PEP, June 2004: People power in Albany.

One thousand activists traveled in a flotilla of buses to Albany on May 4, DC 37 Lobby Day, to promote union issues at the New York State Legislature.

The state’s political leaders were greeted by a sea of green — hundreds of unionists wearing green DC 37 T-shirts — when they visited the activists during a luncheon at the capital’s convention center. Members and retirees also wore green stickers saying “$5.15 is not enough,” the rallying cry of a campaign to raise the state’s minimum wage.

“I am confident that our state legislators will listen carefully to what you tell them,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. She noted that hundreds of the activists prepared for their mission by attending the union’s annual Grassroots Lobbying Institute on March 27.

“No one can tell your story better,” said DC 37 President Veronica Montgomery-Costa, who is also president of Local 372.

Other union speakers included Political Action Committee Chair and Local 2021 President Lenny Allen,

Secretary Cliff Koppelman, president of Local 1070, and Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin, president of Local 1407.

The unionists pursed a three-pronged agenda:

The Campaign for Fiscal Equity: This legal and political initiative started with a successful lawsuit charging that state school aid formulas have unconstitutionally shortchanged New York City students. Gov. George E. Pataki plans to allocate $325 million of revenue this year from video lottery terminals to implement last year’s court ruling, but CFE supporters say his plan is woefully inadequate.
Restoration of deep cuts in Medicaid funding: The union is particularly concerned about a looming $60 million shortfall at the Health and Hospitals Corp., an additional $26 million reduction at HHC long-term care facilities, and cuts in the state’s Child Health Plus program.
Aid to New York City: The union says the city — which pays $2.6 billion more in taxes than it gets in state funding — must receive more assistance from the state government. DC 37 wants the city to get an unused $1.5 billion provided by the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program through Albany, as well as relief for expenditures on Medicaid and public safety. Members and retirees pressed legislators on those three matters and a series of other issues, including child care, civil service, education, electoral reform, health care, pensions, housing and jobs.