The Unionist May 2012

7/31/2019 The Unionist May 2012

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In an unprecedented collaborationbetween labor and the Bloomberg

administration, more than 100 Unionmembers joined City ofcials includingDeputy Mayor Linda Gibbs at City HallApril 23 to fght or the rights o socialservice workers to be sae in their workenvironments and avoid uture assaults.Workers spoke, and the media listened.

SSEU Local 371 successully advancedanother step toward getting the AssaultBill passed as a New York State law at thewell-attended news conerence and rally.

The bill, i passed, would make it a elonyto assault a social service worker, bringingSSEU Local 371 members in line with tra-fc enorcement agents and transit workers.

Union ofcials, rank-and-fle members,agency commissioners and members o theState Senate and Assembly acknowledgedthe importance o protecting social service

workers, who are among the most vulnerablepublic employees. They noted that the Ad-ministration or Childrens Services, the De-

partment o Homeless Services and HumanResources Administration are essential assetsto social services provided to amilies in need.

They enter hostile environments every day todeend victims, keep them rom harms wayand create productive solutions or amilies.

SSEU Local 371 President AnthonyWells told a crowd o reporters inside CityHall, Were not seeking to criminalize ourclients, rather we want to ensure that our

Volume 42 Number 5

May 2012

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

Annual Union Audit Stopping Layoffs at ACS Discharge: Not So Bad? Pages 4-6 Page 6 Page 7

The Time is Now!Elected Ofcials and Union Join Forces or Assault Bill

Member Erica Pagan-Foy speaks to the press about being assaulted on the job. She is joined by Union members,

elected ofcials and labor leaders.

Continued on page 8

P a t A r n o w


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Ma 2012 | Th Uiist 3

When Eduardo Sanchez was a clerkat the Bank o New York, he knewsomething was missing. Sure, he

was making good money, but he knew

he wanted the benefts and security o aunionized, civil service career. Besides,he wanted to serve the public. I alwayswanted to work or the City, he said.

Nine years ago, he joined the HumanResources Administration as a Job Oppor-tunity Specialist in Bushwick, Brooklyn,where he still works today. An immigrantrom the Dominican Republic, people likeSanchez were in demand, because the Cityneeded Spanish-speaking social serviceworkers.

A Au th Jb

In the decade Sanchez has been on thejob, he has worked in all aspects o the jobcenter. Currently, he works in an adminis-trative position, but he wants to return toace-to-ace work. Working with clientsis a little more eective, because you canunderstand where theyre coming rom,he said. The goal o the agency is to getthem to break barriers.

Hes also doing his job completely on hisown, as he used to have the support o a

second co-worker. I dont need supervi-sion because I know the work, he said.

Sanchez hopes that his mastery o theposition will soon elevate him to a supervi-sory position. Its not a challenge or me,he said. Im ready or the next step.

On the FrOnt Lines

Jb Assista Is His Jba Passi

For SSEU Local 371, the situationin the job centers has been dire, as theeconomic downturn has caused over-crowding and an overburdening o themembership.

Unortunately, we dont have enoughworkers, Sanchez said. It is tough, butright now with this economy the job has to

be done, no matter what.

Ati i Ui

Sanchez has been a Delegate or fveyears, and is active in helping the Unionpass the Assault Bill, which would make

assaulting social service workers a elonyoense. Three o my workers were as-saulted at my location, he said. We needprotection. Were not asking or much.Were just asking or protection.

In addition, Sanchez is active in many othe local and DC 37 heritage committees.

When asked how he can work a ull-

time job, be a Union Delegate andparticipate in so many Union commit-tees, he responded, You have to manage.I like to be busy. I like to be involved ineverything. I like to hear things rom thehorses mouth.

Eduardo Sanchez: His job is fnding work or the jobless.

PatArnow

MeMbers roM sseU Lcal 371 jind th thuand

unin mm, immigatin ight activit, occupy

Wall stt uppt and th in Unin squaMay 1 t cmmmat Intnatinal Wk Day.

