 20 - only two weeks after hundreds of DC 37 activists bused to Albany to lobby for members needs - Gov. George E. Pataki signed early retirement incentive legislation into law.

As the city grappled with a $5 billion budget gap, which unions hope it can close without deep service cuts or layoffs, early retirement was high on the DC 37 agenda.

"As public employees, our lifeline is directly linked to politics," DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts said. "Winning early retirement shows how important it is to have an army of political activists in our union family."

The retirement legislation contains two parts:

Part A is a traditional early retirement incentive for workers in targeted titles.

Part B establishes what's known as a "25-55 plan" without early retirement penalties. Under this plan, participants with at least 25 years of service who are 55 or older may retire without a cut in their pension benefit.

Early retirement was a key item on the legislative program that Ms. Roberts discussed in April with Mr. Pataki, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. DC 37 President Veronica Montgomery-Costa, Treasurer Mark Rosenthal and Secretary Edward W. Hysyk accompanied Ms. Roberts at those crucial sessions.

As lawmakers considered the retirement bills, Local 1320 President and DC 37 Pension Committee Chair James Tucciarelli returned to Albany with pension experts Joel Giller, DC 37 general counsel, and Dennis Deahn, field director of the DC 37 Health and Security Plan.

The New York State AFL-CIO backed the legislation. The Albany office of DC 37's parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, played an important role in ushering the early retirement incentive through the political process.