The who, what, where, when and why of
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1
Renewed hope
HAUPPAUGE — A Suffolk County official last week estimated the
number of employees scheduled to be laid off because of job cuts in the 1982
budget at between 120 and 167 but added that the county's high attrition rate
could eliminate most of the actual layoffs.
"Entry level positions, especially among the clerical series, have annual turnover rates as high as 110 percent," said George Meyer, personnel
officer, civil service department. "Because of the turnover rate, I am very
optimistic that people who are laid off will be re-employed in a short time, if
indeed they are ever actually laid off."
The latest estimate represents a narrowing of the original estimate —
which ranged from a low of 50 to a high of 180 — made by county officials
Nov. 5, the day the budget was adopted by the Legislature.
CSEA Local 852 is monitoring the layoffs closely with the civil service
department and is considering legal action if strict seniority is not observed
when the layoffs begin.
-
- -I--
As soon as employees receive notices, I want them to contact a Local
852 officer at our Holtsville offices," said Charles Novo,Local 852 president.
"If the layoffs violate any civil service laws, we're going to court. But wie
can't act until the county actually delivers the layoff notices."
Novo said he was concerned also about reports that jobs funded by state
and federal grants had been eliminated in the budget fight between the
county executive and the Legislature.
Originally, Suffolk County Executive Peter Cohalan proposed the
elimination of 1,200 jobs, 736 of them filled, as part of the 1982 budget. The
legislature restored all of the filled positions and overrode most of Cohalan's
vetoes of their budget except those eliminating the 120 to 167 jobs now
scheduled to be laid off.
The confusion over how many jobs were scheduled to be eliminated
resulted from both the budget fight, in which more t h a n ^ resolutions were
voted on, and by intricate layoff procedures which must identify the eventual employees who will be terminated after the bump and retreat process
takes place.
Once the list of jobs to be eliminated was compiled from the budget
resolutions by the county budget department, it was sent to the civil service
department which began the lengthy search — for both competitive and noncompetitive job categories — to see if the jobs are filled or vacant and how
the bump and retreat procedures will affect parallel and lower positions.
"It's tremendously time consuming, like trying to count the grains of
sand on a beach," Meyer said. "The problem starts if an employee can
bump down to a lower position. In each case, we have to research to see if
there is a lower position and then check to see if it is filled or vacant."
Meyer said that he expects to have a list of names of employees scheduled to be laid off by the first week in December.
While employees are bracing for layoff announcements, the county is
continuing to hire. Lynn Martins, Local 852 second vice president, reported
she attended an orientation for more than 60 new employees last week at the
Hauppauge County Center. Some of the new employees hired, Martins said,
were in titles scheduled for layoffs.
Meyer said the county has to continue to hire because of its high
attrition rate.
"It is questionable whether the job openings are the same one as the
jobs being laid off but they could well be. For example, the civil service
department could hire a stenographer while social service is laying one off.
Because the layoffs have not yet taken place, there is no preferred list."
e Battle of
iratoga heats i
»..see page 2
RUSS BOWERS, right,
addresses recent union
m e e t i n g to d i s c u s s
layoffs.
of Saratoga
By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate
BALLSTON SPA — A proposed
Saratoga County budget which
targets 100 public employees for
layoff has been labeled a "your
money or your life" proposal by
CSEA .Union officials say 42 road
patrol deputy deputy sheriffs will
be eliminated under the budget,
and that top union officials are
among those targeted for axing.
"This is an attack on the union,
the employees, and even the taxpayers of Saratoga County," bristled an angry Russell Bowers,
president of the Saratoga County
CSEA local.
Bowers charged "the superv i s o r s w a n t to u s e p u b l i c
employees as pawns in a game to
get support for a county sales tax.
They don't have the intestinal fortitude to go directly to the taxpayers and make their case. They
want to scare the county residents
into supporting the proposal."
The layoff proposal has touched
off a heated political battle
between Saratoga County Sheriff
James Bowen and Frederick
M c N e a r y , c h a i r m a n of the
Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and acting county ad'
ministrator.
At a recent union meeting, Fred
Dake, president of the deputies
CSEA unit, noted the employees
support Sheriff Bowen's contentions that reducing the deputy
sheriff force will create a serious
gap in police patrols and protection
for county residents. Dake also told
the audience the deputies supported the other county workers in
previous contract battles with the
county administration "and we are
well aware of your support for us
now. Together we can fight for all
the union members."
