s
Committee works
on job security
Official Publication of
The Civil Service Employee Association
Vol. 2, No. 10
(ISSN 0164 9949)
Wednesday, December 12, 1979
ALBANY - Top CSEA officials
m e t with Governor Hugh Carey
and past and present m e m b e r s of
the
joint
C o n t i n u i t y ^ of
E m p l o y m e n t C o m m i t t e e last week
to review the gains of the Comm i t t e e and urge
continued
cooperation to keep displaced state
workers working.
CSEA E x e c u t i v e Vice President
T h o m a s M c D o n o u g h told the
Governor at a late afternoon briefing session that the valuable work
of the C o m m i t t e e should serve as
an e x a m p l e to the state of the
mutual benefits that the union and
the state can realize when the state
seeks out CSEA's cooperation and
advice.
The concept of a Continuity of
E m p l o y m e n t C o m m i t t e e began in
1977 under the two-year CSEAState contracts. Under the chairmanship of Dean Robert McKersie
of the Cornell School of Industrial
and Labor Relations, the joint comm i t t e e conducted research and
study p r o g r a m s to a s s e s s the
problems of layoffs and the a f f e c t
of layoffs on the workforce.
In a published report released
earlier this year, the C o m m i t t e e
reported that public employers
should only reduce staffing levels
t h r o u g h a t t r i t i o n s i n c e unemployment costs, loss of productivity among uneffected workers,
and loss of skilled e m p l o y e e s m a d e
B R I E F I N G T H E G O V E R N O R — M e y e r S. Frucher, right, Director of the Governor's O f f i c e of E m p l o y e e Relations, explains
e l e m e n t s of the CSEA-State Continuity of E m p l o y m e n t C o m m i t t e e ' s work to Governor Hugh L. Carey during a Capitol
c o n f e r e n c e D e c e m b e r 3. CSEA E x e c u t i v e Vice President T h o m a s McDonough, s e a t e d next to the governor, and CSEA
E x e c u t i v e Director Joseph J. Dolan, left, told the joint m e e t i n g that the C o m m i t t e e is an e x a m p l e of how labor and
m a n a g e m e n t can work together to the benefit of both.
the traditional layoff approach a
losing proposition for the state. It
urged better manpower planning to
reduce layoffs.
The C o m m i t t e e dealt with
situations involving the closing of
s t a t e ' f a c i l i t i e s , coordinating a
vacancy list in other agencies so
that a f f e c t e d e m p l o y e e s could
move to vacant positions in nearby
facilities, arranging for retraining
of a f f e c t e d e m p l o y e e s to qualify
them for other positions, and other
related ajctivities designed to keep
a useful e m p l o y e e from being lost
by the state.
In the new CSEA-State contracts,
the C o m m i t t e e concept is carried
forward as a s u b c o m m i t t e e of the
so-called "Kumquat Committee",
created to deal with continuity of
. employment, quality of working
life and productivity.
The Governor and CSEA Executive Vice President McDonough
expressed satisfaction with the
work performed by the c o m m i t t e e
to date and urged the new comm i t t e e to continue to build upon the
s u c c e s s e s already achieved.
Performance evaluation ratings raise questions
ALBANY — Ratings by supervisors under the new P e r f o r m a n c e
E v a l u a t i o n S y s t e m for C S E A ' s
statewide
Operational,
Institutional and A d m i n i s t r a t i v e
bargaining units are now being conducted. S o m e d e p a r t m e n t s and
agencies have almost finished this
first round of performance ratings,
while others have not yet begun.
Here are the a n s w e r s to the m o s t
c o m m o n questions being asked by
e m p l o y e e s now being rated:
1. Under the new plan, a m I
eligible for an A D V A N C E M E N T
("increment")?
ANSWER: If you w e r e not at the
top of your pay s c a l e at the end of
the last fiscal year, you are eligible
for an advancement, IF you get a
"Satisfactory" or better rating in
the current round of evaluations.
2. If I a m eligible, WHEN will I
get m y advancement?
A N S W E R : If you a r e r a t e d
"Satisfactory" or better, and w e r e
hired or promoted before Oct. 16,
1978, you'll get your advancement
as soon as possible — probably
w i t h i n t h e n e x t t w o or t h r e e
months, if not sooner, depending on
your department. It will be retroactive to July 1, 1979.
If you are rated "Satisfactory"
and w e r e hired or promoted on or
after Oct. 16, 1978 but before April
1, 1979, y o u ' l l g e t y o u r a d v a n c e m e n t on the payroll period
nearest April 1, 1980, provided you
are rated "Satisfactory" again at
that time. If you are rated "Highly
E f f e c t i v e " or better and w e r e
hired or promoted on or after Oct.
16, 1978 but before April 1, 1979,
you'll get your a d v a n c e m e n t
retroactive to Oct. 1, 1979. Again,
these will be paid out within the
next f e w months, depending on
your department.
3. If I a m rated " N e e d s Substantial I m p r o v e m e n t , " can I appeal
that rating so I will get an advancement?
ANSWER: Yes, and the burden
of proof will be on m a n a g e m e n t , to
show that your rating w a s justified.
But you must appeal within 14 days
of your rating. Call your local
CSEA president for details.
4. Under the new plan, a m I
eligible for an AWARD ("bonus")?
ANSWER: If you w e r e at the top
of your pay scale before the date
this current fiscal year began,.you
A R E eligible for a $300 award.
5. li I a m eligible, WHEN will I
get m y award?
ANSWER: If you are rated "Out-
standing," you should have received your $300 award in October.
However, because of the late implementation of the new performance evaluation s y s t e m this
year, awards are late and will be
paid shortly after Jan. 1.
If you are rated "Highly E f f e c tive," you will get your award IF
the total number of award-eligibles
in your bargaining unit at your
facility who get either "Highly
E f f e c t i v e " or " O u t s t a n d i n g "
ratings does NOT e x c e e d 27% of
the total number of award-eligibles
in your bargaining unit at your
facility. If this total DOES exceed
27% of that figure, all "Outstanding" e m p l o y e e s will get awards,
and additional awards, if any, will
be given out to "Highly E f f e c t i v e "
e m p l o y e e s on the basis of Seniority
until the number of awards given
out equals 25% of the number of
award-eligibles in your bargaining
unit; at your facility. (NOTE: it is
possible, though not likely, that
ALL awards will go to "Outstanding" e m p l o y e e s ) .
5. If I a m rated l o w e r than
"Highly E f f e c t i v e , " can I appeal
so that I can get an award?
A N S W E R : If you a r e rated
" N e e d s Substantial I m p r o v e m e n t "
— NO. If you are rated "Satisfactory" — YES, provided you are
award-eligible (See Qeustion No.
4). But note that'if the number of
successful appeals would greatly
alter the seniority order of people
in t h e " H i g - h l y
Effective"
category, payment of awards m a y
be withheld until all appeals have
been heard. The burden of proof in
this c a s e in on the E M P L O Y E E
himself to show that he deserves a
"Highly E f f e c t i v e " rating.
All emplojees who have been rated
"satistactorv" or '^needs substantial
improvement" under the new Performance Evaluation System on Dec. 7
or earner have untii^ Dee. 21 to
appeal, accurdinK to Kumquat Committee Executive Director Marty
U n g e r . An>one rated after Dec. 7
has 14 calendar days to appeal.
Appeal forms should be available in
all personnel otfk-es, but U they are
not, appeals can be made on any
piece ot paper. Indicate the reasons
tor ih<> appeal, sign the paper and
give it to local persoamet officers, Mr,
Langer a d \ i s e s . For further
assistance, call \our local CSfiA
president
Local presidents workshop
a big success in Region
By Dave Berman
SYRACUSE — New ground was broken in
CSEA Central Region 5 recently, as the region
held its first-ever training workshop for local
presidents. Participants heard officials from
CSEA and AFSCME urge them to work with one
another as a unified regional group, and received
d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n on v a r i o u s s e r v i c e s
available from regional and state headquarters.
Fifty-eight delegates from 39 locals attended
the two-day conference, which was held at the
Hotel Syracuse. For many of the newly elected
local officers, it was their first exposure to a
regionwide CSEA event.
"Your local members look to you to provide
leadership," Regional President J a m e s Moore
told his local presidents. "A common complaint
of local presidents is, 'I can't get it all done.' But
once you get something to click, you've got it
made, and you will get help from your members.
Half of the problem is getting members to know
that you're doing something."
Noting that non-members and management
"love to see disunity" within CSEA, Moore
emphasized that lines of communication must be
open between individual members and local
leadership, between local leadership and the
regional o k i c e and between the regional office
CSEA REGIONAL PRESIDENT James
Moore told local presidents that, "Until
management realizes that you might walk
out of your job, the salaries in public
employment will not be up to the level that
they could be and should be."
Page
557
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December
and Albany headquarters. One of the major
problems within CSEA, Moore said, is that there
is widespread disagreement among members
about the justification of striking — which is illegal for public employees under the state's
Taylor Law.
"I'm not telling you that you've got to strike. A
strike is a negative-type thing," Moore said.
"But until management realizes that you might
walk out of your job, the salaries in public
employment will not be up to the level that they
could be and should be."
According to Walker, "The more members
Through the use of audience participation and we've got, the more members we will get. It's
role-playing, CSEA Director of Education Tom like a snowball effect." The presidents attending
Quimby discussed ways to get members actively the workshop received up-to-date computer printinvolved in the union. "Unless people are forced outs of members and eligible non-members of
to do something, they don't do anything they the local they represent to get them started on
don't want to do," Quimby said. "People do the membership drive.
things that are going to benefit them in some
As the workshop drew to a close. Regional
way. The trick is to get other people to accept President Moore gave the local presidents an"
responsibility." Quimby urged workshop par- ambitious goal for the upcoming membership
ticipants to use "expectancy theory," which he campaign. Central Region 5, the second largest
called "one of the best motivation theories in CSEA, currently has some 38,000 members in
going," to convince CSEA members to work on its 76 active and four retiree locals spread
union projects. Simply put, this theory is based throughout a 2 0 - c o u n t p r e a . But Mo^^^^^
on the assumption that if someone believes he membership 'figure
- shouldj increase to 42,000 or
will get positive results by doing something, he 43,000 by the time membership drive is over.
will do it.
Quimby also outlined various legal and nonlegal resources available to local presidents, and
went over the alternatives in cases where
management violates the union contract, such as
filing a grievance, complaining to the supervisor
and appealing to the public. "Try to think of at
least two possible solutions to every problem,"
Quimby advised.
'
D u r i n g a d i s c u s s i o n on C S E A ' s l e g a l assistance program, Regional Attorney Earl
Boyle noted that locals often neglect to get legal
advice on collective-bargaining agreements,
even though CSEA attorneys are paid on a
retainer basis to review all contracts before they
are signed by the union. CSEA lawyers also may
represent individual employees at disciplinary
hearings and the union itself during legislative
proceedings, such as a county legislature's or a
city council's budget hearings.
Ron Smith, a CSEA field representative in the
S y r a c u s e and Q s w e g o a r e a s , said l o c a l
presidents and field representatives must form a
closer working relationship. "The gap has to be
closed," he said. "If we don't work together,
then we're not going to be able to provide services." In summarizing the duties of a field rep.
Smith said, "Our major function is assistance.
Most of the time, we're putting out the fires."
AFSCME Representative Bailey Walker advisCSEA DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
ed the CSEA local presidents to place an
emphasis on signing up new members for the
Thomas Quimby described a wide list
union because the union is weakened by every
of resources available to help local
eligible public employee not part of the CSEA
union presidents obtain assistance from
"team." The AFSCME rep presented a step-bythe membership.
step approach for setting up an internal organizing campaign to get new members.
