The Unionist December 2012

Volume 42 • Number 11 December 2012

Official Publication of Social Service Employees Union Local 371-DC 37 AFSCME, AFL-CIO www.sseu371.org

Bell/Adams Case Update Drug Benefit Coverage NYCHA Hiring Page 4 Page 6 Page 8

J ob Opportunity Specialist Sabrina Little had only worked for six months at the HRA center in Far Rockaway, Queens when Hurricane Sandy made

landfall. There she was, in her home with no electricity, no food, no transportation and no communication with her family or her employer. In order to deal with the cold, she started boiling water, and medical respond-ers later told her that this caused her mild carbon monoxide poisoning.

“I still have some financial problems,” she said, a month after the storm hit. “Lost wages. I don’t qualify for FEMA or the Red Cross. I go to FEMA, they send me to the Red Cross, who sends me to FEMA. I’m in a circle of non-help. I’m tired and exhausted.”

The Rockaways were some of the hardest hit areas of the City, and SSEU Local 371

workers who both live and work in the area are still dealing with the storm’s aftermath. Most food stores in the area have been closed, and since transportation options are still limited, workers have nowhere to procure food (this prompted the Union, working with HRA management, Local 1549 and CWA Local 1180, to provide lunch for workers at the HRA center, as well as flashlights and other supplies). Electricity has gone out in the facility several times on the night shift. Work-ers from the Queens field office raised money so workers in Far Rockaway could have a hot Thanksgiving meal.

Feeling Like ClientsFor new and old workers alike, it has

been a hardship. Many workers felt like they were in the same position as many of

the clients who come to the HRA center for public assistance.

“The first day we handed out food stamps, I was hungry,” Little said, noting that her food at home had rotted and there was nowhere for her to buy fresh food.

Clerical Associate John Addison, who has been in City service for more than 20 years and noted that he has never experienced anything like this, said that workers had no idea what to do after the storm hit. He said, “They just shoved us all in here. We’re on the same side as them [clients].”

Most workers complain that transporta-tion is still not normal, leading to longer commutes and overcrowded buses. Only one small section of the A train in the area is running, but as Little said, “It’s a train to nowhere.”

Continued on page 3

The View From Far rockaway

HRA Workers Are Still Dealing with Sandy Fallout

Sabrina Little, center, spoke about the hardships workers have endured since the hurricane hit New York in October.

Phot

os: A

ri Pa

ul

2 The Unionist | December 2012

December17 Membership Meeting: 6:30 p.m. Advance

Realty Building, 235 West 23rd Street in Manhattan

18 Alumni Association: 2:00 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor

19 Delegate Assembly: 6:30 p.m. (CANCELED)

20 Next Wave: 6:30 p.m. (CANCELED)

January2 Executive Committee: 6:30 p.m. Union

Office, 12th Floor

7 Black History: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor

9 Women’s Committee: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor

10 Committee of Concerned Social Workers: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor


15 Alumni Association: 2:00 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor

16 Delegate Assembly: 6:30 p.m. Advance Realty Building, 235 West 23rd Street in Manhattan

17 Next Wave: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor


23 Political Action Committee: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, 12th Floor

Civilians in Law Enforcement: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, 15th Floor

CALENDAR

Published monthly except for a combined issue in July/August and a Supplement in January by the Social Service Employees Union Local 371, District Council 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. Subscription Price $2.00 annually. Periodical postage paid at New York, N.Y.

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: The Unionist, SSEU Local 371, 817 Broadway, N.Y., N.Y. 10003.

USPS# 348990 (212) 677-3900 ISSN# 0041-7092

PresidentAnthony Wells

Executive Vice PresidentYolanda Pumarejo

Secretary-TreasurerJoe Nazario

V.P. Negotiations & ResearchRose Lovaglio-Miller

V.P. Organization & EducationArmenta Weekes

V.P. Grievances & Legal ServicesLloyd Permaul

V.P. Publicity & Community RelationsPatricia Chardavoyne

V.P. Legislation & Political ActionMichelle Akyempong

TrusteesVincent CiccarelloYolanda DeJesus Melva Scarborough

EditorAri Paul

Visit us on the web at www.sseu371.org

With a new year, new Horizons

On behalf of the officers and staff of SSEU Local 371, I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. We hold dear our families and friends at this special time of the year. We also remember those who are facing

difficulties with the season. In particular, we wish well to those still suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Sandy.