Capital Region Director John D.
Corcoran Jr. said the McNeary
budget would "gut the highway
engineering department and that
Just how coincidental is
layoff of union leaders?
BALLSTON SPA — Russ Bowers is the newly elected president of
the Saratoga County CSEA Local. Bill McTyguf is the Local's
representative on CSEA's statewide Board of Direc^rs.
Bowers is chairman of the deputy sheriffs negotiations committee
currently at impasse with the Board of Supervisors. McTygue helped
lead the general county employees unit to a recent contract settlement
after months of bitter conflict.
Bowers is a road patrol deputy. McTygue is a highway engineer.
Both are schedule to be laid off January 1.
"The board doesn't want to admit it, but they don't like dealing
with a real union. So just by coincidence both the current union
president and the union's board of directors rep are scheduled for job
abolishment," says McTygue.
"And look where the cuts are scheduled to hit," adds Bowers.
"Right where the public needs public service the most. Our deputy
sheriffs handled 15,700 complaints in 1980 and investigated 6,618
crimes. The idea to put the road patrols in a highly residential county
with a high senior citizen population and growing young families is
stupid."
UNION FIELD REP Bill Lochner, left, reports on current dispute, while,
below, among interested attendees at union meeting are Cheryl Sheller of
Saratoga County Local, Statewide CSEA Secretary Irene Carr, CSEA Region
IV Vice President Joan Tobin, and Fran Wilusz of Wilton Developmental
Center Local 416.
Poge 2
could kill the Saratoga County real
estate market and its developing
industrial areas."
CSEA statewide Board of Directors member Bill McTygue from
Saratoga County, one of those
threatened with a layoff, says,
' We're demanding that the county
cut waste and luxury before it cuts
people." A union media campaign
is being planned with that theme as
the main point.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November
6,
1981
BILL McTVGUE, CSEA board of
directors rep and one of those
scheduled to be laid off, speaks at
recent union meeting. McTygue
says the county is elminating
union leaders under the guise of
budget constraints.
Economic policies
assaulted during
AFL-CIO meeting
NEW YORK - Keynoting the 14th
biennial AFL-CIO convention earlier
this week, federation President Lane
Kirkland delivered a blistering attack
on the Reagan administration's
economic policies.
Kirkland referred to federal Budget
Director David Stockman as "the
original interior decorator of this
economic house of ill repute. Now
that the sirens are sounding and the
bust is due, he has his story ready. He
was only the piano player in the
parlor. He never knew what was going on upstairs."
McGowan, McDermott
among delegates
Kirkland's address opened the convention, which marks the centennial
of the U.S. labor movement. Among
the more than 900 deleptes attending
were CSEA statewide President
William L. McGowan and Region IV
President Joseph McDermott.
Delegates heard Kirkland's sharp
criticisms of the nation's economic
course echoed throughout the week by
a rostef of speakers including Senator
Edward Kennedy, House Speaker
Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. and former
Vice President Walter Mondale.
Warmly received by the delegates,
Mondale accused President Reagan
of jeopardizing Social Security
benefits; said the way to bolster the
ailing housing industry was to end
"crippling" interest rates; urged
repeal of tax loopholes and deferment
of some tax cuts; and said the
Federal Reserve Board must be
"more forthcoming in the supply of
money and credit for our country."
The AFL-CIO offered its own
economic platform to the nation when
convention delegates recommended
an economic package designed to deal
with runaway inflation. The policies
call for restoration of several jobproducing programs, including public
service employment; temporary
AFL-CIO PRESIDENT LANE KIRKLAND
SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY
restrictions on imports harmful to
U.S. business and jobs; and use of
credit control authority to offset tight
money policy and high interest rates.
The federation recommended that
the programs be financed by limiting
the income tax cuts next year to $700
per taxpayer, cutting the investment
tax credit from 10 percent to 7
percent, and withdrawing oil windfall
profits tax exemptions.
In other business, a monthly dues
increase from 19 to 24 cents a
member was approved for 1982. Much
of the proceeds would be used to fund
two new programs: a labor institute
for public affairs designed to bolster
the sagging image of unions, and a
major organizing campaign in the
Houston area, involving some 40
unions. The organizing effort, which
began last month, is an important
element in labor's effort to attract
members in the rapidly growing job
market of the Sun Belt.