5,
1979
I' 'I
••'"•••'«••iiwmnwiiHiiii™"" I ' '
______________
Committee works
on job security
^^Ml®
Official Publication of
The Civil Service Employee Association
Vol. 2, No. 10
(ISSN
01649949)
Wednesday, December 12, 1979
ALBANY - Top CSEA officials
m e t with Governor Hugh Carey
and past and present m e m b e r s of
the
joint
Continuity
of
Employment C o m m i t t e e last week
to review the gains of the Comm i t t e e and u r g e
continued
cooperation to keep displaced state
workers working.
CSEA Executive Vice President
T h o m a s M c D o n o u g h told t h e
Governor at a late afternoon briefing session that the valuable work
of the C o m m i t t e e should serve as
an e x a m p l e to the state of the
mutual benefits that the union and
the state can realize when the state
seeks out CSEA's cooperation and
advice.
The concept of a Continuity of
Employment C o m m i t t e e began in
1977 under the two-year CSEAState contracts. Under the chairmanship of Dean Robert McKersie
of the Cornell School of Industrial
and Labor Relations, the joint comm i t t e e conducted research and
study p r o g r a m s to a s s e s s the
problems of layoffs and the a f f e c t
of layoffs on the workforce.
In a published report released
earlier this year, the C o m m i t t e e
reported that public employers
should only reduce staffing levels
t h r o u g h a t t r i t i o n s i n c e unemployment costs, loss of productivity among uneffected workers,
and loss of skilled e m p l o y e e s made
BRIEFING THE GOVERNOR — Meyer S. Frucher, right, Director of the Governor's Office of Employee Relations, explains
elements of the CSEA-State Continuity of Employment Committee's work to Governor Hugh L. Carey during a Capitol
conference December 3. CSEA Executive Vice President Thomas McDonough, seated next to the governor, and CSEA
Executive Director Joseph J. Dolan, left, told the joint meeting that the Committee is an example of how labor and
management can work together to the benefit of both.
the traditional layoff approach a
losing proposition for the state. It
urged better manpower planning to
reduce layoffs.
The C o m m i t t e e dealt with
situations involving the closing of
s t a t e - f a c i l i t i e s , coordinating a
vacancy list in other agencies so
that a f f e c t e d e m p l o y e e s could
move to vacant positions in nearby
facilities, arranging for retraining
of affected e m p l o y e e s to qualify
them for other positions, and other
related activities designed to keep
a useful employee from being lost
by the state.
In the new CSEA-State contracts,
the Committee concept is carried
forward as a s u b c o m m i t t e e of the
so-called "Kumquat Committee",
created to deal with continuity of
. employment, quality of working
life and productivity.
The Governor and CSEA Executive Vice President McDonough
expressed satisfaction with the
work performed by the c o m m i t t e e
to date and urged the new committee to continue to build upon the
s u c c e s s e s already achieved.
Performance evaluation ratings raise questions
ALBANY — Ratings by supervisors under the new P e r f o r m a n c e
E v a l u a t i o n S y s t e m for C S E A ' s
statewide
Operational,
Institutional and
Administrative
bargaining units are now being conducted. S o m e d e p a r t m e n t s and
agencies have almost finished this
first round of performance ratings,
while others have not yet begun.
Here are the answers to the most
c o m m o n questions being asked by
e m p l o y e e s now being rated:
1. Under the new plan, a m I
eligible for an A D V A N C E M E N T
("increment")?
ANSWER: If you w e r e not at the
top of your pay scale at the end of
the last fiscal year, you are eligible
for an advancement, IF you get a
"Satisfactory" or better rating in
the current round of evaluations.
2. If I a m eligible, WHEN will I
get my advancement?
A N S W E R : If you are rated
"Satisfactory" or better, and were
hired or promoted before Oct. 16,
1978, you'll get your advancement
as soon as possible — probably
w i t h i n t h e n e x t tv,'o or t h r e e
months, if not sooner, depending on
your department. It will be retroac)ivc to July I. 1979.
If you are rated "Satisfactory"
and were hired or promoted on or
after Oct. 16, 1978 but before April
1, 1979, y o u ' l l g e t y o u r a d vancement on the payroll period
nearest April 1, 1980, provided you
are rated "Satisfactory" again at
that time. If you are rated "Highly
E f f e c t i v e " or better and were
hired or promoted on or after Oct.
16, 1978 but before April 1, 1979,
you'll get your a d v a n c e m e n t
rciroai iivc to Oct. /. 1979. Again,
these will be paid out within the
next few months, depending on
your department.
3. If I a m rated " N e e d s Substantial Improvement," can I appeal
that rating so I will get an advancement?
ANSWER: Yes, and the burden
of proof will be on m a n a g e m e n t , to
show that your rating w a s justified.
But you must appeal within 14 days
of your rating. Call your local
CSEA president for details.
4. Under the new plan, a m I
eligible for an AWARD ("bonus")?
ANSWER: If you w e r e at the top
of your pay scale before the date
this current fiscal year began, you
A R E eligible for a $300 award.
5. If I a m eligible, WHEN will I
get my award?
ANSWER: If you are rated "Out-
standing," you should have received your $300 award in October.
However, because of the late implementation of the new performance evaluation s y s t e m this
year, awards are late and will be
paid shortly after Jan. 1.
If you are rated "Highly E f f e c tive," you will get your award IF
the total number of award-eligibles
in your bargaining unit at your
facility who get either "Highly
E f f e c t i v e " or " O u t s t a n d i n g "
ratings does NOT exceed 27% of
the total number of award-eligibles
in your bargaining unit at your
facility. If this total DOES exceed
27% of that figure, all "Outstanding" e m p l o y e e s will get awards,
and additional awards, if any, will
be given out to "Highly E f f e c t i v e "
e m p l o y e e s on the basis of Seniority
until the number of awards given
out equals 25% of the number of
award-eligibles in your bargaining
unit, at your facility. (NOTE: it is
possible, though not likely, that
ALL awards will go to "Outstanding" e m p l o y e e s ) .
5. If I a m rated lower than
"Highly E f f e c t i v e , " can I appeal
so that I can get an award?
A N S W E R : If you are rated
"Needs Substantial Improvement"
— NO. If you are rated "Satisfactory" — YES, provided you are
award-eligible (See Qeustion No.
4). But note that'if the number of
successful appeals would greatly
alter the seniority order of people
in t h e " H i g h l y
Effective"
category, payment of awards may
be withheld until all appeals have
been heard. The burden of proof in
this case in on the E M P L O Y E E
himself to show that he deserves a
"Highly E f f e c t i v e " rating.
All employees who have been rated
"satisfactory" or. 'ineeds substantial
improvement" under the new Performance Evaluation System on Dec. 7
or earlier have until Dec. 21 to
appeal, according to Kumquat Committee Executive Director Marty
Langer. Anyone rated after Dec. 7
has 14 calendar days to appeal.
Appeal forms should be available in
all personnel offices, but if they are
not, appeals can be made on any
piece of paper. Indicate the reasons
for the appeal, sign the paper and
give it to local personnel officers, Mr,
Langer a d v i s e s . For further
assistance, call your local CSEA
president.
Contracting out strongly opposed
''Tax dollars should stay in Poughkeepsie,
not in Europe/' union tells management
POUGHKEEPSIE Contracting
o u t by a m u n i c i p a l b o d y t o t h e
d e t r i m e n t of public e m p l o y e e j o b s h a s
b e c o m e a m a j o r issue a g a i n , this t i m e
i n v o l v i n g e f f o r t s by t h e C i t y of
P o u g h k e e p s i e to c o n t r a c t out t h e
city's parking department and
s e w a g e d e p a r t m e n t services to
private contractors.
T h e Civil S e r v i c e E m p l o y e e s Assn.,
which is in t h e m i d s t of n e g o t i a t i n g a
n e w c o n t r a c t c o v e r i n g C i t y of
P o u g h k e e p s i e e m p l o y e e s , h a s launched a v i g o r o u s c a m p a i g n t o h a v e
tentative agreements between the
city a n d t h e p r i v a t e c o n t r a c t o r s re-^
j e c t e d . CSEA is c o n c e r n e d t h a t n e a r l y
30 e m p l o y e e s it r e p r e s e n t s in t h e
p a r k i n g a n d s e w a g e d e p a r t m e n t s will
be a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d if t h o s e cont r a c t i n g out a g r e e m e n t s b e c o m e
e f f e c t i v e , a s t e n t a t i v e l y planned on
J a n u a r y 1, 1980.
A newspaper advertising program
w a s l a u n c h e d in e a r l y D e c e m b e r to
b r i n g t h e n e g a t i v e a s p e c t s of cont r a c t i n g o u t t o t h e c i t i z e n s of
P o u g h k e e p s i e . Additionally, CSEA off i c i a l s r e p o r t t h e y a r e p r e p a r e d to file
an i m p r o p e r p r a c t i c e c h a r g e a g a i n s t
t h e city on t h e issue of illegally cont r a c t i n g out of s e r v i c e s u n d e r t h e
current
CSEA/city
contract
negotiations.
CSEA a n d m e m b e r s of the city unit
w e r e well r e p r e s e n t e d a t a h e a r i n g
c o n d u c t e d r e c e n t l y by t h e f i n a n c e
c o m m i t t e e of t h e c i t y ' s l e g i s l a t u r e to
consider the a g r e e m e n t between the
city a n d t h e p r i v a t e c o n t r a c t o r s .
CSEA F i e l d R e p r e s e n t a t i v e L a r r y
Scanlon w a s the principal union
s p o k e s m a n , pointing out t h e m a n y
p r o b l e m s a s s o c i a t e d with t h e c i t y ' s
p l a n s to c o n t r a c t out t h e s e r v i c e s .
S c a n l o n t o l d m e m b e r s of t h e
finance committee,
"According
to t h e City M a n a g e r ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , t h e City will p a y $70,000.00 f o r
s e w a g e p u m p i n g s t a t i o n , $65,000.00
for sewage administration, and
$575,000.00 f o r s e w a g e t r e a t m e n t a n d
disposal. T h a t t o t a l s $710,000.00. T h i s
f i g u r e d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t it will c o s t
t h e City m o r e to c o n t r a c t out t h e
o p e r a t i o n of t h e t r e a t m e n t a n d disposjal p l a n t t o E n v i r o t e c h t h a n it
presently costs and, by law, the City
will lose its S t a t e funding, e q u a l to 25
p e r c e n t of o p e r a t i o n a n d m a i n t e n a n c e
costs, and m a y be e n d a n g e r i n g
F e d e r a l aid in this a r e a .
" B y c o n t r a c t l a n g u a g e , t h e City
will pay t h e cost of f i r e i n s u r a n c e , "
h e said. " A l s o , E n v i r o t e c h will only
spend $26,500.00 on e q u i p m e n t r e p a i r
p e r y e a r with t h e City picking up t h e
r e s t of t h e t a b . E q u i p m e n t r e p a i r ,
considering the operational problems
a t t h e c u r r e n t s e w a g e plant, c a n cost
f r o m $50,000.00 to $1,000,000.00," a c c o r d i n g to Scanlon.
" A l s o , " h e said, " t h e City will b e
r e s p o n s i b l e f o r any fines i m p o s e d by
a n y r e g u l a t o r y a g e n c y in t h e
o p e r a t i o n of t h e plant which e x c e e d
$50,000.00 in any y e a r .
" A c c o r d i n g to the c o n t r a c t , t h e City
will lose o v e r a l l control of t h e p l a n t
for a period of six, not five y e a r s , a n d
will lose $73,921.00 in t h e f i r s t y e a r
a l o n e ! , " Scanlon pointed out.