The holiday season is a time for enjoying our families, cul-tures and religious observances. It is also a time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the dawn of a new one.

For the Union, 2012 has been challenging and successful. The assault bill went into effect Nov. 1. Lee Saunders was elected president of AFSCME this summer and immediately pushed a national labor agenda. President Barack Obama was re-elected with strong union support. And we averted child welfare lay-

offs earlier than in years past. Yet challenges still remain. The privatization

of CASA and the Lombardi programs put 900 HRA workers at risk of being laid off. In the Housing Authority, 368 workers are also at risk if the authority ceases to directly provide com-munity services and social services. And DC 37 is in its third year without a contract with the City. We need a raise, but we also need to maintain the level of our health premiums and get more

money into our Welfare Fund.We have shown that we are ready to meet these challenges. Members are

energized and ready to mobilize. We will continue to support one another and fight for our rights. We will continue to support Chereece Bell and Damon Adams, as they deal with the injustice and indignity of being on trial for criminally negligent homicide.

So, as the New Year approaches, let us look forward to new successes and over-coming new challenges.

God bless you and God bless the Union.

– Anthony Wells

We have shown that we are ready to meet these challenges.

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Dues Increase Set for January Secretary-Treasurer Joe Nazario has announced that membership dues and agency shop fees will be increased by $0.15 per biweekly paycheck, effective for the first pay period in January 2013 as a result of increases in the minimum dues rate by AFSCME, DC 37 and other affiliate bodies.

SSEU Local 371 is mandated by its constitution to pass along to the member-ship all dues rate increases.

December 2012 | The Unionist 3

here, you live in the same place where they don’t have lights.”

President Wells, flanked by other Union officers and orga-nizers, gave out information for workers, and even got an official from HRA management to speak to them about dealing with leave time during the storm.

One issue all unions around the City are facing after the hur-ricane are the health and safety effects workers are dealing with. Workers here noted that the City had done air testing at the center and that results proved normal, but the Union is committed to doing its own air testing.

SSEU Local 371 members around the City are encouraged to contact the Union if they have any questions or problems regarding their worksite and post-Sandy recovery.

Workers here still have lots of ideas on how things can improve.

“[HRA] could give us cash relief. The same benefits we provide to the public, we now need,” Addison said, noting that many workers have had to spend rent money on groceries, and that relief agencies won’t help them. “The process to get any-thing from FEMA is disgusting.”

Joan Higgins, an A-JOS I worker at the center for 15 years, said that the transporta-tion delays are a safety hazard for people coming home since the daylight hours are shorter now. “They should give us extra hours to leave, because people in Far Rockaway, they were raping young ladies and mug-ging people,” she said. “We should get an extra hour to get home before dark.”

Patricia Saunders, another JOS workers, suggested that the agency provide food to the workers, so they wouldn’t have to worry about getting groceries. “I think we need more support.”

Even as the recovery effort goes forward, clients are still lining up at centers like this to receive assistance.

SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells met with these workers this month to hear their concerns. “If something’s wrong, you’ve got to call us,” he said. “You guys were at home in the dark, with no food. This is crazy. This has been an extraordinary situation and you have done some extraordinary things. Not only do you work

The View From Far rockaway

HRA Workers Are Still Dealing with Sandy Fallout

SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells addressed workers’ concerns this month.

John Addison

Continued from page 1

Joan Higgins

Patricia Saunders


A s this newspaper goes to press, former Child Protective Special-ist Damon Adams was in court, as lawyers continue to attempt

to dismiss charges of negligent homicide against him and his former supervisor, Chereece Bell.

Barring extraordinary action by the judge, who has appeared committed to moving this case forward, these two former SSEU Local 371 members will head into trial in Brooklyn next month. The Union continues to organize members to show solidarity with these two workers who are the victims of wholesale prosecutorial overreach in a tragic case that could have been avoided if the City had heeded the Union’s warnings.

A Shocking CaseIn September 2010, 4-year-old Marchel-

la Pierce, whose case was being handled by ACS, was founded dead in Brooklyn. Her mother, who had been accused of starving her and force feeding her lethal doses of medicine, has been convicted along with the child’s grandmother. It is a case that shocked the citizens of New York City, including the members of this Union, who are committed to overseeing the welfare of children.

SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells: “These two workers are being scapegoated, pure and simple.”