Delegates also approved the AFLCIO's reaffiliation with the Inter-
national Confederation of Free Trade
Unions. Although American unions
were among the early supporters of
the confederation following its
founding in 1949 as a rival to a
Communist-backed labor federation,
the AFL-CIO withdrew from the
organization in 1969. The reaffiliation,
scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, will
bolster the strength and influence of
the world's free labor movement and
will "help workers all over the world
in their opposition to dictatorial and
Communist governments," highranking AFL-CIO leaders commented.
Also approved by convention
delegates was an AFSCME-sponsored
resolution upholding the right of
public employees to strike. Although the Reagan administration's
harsh reaction to the PATCO strike
served to unite union leaders, some
delegates expressed concern about
strikes by public employees in jobs
critical to the public safety.
Sl^^'iv Trio faces state workers' problems
ALBANY — Representatives of CSEA's Capital Region appeared
recently on "Face to Face," a local television public affairs program on
WTEN, in an effort to communicate to taxpayers the economic, job and
morale problems facing New York State employees, who will soon be entering into contract negotiations.
The 30-minute interview was hosted by TV 10 co-anchor Marci Elliot,
who questioned members Joan Tobin, C. Allen Mead, and Delores Farrell
about anti-public employee attitudes.
"People have the perception that the state employee is always overpaid,
underworked and always has a job," said Tobin, the region's second vice
president and a transportation planning aide at the Department of Transportation. "This is a fallacy from start to finish. They're always underpaid."
On the subject of allegations made by Meyer Frucher, director of the
governor's Office of Employee Relations (OER), concerning the supposed
abuse of sick leave by state employees, Tobin said, "Let's look behind those
statistics at the safety issue. Last year we had 12 people die; during the
same year 31,266 people had reportable injuries. That time was included in
this sick leave 'abuse.' "
Mead, the region's first vice president and a state Health Department
employee, maintained that many state employees are actually losing time
owed them. "When you reach 300 hours of vacation leave, you fail to accrue
it," he said.
. .
Asked whether the abuse charge was anything more than a negotiations
ploy, Mead, who will be part of the union's Administrative bargaining team,
responded, "Public employee negotiations depend on public sentiment. The
government wants public sentiment on its side. They want to make it
palatable for the public to hold costs down in government.
The "Face to Face" interview also touched upon the failure of the
employee performance evaluation system, with the union representatives
maintaining there were numerous managerial failures which doomed the
controversial procedure. "We have supervisors who never talk to their
employees in 52 weeks," said Tobin.
Farrell, president of the Department of Civil Service, a principal clerk and
also a member of the Administrative unit bargaining team, said, "To be outstanding, you almost had to walk on water."
And according to Mead, "If employees were given a good rating, no one
told them what they had to do to improve it to achieve the outstanding
rating."
On the issue of on-the-job safety, Tobin mentioned the recent murder of
a Kingsboro Psychiatric Center nurse. "These people are under constant
adverse conditions," she said. "You have a mental hygience therapy aide on
a ward, and there might be 20 violent patients on that ward. If the MHTA
does anything to protect himself, he's brought up on disciplinary charges,
and they want to fire him. They don't say anything about the oatients."
Tobin called on her experience at DOT to illustrate what she also sees as
public worker dedication and lack of managerial concern.
"Roads have to be plowed at all hours so school buses, trucks and
workers can go to work," she said. "You're talking about grades 6, 8 and 9.
These people work 16 hours straight and then go on voluntary time. You're
depending on a small group of people to put in as many as 42 hours behind
the wheel of a plow. And when they can't go any longer, they ask for time off
to go home and sleep.
"They (state management) won't give them annual leave or personal
leave, so they take sick leave," continued Tobin. "Now, who is abusing
whom?"
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
I fw 1 t
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Page18^TliEPjUBLIC^SE
SPublic—
SSECTOR
Official publication of
The Civil Service Employees Association
33 Elk Street, Albany, New York J2224
The Public Sector (445010) is published every other
Friday 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, 1 Columbia Place, Albany, New
York 12207. Single copy price 25<J.