"Effective, efficient m a n a g e m e n t
c a n b e o b t a i n e d locally f r o m a local
t a x p a y e r a t f a r l e s s cost to local
r e s i d e n t s . R e m e m b e r , E n v i r o t e c h is
a D e l a w a r e c h a r t e r e d , C a l i f o r n i a based c o r p o r a t i o n t h a t h a s a s u b s t a n t i a l
m i n o r i t y o w n e r s h i p b a s e d in t h e
N e t h e r l a n d s . O u r t a x d o l l a r s should
s t a y in P o u g h k e e p s i e — n o t in
E u r o p e , " the union s p o k e s m a n
stated.
In t h e a r e a of p a r k i n g , Scanlon
pointed out s e v e r a l topics of c o n c e r n .
" F i r s t , it w a s t h e r e s c i n d i n g of a
p a r k i n g r a t e i n c r e a s e J a n u a r y 2,1979
which c r e a t e d a d e f i c i t situation. N o t
any employee caused excess," he
said.
" A l s o , by using a v a i l a b l e m a t e r i a l s
a l r e a d y paid f o r b u t not listed in t h e
P a r k i n g D e p a r t m e n t , v a r i o u s lots
could b e e a s i l y t r a n s f o r m e d f r o m l o t s
g e n e r a t i n g only s e v e r a l thousand
d o l l a r s t o lots m a k i n g $50,000.00 t o
$60,000.00 a n d t h i s would not c o s t t h e
t a x p a y e r s one c e n t .
" B o t h c o n t r a c t s a r e full of open end
c o s t i n c r e a s e provisions which a r e not
negotiable, but mandatory.
"Both contracts provide handsome
profits to the private contractor a t the
e x p e n s e of t h e t a x p a y e r s , t h e
w o r k e r s , " c h a r g e d Scanlon.
" T h e Union i s n o t j u s t c o n c e r n e d
w i t h o u r m e m b e r s rights, b u t w i t h
t a x p a y e r s ' rights t o q u a l i t y s e r v i c e s
a t a f a i r p r i c e . I t should b e pointed o u t
t h a t m o s t City w o r k e r s a r e r e s i d e n t s
a n d a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e q u a l i t y of
life in t h e i r c o m m u n i t y . C o n t r a c t i n g
out of t h e s e positions will only begin a
c y c l e of e v e r i n c r e a s i n g c o s t s w i t h n o
e n d in s i g h t , " h e w a r n e d .
Above, CSEA REPRESENTATIVES
at front table are backed by a large
turnout of city employees during a
Poughkeepsie finance committee
hearing on a city plan to «»tract out
parking and sewage dqurtmeat services. In front at table are, from left,
CSEA Field Represeatative Larry
Scanlon, CSEA Regional Atty. Tom
Mahar Jr. and CSEA Region UI
Director Thomas Luposello. Union
representatives spoke strongly
against the city plans.
Left, AMONG THE INTERESTED
SPECTATORS as CSEA representatives attacked a city plan to costract out certain essential services
were Barbara Babcock, execntive
vice president of Dntchess Cooty
CSEA Local 814; and Scott Danieis,
Dutchess County Unit Presidart.
Right, AT T H E
MICROPHOJE,
CSEA Regional Atty. T o m M a h a r J r . ,
l e f t , a n d CSEA F i e l d R e p r e s e n t a t i v e
L a r r y Scanlon strongly a t t a c k e d t h e
city plan to c o n t r a c t out vital s e r vices.
AFLCrO
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, V\/ednesday, N o v e m b e r 7, 1979
Page 3
KEEP CSEA INFORMED ON MAILING ADDRESS
In the event that you change your mailing address, please fill out the below form
and send it to:
CSEA, Inc., P.O. Box 125, Capitol Station, Albany, New York 12224.
This form is also available from local presidents for CSEA members, but is
reproduced here for convenience.
Change of Address for The Public Sector'
P l e a s e a l l o w 3 - 4 w e e k s f o r c h a n g e to t a k e
effect.
M y p r e s e n t l a b e l r e a d s e x a c t l y a s s h o w n h e r e (or a f f i x m a i l i n g
label)
.Local Number.
Name
I Street
I
State-
City
MY NEW ADDRESS IS:
CSEA PRESIDENT WILLIAM L. McGOWAN, center, listens while J a m e s
Northrup, Executive Deputy Director of OER, left, explains the position
of the Governor's Office during a joint meeting of the State, CSEA and the
old and new Continuity of Employment Committees. CSEA Executive Vice
President Thomas McDonough, right, and CSEA Executive Director Joseph
Dolan, second from right, look on.
SFublic—
SSECTOR
Official publication
T h e Civil
Employees
Service
Association
33 E l k
Street,
Albany, New York
.1
-MPage 4
of
12224
Street
City _
State.
Agency where employed.
My social security no.
_
Published every Wednesday by Clarity Publishing. Inc
Publication Otiice. 75 ("hamplam Street. .Albany. .\ Y 12204 i518i 465-4591
Thomas A. d e m e n t e — P u b l i s h e r
Roger A. Cole—Executive Editor
Dr. Gerald Alperstein—Associate Editor
Oscar D. Barker—Associate Editor
Deborah Cassidy—Staff Writer
Dawn L e P o r e - S t a f f Writer
John L. Murphy—Staff Writer
Arden D. Lawand—Graphic Design
Dennis C. Mullahv—Production Coordinator
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, W e d n e s d a y , December 12, 1979
-Zip-
-Agency No.
The Public Sector (445010) is published
every Wednesday weekly except for
Wednesdays after New Years, Memorial
Day. Fourth of July and Labor Day for $5
by the Civil S e r v i c e E m p l o y e e s
Association. 33 Elk Street, Albany, New
York 12224
Second Class Postage paid at Post Office. Albany, New York
Send address changes to The Public Sector, 33 Elk Street. Albany. New York
12224
Publication office, 75 Champlain Street.
Albany, New York 12204 Single copv
Price 25c
Pay change
is blasted
Delegation
from NYC
visits DC
LAKE PLACID The Capital
R e g i o n of t h e C i v i l
Service
E m p l o y e e s Assn. h a s filed a n u n f a i r
labor practice against m a n a g e m e n t
p e r s o n n e l in t h e N e w Y o r k S t a t e
Department
of
Environmental
Conservation for altering the pay
s c h e d u l e of ski c e n t e r e m p l o y e e s
w i t h o u t c o n s u l t i n g t h e union.
A d e l e g a t i o n of 20 local union
l e a d e r s f r o m t h e 23,000-member
New York City Region of the Civil
S e r v i c e E m p l o y e e s Assn. r e c e n t l y
v i s i t e d t h e W a s h i n g t o n , D.C. h e a d q u a r t e r s of t h e i r n a t i o n a l union.
J i m m y G r i p p e r , P r e s i d e n t of
C S E A R e g i o n II, led t h e visit to t h e
. h e a d q u a r t e r s of t h e A m e r i c a n
F e d e r a t i o n of S t a t e , C o u n t y a n d
Municipal E m p l o y e e s (AFSCME),
AFL-CIO.
Gripper and the other CSEA
leaders, representing
state
e m p l o y e e s w h o w o r k in N e w Y o r k
City, m e t w i t h A F S C M E P r e s i d e n t
J e r r y Wurf, AFSCME SecretaryT r e a s u r e r W i l l i a m Lucy-, a n d t h e
u n i o n ' s d i r e c t o r s of l e g i s l a t i o n ,
political action, research, and
public policy.
" T h e visit to A F S C M E ' s n a t i o n a l
h e a d q u a r t e r s was very informative, and we learned about the
resources and services that a r e
a v a i l a b l e to CSEA a s a r e s u l t of o u r
affiliation with
AFSCME,"
G r i p p e r said. " W e r e t u r n e d to N e w
Y o r k w i t h n e w i d e a s a b o u t how to
deal with problems ranging f r o m
training stewards and handling
g r i e v a n c e s , to h e a l t h a n d s a f e t y
h a z a r d s on t h e job, to s t a t e policies
t h a t d u m p m e n t a l l y ill p a t i e n t s out
of p u b h c i n s t i t u t i o n s . "
E m p l o y e e s a t W h i t e f a c e Ski C e n t e r
in L a k e P l a c i d w e r e i n f o r m e d t h r o u g h
a m e m o r a n d u m t h a t upon r e t u r n i n g
to w o r k f o r t h e w i n t e r , s e a s o n a l
e m p l o y e e s m u s t w a i t five, r a t h e r
than four, weeks for their first
p a y c h e c k . In a d d i t i o n , all s e a s o n a l
e m p l o y e e s w h o a r e on t h e p a y r o l l a t
t h e t i m e of t h e c h a n g e will r e c e i v e
t h e i r p a y c h e c k s one w e e k l a t e .
T h e c h a r g e , filed by C S E A F i e l d
R e p r e s e n t a t i v e Charles Scott against
R i c h a r d L y n c h , d i r e c t o r of f i s c a l
m a n a g e m e n t and Thomas Rider,
d i r e c t o r of p e r s o n n e l , both f o r E n C o n ,
s t a t e s t h a t a c h a n g e in p a y p e r i o d s is
a
"term
and
condition
of
e m p l o y m e n t , s u b j e c t to t h e c o l l e c t i v e
b a r g a i n i n g p r o c e s s a n d c a n n o t b e unilaterally
changed
without
n e g o t i a t i n g jvith t h e C S E A . "
Another CSEA Field Represent a t i v e , W i l l i a m L o c h n e r , h a s filed
s i m i l a r c h a r g e s on behalf of G o r e
M o u n t a i n Ski C e n t e r e m p l o y e e s who
will a l s o b e a f f e c t e d by t h e c h a n g e .
" T h e r e a s o n f o r t h e c h a n g e , acc o r d i n g to t h e m e m o r a n d u m given t h e
e m p l o y e e s , is to f a c i l i t a t e t h e
bookkeeping process for EnCon's personnel o f f i c e in A l b a n y , " said Scott.
" F o r this they a r e inconveniencing
our m e m b e r s . "
AFSCME INTERNATIONAL P R E S I D E N T J E R R Y W U R F , right, and AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer
W i l l i a m Lucy, l e f t , f l a n k C S E A R e g i o n II P r e s i d e n t J i m m y G r i p p e r , w i t h t h e r e m a i n d e r of a 2 0 - m e m b e r
d e l e g a t i o n of R e g i o n II l e a d e r s in t h e b a c k , d u r i n g a r e c e n t visit to A F S C M E I n t e r n a t i o n a l h e a d q u a r t e r s in
Washington.
N E W L Y E L E C T E D O F F I C E R S of t h e N Y S P s y c h i a t r i c I n s t i t u t e C S E A L o c a l 419 w e r e i n s t a l l e d r e c e n t ly b y W i l l i e R a y e , C S E A R e g i o n I I T h i r d V i c e P r e s i d e n t . F r o m l e f t t o r i g h t a r e M r . R a y e , P r e s i d e n t
Felix Rodriguez, First Vice President David Aureliano, Second Vice President David Tittle, Executive
C o m m i t t e e m e m b e r s George Tolentino, Irene Tybursky, Shirley E d w a r d s , Laverne E v a n s and E d w a r d
G e r m a n n ; a n d S e c r e t a r y G e o r g i a J o h n s o n . A b s e n t f r o m p h o t o is T r e a s u r e r T h e r e s a Reilly.
questions
and
answers
Q. I have to go into the
hospital next week. I don't
know how long TU be there.
Can you teil me what the
a m o u n t s are t h a t M e d i c a r e
does not pay?
A. F r o m t h e 1st day t h r o u g h
t h e 6 0 t h day in e a c h b e n e f i t
p e r i o d . M e d i c a r e hospital ins u r a n c e pays f o r all c o v e r e d
s e r v i c e s except the first
$160.