But these ACS workers who were as-signed to her case were charged with negligent homicide, a charge that carries a heavy jail sentence. The reality is, these two workers did not harm this child. They stand accused of not making enough visits to the home, insinuating that if they had the death could have been avoided. Not only is this assertion purely speculative, but the fact is ACS workers in all five bor-oughs are so burdened with hefty caseloads that it is physically impossible for them to make all of their visits in a timely fashion.

What’s more, when the City moved to reduce front line staff in ACS several years ago, the Union made public warn-ings that any reductions—either through layoffs or attrition—in ACS staff will result in the death of children by virtue of the fact that the only way to ensure child welfare is to have enough workers to handle the growing caseloads.

“These two workers are being scape-goated, pure and simple,” said SSEU Lo-cal 371 President Anthony Wells. “The Brooklyn District Attorney is telling all of our hardworking members that they

The Bell/Adams Case Moves Forward

SSEU Local 371 members demonstrated in solidarity with Damon Adams and Chereece Bell outside the Brooklyn DA’s office in April 2011.

have a target on their back, that they can be prosecuted at any time just for doing their jobs.”

He added, “We know who the culprits were in this case: The mother and grand-mother, and justice has been served. It is inconceivable that the District Attorney is motivated to continue to spend its resourc-es on trying to punish individuals who did nothing wrong in this case.”

Showing SolidarityThe Union is encouraging members

to pack the courtroom to send a message to the judge, the media and the District Attorney that the workers stand with these two members. SSEU Local 371 members have in the past shown up in court and demonstrated outside the District Attor-ney’s office.

Please visit the Union’s website, www.sseu371.org, for up-to-the-minute infor-mation on the trial.

“We have to show solidarity with our sister and brother,” Wells said. “We have to show the City that we are united against this kind of overreach by the DA.”

Pat A

rnow


The President’s agenda for Labor

Next month, President Barack Obama will once again take the oath of office, beginning his

second term. Already, we can see that the work of unions including our own to get him re-elected is beginning to pay off.

This month, SSEU Local 371 of-ficers went to Washington DC to meet with other officers of our parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. AFSCME put an incredible amount of resources into this historic election, an effort that included the mobilizing of members to campaign in swing states. Our Union saw first hand how effec-tive our work has been.

Our Voice is HeardAFSCME President Lee Saunders

said at the gathering that he along with three other major American labor lead-ers recently met with President Obama, who listened to them about how to best carve out new policies that will benefit workers and the middle class.

It is clear that this President under-stands our issues and is working cre-

atively with leaders like President Saun-ders on how to advance our agenda.

Among those issues is the privatiza-tion of public services, which not only adversely affects workers like us but the communities these services are meant to assist. In fact, DC 37 has proposed several ideas to combat this, including probing the Federal funds sent to states in order to see how the money is being spent.

In addition, President Obama has made clear that fixing our economy will have to come from increasing rev-enue streams by taxing the 1 percent, instead of cutting the vital programs that protect the nation’s most vulner-able populations.

Further, he spoke out this month against the Republican effort to push through an anti-union “right to work” law in Michigan.

Let us not be fooled: Labor’s voice would have fallen on deaf ears had the wrong person won in this election. Reactionary and notoriously anti-union moneymen such as Sheldon Adelson and the Koch Brothers were pushing a conservative agenda that, if enacted,

would have been devastating to working people and the public at large. And la-bor’s commitment to electing the right person to the White House puts unions like ours in a unique position to make our voices heard at the highest level.

The hard part isn’t over. Just be-cause we helped elect the right person doesn’t mean we don’t have to keep ad-vocating. That means coalition build-ing with other unions and working with our parent union in Washington.

More than that, it means getting members involved in political action. Come to political action meetings at the Union’s headquarters. Stay tuned to what is happening in the news. Speak your mind. And get involved.

Because together we are a mighty, mighty union.

It is clear that this President understands our issues and is working creatively...to advance our agenda.

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WHen We THink of the City’s jails im-ages of burly prison guards and the sounds of rattling keys and slamming cell doors come to mind. But the Department of Correction is also filled with civilian work-ers who advocate for inmates to ensure that their rights are addressed.

SSEU Local 371 member Elma Reeves is one of them.

As a Correctional Standard Review Spe-cialist she receives grievances from inmates at Rikers Island and acts as a liaison to the department’s administration.

“We are here to make sure the department provides the inmates with what they are supposed to get,” she said of the grievance program, which is available in each City jail. “I make a difference in people’s lives because they cannot speak to the administration. I am their voice to the administration.”

