The Unionist February 2014

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Volume 44 Number 2February 2014

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

Honoring EnsleyTHE NEW UNION SCHOLARSHIP FUND STARTS WITH A BANG

(story pages 4-5)


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February 2014 | The Unionist 3

UNION OFFICIALSmet with new ACSCommissioner Gladys Carrin this month,and they are happy to report that the twosides are working together to address criti-cal issues in the agency.

This commissioner is listening and

ready to work with us on creating changein ACS, said President Anthony Wells.

The meeting came after some mediaoutlets have jumped at the chance to blameACS workers in the tragic death of MylesDobson. In a stinging rebuke to a Chiefeditorial, Wells responded by saying, ACSworkers make decisions that affect the livesof children and families for a lifetime. Theycarry caseloads, make visits in every imagin-able condition and are required to completeinordinate amounts of paperwork. Still they

do great work saving the lives of childrenand preventing child abuse.

He added, Clearly, there can be sys-

temic changes such as law enforcementdoing child abuse checks and notifyingthe agency if someone arrested has anACS caseThere is also a need to lookat staffing and case practices. In the end,this should not be a blame game but an

opportunity to strengthen the system andprovide protections to prevent the abuseand deaths of children.

Going Forward with ACS15-Day Election NoticeOfficial 15-day notice is hereby given

that the membership meeting on

Monday, March 17, 2014 will hold the

following nominations and/or elections.

The meeting will be at 235 West 23rd

Street, Manhattan, at 6:30 p.m.

Nomination of candidates for the Union

positions of President, Executive Vice

President, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice

President for Research and Negotiations,

Vice President for Organization and

Education, Vice President for Grievances

and Legal Services, Vice President for

Publicity and Community Relations, Vice

President for Legislative and Political

Action and three (3) Trustees of the Local.

Nomination of candidates for three (3)

positions of Trustee of the Welfare and

Education Funds for the two-year term

commencing in 2014.

Nomination of candidates for the

nineteen (19) positions of Delegate to the

District Council 37 Delegates Council.

Nomination of candidates for nine (9)

positions of Delegate to the Central

Labor Council.

Nomination of candidates for nineteen

(19) positions of Delegate and twenty

(20) positions of Alternate Delegate to

the AFSCME convention.

Elections for all contested positions will be

held by mail ballot referendum in April 2014.

Official 15-DayElection Notice

Official 15-Day notice is hereby given for

the nomination and election of two (2)

delegates and four (4) alternates for the

Citywide delegation from the Department

of Transportation (DOT). The Election will

take place on Monday, March 10, 2014

at 6:30 p.m. in the Union Office, 817

Broadway, 12th Floor, Manhattan.

Attention Recent SSEU Local 371 GraduatesSSEU Local 371s Celebration of Social Work Month will take place on Friday, March 28, 2014 atDC 37 with an evening of music, food, speakers, and recognition of the Unions social workers.

This event honors those Union members who have graduated from social work school inthe past year, said Executive Vice President Yolanda Pumarejo, the coordinator of the eventand chairperson of the Unions Committee of Concerned Social Workers. We expect to havea great time this year, as always. All Local 371 members, family and friends are invited to

attend the celebration, which will begin with a free buffet dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.The program will follow, and is expected to end by 9:00 p.m.

Attention Recent SSEU Local 371 Graduates:

Please fill out the coupon below if you have graduated from social work school in the last twoyears, June 2012 or 2013, August 2012 or 2013, January 2013 or will graduate in January 2014,so that your name can be listed in the commemorative journal ad.

Hundreds of Union members who received their MSWs have been honored at this eventover the years.

Please return to Yolanda Pumarejo, CCSW, SSEU Local 371, 817 Broadway, NY, NY 10003

I received my MSW in q June 2012 q June 2013 q August 2012 qAugust 2013q January 2013 q January 2014

SCHOOL ___________________________________________________________ DATE OF GRADUATION ____________

NAME _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________________________________ APT. _______

CITY _________________________________________________________ STATE ________________ ZIP ______________

WORK TEL. _________________________________________ HOME TEL. ________________________________________

S.S. # _________________________________________________ CIVIL SERVICE TITLE _____________________________

JOB FUNCTION ___________________________________________________________________________________________


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It wasnt just the factthat 700 peopleUnion members,politicians, retirees

and labor leaderswere inthe audience. It wasnt justthat people gave emotionalspeeches and participated inlive and silent auctions.

The takeaway from the firstfundraiser for the CharlesEnsley Scholarship at Russoson the Bay in Queens Jan. 23was that our Union is unitedand dedicated to the missionof honoring its great leader byproviding educational oppor-tunities for members and theirfamilies.

