Public Employee Press

Local 154 celebrates 50 years of activism

For 50 years, members of Amalgamated Professional Employees Local 154 have been on the frontline of the city’s work to uphold civil rights and battle discrimination.

An ethos of activism continues to permeate the local, which played an important role during DC 37’s heyday of organizing in the 1950s and 1960s. During those years, Local 154 served as a temporary “holding local” for new DC 37 members until they were assigned to a permanent local set up for their job title.

“Today, after 50 years of struggle, Local 154 has grown stronger and continues to play an important role at the heart of DC 37,” said Local 154 President Juan Fernández.

Fernández spoke about the local’s history and the current challenges facing labor during a March 27 gala that marked the local’s 50th anniversary.

Scores of members and friends attended. Local Vice President Mark Heron and Central Labor Council Delegate Janice Williams served as the masters of ceremony. The local honored New York State Sen. Kevin Parker at the event. Invited guest speaker Charles Barron of the City Council gave a brief talk, criticizing the state Taylor Law — which grants collective bargaining rights to public workers but prohibits them from striking — as stacked in favor of employers.

State Sen. Diane Savino and New York City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. issued proclamations commemorating the local’s anniversary. During the evening, Local 154 also honored past President Barry Jamison and three former vice presidents, Andy Rizzo, John Fernández and Richard Wheeler.

Local 154 represents 25 job titles, and its members work at 30 city agencies and departments, as well as a private institution, the New York Law School. Its diverse membership includes Human Rights Specialists, Research Assistants, Public Record Aides, Title Examiners, Library Information Assistants, and Claim Specialists.

History lesson
DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts gave a short history lesson, recalling how DC 37 over the years fought for a benefits package that continues to be a benchmark for municipal unions around the country. “Local 154 members played an important part in helping the union win those benefits,” she said.

“This is a very, very special occasion —a celebration of 50 years of strength,” said DC 37 Professional Division Director Stephanie Veléz. “But we still have a lot of work to do. There are people out there who believe you don’t have the right to collective bargaining or health care.”

Like Veléz, Fernández warned in his keynote address that working people face many challenges. “Pensions, Social Security and health insurance have been targeted by the economic sectors that intend to increase their monetary gains at the expense of workers,” Fernández said. “Union membership across the country has been in decline while labor rights are being restricted. About half of the states fail to provide collective bargaining rights for public employees and other states have been actively challenging that right.”

Fernández called upon the activists at the celebration to renew their commitment not only to revive the labor movement but also to support the rights of immigrants and all exploited workers.

“We need to become the voice for workers’ rights anywhere we are. Their victories will be our victories. Those victories will make our union stronger,” Fernández said.