Gary G. Fryer—Publisher
Roger A. Cole—Editor
Tina Lincer First—Associate Editor
Gwenn M. Bellcourt—Assistant Editor
Published every other Friday by Civil Service
Employees Association, 33 Elk Street, Albany, N.Y.
12224 (518) 434-0191.
LABOR f^khL
Valenti gets ok as
civil service cliief;
names new top aides
ALBANY — A number of top-level changes in the
State Department of Civil Service became effective
recently, headed by the State Senate confirmation of
Joseph A. F. Valenti as commissioner and president of
the State Civil Service Commission, succeeding Victor
S. Bahou.
Commissioner Valenti
most recently served as
the executive deputy commissioner of the State
Department of Taxation
and Finance prior to being
named commissioner of
the Department of Civil
Service.
Commissioner Valenti in
^ ^IBiKlÜ
Ij^Hg**^
^^^ appointed Ralph
J Vecchio as deputy commissioner and general
^ I f H^B
counsel for the Civil SerHHIk
• S F
vice Department, and
Joseph Valenti
Patrick J. Bulgaro as executive deputy commissioner.
Vecchio most recently was deputy commissioner
and counsel at the Department of Taxation and
Finance, while Bulgaro was a deputy chief budget examiner with the Division of the Budget.
Troy schools accept pact
TROY — A two-year agreement retroactive to
July 1 has been accepted in the City of Troy School
District. The CSE A non-instructional unit will receive
a 14 percent salary increase, plus increment if due, in
the first year of the pact, followed by a 13 percent increase, plus increment, in the second year.
The district increased its family coverage from 50
percent to 95 percent. Shop stewards have gained onehalf hour per week for union business, and the
president has gained one-half day per week for union
matters.
Union still skeptical
about state plan for
Central Isllp Center
HAUPPAUGE - Gov. Hugh Carey is expected to decide within two weeks if the state
will sell Central Islip Psychiatric Center to
the Town of Islip for the purpose of turning it
into a college and industrial park.
That timetable was revealed by Deputy
Commissioner of Mental Hygiene Chet
Barrel! at last week's pre-budget forum at the
Hauppauge State Office Building. CSEA Local
404 President George Donavan questioned
Barren, Gov. Carey and other officials about
plans for the Central Islip facility.
Gov. Carey said, "This proposal (turning
the facility into a college) was initiated to us
by the New York Institute of Technology. We
didn't initiate it. With regard to what will
happen to it, I'll have the last say. I'm not going to see workers of the CSEA in mental
hygiene displaced."
Barren said the governor will be looking at
"guiding principles" in reaching a determination, including no layoffs, minimum
patient movement, and no reduction in the
quality of care.
But despite Carey's remarks, both Donavan
and CSEA Region I President Danny Donohue
said they are skeptical of official promises.
"We've heard this kind of stuff before from
the state and we are very dubious about what
it really means," Donohue said. "Based on
what I heard today, I am not optimistic that
Central Islip will be kept intact."
Donohue said that while a lot of work has
been going on at the local level to keep Central
Islip open, CSEA statewide President William
L. McGowan and his staff have been holding
discussions with the Department of Mental
Hygiene and the Governor's Office of
Employee Relations on the state level, where
the final decision will be made.
Meanwhile, Local 404 continues to make
preparations for a counter demonstration to a
November 21 welcoming parade scheduled by
the Town of Islip for the New York Institute of
Technology. Donavan said he has been
meeting with shop stewards and directing the
preparation of flyers and placards for use in
the CSEA demonstration.
CSEA charges that the proposed sale of
Central Islip will result in a large loss of jobs
and the dumping of mental patients. Additionally, the union charges, property taxes
will rise if the state facility is sold and replaced by a non-profit and tax-exempt school and
industry lured to Islip on tax-free incentives.
Central Islip Psychiatric Center currently
pays more than $190,000 in taxes annually to
the Central Islip school board.
Union obtains 58 upgradlngs at Upstate
SYRACUSE — Persistent effort by CSEA local officials and staff
members has finally paid big dividends in the form of upgradings for 58
employees at Upstate Medical Center.
For more than a year, officers of CSEA Local 615 have been in contact with
union officials in Albany to attempt the change of 58 job titles from clerktypist, grade 3, to nursing station clerk, grade 4, at the state facility.
The hard work paid off this September when CSEA was notified by the
state Civil Service Department that the reclassification and transfer from the
Administrative to the Institutional Services Unit had been approved and was
retroactive to October 8, 1981.