SSEU Local 371 and May Day

Ph

otos:PatArnow


4/8

4 Th Uiist | Ma 2012

STATeMenTS o cASH lowSyeArS ended JUne 30, 2011 And 2010

2012 Ui AuitGoUld, KoBrIcK & ScHlAPP, P.c., CerTIIeD PUbLIC ACCoUNTANTs

empi stat building, 350 ith Avnu, Nw Yk, N.Y. 10118-4309

T th oc and excutiv bad

scial svic emply Unin Lcal 371,

Amican datin stat, Cunty

and Municipal emply, AL-CIo

IndePendenT AUdITorS rePorT

W hav auditd th accmpanying tatmnt nancial pitin th scial svic emply Unin

Lcal 371, Amican datin stat, Cunty and Municipal emply, AL-CIo a Jun 30, 2011

and 2010, and th latd tatmnt activiti and cah fw th ya thn ndd. Th nancial

tatmnt a th pniility th Unin managmnt. ou pniility i t xp an pinin n

th nancial tatmnt ad n u audit.

W cnductd u audit in accdanc with auditing tandad gnally accptd in th Unitd stat

Amica. Th tandad qui that w plan and pm th audit t tain anal auanc aut

whth th nancial tatmnt a matial mitatmnt. An audit includ cnidatin intnal cntl v nancial pting a a ai digning audit pcdu that a apppiat

in th cicumtanc, ut nt th pup xping an pinin n th ctivn th

Unin intnal cntl v nancial pting. Accdingly, w xp n uch pinin. An audit

includ xamining, n a tt ai, vidnc uppting th amunt and diclu in th nancial

tatmnt. An audit al includ aing th accunting pincipl ud and ignicant timat mad

y managmnt, a wll a valuating th vall nancial tatmnt pntatin. W liv that u audi t

pvid a anal ai u pinin.

In u pinin, th nancial tatmnt d t av pnt aily, in all matial pct, th nancial

pitin th scial svic emply Unin Lcal 371 AsCMe, AL-CIo a Jun 30, 2011 and 2010,

and th chang in it nt at and it cah fw th ya thn ndd in cnmity with accunting

pincipl gnally accptd in th Unitd stat Amica.

Nw Yk, NY

Mach 5, 2012

STATeMenTS o InAncIAl PoSITIonJUne 30, 2011 And 2010

STATeMenTS o AcTIvITIeSyeArS ended JUne 30, 2011 And 2010


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noTeS To InAncIAl STATeMenTSJUne 30, 2011 And 2010

noTe 1 GenerAl

ogaizati: Th scial svic emply Unin Lcal 371 AsCMe, AL-CIo (th Unin) i a

a unin cmpid mply th City Nw Yk in cial vic and th titl.

Th jctiv th Unin a th attainmnt and maintnanc ai wag at and hu and

pp wking cnditin it mm.

Th Unin i a chatd lcal th Amican datin stat, Cunty and Municipal emply

ntnatinal Unin, AL-CIo (A..s.C.M.e.) and i aliatd with Ditict Cuncil Num 37, A..s.C.M.e.,

h Nw Yk City Cntal La Cuncil and th Nw Yk stat oganizatin th AL-CIo.

Th nancial cd th Unin includ th Lgal Aitanc Cmmitt, catd t duc th

udn lgal and xpn incud y th Unin th dn mm aiing ut ,

lating t th pmanc thi duti a mply.

Tax Status: Th Unin i xmpt m dal incm tax und sctin 501(c)(5) th Intnal

rvnu Cd (IrC) und th Intnatinal Unin (AsCMe) gup xmptin.

noTe 2 SUMMAry o SIGnIIcAnT AccoUnTInG PolIcIeS

bai Accunting: Th nancial tatmnt a ppad n th accual ai accunting.

bai Pntatin: Th nancial tatmnt pntatin cmpli with Asb AsC Tpic 958,

inancial statmnt Nt--Pt oganizatin. Und Tpic 958, th Unin i quid t pt

nmatin gading it nancial pitin and activiti accding t th cla nt at:

untictd nt at, tmpaily tictd nt at, and pmanntly tictd nt at.

ixd At and Dpciatin: unitu, quipmnt and impvmnt a tatd at ct l dpciatin

accumulatd inc acquiitin and d nt pupt t pnt placmnt alizal valu. All ata dpciatd v timatd uul liv uing th taight-lin mthd. expnditu nmal pai

quipmnt a chagd t cunt patin. All th xpnditu xd at a capitalizd.