T h i s is t h e hospital i n s u r a n c e
d e d u c t i b l e . F r o m the 61st
t h r o u g h t h e 9 0 t h day in a b e n e fit p e r i o d , h o s p i t a l i n s u r a n c e
p a y s f o r all c o v e r e d s e r v i c e s ('.vcept for $40 a day. F o r m o r e information about
Medicare
c o v e r a g e of i n p a t i e n t h o s p i t a l
care, read
Your
Medicare
Handbook.
If y o u d o n ' t h a v e a
h a n d b o o k , y o u can get o n e at
a n y social s e c u r i t y office.
E n C o n o f f i c i a l s told Scott t h e y discussed the m a t t e r with the f o r m e r
E n C o n L o c a l C S E A p r e s i d e n t , who
a g r e e d to t h e c h a n g e . H o w e v e r , Scott
s a y s h e t a l k e d w i t h t h e f o r m e r union
l e a d e r w h o told h i m t h e c h a n g e w a s
o n c e m e n t i o n e d to h i m , b u t h e a g r e e d
to nothing, a n d would t e s t i f y in c o u r t
for the CSEA.
December
13 —
14 —
14 —
21 —
Saratoga County Local 846 Christmas party, 6:30 p.m., The Rafters, Saratoga Lake.
CSEA Night at New York Appollo's soccer game, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale.
Region III Christmas party, 8 p.m.. Holiday Inn, Newburgh.
Manhattan Developmental Center CSEA Local 443 Christmas party, 3 p.m., 75
Morton Street, New York City.
22 — Downstate Medical Center Local 646 annual Christmas party, 9 p.m. Deauville
Country Club, Brooklyn.
JANUARY
11 — Region 6 meeting, 8 p.m., Rochester/Marriott Inn, Greece, N.Y.
12 — Region 6 meeting, 9:30 a.m., state and county workshop, general business meeting
after lunch, Rochester/Marriott Inn, Greece, N.Y.
12 — Region I workshop, Safety and Health, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.. Holiday Inn, Hauppauge.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, V\/ednesday, N o v e m b e r 7, 1979
Page 5
PATIENT ABUSE: balancing
the O^ts
of patients and
employees
REGIONAL PARTICIPATION - Among
the participants in the recent training
seminar for arbitrators who will hear
patient abuse disciplinary cases were
CSEA's Regional Directors. They are,
from left, George Bispham, Region II;
Bill Griffin, Acting Director, Region I;
Lee Frank, Region VI; Frank Martello,
Region V; Tom Luposello, Region III. ^
Also participating were, continuing left, *
Gary Fryer, CSEA's Director of Communication; Collective Bargaining
Specialist Paul Burch and Region II
President Jimmy Gripper.
Seminar sorts out the definition of abuse
N E W Y O R K C I T Y - M u c h is said
a n d w r i t t e n a b o u t t h e s u b j e c t of
" p a t i e n t a b u s e " in t h e s t a t e ' s psychiatric and developmental centers,
b u t a r e c e n t s e m i n a r on t h e s u b j e c t
m a d e it c l e a r t h a t d e s p i t e all of t h e
d i s c u s s i o n t h e r e is s e r i o u s d i s a g r e e m e n t a s to w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s
"abuse."
R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e CSEA and
t h e s t a t e m e t in N e w Y o r k City to dis.cuss t h e s u b j e c t of a b u s e a n d how it
m u s t b e hand-led in a r b i t r a t i o n
situations arising from contractual
disciplinary proceedings.
T h e s e s s i o n w a s a t t e n d e d by CSEA
e l e c t e d l e a d e r s , staff a n d l a w y e r s a n d
state personnel managers, lawyers
a n d a g e n c y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , a s well
a s s p e a k e r s f r o m a B o a r d of V i s i t o r s
a n d a n i n d e p e n d e n t c o m m i s s i o n on ins t i t u t i o n a l c a r e . D e s p i t e all of this exp e r t i s e , h o w e v e r , it a p p e a r e d t h a t not
e v e r y o n e could a g r e e on w h a t p a t i e n t
a b u s e is.
"In previous disciplinary cases, the
s t a t e h a s a t t e m p t e d to d i s c i p l i n e
e m p l o y e e s for a s i m p l e push or
s h o v e , " CSEA Counsel
James
R o e m e r e x p l a i n s . " Y e t d u r i n g t h e exp e r t t e s t i m o n y s e g m e n t of our session
h e r e , it b e c a m e q u i t e c l e a r t h a t t h e
clinical e x p e r t s u s e a f a r m o r e s e v e r e
m e a s u r e of w h a t a b u s e is. I think t h e
s t a t e h a s s h o w n c o n f u s i o n in its d e t e r m i n a t i o n of w h a t is or is not a b u s e
a n d , in s o m e i n s t a n c e s , it h a s gone to
ridiculous e x t r e m e s . "
M r . R o e m e r a n d all s p e a k e r s a t t h e
s e s s i o n said s e r i o u s a b u s e of p a t i e n t s
is a d e p l o r a b l e a c t t h a t c a n n o t be cond o n e d . Y e t , it w a s c l e a r t h a t t h e
s t a t e ' s p r i o r u s e of a s h o v e or p u s h
upon w h i c h to b a s e a n a b u s e disc i p l i n a r y did not m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a s e t
f o r t h by m o s t s p e a k e r s a s to w h a t
constitutes real patient abuse.
As o n e e x p e r t . D r . R i c h a r d A. F o x x ,
put it, " I t s e e m s to m e t h a t t h e
d e f i n i t i o n of a b u s e involves i n t e n t ; int e n t to c a u s e h a r m or to c a u s e f u r t h e r
h a r m . " H e e x p l a i n e d t h a t i s o l a t e d ins t a n c e s of p h y s i c a l c o n f r o n t a t i o n
b e t w e e n a staff m e m b e r and a p a t i e n t
c a n be m a n y t h i n g s b e s i d e a b u s e .
T h e e x p e r t noted t h a t t h e r e a r e
r e g u l a r i n s t a n c e s in a n i n s t i t u t i o n a l
setting where a patient may become
p h y s i c a l l y a g g r e s s i v e with a s t a f f
m e m b e r or with a n o t h e r p a t i e n t . Staff
members must take
physical
m e a s u r e s to d e f e n d t h e m s e l v e s a n d
t h i s should be c o n s i d e r e d in h a n d l i n g
a b u s e a r b i t r a t i o n s . H e noted, add i t i o n a l l y , t h a t t h e staff m u s t int e r c e d e w h e n t w o p a t i e n t s b e c o m e in-
Page 6
volved in a n a l t e r c a t i o n a n d t h a t , too,
is a n a r e a w h e r e a n e v e n t m a y not be
w h a t it s e e m s .
" T h e r e are instances," Dr. Foxx
s a i d , " w h e r e s o m e o n e is s t r a n g l i n g
you or f i g h t i n g you. Self d e f e n s e is not
a b u s e . T h e point is t h a t i n t e n t is w h a t
you h a v e to look a t in d e t e r m i n i n g
abuse."
D r . F o x x , a U n i v e r s i t y of M a r y l a n d
p r o f e s s o r , w o r k e d in a n i n s t i t u t i o n a l
s e t t i n g a s a t h e r a p y a i d e . His c o m -
m e n t s , h e s a i d , r e f l e c t e d t h e v i e w of
t h e p r o b l e m f r o m t h e s t a f f s i d e of t h e
i s s u e a s well a s t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ' s
side. H e n o t e d t h a t t h e t r a i n i n g of
s t a f f in " g e n t l e r e s t r a i n t " a n d
specialized self-defense techniques
should b e e m p h a s i z e d to e l i m i n a t e a
lot of c o n f r o n t a t i o n s t h a t p r e s e n t l y
r e s u l t in p a t i e n t or e m p l o y e e i n j u r y .
M r . R o e m e r , c o m m e n t i n g on t h e
p a n e l d i s c u s s i o n , said t h a t h e hoped
t h e s t a t e ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s to t h e
s e s s i o n , a s well a s t h e a r b i t r a t o r s .
Problem is management^
N E W Y O R K CITY - "If we ran
c o r p o r a t i o n s like we run s t a t e
hospitals, this c o u n t r y would be
bankrupt."
D r . R i c h a r d A. F o x x , a n a t i o n a l l y
r e c o g n i z e d e x p e r t in t h e field of institutional c a r e and patient abuse,
' m a d e t h i s c o m m e n t to a S e l e c t P a n e l
of Arbitrators, who m e t in New York
City on N o v e m b e r 30 f o r a t w o - d a y
s e m i n a r s p o n s o r e d by C S E A and t h e
s t a t e to d e a l w i t h t h e s p e c i a l
p r o b l e m s s u r r o u n d i n g a r b i t r a t i o n of
d i s c i p l i n a r y c a s e s involving p a t i e n t
abuse allegations.
D r . F o x x w a s only one of m a n y
s p e a k e r s who told-the a r b i t r a t o r s t h a t
t h e e n v i r o n m e n t of p s y c h i a t r i c a n d
developmental centers
requires
s p e c i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n in d e a l i n g w i t h
a r b i t r a t i o n s involving c h a r g e s t h a t a n
e m p l o y e e a b u s e d a p a t i e n t or
resident.
T h e a r b i t r a t o r s w e r e s e l e c t e d by
CSEA and the s t a t e under provisions
of t h e i m p r o v e d d i s c i p l i n a r y a r t i c l e in
the state contracts, which c r e a t e s a
S e l e c t P a n e l to d e a l with a r b i t r a t i o n s
arising from patient
abuse
allegations. While both the s t a t e and
t h e union a g r e e d s e r i o u s a b u s e w a s a
deplorable act, there was substantial
d i s a g r e e m e n t a s to w h a t c o n s t i t u t e d
a b u s e , t h e p o w e r s of t h e a r b i t r a t o r to
c o m p e l e v i d e n c e to be p r e s e n t e d a t
a r b i t r a t i o n , a n d o t h e r r e l a t e d points.
C S E A P r e s i d e n t W i l l i a m L.
M c G o w a n a n d M e y e r S. F r u c h e r ,
director of the G o v e r n o r ' s Office of
E m p l o y e e R e l a t i o n s , h a d a g r e e d on
the Select Panel concept during
negotiations for the state contracts.
CSEA's legal f i r m , R o e m e r and
F e a t h e r s t o n h a u g h , w o r k e d out t h e
d e t a i l s of t h e a g r e e m e n t a n d t h e
agenda for the s e m i n a r which m a y be
j u s t t h e f i r s t in a s e r i e s to d e a l w i t h
the subject.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 12, 1979
The arbitrators were jointly
selected to s e r v e on the panel and, in
patient abuse cases, an a r b i t r a t o r
f r o m t h e p a n e l m u s t b e s e l e c t e d if t h e
disciplinary reaches the arbitration
stage. CSEA concluded the specially
t r a i n e d a r b i t r a t o r s would b e t t e r
p r o t e c t t h e i n t e r e s t s of t h e e m p l o y e e s
and the client or patient allegedly
abused.
Dr. Foxx and Dr. Desmond Heath,
a l s o a n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d e x p e r t in
t h e field, a d d r e s s e d t h e a r b i t r a t o r s on
t h e e n v i r o n m e n t in p s y c h i a t r i c a n d
developmental facilities.
Dr. Foxx, who has worked as a
t h e r a p y a i d e in a d d i t i o n t o h i s
a c a d e m i c a n d clinical t r a i n i n g , lent a
s p e c i a l p e r s p e c t i v e to how t h e
e m p l o y e e s in t h e u n i t s m u s t f u n c t i o n .