A Legacy

The dinner, attended bynearly 700 people, was meantto honor the heroic legacy ofCharles Ensley, who led SSEU

Local 371 for two decades andbecame one of the Citys mostmilitant and charismatic laborleaders, and remains a spiritu-ally guiding presence in theUnion today. His memory washonored with speeches by laboractivists who worked with himand learned from him.

Ticket sales to the event andthe proceeds from the silentand live auctionswhich fea-tured items from Ensleys vastart and music collectionswill go into the fund that willcreate scholarships for mem-bers seeking higher degreesin labor studies, policy studiesand other related fields.

Ensleys vision of the labormovement was unique. He ledthe Union to fight not just forfair pay and working conditions,but to advocate for civil and hu-man rights outside the worksite.Ensley put his target not just oncommissioners and mayors butalso on corrupt and complacentlabor leaders who werent work-ing on the behalf of members.He put this philosophy to work

when he led the charge to re-form District Council 37.

He believed strongly in

education and self-betterment,Union President AnthonyWells said of Ensley, who heconsidered his mentor, after theevent. It is clear that the way to

properly honor Charless legacyis to put his name atop of a per-manent fund that will allow ourmembers to get educated andbecome even better warriors forsocial justice.

A Union United

Wells said, This marksthe beginning of a series ofevents that are going to fuelthis scholarship fund but alsobring the membership togetheraround our beloved, formerleader, Charles Ensley.

Ensley became president ofSSEU Local 371 in 1982. Hedied in June 2010 at the ageof 69.

Wells added, Events likethese create a bond betweenmembers and the rest of thecommunity, and by honoringEnsley we can appreciate and re-member where we came from.

THE CHARLES ENSLEY SCHOLARSHIP

Preserving the Past

People took part in both the live and silent auctions.

Annette Ensley, wife of Charles Ensley.

The Union is committed not only to Ensley's legacy but to the future of the scholarship fun


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Building the Future

People heard from several inspiring speakers.

A good time was had by all.e, President Anthony Wells told the crowd.

Photospages4&5:PatArnow


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SSEU LOCAL 371members and theirfamilies were left in awe Feb. 7 when theUnion put on a Black Heritage Celebra-tion that combined inspiration perfor-

mances with a speech by a rising African-American star in the Democratic Party.In this years program, the first since

DC 37s headquarters reopened last year,featured a dance performance by girlsfrom P.S. 54 and a musical and theatricalperformance by the Conscious Ones, whorecreated the injustices committed againstthe African Diaspora and celebrated thestruggle for justice and equality.

Meet Sen. Turner

Punctuating the event was a rous-ing speech by Ohio State Senator NinaTurner, who looked back on the strugglesof the Civil Rights Movement and the par-allels between those times and the current

Black Heritage Celebrationright-wing assault on unions, voting rightsand the middle and working classes.

This Union was founded on the CivilRights Movement, she said, invoking

how Republicans today are waging a waron communities of color and the poor byattacking welfare benefits and workersrights. We are having a remix of 1965right now in 2014.

The hollers of support from membersand the partying afterwards was aninspiring moment, President AnthonyWells noted. These events are impor-

tant. We have to embrace all of ourcultures and our pasts in order to builda better and more just future, he said.Im looking forward to more events likethis one.

AllphotosBlackHeritage:JamesMcCray,Hy-SyncMedia

Clockwise from above: Dancers from P.S. 54, the

Conscious Ones, and the members of the Union's Black

Heritage Committee.


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State Senator Nina Turner (D-Ohio), above, spoke about

why the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s matters

today. Top right: the Homemakers gathered at this

year's event. Bottom right: Union members, active and

retired, packed the hall.

SSEU LOCAL 371members at HRAshould pay close attention to the SocialWork Graduate Field Placement TrainingProgram, as it is going to be mandatoryfor some titles. Dont worry: The Unionand the agency are making it easy formembers to get their education.

The program, which offers financialassistance to those getting their Mastersof Social Work, offers preparatorycourses for those seeking their license,which this year is now a requirement topractice social work in the state. Theprogram offers a seminar in field in-struction (SIFI), a requirement for thoseseeking field instruction titles.

HRA consultant Peter Avitabile, whostarted the program in 2009, says the bigadvantage of the program is that memberscan take courses during their normal workhours, so they dont have to sacrifice nightsor weekends.

This impacts supervisors and field

instructors because they must be licensedand have the certification, he said. Thisis a new twist.

Monique Bryce, a Union member andJOS worker based in the Bronx, is study-ing at Hunter College through the pro-gram, with an additional $500 in supportfrom the Unions Education Fund. Thescholarship program is absolutely impor-tant, she said. The program will help

you excel and get an understanding of thework that has to be done.

She added, You never stop learning.The people we work with, we learn fromthe most.

Melissa Roman, an HRA Social Workerwho received her MSW from HunterCollege in 2012, said that she embarked onthe program when she was a Caseworker,knowing that she needed to return toschool to advance her career.