Cah and equivalnt: pup th tatmnt cah fw, cah i cnidd t all ptty

cah, chcking and mny makt accunt, paticipatin cticat and cticat dpit with iginal

matuiti n ya l.

U etimat: Th ppaatin nancial tatmnt in cnmity wi th accunting pincipl gnally

accptd in th Unitd stat Amica qui managmnt t mak timat and aumptin that

may act th ptd amunt at and liailiti, diclu cntingnt at and liailiti at th

dat th nancial tatmnt, and th ptd amunt vnu and xpn duing th pting

pid. Actual ult culd di m th timat.

Cminatin: Th accmpanying nancial tatmnt includ th accunt th Unin and th Lgal

Aitanc Cmmitt. All inta-ganizatin tanactin hav n liminatd in th cminatin.

noTe 3 concenTrATIon o credIT rISK

inancial intumnt that ujct th Unin t cncntatin cdit ik a cah in ank accunt.

Th Unin maintain accunt at high quality nancial intitutin. Whil th Unin attmpt t limit anynancial xpu, it cah dpit alanc may, at tim, xcd dally inud limit.

noTe 4 IXed ASSeTS

noTe 5 leASe coMMITMenTS

Th Unin i ligatd und val pating la c aciliti. Th la all xpi nMay 31, 2018 and includ calatin adjutmnt ppty tax and pating xpn ad

n th 2010/2011 a ya. rnt xpn imumnt y th und ( Nt 6) w

$605,040 (2011) and $605,040 (2010).

Th llwing a th Unin utu minimum la ligatin und th la at Jun 30, 2011

nt including calatin):

Th Unin ha a u-la agmnt with th scial svic emply Unin Lcal 371

Adminitativ und (a latd ganizatin) why th und will imu th Unin it p ata

ha c aciliti and th xpn. rimumnt w $334,789 (2011) and $334,789

(2010). Th llwing i a chdul th timatd utu minimum ntal incm und thi u-la

agmnt:

noTe 6 relATed PArTy TrAnSAcTIonS

Th Unin and th scial svic emply Unin Lcal 371 bnt und (th und) ha

c aciliti ( Nt 5), pnnl and th vhad xpn. Th xpn a allcatd

ad n timatd tim and pac uag.

Th Unin civ a at $69,179 p mnth m Ditict Cuncil 37 ( Nt 1) a a

imumnt p capita attiutal t vic pvidd t th aliatd lcal ut nt

quid ud y th Unin (uch a lgal , givanc pntatin, tc.).

noTe 7 AccrUed PAyroll PAyABle

Th Unin accu unud ick pay and annual lav ta and clical mply. Th liailityi cmputd ad n th num day accumulatd and unud at wag at in ct at ach

ya-nd. N pviin ha n mad any pil inca aiing m cntactual inca in

alai uqunt t th alanc ht dat.

noTe 8 GenerAl And AdMInISTrATIve eXPenSeS

noTe 9 orGAnIZInG And oPerATInG eXPenSeS

Continued on page 6


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noTe 9 orGAnIZInG And oPerATInG eXPenSeS, conT.

Dlgatin and Cnnc:

noTe 10 leGAl ASSISTAnce coMMITTee

noTe 11 PenSIon And SeverAnce

Th scial svic emply Unin Lcal 371 und sta Pnin Plan (a dnd cntiutin

pt haing plan) cv th Unin ligil clical mply. Cntiutin t th Plan th

ya ndd Jun 30, 2011 and 2010 w $52,838 and $64,825 pctivly.