T o o f r e q u e n t l y , h e told t h e p a n e l ,
t h e r e is ^ r i h b e t w e e n t h e a d ministration, the professional staff
and the therapy aides. The biggest
a b u s e of all, h e said, is t h e lack of
p r o g r a m m i n g in
institutional
f a c i l i t i e s , t h e l a c k of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
c o n t a c t s w i t h staff a n d p a t i e n t s a n d
t h e lack of a d e q u a t e t r a i n i n g f o r t h e
employees providing direct patient
care.
" T h e b i g g e s t p r o b l e m in o u r ins t i t u t i o n s is not d o l l a r s a n d it is not
s t a f f i n g ; " Dr. Foxx said, " i t ' s
m a n a g e m e n t and training."
D r . F o x x said t h a t all too f r e q u e n t l y
p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f s i t s in a n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n building telling s t a f f
w h a t to do i n s t e a d of w o r k i n g w i t h
s t a f f in t h e u n i t s to g e t t h e j o b done.
N o t i n g t h a t t h e r e a r e f r e q u e n t ins t a n c e s of p a t i e n t s
attacking
employees or needing restraint, the
e x p e r t c a u t i o n e d t h e p a n e l t h a t all ins t a n c e s of p h y s i c a l c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n
e m p l o y e e s a n d p a t i e n t s do not constitute abuse.
" I t s e e m s to m e , " t h e U n i v e r s i t y of
learned the distinctions
be^e
physical contact and abuse.
" W e ' r e not t r y i n g to l e s s e n t h e
vious s e r i o u s n e s s of r e a l a b u s e
cidents which a r e deplorable," M
R o e m e r s a i d , " b u t t h e r e is a n issi
h e r e a s to w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s r
abuse. I think that m a n y c
ciplinaries are ultimately rejected
arbitrators simply because what
s t a t e s a i d w a s a b u s e w a s in f a 0
abuse."
training
GETTING THE FACTS - CSEA Region
II President Jimmy Gripper, right, and
CSEA Collective Bargaining Specialist
Paul Burch, left, listen attentively to
speakers during a training session for arbitrators who will hear patient abuse
allegations under the new CSEA-State contracts. The training session was jointly
sponsored by the union and the Governq|||s
Office of Employee Relations and was
held on November 30 and December 1 in
New York City. Mr. Gripper made the
welcoming address.
M a r y l a n d p s y c h o l o g i s t said, " t h a t t h e
d e f i n i t i o n of a b u s e involves i n t e n t ; int e n t to c a u s e h a r m or to c a u s e f u r t h e r
harm."
C S E A C h i e f C o u n s e l J a m e s W.
R o e m e r t e r m e d the session a s u c c # s
t h a t p r o v e d i n f o r m a t i v e to t h e a r b i t r a t o r s and also helped the State
a n d t h e union e x p l o r e e a c h o t h e r ' s
positions. H e said t h e a r b i t r a t o r s
c o m m e n t e d favorably about the
meeting and also concluded the
s e s s i o n s w e r e a m e a n i n g f u l s t e p to
t h e f u l f i l l m e n t of t h e n e w p a n e l s objectives under the contract.
Employee rights v$. confidentiality
• 4 E W Y O R K C I T Y - H o w do you
b a l a n c e t h e r i g h t of a n e m p l o y e e t o
defend himself f r o m a patient abuse
c h a r g e a g a i n s t t h e r i g h t of a p a t i e n t
to c o n f i d e n t i a l i t y ?
T h a t w a s one of t h e m o r e cont r o v e r s i a l q u e s t i o n s d i s c u s s e d by a
S e l e c t P a n e l of A r b i t r a t o r s c h o s e n
by C S E A a n d the S t a t e to h e a r disciplinary arbitrations arising f r o m
patient abuse allegations. The
s | l c i a l panel was created during
negotiations for the CSEA-. State
contracts.
CSEA has consistently maintained
with increasing a g r e e m e n t f r o m arb i t r a t o r s t h a t w h e n a p a t i e n t in a
psychiatric or developmental center
a c c u s e s a n e m p l o y e e of a b u s e , t h e
e m p l o y e e ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s should
h a v e the right to e x a m i n e the
p a t i e n t ' s m e d i c a l r e c o r d s to d e t e r m i n e if t h e p a t i e n t ' s t e s t i m o n y c a n
b e c o n s i d e r e d c r e d i b l e or if t h e
p a t i e n t h a s a h i s t o r y of m a k i n g f a l s e
accusations.
T h e s t a t e ' s position on t h e i s s u e is
equally c l e a r . It c l a i m s
the
l e g i s l a t u r e w o n ' t a l l o w r e l e a s e of
the records except under certain circ u m s t a n c e s a n d t h a t e v e n if t h o s e
c i r c u m s t a n c e s a r e m e t , t h e s t a t e opp o s e s s u c h d i s c l o s u r e on t h e g r o u n d s
t h a t it v i o l a t e s t h e p a t i e n t - p h y s i c i a n
relationship.
CSEA Regional Attorney Ted
Ruthizer gave a presentation to the
a r b i t r a t o r s outlining recent arb i t r a t i o n a n d c o u r t d e c i s i o n s upholding t h e r i g h t of t h e e m p l o y e e to
q u e s t i o n t h e c r e d i b i l i t y of p a t i e n t
w i t n e s s e s by r e v i e w i n g t h e i r
medical records for prior unsubstant i a t e d c l a i m s a n d f o r v e r i f i c a t i o n of
t h e p a t i e n t ' s a b i l i t y to a c c u r a t e l y
recount events.
"The patient's medical records
a r e r e l e v a n t in m o s t c a s e s , " c o m mented CSEA Attorney Michael
S m i t h , " e v e n to p r e p a r e f o r c r o s s
e x a m i n a t i o n of
non-patient
w i t n e s s e s . I t ' s i m p o r t a n t t o k n o w if
s i m i l a r c l a i m s h a d b e e n m a d e by a
patient before."
Attorney Smith said it's CSEA's
position t h a t t h e i s s u e h a s b e e n
r e s o l v e d by s e v e r a l a r b i t r a t i o n
d e c i s i o n s a n d a n opinion of t h e
A p p e l l a t e Division of S t a t e S u p r e m e
C o u r t upholding t h e r i g h t of a n a r b i t r a t o r to exclude a p a t i e n t ' s
t e s t i m o n y w h e n t h e s t a t e r e f u s e d to
produce the records that were
o r d e r e d to b e p r o d u c e d by t h e a r bitrator.
" W e b e l i e v e t h e d e c i s i o n s in t h e
Bell a n d C a m a c h o c a s e s makesr' it
clear that we have the right to these
r e c o r d s to d e f e n d
accused
e m p l o y e e s a n d t h a t is w h e r e t h e
m a t t e r stands now," attorney Smith
said.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 12, 1979
Page 7
e
n c e upon a t i m e , not
so v e r y l o n g a g o , it
was possible for a
g o v e r n m e n t body to, with
[relative ease, conduct
public business behind closed
doors, a n d , to m a k e it d i f f i c u l t , if
not i m p o s s i b l e for t h e public to find
out w h a t t r a n s p i r e d behind t h o s e
doors.
" T h e F r e e d o m of I n f o r m a t i o n and Open
M e e t i n g s L a w s . . Opening t h e D o o r , " a
h a n d y g u i d e to c i t i z e n s ' r i g h t s of a c c e s s to
r e c o r d s in possession of g o v e r n m e n t and
to a t t e n d m e e t i n g s of public bodies, is
a v a i l a b l e f r e e of c h a r g e by w r i t i n g t o :
M r . R o b e r t J. F r e e m a n
Executive Director
C o m m i t t e e on P u b l i c A c c e s s to R e c o r d s
162 Washington Avenue
Albany, N e w Y o r k 12231
T h e p a m p h l e t c o n t a i n s d e t a i l s of both
a c c e s s l a w s a s well a s s a m p l e r e c o r d s req u e s t f o r m s a n d s a m p l e a p p e a l f o r m s if
originally denied s u c h i n f o r m a t i o n .
But i t ' s not so e a s y a n y m o r e .
That's because the original
F r e e d o m of I n f o r m a t i o n L a w of
1974 and t h e c u r r e n t F r e e d o m of Information Law, which b e c a m e
e f f e c t i v e J a n u a r y 1, 1978, p r o v i d e
your r i g h t s of a c c e s s to m a n y
g o v e r n m e n t a l r e c o r d s previously
u n a t t a i n a b l e . And t h e O p e n
M e e t i n g s L a w (or " S u n s h i n e "
L a w ) which w e n t into e f f e c t in
N e w York in 1977, with c l a r i f y i n g
a m e n d m e n t s e f f e c t i v e O c t o b e r 1,
1979, p r o t e c t your r i g h t to a t t e n d
m e e t i n g s of public bodies, listen to
d e b a t e s a n d o b s e r v e t h e decisionm a k i n g p r o c e s s of such bodies in
action.
the
FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION
&OPEN
MEETINGS
LAWS
As tax-paying citizens and a s
public e m p l o y e e s , t h e a c t i o n s of
g o v e r n m e n t a l bodies a t e v e r y level
i m p a c t heavily upon t h e lives and
c a r e e r s of
CSEA-represented
public w o r k e r s . It is i m p o r t a n t to
know and a p p r e c i a t e your r i g h t s
r e l a t i v e to such g o v e r n m e n t a l actions. The following excerpts
f r o m a new publication, " T h e
F r e e d o m of I n f o r m a t i o n and Open
M e e t i n g s L a w s . . . Opening the
D o o r " p r e p a r e d by The C o m m i t t e e
of P u b l i c A c c e s s to R e c o r d s .
THE FREEDOM
OF INFORMATION LAW
T h e F r e e d o m of I n f o r m a t i o n
L a w , e f f e c t i v e J a n u a r y 1, 1978,
r e a f f i r m s your r i g h t to know how
your g o v e r n m e n t o p e r a t e s . It
provides r i g h t s of a c c e s s to r e c o r d s
r e f l e c t i v e of
governmental
decisions and policies t h a t a f f e c t
the lives of e v e r y N e w Y o r k e r .
Scope of the Law
T h e law d e f i n e s " a g e n c y " to
include all units of s t a t e and local
g o v e r n m e n t in N e w Y o r k S t a t e , including s t a t e a g e n c i e s , public corp o r a t i o n s and a u t h o r i t i e s , a s well
a s any o t h e r g o v e r n m e n t a l e n t i t i e s
performing a governmental
function for the S t a t e or f o r one or
m o r e units of local g o v e r n m e n t in
t h e S t a t e (section 86(3)).
T h e t e r m " a g e n c y " does not include t h e S t a t e L e g i s l a t u r e or t h e
c o u r t s . As such, for p u r p o s e s of
c l a r i t y , " a g e n c y " will b e used
h e r e i n a f t e r to include all e n t i t i e s of
g o v e r n m e n t in N e w Y o r k , e x c e p t
the State Legislature and the
c o u r t s , both of which will be discussed l a t e r .
What is a Record?
T h e law d e f i n e s " r e c o r d " a s
" a n y i n f o r m a t i o n kept, held, filed,
p r o d u c e d o r r e p r o d u c e d by, with o r
for an a g e n c y or the S t a t e
L e g i s l a t u r e , in any p h y s i c a l f o r m
w h a t s o e v e r . . . " (section 86(4)).
T h u s it is c l e a r t h a t i t e m s such a s
opening the door
t a p e r e c o r d i n g s , m i c r o f i l m and
c o m p u t e r discs fall within the
definition of " r e c o r d . "
ACCESSIBLE RECORDS
The original statute granted
r i g h t s of a c c e s s to nine s p e c i f i e d
c a t e g o r i e s of r e c o r d s to t h e exclusion of all o t h e r s . T h e r e f o r e , unless a r e c o r d c o n f o r m e d to one of
t h e c a t e g o r i e s of a c c e s s i b l e
r e c o r d s , it w a s p r e s u m e d d e n i a b l e .