In many cases, Reeves is able to improve the situation for the inmates, a job she finds rewarding. In addition, she follows up on each case to make sure that there are “no reprisals on the inmate because they complain.”

Every case is different and unique, she said, noting that this keeps her job inter-esting and provided new challenges to overcome each day. “It’s very detailed,” she said of the process. “It’s not cut and dry.”

Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for thePrescription Drug Benefit Plan of the

Social Service Employees Local 371 Welfare FundAs a covered member of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Welfare Fund (“Fund”), the prescription drug benefits available to you under the Fund’s Plan provide important protection for you and your eligible dependents in the case of ill-ness or injury.

The Welfare Fund’s prescription drug ben-efit is also classified as an essential health benefit, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA,” the nation-al health care law). In addition to your ben-efits booklet, which describes your benefits in detail, PPACA requires the Fund make available a Summary of Benefits and Cover-age (SBC) for the prescription drug benefit

program, which can be obtained on the web at www.sseu371.org/sbc.

The SBC provides information about your benefits under the Fund’s prescription drug plan only. It does not provide information about major medical and/or hospital cov-erage you may have under the City’s basic health plans or any other similar plan.

This SBC follows the standard format tem-plate as set forth by the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), De-partment of Labor and Internal Revenue Service. In general, the SBC contains stan-dard insurance and medical terms, a de-scription of your prescription drug coverage

including cost sharing provisions, coverage limitations, coverage examples, contact in-formation for questions, an internet address for obtaining a list of network providers and an internet address for obtaining a “uniform glossary” (uniform definitions of certain health coverage related terms, specified by the Secretary of HHS).

Be advised however, that the terms of the comprehensive benefits booklet, as may be amended from time to time, govern the terms of the Fund’s prescrip-tion drug plan. In the event of a con-flict between the SBC and the benefits booklet, the terms of the benefits book-let will prevail.

on THe fronT Lines

Advocating for Inmates, from the Inside

Reeves has been in the program since 1995, but came to the Correction Depart-ment in 1983, where after working in an administrative capacity in several offices she moved to the house arrest program.

“We advocated for inmates who did not have severe cases,” she explained. “Instead of having them incarcerated, I advocated on behalf of the department to put them back on the street so they could improve their lives, whether they go back to school or work.”

She said it is gratifying when she sees

former inmates on the street that she knows she has helped in the past.

“They know that I’m speaking for them,” she said.

Reeves is also an active SSEU Local 371 member, serving on the Executive Com-mittee, as a delegate and as the co-chair of the Union’s committee for Civilians in Law Enforcement.

“I know the Union is there supporting us, and we have to support the Union,” she said. “If we don’t support the Union the Union is not viable.”

Elma Reeves handles inmate complaints at Rikers Island.

Dave

San

ders


The Perils of the Field

A s fieldworkers in all City agencies know all too well, fieldwork can be deeply rewarding, but equally

perilous. There are multiple risks. Over the years members have been shot at, robbed, assaulted and, far too often, falsely accused of a multitude of offenses during field visits ranging from theft to sexual misconduct. Because nearly all visits are done by a solo worker, all such allegations create “she said, he said” conflicts that can easily yield criminal prosecution, disciplinary action or both. And on many occasions, members have also been injured and even arrested simply for being on the scene performing their duties when police arrived.

When false accusations are made, there is always the risk of conviction, and always the guarantee that the worker’s life will never be the same. The psychological and emotional trauma is always deep, and often permanent. And the damage to a worker’s reputation can impact promotional opportuni-ties, professional relationships at work, and self-esteem. All too often, workers traumatized by the perils of the field never return to the field. While there is no way to fully eliminate the perils of the field, there are ways to reduce risk, and you can count on powerful Union support where disciplinary charges and/or criminal prosecutions result.

Helpful TipsWhenever in the field, be sure to

identify when you are at risk. Persons requesting favors or special treatment, offering gifts or suggesting schemes should be viewed skeptically and re-ported immediately. In many instances, a worker refusing to entertain or grant an unusual favor or request results in a baseless allegation. The fact that the worker failed to report the unusual interaction is too often viewed by the agency as proof that the allegation has merit. Protect yourself. Unusual interac-tions with clients or collaterals, whether threatening or just odd, should always be reported verbally and in writing and done so as soon as possible. If you feel you may be in danger, call the Union,

your supervisor or 911. And ask for an accompanying worker if you have such concerns before making a visit.

