Public Employee Press

Union wins reinstatement of two fired workers at Brooklyn cultural institutions

DC 37 helped win reinstatement and back pay of $7,000 each for two Local 1502 members who were wrongfully terminated by Brooklyn cultural institutions.

The Brooklyn Museum fired then-Custodial Assistant Steven Oddo a year ago, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music canned Junior Custodian Akeon Thomas two years ago.

Local 1502 fought the firings with grievances, said Council Rep Keith Clarke, who worked on Oddo's case with union attorney Meaghean Murphy. Management and the union settled Oddo's grievance in April. He was reinstated with seniority and benefits intact and $7,000 in back wages.

"The union could not have been better," said Oddo, who is now a Museum Attendant. "They stood with me through thick and thin."

Thomas enjoys being back on the job he lost two years ago at BAM. Clarke filed his grievance and took it to arbitration with help from DC 37 lawyer Jesse Gribbens.

Thomas was reinstated with full seniority, benefits and $7,000 in back pay after the union showed that management had fired Thomas for being absent on a day when he was not scheduled to work. Thomas' time card was proof, but BAM withheld that information.

"It's easy to be fired and no one knows if it's justified or not. But my union fought to protect my rights," Thomas said. "It took a good while, but it was worth the fight."