According to Bob Vincent, local president, and Bill LaPoint, chief steward,
the union has also started an appeal for an additional upgrading of five
employees to senior nursing station clerk, grade 7.
Page 4
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
Vincent said the local took the initial action when it learned that the same
job items had already been upgraded at another state medical center downstate.
"We started to investigate and ask questions. It took a lot of work on the
part of CSEA research and our collective bargaining specialist for administration services, and we were finally successful in moving 58 items up
one grade," Vincent said.
LaPoint also had some words of praise for Jack Conoby, Albany-based
CBS, and Cindy Chovanec, CSEA research analyst, as well as Edith Ryczek,
an employee at Upstate Medical Center.
"We owe them all a special thanks for their teamwork in this success
story," LaPoint said.
THEY CARE ABOUT DAY CARE — CSEA members from Marcy, Utica
and Central New York psychiatric centers turned out in force recently to ask
Gov. Carey to release seed money for day care centers already budgeted for
all three facilities. The demonstration took place at the ground-breaking
ceremony for the new SUNY College of Technology at Marcy..
Day care demonstrators press
governor to free promised funds
MARCY — When Gov. Hugh L. Carey and his
entourage recently came to town to break
ground for the new SUNY College of Technology,
they were promptly greeted by a determined
group of CSEA members from Utica, Marcy and
Central New York osvchiatric centers who
wanted the governor to know they were unhappy
with the delay in the release of seed money for
two proposed day care centers.
A c c o r d i n g to Barbara R e e v e s , U t i c a
Psychiatric Center employee and chairwoman of
the Utica-Marcy child care committee, the Oct.
30 demonstration was organized to impress upon
the governor that state employees want the day
care centers they have been promised.
"Our members find it totally frustrating to
know that $150,000 has been budgeted for
statewide day care centers while state officials
continue to drag their feet before allocating the
necessary money to get programs started,"
Reeves said.
"Gov. Carey came here to do some spade work
for the new SUNY Tech buildings, but we want
him to know we have also completed the
necessary spade work for the new day care
centers," Reeves continued. He said the proposed locations at both facilities have been inspected and approved by management and the
state Department of Social Services, and they
have complied with all regulations at Utica's
Dunham Hall and "A" building on the Marcy
Psychiatric Center campus.
Reeves stressed the seed money is vitally
needed to hire directors to plan programs,
purchase necessary equipment and complete the
rehabilitation of both sites.
"Cooperation between labor and management
toward common goals has been excellent," she
noted. "The effort of all committee members
has been smooth and productive, but the delay of
funds is very frustrating.
"The CSEA contract with the state calls for
day c a r e c e n t e r s . The money has been
budgeted. The preliminary details have been
carefully completed. Now all we need is
someone to pick up a telephone and order the
release of $10,000 for each center," said Reeves.
"We are ready to take the next step toward
opening, but we cannot do it without the starting
funds."
Inequity adjustments
in new Cornwall pact
CORNWALL — A new two-year contract, retroactive
to last January 1, was recently ratified by members of
the Town of Cornwall CSEA Unit.
Included in the agreement are such provisions as annual eight per cent wage hikes, plus an extra inequity adjustment of one per cent yearly for the senior operator,
"A" operator and maintenance man in the sewer
department, and for m e c h a n i c s in the highway
department.
Employees are also now guaranteed two-hour call in
pay at the overtime rate for work on Sundays and paid
holidays. Provisions to purchase safety shoes, converting
unused personal days to the sick leave bank, and increasing sick time accumulation during the second year of the
pact are all included in the new agreement also.
Unit President Elton Babcock, Chet Gardner and
Collective Bargaining Specialist Manny Vitale comprised the union negotiating team.
Nassau County
worker wins
longevity pay
denied him
CHECKING OUT THEIR NEW CONTRACT are, from left, Bill Smith, union negotiator Manny
Vitale, Chet Cardner, John Hand and Harry VanDuzer.
MINEOLA — Nassau Local 830 has
won a court ruling giving a longevity
increment to an employee who had
been denied the benefit because his title had been changed.
Management Analyst IIL Nassau
County denied him a longevity increment in 1977 on the grounds that he
had not held the same job without
promotion for the previous five years.