The new law, r e v e r s i n g that
p r e s u m p t i o n , s t a t e s t h a t all
records are accessible, except
r e c o r d s or portions of r e c o r d s t h a t
fall within one of eight c a t e g o r i e s
of deniable r e c o r d s (section 87(2)).
Generally, the law provides
a c c e s s to e x i s t i n g r e c o r d s .
T h e r e f o r e , an a g e n c y n e e d not
c r e a t e a r e c o r d in r e s p o n s e to a request. Nevertheless, each agency
m u s t c o m p i l e the following r e c o r d s
(section 87(3)):
( a ) a r e c o r d of t h e final vote of
e a c h m e m b e r in e v e r y a g e n c y
p r o c e e d i n g in which t h e m e m b e r
votes;
THE OPEN MEETINGS
LAW
The
Open
Meetings
or
" S u n s h i n e " L a w w e n t into e f f e c t in
N e w Y o r k in 1977. A m e n d m e n t s
t h a t c l a r i f y and r e a f f i r m your r i g h t
t o h e a r t h e d e l i b e r a t i o n s of
public bodies b e c a m e e f f e c t i v e on
O c t o b e r 1, 1979.
In b r i e f , the law gives t h e public
t h e r i g h t to a t t e n d m e e t i n g s of
public bodies, listen to t h e d e b a t e s
and w a t c h the d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g
p r o c e s s in action.
Since the law applies to " o f ficial" meetings, chance meetings
or social g a t h e r i n g s a r e not
c o v e r e d by t h e law.
A s s t a t e d in t h e l e g i s l a t i v e
d e c l a r a t i o n in the Open M e e t i n g s
L a w (section 95): " I t is e s s e n t i a l to
t h e m a i n t e n a n c e of a d e m o c r a t i c
s o c i e t y t h a t t h e public b u s i n e s s b e
p e r f o r m e d in an open a n d public
m a n n e r and t h a t t h e citizens of this
s t a t e be fully a w a r e of a n d a b l e to
o b s e r v e t h e p e r f o r m a n c e of public
o f f i c i a l s and a t t e n d and listen to
t h e d e l i b e r a t i o n s and decisions t h a t
g o i n t o t h e m a k i n g of p u b l i c
policy."
The law a p p l i e s to all public
bodies. " P u b l i c b o d y " is d e f i n e d to
c o v e r e n t i t i e s consisting of t w o or
m o r e people t h a t conduct public
business
and
perform
a
governmental function for the
State, for an agency of the State or
f o r public c o r p o r a t i o n s , including
cities, counties, towns, villages and
school d i s t r i c t s ; f o r e x a m p l e . In
addition, c o m m i t t e e s and s u b c o m m i t t e e s a r e s p e c i f i c a l l y included
within the definition. Consequently, city councils, town b o a r d s ,
village b o a r d s of t r u s t e e s , school
boards, commissions, legislative
bodies and c o m m i t t e e s and subc o m m i t t e e s of t h o s e g r o u p s all fall
within t h e f r a m e w o r k of t h e law.
What is
(b) a r e c o r d s e t t i n g f o r t h t h e
n a m e , public o f f i c e a d d r e s s , t i t l e
and s a l a r y of e v e r y o f f i c e r or
e m p l o y e e of t h e a g e n c y ; a n d
(c) a reasonably
detailed
c u r r e n t list by s u b j e c t m a t t e r of all
r e c o r d s in possession of an a g e n c y ,
w h e t h e r o r not t h e r e c o r d s a r e
accessible.
p o s e of c o n d u c t i n g
public
b u s i n e s s . " As such, any t i m e a
q u o r u m of a public body g a t h e r s
for t h e p u r p o s e of discussing public
business, t h e m e e t i n g m u s t be convened open to t h e public, w h e t h e r
or not t h e r e is an intent to t a k e action, and r e g a r d l e s s of the m a n n e r
in which t h e g a t h e r i n g m a y be
characterized.
a''meeting"?
Although
the
definition
of
" m e e t i n g " w a s v a g u e a s it
a p p e a r e d in t h e original law, t h e
a m e n d m e n t s to t h e law c l a r i f y t h e
definition in c o n j u n c t i o n with exp a n s i v e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of t h e l a w
given by t h e c o u r t s . " M e e t i n g " is
d e f i n e d to m e a n " t h e o f f i c i a l convening of a public body for t h e pur-
What is Covered by the Law?
.1
Page 8
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 12, 1979
L e f t , TAX A N D F I N A N C E C S E A
LOCAL 690 held its a n n u a l holiday
party for m e m b e r s and guests last
week. Among the
dignitaries
a t t e n d i n g w e r e J a m e s H. Tully J r . ,
c e n t e r , . P r e s i d e n t of t h e S t a t e T a x
Commission, and CSEA Executive
D i r e c t o r J o s e p h J . Dolan J r . , r i g h t .
T h e y a r e g r e e t e d b y L o c a l 690
P r e s i d e n t C a r m e n Bagnoli, l e f t .
Below, TAX A N D F I N A N C E E x ecutive Deputy Commissioner Joseph
V a l e n t i , r i g h t , is w e l c o m e d by L o c a l
690 P r e s i d e n t B a g n o l i .
Above, A M O N G T H E G U E S T S a t Local 690 holiday a f f a i r l a s t w e e k w e r e , f r o m l e f t ,
CSEA R e g i o n IV P r e s i d e n t J o s e p h E . M c D e r m o t t , C S E A B o a r d of D i r e c t o r s m e m b e r
J o h n Gully f r o m T a x a n d F i n a n c e , a n d CSEA s t a t e w i d e S e c r e t a r y I r e n e C a r r .
Above, CSEA
EXECUTIVE
D I R E C T O R J O S E P H J. DOLAN,
l e f t , c h a t s w i t h L o c a l 690 m e m b e r s
Tom C r a r y ^ T o m O'Donnell, Helen
Butrym and Victor B u t r y m .
Left, AMONG LOCAL
690
m e m b e r s a t t e n d i n g a n n u a l holiday
p a r t y w e r e Bill B u r d i c k a n d D a n a
Sgarlata.
THE PUBLIC s e c t o r ; Wednesday, December 12, 1979
Page 9
OPEN CONTINUOUS
STATE JOB CALENDAR
STATE OPEN COMPETITIVE
JOB CALENDAR
1
Title
STATE OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB CALENDAR
Salary
FILING ENDS D E C E M B E R 17. 1979
Airport Development Specialist I
Airport Development Specialist, Senior
Radiologic Technologist (Therapeutic)
Radiologic Technologist (Therapeutic), Senior
Radiologic Technologist, Chief
Radiotherapy Nurse, Supervising
F I U N G ENDS JANUARY 7, 1980
Teachers' Retirement System Accounting Systems Analyst
Teachers' Retirement System Financial
Systems Analyst, Associate
Teachers' Retirement System Operations Specialist
Title
Exam No.l
$14,075
$18,301
$ 9,865
$11,695
$16,420
$14,850
27-975
27-976
27-990
27-991
27-987
27-988
$23,755 8<M»7
$21,435 8 0 ^
$23,500 8(M»5
COMPETITIVE
PROMOTIONAL EXAMS
•
} n;. li'Vi"
'
..
COMPETITIVE PROMOTIONAL EXAMS
Title
Salary E x a m No.
FILING ENDS DECEMBER 17, 1979
Compensation Claims Clerk
$ 7,900 36-916
FILING ENDS JANUARY 14, 1980
Supervising Bank Examiner
Supervising Overseas Branch Bank Examiner
$32,475 39-394
$36,095 39-394
Political action results
B A T H — T h e p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n c o m m i t t e e of t h e S t e u b e n C o u n t y L o c a l N o .
851 r e c o r d e d a w i n n i n g s l a t e in t h i s f a l l ' s e l e c t i o n , w i t h 12 of 15 C S E A - e n d o r s e d
candidates m a r k i n g victories.
" W e f e e l v e r y p r o u d of t h e e f f o r t C S E A m a d e in t h i s e l e c t i o n , " s a i d l o c a l
President J a m e s Lindsay. " O u r people have definitely m a d e a contribution to
g o v e r n m e n t in t h i s c o u n t y . W e w a n t t o t h a n k a l l m e m b e r s w h o v o t e d a n d
w o r k e d on t h i s y e a r ' s c a m p a i g n . "
C S E A - e n d o r s e d w i n n e r s on t h e S t e u b e n C o u n t y B o a r d of S u p e r v i s o r s a r e :
F r a n Gehl (D)
Richard F r e y (D)
P e t e r Giambrone (D)
William T o b i n ( R )
Bernard J. Smith (D)
E . B e t h Clark (R)
John Stover (R)
George McKinley (R)
J a m e s Bacalles (R)
Fordyce F o s t e r (D)
Harvey Young (R)
The group also endorsed District Attorney John Finnerty, who r a n
s u c c e s s f u l l y f o r t h e p o s t of S t e u b e n C o u n t y J u d g e .
C S E A m e m b e r s w h o p a r t i c i p a t e d in t h e p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n e f f o r t s i n c l u d e :
P a t Brink, Christine Laubach, Zita P a r k e r , R i c h a r d and Ellen F r e n c h ,
W i l m a S a u n d e r s , J o h n L o z a , S a n d r a G a l l a g h e r , D a w n R u m s e y , A^t H o w e l l ,
R o b e r t Dodd, J i m Wager, Bonnie Hughes, Linda W e s t a c o t t ^ and L a r r y
Crossett.
Lindsay, who also served a s political action c h a i r m a n , said he wished to
g i v e s p e c i a l t h a n k s t o H a r o l d T o w n e r , H o m e l l City C h a p t e r 007 p r e s i d e n t a n d
E d Robinson, H o m e l l ' s political action cjiairman, for their support and
cooperation.
C S E A R E G I O N II O F F I C E R S m e t r e c e n t l y w i t h C S E A s t a t e w i d e P r e s i d e n t
W i l l i a m L. M c G o w a n w h e n h e t o u r e d t h e M e t r o p o l i t a n R e g i o n a n d c o n f e r r e d
with local presidents. F r o m left a r e P r e s i d e n t McGowan, Region II P r e s i d e n t
J i m m y G r i p p e r , F i r s t V i c e P r e s i d e n t F e l t o n K i n g , Second V i c e P r e s i d e n t
F r a n c e s D u B o s e , T h i r d Vice P r e s i d e n t Willie R a y e . Also, S e c r e t a r y H e l e n
Cugno, T r e a s u r e r Clinton E . T h o m a s , a n d C o r r e s p o n d i n g S e c r e t a r y R o b e r t
Diaz.