I would recommend going. Its a great

learning experience, she said. The field

An Educational Venture for Social Workers

Its a MustLiterally

placement was a great learning experience.You were able to incorporate what yourelearning with what youre doing in thefield.

Avitabile said that the program hasalready seen 50 people come out with theirMSWs, but he emphasized that it will beof great importance to the future of HRAfor younger workers to take advantage ofthis educational avenue.

To find out more about the program, callPeter Avitabile at (929) 221-5582 or email

him at [email protected].

Monique Bryce: 'You never stop learning.'

PatArnow


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8 The Unionist | February 20148 The Unionist | February 2014

Social Service Employees Union

Local 371

817 Broadway

New York, N.Y. 10003

Periodicals Postage

Paid at New York, NY

BULLETIN BOARDMEMBERS

Condolences

SWAP-Hospital Care Investigator at

234 East 149th Street in the Bronx

would like to swap with a Hospital

Care Investigator at Jacobi Hospital. If

interested, call (718) 790-0157.

SWAP-Community Associate at

25 Chapel Street in Brooklyn would

like swap with a Community Associate

in Long Island City Queens. If inter-

ested, call (718) 777-2195 or(718) 473-8303.

Condolencesare extended to Anthony

Sweeney, Delegate, Executive Committee

member, Chapter Chairperson and

Caseworker at Queens CASA, on the death

of his brother, Daniel V. Sweeney, who

died Feb. 4. Condolences may be sent toAnthony Sweeney, 319 East 24th Street,

#23-B, New York, NY 10010.

Condolencesare extended to Cassandra

Young, Delegate and Sup I from HRA/HASA,

on the death of her mother, Dorothy J.

DeVouse, who died in January.

Condolencesare extended to Carlos

Pages, Delegate and Caseworker from

HRA/HASA Waverly Center, on the death

of his mother, Serafina Pages, who died

in January. Condolences may be sent toCarlos Pages, 2705 Schley Avenue, #3H

Bronx, NY 10465.

CongratulationsCongratulations to SSEU Local 371

member Virginia Carter on her retirement

after 54 years of service with HRA.

T

he AFSCME Judicial Panel issued adecision last month in regards to the

case of Lloyd Permaul, vice presidentof grievances and legal services, holding thathe had violated the AFSCME constitutionwhen he falsified City timesheets.

With regard to charges 1-6, BrotherLloyd Permaul is found guilty of violatingArticle X, Section 2(G) (willful violationof a collective bargaining agreement), Ju-dicial Panel Chairperson Richard Abelsonsaid in his decision. The penalty assessedis a written reprimand and an express ordernot to repeat such violation in the future.

He continued, With regard to charge 7 (thefirst allegation only), Brother Permaul is found

guilty of violating Article X, Section 2 (F). Thepenalty assessed is a written reprimand and anexpress order to comply with the policy andnot to repeat such violation in the future.

Finding Closure

Mr. Permaul was reinstated to his position.The AFSCME decision brings a close

to this unfortunate episode in our Unionshistory, said President Anthony Wells.The integrity of the Union is vital and willalways be protected.

Decision in the Lloyd Permaul Case

CCSW Celebration, March 28

The NYCHA Youth Chorus.

The Committee for Concerned SocialWorkers is looking forward to honoringMSW graduates from 2012 and 2013

at this years celebration. And the committeechairperson and SSEU Local 371 ExecutiveVice President Yolanda Pumarejo is proud toannounce that the NYCHA Youth Choruswill perform as this years entertainment.

The Youth Chorus describes itself as

dedicated to excellence in its performancesand has a long and distinguished list to itscredit. Some of these include: the legend-ary Apollo Theater, Avery Fisher Hall andDisneys Epcot Center, the Official Chorusat the New York City 2000 MillenniumCelebration, Radio City Music Hall (withSir Elton John) and the International WorldHarmony Run at the United Nations,Mayoral Interfaith and Martin Luther King,Jr. Breakfasts, and celebrations for the WorldChampion New York Yankees at City Hall.

In addition, the NYCHA Youth Chorus

has come to be known as the Good Will

Ambassadors for the New York City Hous-ing Authority, instilling a healthy senseof pride and accomplishment in each andevery one of its members.

The event will be held Friday, March 28at DC 37. All SSEU Local 371 members,family and friends are invited to attend thiscelebration, which will begin with a free buf-fet dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please

come out and enjoy a fun-filled ceremony.

Delegate Training

The Union is hosting a Delegate Train-

ing Saturday, March 1 from 9:00 a.m. to

5:00 p.m. at DC 37, 125 Barclay Street,

Manhattan.

The training will be focused for Delegates

and Alternates with less than five yearsexperience but all Delegates and Alter-

nates are welcome to attend.

Documents

The Unionist February 2014