Th Nw Yk City emply rtimnt sytm NYCers (a dnd nt timnt plan)

cv th Unin ligil pinal mply. Cntiutin t th Plan th ya ndd Jun

30, 2011 and 2010 w $122,099 and $373,464 (includd paymnt pi ya), pctivly.

eligil Unin clical mply a additinally cvd y a cllctiv againing agmnt with

Lcal 153. Und th tm thi agmnt th Plan mak cntiutin t th Lcal 153 Halth

and Pnin Plan n hal cvd mply. Pnin plan xpn th ya nding Jun30, 2011 and 2010 w $6,552 and $6,534, pctivly.

Continued rom page 5

2012 Ui Auit

MIHAIl AKoPdJAnov:

Makig th la 21st ctu

Mihail Akopdjanov joined SSEULocal 371 this spring as the newweb developer and all-around

computer guru at Union headquarters.He brings with him more than sevenyears o experience in IT, network ad-ministration, web development, com-puter systems assembly, and network andsystems troubleshooting.

Beore coming to the Union, Akopd-janov worked with such companies and or-ganizations like United States Agency or

International Development, United Na-tions Organization, United States Embassyin Uzbekistan, and the Soros Foundation.

So ar, Akopdjanov has been integralto developing a strategy or the Unionssocial media outreach and or advancingits use o Internet technology.

It has been a pleasure applying myknowledge here at the Union so ar, hesaid. I look orward to expanding theUnions web presence and updating itselectronic capabilities.

Still Fighting Layoffsat ACSMayor Michael Bloomberg announced his budget

this month, and sadly it still contains a plan to lay

o 26 o our hardworking members at the Admin-

istration or Childrens Services. But this fght is ar

rom over.

The Union has been meeting with key City CouncilMembers to ensure that the fnal budget agreement

reached this summer will not have one layo in

this agency, whose ront-line workorce is already

stretched too thin.

Many o these lawmakers know the importance o

having as many trained proessionals in child wel-

are as we possibly can, Union President Anthony

Wells said. The Union remains optimistic.

AriP

aul

ofia 15-da eti ntis

Ofcial 15-day notice is hereby given or the nomi-

nation and election o six (6) delegates and twelve(12) alternate delegates or the citywide delegation

rom the Health Department on Thursday, June

28, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. at the Union ofce, 817

Broadway, 15th Floor, Manhattan.

Ofcial 15-day notice is hereby given or the

nomination o eight (8) delegates and sixteen (16)

alternates or the citywide delegation rom the New

York City Housing Authority on Tuesday, June 26,

2012 rom 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Union

ofce, 817 Broadway, 12th Floor, Manhattan. This

also serves as a 15-day notice o the election o

eight (8) delegates and sixteen (16) alternates

Tuesday, July 10, 2012 rom 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

at the Union Ofce, 12th Floor, Manhattan.


7/8


Smtims dishag Is th Bst Mii

Members on medi-cal leave shouldthink twice

beore resigning; it maybe in your best interestto be discharged in-stead. Members tend toresign ater receiving aletter rom their agencywarning them that,

unless they return rom medical leave,they will be terminated under Section73 o the Civil Service Law. Withoutproperly explaining the law, the agencyletter also invites the member to re-sign. In most circumstances, membersresign not because they no longer wishto return to City service, but out oconcern that they may be fred becausethey are still too sick or injured toresume their job duties. Fearing thetaint o a discharge upon their record,many workers aced with this situationsimply give up and submit a resignationorm. They are unaware that resigningor medical reasons is worse than beingfred because the resignation waivestheir right to uture reinstatement, a

hidden gem under Civil Service LawSection 73.

n Stigma

This provision empow-ers the City to dischargea worker who has been ona medical leave of absence for ayear or more. However, becausethe discharge is not for miscon-duct, such as when disciplinaryaction is initiated under Section 75, aSection 73 discharge is merely due tobeing medically disabled from work-ing for more than one year. It has noother meaning or stigma. It is notevidence of permanent disability orof any misconduct. And quite unlikea disciplinary discharge, a Section73 discharge entitles an employee toreinstatement when a medical condi-tion ceases to prevent him or her fromworking, so long as the employeeadheres to certain procedures.