Poae 10
THE PUBLIC SECTOR. Wednesday, December 12. 1979
Senior Medical Records Technician
P l ^ r m a c i s t (salary varies with location)
Assistant Sanitary Engineer
Senior Sanitary Engineer
Clinical Physician I
Clinical Physician II
Assistant Clinical Physician
Attorney
Assistant Attorney
Attorney Trainee
Junior Engineer
(bachelor's I>egree)
Junior Engineer
(Master's Degree)
Dental Hygienist
Licensed Practical Nurse
Nutrition Services Consultant
Stationary Engineer
Senior Stationary Engineer
Occupational Therapy Assistant I
Occupational Therapy Assistant I
(Spanish Speaking)
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Trainee
Medical Record Technician
Histology Technician
Professional Positions in Auditing and Accounting
Computer P r o g r a m m e r
Computer P r o g r a m m e r (Scientific)
Senior P r o g r a m m e r
Senior Computer P r o g r a m m e r (Scientific)
Mobility Instructor
Instructor of the Blind
Health Services Nurse
.(salary varies-with location)
Seniör Heating and Ventilating Engineer
Senior Sanitary Engineer (Design)
Senior Building Electrical Engineer
Senior Building Structural Engineer
Senior Mechanical Construction Engineer
Senior Plumbing Engineer
Assistant Stationary Engineer
Electroencephalograph Technician
Radiologic Technologist
(salary varies with location)
Medical Record Administrator
Food Service Worker I
Mental Hygiene Therapy Aide Trainee
Mental Hygiene Therapy Aide Trainee
(Spanish Speaking)
Associate Actuary (Casualty)
Principal Actuary (Casualty)
Supervising Actuary (Casualty)
Assistant Actuary
Nurse I
Nurse H
Nurse II (Psychiatric)
Nurse II (Rehabilitation)
Medical Specialist II
Medical Specialist I
Psychiatrist I
Psychiatrist II
Social Services Management Trainee
Social Services Managenient Specialist
Social Services Management Trainee
(Spanish Speaking)
Social Services Management Specialist
(Spanish Speaking)
Industrial Training Supervisor
(salary varies depending on specialty)
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist (Spanish Speaking)
Senior Physical Therapist
Senior Physical Therapist (Spanish Speaking)
Speech Pathologist
Audiologist
Assistant Speech Pathologist
Assistant Audiologist
Dietician Trainee
Dietician
Supervising Dietician
Stenographer (NYC only)
Typist (NYC only)
Senior Occupational Therapist
Senior Occupational Therapist
(Spanish Speaking)
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapist (Spanish Speaking)
Salary Exam No.
$10,624 20-102
$14,388-$15,562 20-129
$16,040 • 20-122
$18,301 20-123
$27,942 20-118
$31,055 20-119
$25,161 20-117
$14,850 20-113
$12,397 20-113
$11,723 20-113
$12,890 20-109
$13,876 20-109
$8,950
$8,051
$13,404
$10,042
$11,250
$9,029
$9,029
20-107
20-106
20-139
20-100
20-101
20-174
20-174
$14,142
$11,983
$9,481
$8,051
$11,250
$11,250
$11,250
$14,075
$14,075
$11,904
$11,250
$11,250-$12,025
20-1401
20-140
20-143
20-170
20-200
20-220
20-222
20-221
20-223
20-224
20-225
20-226
$18,301
$18,301
$18,301
$18,301
$18,301
$18,301
$7.616
$7,616
$8,454-$10,369
20-227
20-228
20-229
20-230
20-231
20-232
20-303
20-308
20-334
$11,904
^ 455
$7,204
$7,204
20-348
20-352
20-394
20-394
$18,369
$22,364
$26,516
$10,714
$10,624
$11,904
$11,904
$11,904
$33,705
$27,942
$27,942
$33,705
$10,824
^1,450
$10,824
20-416
20417
20-418
20-556
20-584
20-585
20-586
20-587
20-840
20-841
20-842
20-843
20-875
20-875
20-876
$11,450 20-876
$10,624-$12,583 20-877
$11,337
$11,337
$12,670
$12,670
$12,670
$12,670
$11,337
$11,337
$10,624
$11,250
$13,304
$6,650
$6,071
$12,670
$12,670
20-880
20-880
20-881
20-881
20-883
20-882
20-884
20-885
20-888
20-887
20-886
20-890
20-891
20-894
20-894
$11,337 20-895
$11,337 20-895
You may contact the following officei of the New York State Department of Civil Service for announcements, applications, and other details concerning examinations for the positions listed above.
Stote Office Building Campus, First Floor, Building I, Albany, New York 12239 (518) 457-6216.
2 World Trade Center, 55th Floor, New York City 10047 (212) 488-4248.
Suite 750, Genesee Building, West Genesee Street, Buffalo, New York 14202* (716) 842-4260.
Union leader
on special
commission
Greenwich
unit gets
contract
TROY Edward
LaPlante,
p r e s i d e n t of t h e 4 0 0 - m e m b e r City of
T r o y U n i t of t h e C i v i l S e r v i c e
E m p l o y e e s Assn. h a s b e e n a p p o i n t e d
by o u t g o i n g T r o y M a y o r S t e v e n
D w o r s k y to s e r v e a s t h e l a b o r
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e on a c o m m i s s i o n to inv e s t i g a t e t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a
s t r o n g m a y o r f o r m of g o v e r n m e n t in
Troy.
GREENWICH
After
a
s o m e t i m e s d i f f i c u l t f i g h t to r e t a i n existing b e n e f i t s , a s well a s s e c u r e
s a l a r y i n c r e a s e s , in ccMitract t a l k s ,
t h e T o w n of G r e e n w i c h S c h o o l
D i s t r i c t U n i t of t h e Civil S e r v i c e
E m p l o y e e s Assn. h a s r e a c h e d w h a t
t h e unit p r e s i d e n t t e r m s a " f a i r l y
satisfactory" a g r e e m e n t with district
officials.
Currently, L a P l a n t e noted, a city
m a n a g e r , w h o is a p p o i n t e d by t h e c i t y
council, h a s c o m p l e t e c o n t r o l o v e r
government operations.
Dworsky
would like to h a v e a s t r o n g m a y o r
e l e c t e d by t h e c i t i z e n s .
The negotiations, says Unit
P r e s i d e n t G l e n n e n W o o d w a r d , got off
to a poor s t a r t last April, when the
school d i s t r i c t a n n o u n c e d it did n o t
have the funds to g r a n t raises, and
would h a v e t o r e d u c e i t s c o n t r i b u t i o n
to the employees health insurance
plan a n d would p a y e m p l o y e e s f o r
each task completed r a t h e r than a
weekly salary.
Should t h e c o m m i s s i o n , w h i c h cons i s t s of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m b u s i n e s s
a n d n e i g h b o r h o o d a s s o c i a t i o n s in
T r o y , c o m e out in f a v o r of t h e c h a n g e ,
T r o y c i t i z e n s will b e a s k e d to v o t e on
the issue via a special r e f e r e n d u m .
At t h i s point, L a P l a n t e c o u l d n o t
c o m m e n t on C S E A ' s
position
c o n c e r n i n g a s t r o n g m a y o r , b u t ind i c a t e d t h e union is p l e a s e d t o h a v e a
v o i c e on t h e c o m m i s s i o n . T h i s is t h e
f i r s t t i m e a union r e p r e s e n t a t i v e h a s
b e e n a p p o i n t e d t o t h e c o m m i s s i o n by
a city official, he added.
r r nmate
^
TAKING TO THE AIR WAVES
- CSEA representatives recently
p a r t i c i p a t e d in a call-in r a d i o t a l k s h o w o v e r s t a t i o n W A L L in M i d d l e t o w n t o
b r i n g t h e i r c l a i m of s e r i o u s u n d e r s t a f f i n g p r o b l e m s a t t h e O r a n g e County
H o m e a n d I n f i r m a r y t o t h e a t t e n t i o n of t h e p u b l i c . Union p a r t i c i p a n t s / a l o n g
w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of c o u n t y m a n a g e m e n t , w e r e , f r o m l e f t , D a w n G a m b i n o , a
union r e p in t h e c o u n t y h o m e a n d i n f i r m a r y ; C S E A F i e l d R e p r e s e n t a t i v e
B r u c e W y n g a a r d ; a n d K a y C a y t o n . P r e s i d e n t of t h e O r a n g e C o u n t y U n i t of
C S E A L o c a l 836. In e a r l y N o v e m b e r , e m p l o y e e s held a p r o t e s t d e m o n s t r a t i o n
over staffing conditions at the facility.
suicides concern state officials i
•
By JACK JONES
•
GOWANDA — Judges, police and
^ p s y c h i a t r i s t s , l a w m a k e r s and other
public officials gathered in thu> rural
western New York village y e s t e r d ^ t a
discuss suicides and suicide a t t e m p t s
jails and prisons throughout the
state
Suicides a r e " t h e single leading
c a u s e of d e a t h " in . j a ü s . a n ^ , prisons,
"said Joseph
commissioner and
c h a i r m a n of the s t a t e Commissio;i of
Corrections' Medical Review Board
Suicides account for one of evpry
three deaths that occur in jails and
correctional , facilities, according - to
Wasser He' saici t h e r e were 27 suicides
and 442 suicide aUemptj» behind b a r s in
New York last y e a r
Elizabeth Cunnelly. who chairs the
A s s e m b l y s C o m m i t t e e on M e n t a l
Health, blames the increasing violehca,
directly on state and federal efforts to
•'de institutionalize" mentally ill persons, ryleasing them from sta
' De^institutionalization'
critic calls it 'a social disaster'
tals before their illnesses have been
.^dequatelyi treated'.^ • r
"De-inslitut^orvalization, io my opinion. has been a social disaster, rather
than a social reform," she said
When the indigent mentally ill person
' has no place else to go. he now falls
into the cprreclional system," which
isn't equipped t^o deal with psychiatric
problems, she said
.De institutionalization has had a significant impact on state prisons since
: state hospital at Matteawan fqr
menially t^ prisoners was closed in
1977 and severely disturbed inmates
were returned to general-population
In the past three years, prison murders, suicides and violent assaults inr
volvvng mentally ill inmates hav^
reached "a critical level," according to
Wasser '
'
Mrs. Connelly accused psychiatrists
and other mental health professionals
of 'just not wanting to deal with these
(mentally ill) people."
Hal Smith, director of forensic servicep for the state Office of Mental
Health, acknowledged the magnitude of
th? problem and said the sUte is developing new services to provide fpr the
needs of mentally ill inmates of both
jails and prisons.
Mental health satg
WRITING THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEIÖENT
AND
/
COSTING OUT THE COLLECTIVE BARC^INING AGREEMENT
T wo New One-Day Workshops
January 23, 2 4 , 1 9 8 0
:
"
blamed,
At T h e Quality Inn
1-90 & Everett R o a d , A l b a n y , N . Y .
THE NEW YORK S C H O O L OF INDUSTRIAL A N D LABOR RELATIONS
A S t a t u t o r y College of t h e State University Extension Division
( I Writing the Collective BartjainingAffreement, January 23,1980
( I Costing Out the Collective Bargaining Agreement, January 24,1980
NAME
expanded at state prisons, and a special in-patient unit for severely disturbed inmates is being planned at the
Central New York Psychiatric Facility
in Marcy, Smith said'
Smith also said the first of several
planned state-run mental health units
. to serve disturbed inmatps from county
jails will open here at the Gowanda
Psychiatric Center m-January.
A similar facility is beifig planned at
Rochester Psychiatric Center for sometime next year, Smith said, but the
money, to operate the Rochester ünil
hasn't been approved by state agencies.
The units will provide care and i
treatment for criminal offentjers
three categories
• Those who become mentally illj
while In jail awaiting :ripl..
• Thr->e found incompetent to
trial.
T h e union a c c u s e d t h e school a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of t r y i n g t o c o n f u s e
p r i o r i t i e s in n e g o t i a t i o n s .
The new two-year contract, settled
a f t e r the CSEA declared an impasse
in M a y , c a l l s f o r a s e v e n p e r c e n t
s a l a r y i n c r e a s e in e a c h y e a r , o n e ex^
t r a d a y of l e a v e p e r y e a r , in a d d i t i o n
t o t h e r e t e n t i o n of a l l e x i s t i n g
benefits.
