Public Employee Press

Coping with layoffs
Union saves jobs at Historic Richmond Town

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Members of Local 1665, who work at the Staten Island Historical Society, have a daunting task. They are responsible for restoring and maintaining 30 buildings spread over 25 acres in Richmond Town, as well as preserving a significant chapter of Staten Island’s cultural legacy.

The museum complex is an authentic rustic village that turns the clock back to more than a century ago; when instead of strip malls there were tin shops, general stores and outhouses.

Like the rest of the city’s cultural institutions, the
already understaffed Staten Island Historical Society was threatened by budget reductions and layoffs. Local 1665, which represents workers at several city museums, fought back. With the assistance of DC 37’s Research and Negotiations Dept. and White Collar Division, the local reached an agreement with management on a solution that would save jobs — a temporary four-day workweek.

Great union spirit
From February through June, the nine members (Maintainers, Assistant Main-tainers and Attendant-Guards) worked a four-day week. After union pressure convinced the City Council to restore funds to the city’s budget, the members returned to their regular five-day week in July.

“Our local and management were able to work together and come up with an agreement that saved our jobs,” said Joe Higgins, a shop steward who has worked at the Historical Society since 1989. “The workers showed great union spirit when it came to averting layoffs,” said DC 37 Rep Madonna Knight.

“The members there are like a family,” said Nola Brooker, assistant director of the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept. “Director John Guild was very cooperative, so we were able to come up with a solution that worked for everyone.”

Now that the members are back to their full workweeks, they are looking forward to a fall season of increased activities at the picturesque village. On the weekend of Sept. 13, the museum will host the 24th Annual Richmond County Fair. There will be plenty of games like pie-eating contests, pig races and bunny hop races (bring your own rabbit).

On October 11 there will be a bluegrass music festival, and throughout October there will be pumpkin picking at Decker Farm, a few miles away from the village, and a crafts and antiques market. Tours are also available throughout the year for groups and schools.

Thanks to the efforts of Local 1665 and the museum’s management, New Yorkers have a window on their unique history available for everyone to enjoy. For more information on the Staten Island Historical Society, you can check their Web site at www. historicrichmondtown.org.