Legal HelpWe have had many workers arrested

on false allegations of fieldwork miscon-duct over the years. The Union provides expert criminal defense counsel in such cases, and we defend such cases vigor-ously. Just this fall, an HRA caseworker withstood a nearly one-month jury trial on false charges ranging from Official Misconduct to Attempted Rape. He faced 15 years in jail, but the jury determined that he was not guilty and acquitted him on all charges. The Union provides our defense lawyers with logistical support in such cases, everything from educating them on agency policies and procedures, data collection, identifying information to subpoena and referring them to helpful consultants and witnesses.

The Union also helps assaulted work-

ers by providing referrals for counseling, physical and psychological therapy and worker’s compensation lawyers. Where workers are suspended and even fired pending the outcome of their cases, we also render legal support by providing landlord tenant attorneys and lawyers to help renegotiate mortgages and stave-off foreclosures. The Union also vigor-ously enforces our contract for workers, securing generous assault leaves and other benefits. We have also mounted publicity campaigns for workers, and worked hard to show massive courtroom support for workers forced to defend wrongful allegations such as the Brook-lyn workers still defending outrageous charges of criminally negligent homi-cide in a child abuse case.

Our work is as serious as it is chal-lenging, as difficult as it is rewarding. Sometimes it comes with the heavy price of false claims of wrongdoing. Whenever and wherever that happens, know that your Union will be there.


Social Service Employees UnionLocal 371817 BroadwayNew York, N.Y. 10003

Periodicals PostagePaid at New York, NY

Union Heroism Recognized

CondolencesCondolences are extended to Barbara Singleton, Caseworker at HRA/HASA in Long Island City, NY on the death of her son, Marcus Conyers, who died Nov. 14. Condolences can be sent to Barbara Singleton, 320 Beach 59th Street, Arverne, NY 11692.

Condolences are extended to Union Associate Secretary-Treasurer Andrea Walters on the death of her uncle, Charles A. Edey, who died Dec. 10. Condolences can be sent to Andrea Walters, SSEU Local 371, 817 Broadway, 14th Fl., New York, NY 10003.

SwaP- Job Opportunity Special-ist at Crotona Job Center #46 in the Bronx would like to swap with Case-worker at Queens Center #53, 43-00 Northern Blvd, Long Island City or Queens FSCC Satellite, 34-00 North-ern Blvd., Long Island City or East River Queens #37, One Honeywell Street, Long Island City. If interested, please call (718) 901-4583.

SwaP- Caseworker at Coney Island Center in Brooklyn would like to swap with Caseworker at HASA Queens, 33-28 Northern Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11101 or HASA Greenwood, 275-285 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, NY or HASA Waverly Unit 8-12, West 14th Street, New York, NY. If interested, please call (516) 451-3872.

BULLETIN BOARDMEMBERS’

The officers and staff would like to wish all SSEU Local 371 members & their families

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

NYCHA Hiring Post Storm

The New York City Housing Authority is hiring 180 temporary workers—Com-munity Assistants and Service Aides—

for six months or for $12,000, which ever comes first for each worker.

The hiring is in response to the needs in NYCHA facilities as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and SSEU Local 371 has learned that through a Federal Department of Labor grant the authority will hire long-term un-employed peopled as well as those displaced by the storm.

The Union is looking into how former SSEU Local 371 members can attain these positions.

“Is it full-time or part-time? What would

the schedules be? These are some of the questions we’re asking,” said Vice President for Negotiations Rose Lovaglio-Miller.

She added the jobs “will involve knocking on doors to see how residents are doing.”

The situation in NYCHA facilities has been particular dire after the hurricane, especially in buildings in low-lying, coastal areas. A New York Times investigation found “that while the agency moved aggressively before the storm to encourage residents to leave, particularly those who were disabled and the needy, both it and the city govern-ment at large were woefully unprepared to help its residents deal with Hurricane Sandy’s lingering aftermath.”

sseu LocaL 371 member Walter Daniels was heralded Nov. 14 when he per-formed CPR on a co-worker at the Waverly HRA Center who had stopped breathing and fell unconscious. His rapid response proved to be a lifesaver.

“Mr. Daniels got there almost immediate-ly and performed CPR,” wrote his supervi-

sor, Annette Scott. “At about one minute after, the worker began showing signs of breathing. This quick action may have saved our co-workers life.”

She continued, “I strongly believe Mr. Walter Daniels deserves to be recognized by this agency and by the Union for an action not even words describe.”

Documents

The Unionist December 2012