ONE SPINOFF FROM
the state's
deinstitutionalization
p r o g r a m h a s b e e n t h e i m p a c t of dist u r b e d i n d i v i d u a l s «upon t h e s t a t e ' s
prison system, according
to
s t a t e m e n t s by m a n y of t h e j u d g e s ,
police, p s y c h i a t r i s t s , l a w m a k e r s a n d
public o f f i c i a l s w h o m e t l a s t m o n t h t o
d i s c u s s v i o l e n c e in p r i s o n s . E l i z a b e t h
C o n n e l l y , c h a i r p e r s o n of t h e
A s s e m b l y C o m m i t t e e on M e n t a l
Health, was quoted as saying at that
m e e t i n g , " D e i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z a t i o n , in
m y opinion, h a s b e e n a s o c i a l disaster, r a t h e r than a social r e f o r m . " A
n u m b e r of s t a t e - r u n m e n t a l h e a l t h
units to s e r v e disturbed i n m a t e s f r o m
c o u n t y j a i l s a r e e x p e c t e d t o open n e x t
y e a r to h e l p e a s e t h e p r o b l e m s .
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES...
Where would You Be
without Them?
TITLE
ORGANIZATION
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
TELEPHONE NO.
Refostration should be made (and checks made payable) to: Cornell University, 112 State Street,
Albany. N.Y. 12207.
Call: (518» 473-1931 to reffister by phone.
the union that works for
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, V\/ednesday, N o v e m b e r 7, 1979
you
Page 11
Seek more representation
on pension
Investment
board
Beneficiaries should have voice
in decisions which affect them
T h e Civil S e r v i c e E m p l o y e e s A s s n . e x p e c t s to i n t r o d u c e , in t h e n e a r
f u t u r e , p r o p o s e d l e g i s l a t i o n w h i c h would r e s h a p e t h e p r o p o s e d inv e s t m e n t b o a r d f o r t h e c o m m o n r e t i r e m e n t f u n d of t h e E m p l o y e e s
R e t i r e m e n t System and the P o l i c e m e n ' s and F i r e m e n ' s R e t i r e m e n t
S y s t e m . C u r r e n t p r o p o s e d l e g i s l a t i o n would r e l i e v e t h e c o m p t r o l l e r a s
t h e sole t r u s t e e , by c r e a t i n g a 5 - m e m b e r i n v e s t m e n t b o a r d w i t h o n e
e m p l o y e e or e m p l o y e e o r p n i z a t i o n m e m b e r . C S E A c l a i m s t h i s is i n a d e q u a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d is p r e p a r i n g l e g i s l a t i o n w h i c h would p r o v i d e additional e m p l o y e e a n d / o r e m p l o y e e o r g a n i z a t i o n r e p r e s e n t a t i o n on t h e inv e s t m e n t b o a r d . T h e p r o p o s e d l e g i s l a t i o n w a s u n v e i l e d r e c e n t l y by C S E A
Atty. S t e p h e n Wiley in t e s t i m o n y b e f o r e a h e a r i n g c o n d u c t e d by t h e S t a t e
A s s e m b l y G o v e r n m e n t a l E m p l o y e e s C o m m i t t e e . T h e following is ext r a c t e d t e s t i m o n y by A t t y . Wiley a t t h a t h e a r i n g .
" B o t h comptroller Regan and
Arthur Levitt have recognized that
it is n e c e s s a r y to i n s u l a t e t h e sole
trustee from the tremendous
p r e s s u r e w h i c h m a y be b r o u g h t to
bear. Both Mr. Levitt
and
Comptroller Regan
apparently
a g r e e on a bill w h i c h w a s i n t r o d u c ed in t h e 1978 s e s s i o n a s A s s e m b l y
13186. I t h a s b e e n r e i n t r o d u c e d a s
S e n a t e 3001 a n d A s s e m b l y 5734.
T h i s bill c r e a t e s a n i n v e s t m e n t
board for the common r e t i r e m e n t
f u n d c o m p o s e d of f i v e m e m b e r s
w h i c h would a c t a s a b o a r d of
trustees for the fund. The m e m b e r s
would b e : o n e : a n e x p e r i e n c e d
d e s i g n e e of t h e c o m p t r o l l e r , t w o :
a n e x p e r i e n c e d d e s i g n e e of t h e
governor, three: three m e m b e r s
d e s i g n a t e d by t h e a d v i s o r y c o u n c i l
f o r t h e r e t i r e m e n t s y s t e m s , t w o of
w h i c h would be " e x p e r i e n c e d " a n d
one of w h i c h would b e a n e m p l o y e e
m e m b e r of t h e a d v i s o r y c o u n c i l .
"CSEA disagrees with this
a p p r o a c h . It f a i l s to p r o v i d e a d e q u a t e e m p l o y e e or e m p l o y e e
o r g a n i z a t i o n r e p r e s e n t a t i o n on t h e
b o a r d . It a l s o l i m i t s t h e d e c i s i o n
m a k i n g p o w e r s to i n v e s t m e n t
issues.
" C S E A has an
alternate
p r o p o s a l , w h i c h h a s not y e t b e e n int r o d u c e d , b u t a copy h a s b e e n a t tached for your convenience. The
p r o p o s e d l e g i s l a t i o n is s i m i l a r to
t h e L e v i t t - R e g a n p r o p o s a l in t h a t it
e s t a b l i s h e s a b o a r d of t r u s t e e s to
m a k e investment decisions for the
c o m m o n r e t i r e m e n t f u n d of t h e
Employees' Retirement System and
the Policemen's and F i r e m e n ' s
R e t i r e m e n t System. T h e board of
t r u s t e e s , h o w e v e r , is c o m p o s e d a s
follows:
1. An e x p e r i e n c e d d e s i g n e e
the comptroller
of
2. An
of
experienced designee
the governor
3. An e x p e r i e n c e d d e s i g n e e of
t h e s p e a k e r of t h e a s s e m b l y
4. An e x p e r i e n c e d d e s i g n e e of
t h e t e m p o r a r y p r e s i d e n t of t h e
Senate
5. T w o d e s i g n e e s f r o m t h e advisory council from the
r e t i r e m e n t s y s t e m , o n e of
w h o m shall b e o n e of t h e t w o
m e m b e r s d e s i g n a t e d to t h e adv i s o r y c o u n c i l by
the
Page 12
employee
organization
represenUng the
largest
n u m b e r of e m p l o y e e m e m b e r s
of t h e e m p l o y e e s ' r e t i r e m e n t
s y s t e m , a n d one of w h o m is
e i t h e r a police or a f i r e
m e m b e r of t h e c o m p t r o l l e r ' s
a d v i s o r y council.
A T T Y . S T E P H E N W I L E Y told a S t a t e A s s e m b l y c o m m i t t e e r e c e n t l y
t h a t C S E A , b e c a u s e it h a s a n e x t r e m e i n t e r e s t in t h e r e t i r e m e n t s y s t e m
a n d its policies, is d r a f t i n g l e g i s l a t i o n to r e s h a p e a p r o p o s e d b o a r d of
t r u s t e e s to m a k e i n v e s t m e n t d e c i s i o n s f o r t h e c o m m o n r e t i r e m e n t f u n d
of t h e E m p l o y e e s ' R e t i r e m e n t S y s t e m a n d t h e P o l i c e m e n ' s a n d
Firemen's Retirement System.
*
" I n a d d i t i o n , t h i s bill a m e n d s
appropriate sections to provide,
that while the comptroller r e m a i n s
t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e h e a d of t h e
employees' retirement system and
the policemen's and f i r e m e n ' s
r e t i r e m e n t s y s t e m , his a d o p t i o n
a n d a m e n d m e n t of t h e r u l e s a n d
regulations for the administration
a n d t r a n s a c t i o n of b u s i n e s s of t h e
r e t i r e m e n t s y s t e m s is s u b j e c t to
t h e s u p e r v i s i o n a n d c o n s e n t of t h e
b o a r d of t r u s t e e s .
" A l s o of i m p o r t a n c e is s e c t i o n 9
of t h e bill, w h i c h r e q u i r e s , f o r investment decisions, the affirm a t i v e v o t e of a t l e a s t one of t h e
public e m p l o y e e m e m b e r s of t h e
b o a r d of t r u s t e e s . T h e s e c h a n g e s
do not give e m p l o y e e s a v e t o o v e r
investment decisions, a m a j o r i t y
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n on t h e b o a r d of
t r u s t e e s or the control over
retirement system
monies.
H o w e v e r , t h e y do p r o v i d e f o r
somewhat
more
balanced
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n on t h e b o a r d of
t r u s t e e s a s well a s f o r a m o r e
e f f e c t i v e v o i c e in i n v e s t m e n t
decisions. CSEA believes that the
b e n e f i c i a r i e s of t h e s y s t e m should
h a v e s o m e v o i c e in t h ^ d e c i s i o n s
w h i c h so vitally a f f e c t t h e m . "
Ready To Retire?
Protect your future with Retiree membership in CSEA.
• T a k e a n a c t i v e r o l e in C S E A R e t i r e e s ' l e g i s l a t i v e c a m p a i g n s f o r
pension cost-of-living i n c r e a s e s
• S h a r e in a c t i v i t i e s of t h e C S E A r e t i r e e c h a p t e r n e a r e s t you
• C o n t i n u e p r e s e n t C S E A ' s l i f e i n s u r a n c e policies a t t h e low g r o u p
rate
,
• B e c o m e eligible f o r C S E A ' s " S e n i o r S e c u r i t y 55" life i n s u r a n c e
policy f o r m e m b e r s only
• A c q u i r e low h o s p i t a l cash-to-you p r o t e c t i o n f o r C S E A r e t i r e e s a n d
spouses
• Send coupon below f o r a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n on b e n e f i t s of r e t i r e e
m e m b e r s h i p in C S E A
Send the coupon for membership intormation.
r
^
Retiree Division
""
Civil Service Employees Assn.
33 Elk St., Albany, N.Y. 12207
Please send nne a membership form for membership in Retired Civil Service
Employees of CSEA.
Name
Street
City, State
Apt.
-Zip
Date of Retirement
Survey finds N.Y. pensions most costly in U.S.
t t / 3 M
state and local government employees in New York State contribute less to
their pensions than any of the other
states, claims the Citizens Public Expenditure Survey Inc., a statewide taxpayer research organization.
Only 5 percent of New York State and
local retirement systems are supported
from employee contributions, said the
research organization.
Sixty-three percent of the retirement
systems are supported by government
contributions in the form of taxes and 32
percent from earnings on investments,
said the survey.
"The 5 percent amount from employees is the lowest among the 50 states,"
said the organization. The closest states
to that figure are Florida, 7 percent,
and Michigan, 9 percent. The U.S. average for employee contributions is 20
percent.
The Citizens Public Expenditure Survey also pointed out the 63 percent of
state and local governmental retirement systems paid for by New York
taxpayers is the highest among the 50
states. The U.S. average is 49 percent.
New York is slightly above the average in income from investments for
retirement systems, said the survey.
New York receives 32 percent from
investment income. The U.S. average is|
31 percent.
"Sixteen states have a higher percentage," said the research organization.
T H I S N E W S P A P E R A R T I C L E a p p e a r e d in e a r l y D e c e m b e r . It p o i n t e d out a n u m b e r of things, i n c l u d m g t h a t
public e m p l o y e e s in N e w Y o r k S t a t e c o n t r i b u t e less of t h e i r own m o n e y t o w a r d t h e i r p e n s i o n s t h a n in a n y o t h e r
s t a t e , j u s t 5% c o m p a r e d to a n a t i o n a l a v e r a g e of 20%. T h e a r t i c l e a l s o s a y s N e w York a v e r a g e s 32% f r o m mv e s t m e n t s f o r r e t i r e m e n t s y s t e m s , slightly a b o v e t h e n a t i o n a l a v e r a g e of 31%. T h e a r t i c l e s t a t e d t h a t 16 s t a t e s
receive a higher percentage f r o m r e t i r e m e n t fund investments.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Wednesday, December 12, 1979