Section 73 has a two-old purpose.On the one hand, it enables an agencyto ree up the civil service positionoccupied by a medically unavailableemployee so that the work can beperormed by another qualifed civilservant. However, it can only replacethat employee whenhe or she has beenunavailable to workbecause o a medicalcondition or morethan a year. On theother hand, thelaw seeks to bal-ance an agencysneed to maintainadequate stafng

with

the civilservants need

or job security when amedical condition may prevent him

or her rom working. So, even whenemployees are terminated under Sec-tion 73 or medical reasons, they retaina right to reinstatement. Once theirmedical condition improves to enablethem to work again even i it is yearsater the Section 73 discharge thenthe job lost can be reclaimed.

For employees who have already beendischarged pursuant to Section 73, itis important to know how to apply orreinstatement. First, the employeesdoctor must determine that he or sheis ft to return to work, and once the

doctor has done so, the employee hasup to a year to apply or reinstatement.Reinstatement applications must besubmitted to the Department o City-wide Administrative Services (DCAS),not to the agency where the employeepreviously worked, because only DCAScan consider Section 73 reinstatementapplications (applications can be down-loaded at www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/html/resources/resources_old.shtml).

Th Pss Aha

A certifcation rom theemployees physician that heor she is ft to return to workmust accompany the reinstate-ment application. DCAS will

then schedule a ftness to workexamination with a City-appointed physician, and theemployee must attend. I the

City-appointed doctor agreesthat the employee is ft to return to

work, then the employee must be rein-stated to either the same civil serviceposition or to a lesser title i there areno vacancies in the original position.

The Union urges members on long-term medical leaves not to resign romtheir jobs, even i they think they willnever be able to return to work. Youshould preserve your options and yourright to return i able. I your agencysends you a Section 73 letter or youhave any other concerns about howyour medical leave may impact youremployment status, please contactGrievances and Legal Services orassistance.

Lloyd Permaul, VP of Grievances

and Legal Services

And quite unlike a disciplinary discharge, a

Section 73 discharge entitles an employee toreinstatement when a medical condition ceases

to prevent him or her rom working, so long as

the employee adheres to certain procedures.


8/8

members return home in the same condition

that they let.Our members know all too well how

dangerous this job can be. Last year, 61employees at three dierent City agencieswere assaulted on the job, a huge jump romthe 29 reported incidents in 2009, and a 10percent increase since 2010, according toDeputy Mayor Gibbs, who supports the bill.

The bill (S641-B/A 4672-B) is sponsored bySenator Martin Golden and strongly supportedby Senator Diane Savino, a ormer Adminis-tration or Child Services worker and SSEULocal 371 vice president. She noted that eventhough child welare has changed drasticallysince she joined civil service 22 years ago, thedangers acing social service workers have notsubsided. With the wave o violence against

workers on the job, Senator Savino said, thetime was right or the bills enactment.

Sat oba

The Senate passed the bill in February andcurrently awaits approval rom the Assembly.Assembly Member Peter Rivera told report-ers that he was working hard to convince his

colleagues to switly approve the measure,and he was confdent that enough memberscould be persuaded. Senator Savino said themeasure was common sense. Such protec-tion should be extended to our social serviceemployees, she said.

Deputy Mayor Gibbs said, It is time thatwe showed our respect or their commit-ment by recognizing an assault on them asno less than an assault on a uniormed andarmed employee.