The employee's title had been
reclassified from Superintendent of
M a t e r i a l s and S u p p l i e s
to
However, CSEA Regional Attorney
Richard M. Gaba proved that the
change was a change in name only.
and that the employee's duties continued as before.
The employee, who retired while
the case was pending, will receive
payment for the wages wrongfully
denied him.
The ruling was won from Justice
Richard C. Delin in Supreme Court in
Mineola.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Fric^ay,, November
6,
1981
Page 5
' ' I-11-« iiiniiwu
'
Help PATCO
get off
the ground
ALBANY — Feel like doing something to
help the striking brothers and sisters of the
Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO), but you don't know what
to do?
As PATCO Eastern Region Vice President
Mike Furman told CSEA Delegates to the
recent 1981 Convention at Kiamesha Lake, "I
can't overstress how important funding is for
our organization at this time."
Anyone wishing to contribute to PATCO's
struggle can send a donation to:
PATCO Family Fund
815 i6th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Factfinder approved
in Westchester Co.
PEEKSKILL — Cafeteria workers in this
northern Westchester County school district have
accepted a factfinding report to end an impasse in
contract talks.
Bertha Cox, president of the CSEA unit which
represents 30 people, announced the decision, which
she described as "a fair and equitable solution
recommended by an impartial third party appointed by the Public Employment Relations
Board."
Factfinder Edward D. Depew, after hearing
arguments from both sides, recommended
employees receive a one-year wage hike of 8
percent, plus increments, retroactive to June 30.
"Such an increase," he noted, "would be completely compatible with increases already in effect
for other Peekskill School District employees and
with increases effective July 1,1981 in other School
Districts in the Peekskill area, and would give
some recognition to increases in the cost of living."
The school district had recommended freezing
the cafeteria workers' salaries. Depew commented, "I am unconvinced by Board arguments
that increased costs which apply to all its
employees, as well as the employees in this unit,
justify withholding an increase from these
employees, while granting increases to other
bargaining units whose salaries and costs to the
District are much higher than this lowest paid
organized group in the district."
Union leaders, according to Field Representative
Don Partrick, were hopeful that an accord could
now be reached.
111 II m 11 mm^ummmmmmmrni^'imm^^^^^^mmm^^^^^m^^mt^^^mrmBmmmmmmmmtmmmmBm^m^mm^Bmanmammmmrmammmmmtmammam
Writer renders eyewitness accounts
Holocaust relived
By Richard Chernela
CSEA Communications Associate
NEW YORK CITY - "If you write exactly
what happened, nobody will believe it," a survivor of the Holocaust told Daniel Strauss
while he was doing research for his powerful
short story, "In the Forest of Wysoka."
S t r a u s s , a m e m b e r of M a n h a t t a n
Psychiatric Center Local 413, extensively
researched the Holocaust, Hitler's barbaric,
systematic attempt to exterminate the Jewish
people during World War II. To learn "exactly
what happened," his research included a
great deal of reading about the horrors of Nazi
genocide, but Strauss was most impressed by
the eyewitness accounts the survivors told
him.
"They were there," Strauss says. "They
saw it happen."
A second prize winner in the prestigious
Goodman Fund Short Story Contest sponsored
by the City University of New York, "In the
Forest of Wysoka" is about the lengths to
which a Jewish woman goes to survive the
brutality of the Nazis.
"The story is about what she does to survive," Strauss says, "but it's just as much
about the universal wish for survival,
sometimes at all costs."
"In the Forest of Wysoka" is Strauss' first
short story. It was highly praised by CUNY
Professor of English Edward Quinn, who
wrote in his preface that the story "captures
the ruthless energy of the protagonist and
carefully modulates, even suppresses, the
easy moral judgment that less talented
writers fall back on." Quinn wrote further
that in the story, author Strauss "maintains a
compassion and objectivity that lend the story
a status of genuine literature."
Strauss has also been working on a novel
that is essentially two stories which come
together. One story focuses on the experiences of two Jewish women who are
sheltered from the Nazis in a Belgian convent.
The other story is about an American soldier
whose rejection of his upbringing influences
his decision to take no action against a woman
who turns the Jewish women over to the
Nazis.
While Strauss' writing thus far has dealt
with World War II, particularly the Holocaust,
he is planning to write about childhood.
