Public Employee Press

Grievance wins back pay for Local 1549 member


When the Health and Hospitals Corp.'s Sydenham Medical Center in Harlem held Local 1549 member Caroline Martinez responsible for many tasks above her pay grade, she filed a grievance and was awarded extra pay.

Martinez, a conscientious and methodical Clerical Associate Level 2, juggled the demands of the Managed Care Unit as its staffing fell from 10 people to two - and then she was alone.

"It all landed on me," she said. "I wanted to be sure I was doing the right thing, so I checked with my union rep." Grievance Rep Eugene Williams reviewed her job description and duties and found that she was doing the work of a higher-paid title. Together, they filed the grievance.

"Many members are afraid to file grievances because they fear retaliation," he said. "I tell them that if there is retaliation, then we will fight that too!"

The grievance was resolved at step 2 and Martinez was awarded the salary differential between the CA II and CA III positions, amounting to approximately $1,500. Her victory discredited management's claim that she was volunteering for the extra work.

"I was so happy we won," she said, "and I'm very happy that my union backed me up. I wanted to be recognized for the work I do and this is what the union did for me." As a single mother, Martinez was especially happy that the check arrived right before Christmas.

Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez said he was "happy that this member believed in the union and gave us an opportunity to do our job. This is one of our rights - if management disagrees with our position, we can file a grievance to prove our case."