Homeless Services Commissioner SethDiamond added, Our rontline staers haveextremely tough jobs, each day providing


Social Service Employees Union

Local 371

817 Broadway

New York, N.Y. 10003

Periodicals Postage

Paid at New York, NY

The Time Is Now!

condolenes are extended to Priscilla Paxton on

the death of her daughter, Ayanah Monet Paxton,

April 30. Condolences may be sent to Priscilla

Paxton, 250 Livingston Street, Fourth Floor, Brook-

lyn, NY 11201.

condolenes are extended to Clara Bassy on the

death of her sister last month. Condolences may

be sent to Clara Bassy, 250 Livingston Street,

Sixth Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

condolenes are extended to Executive Commit-

tee Member Sylvia Quinones on the death of her

mother, Anna Quinones. Condolences may be sent

to Sylvia Quinones, 645 Prospect Ave., Apt. #106,

Bronx, NY 10455.

Condolences

Continued rom page 1 homeless amilies and individuals with thehighest level o service in shelter. They put

their hearts into their work. He continued,It is essential that our employees eel saein the workplace and have legal protectionsagainst violence by clients.

Many members o the Senate and theState Assembly are in accordance withSSEU Local 371. I am proud to havesponsored this legislation that will rightlyprotect social service workers and juveniledetention agency employees, said SenatorMartin Golden, who urges his colleagues inthe State Assembly to approve the bill.

The City Hall demonstration, which wascovered by multiple broadcast news outlets,was only one part o a general spring-timelobbying push by SSEU Local 371 to notonly pass the Assault Bill but quash the Gov-ernors Medicaid Redesign Teams plan toeliminate the CASA program. The devastat-ing move could result in the termination o700 o our members and put thousands osenior citizens currently receiving in-homecare in nursing homes.

In addition to writing letters to AssemblyMembers and Assembly Speaker Sheldon

Silver, Union ofcials descended on Al-bany May 1 to lobby lawmakers. AssemblyMember Rivera held a press conerence inthe aternoon once again demonstrating hissupport or SSEU Local 371.

This support rom members o bothhouses, rom the deputy mayor and romthe commissioners or the SSEU Local371 agenda really shows how powerulrank-and-fle political mobilization is, saidMichelle Akyempong, the Unions VicePresident o Political Action. We haveproven, once again, that we are a mighty,mighty union.

SWAP- SUP I at Long Term Home Health Care

Program at 30 Rockwell Place in Brooklyn would

like to swap to a Sup I non-feld position in Lower

Manhattan or Midtown Manhattan. I interested,

call (718) 330-2293.

SWAP- JOS at (Center 17) 132 West 125th Street

in Manhattan would like to swap with JOS at (Center

47) 275 Bergen Street, Brooklyn. I interested, call

(917) 306-2030.

SWAP- Caseworker at HHC at 3424 Kossuth

Avenue in the Bronx would like to swap with

Caseworker in Manhattan or Brooklyn. I interested,

call (718) 642-7451.

SWAP- Community Assistant at 78 Catherine

Street would like to swap with Community Assistant

at 300 Skillman Avenue, Brooklyn. I interested, call(212) 877-4434.

SWAP-AJOS at (Center 67) 45 Hoyt Street, Brooklynwould like to swap with AJOS at (Center 54) 165-08

88th Street, Jamaica, Queens. If interested, contact

(347) 995-6127.

SWAP- Caseworker at OCSE in Manhattan would

like to swap with Field Caseworker in HASA in

Brooklyn or any non-feld position in Brooklyn or

Manhattan. I interested, call (917) 723-0956.

SWAP- Caseworker at HASA in Manhattan

Homemaking Unit non-feld position. Would like

to swap with Caseworker in Queens. I interested,

contact (212) 620-9817.

SWAP- AJOS worker at (Center 99) in Rich-

mond, Staten Island would like to swap sites to

109 East 16th Street, Manhattan. I interested,

contact (347) 398-4891.

SWAP- Caseworker at HASA Queensboro Ofce

located at 33-28 Northern Blvd, Queens, would like

to swap to HASA/Greenwood or HASA/ Brownsville.

I interested, call (917) 226-5931.

SWAP- Supervisor I at APS in Manhattan (South)

would like to swap with a non-feld Supervisor I posi-

tion in lower downtown Manhattan or upper midtown

Manhattan. I interested, call (212) 971-2894.

BULLETIN BOARDMEMBERS

Documents

The Unionist May 2012