"It's a good starting point for a writer
because the basic ways you act as an adult are
formed as you're growing up," he says.
A realistic, soft-spoken man, Strauss has no
illusions about the difficulty of getting a book
published by a major publishing company. He
calls himself "very independent" and unwilling to let publishers "give me the runaround."
Strauss has developed a strategy in reaction
to "a bad experience" he had with a
publisher: "I'm going to publish my longer
works myself and send shorter works to
periodicals." He is having "In the Forest of
Wysoka" published by a company in Kentucky.
"They're printing a hundred copies," he
says. "I'll see about distribution through
small, independent bookstores."
Strauss is very serious about his writing. He
spends his evenings doing research and writes
on weekends, sitting down at the typewriter at
7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
As dedicated and absorbed as he is in
writing, Strauss is not interested in trying to
make a living as a writer. He knows that the
field is highly competitive, but he is more
"turned off by the loneliness" of writing.
"Writing is too solitary an occupation," he
says.
S t r a u s s , a s e c r e t a r y at Manhattan
Psychiatric Center, began writing while a
student at City University of New York in the
mid-70's. He attended college part-time while
working at Manhattan Psychiatric Center,
graduating summa cum laude in 1978. He
plans to pursue graduate study in creative
writing at City University.
mmmms^mmmsiimmiis'äumimsisi^^
Local honors
24 retirees
LOCAL 505 RETIREES HONORED — CSEA
statewide and regional officials recently helped honor
24 retirees with a total of more than 500 years ot state
service. Pictured at the dinner event were, seated left
to right: Edward Ryan, Executive Vice President
Page 6
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
Thomas McDonough, Gertrude McSally and Joseph
Morocco. Standing, left to right: Francis Wahl, John
Casaletta, Statewide Treasurer Jack Gallagher, Local
505 President Charles Whitney and Stanley Myers.
UTICA — Twenty-four former
employees of the State Department of
Transportation were honored at a
recent retirement dinner at Hart's
Hill Inn here.
The retirees, members of CSEA
Local 505 and representing 500 years
of state service, included: Everett
Leonard, 21 years; Francis Wahl, 19
years; Ronald Smith 21 years; John
Nagle, 25 years; Clarence Ferguson,
25 years; Elinor Malozzi, 14 years;
Robert Carney, 17 years; John Gaspa,
22 years; Edward Ryan, 22 years;
Clement Smith, 11 y e a r s ; Leo
Criukshank, 14 years; Walter Oare, 35
years; Nial Williams, 9 years;
Stanley Myers, 30 years; Fredrick
McDermott, 32 years; John Casaletta, 25 years; Joseph Morocco, 15
years; Donald Mosher, 34 years; Clifford Warcup, 16 years; Peter Zaj c e s k o w s k i , 19 y e a r s ; Orville
Lawrence, 13Vz years; Gertrude McSally, 32V2 years.
Turning to CSEA for real representation
Independent now
newest unit In
Capital Region
GLOVERSVILLE — "We were tired of taking
too much on the chin," Ted Salvione, president of
the newest unit in the CSEA Capital Region said.
^He explained why the former independent City of
Gloversville Public Works Association had
recently joined New York State's largest public
employee union.
"When we were an independent association,
we were represented by a private attorney. He
was good in some areas, but lacked expertise in
public sector bargaining. So management was
getting away with ignoring seniority, hiring new
employees to do jobs that could be done by DPW
employees. And when we would try to get to our
^attorney he was busy with another case."
Salvione explained that the independent
association finally decided to look for a real
union when the city refused to sit down and
negotiate a new contract with the group. "That's
when we decided to call on CSEA."
Capital Region Field Representative Greg
GLOVERSVILLE UNIT OFFICERS SWORN
IN — The new officers of the newest unit in the
CSEA Capital Region — the Gloversville City
CSEA Unit — are sworn in by Fulton County
Local President Bill Sohl. The new officers
are: Josephine Thompson, left, SecretaryTreasurer; Jim Morrison, Vice President;
and Ted Salvione, President.
Davis, who was the organizer contacted by the
Gloversville group, explained his involvement.
"The employees were ready to join CSEA. They
did most of the internal organizing and I handled
the m a t t e r b e f o r e the s t a t e ' s P u b l i c
Employment Relations Board. We went to an
election, won the count 32-2 and moved for for-
mal recognition."
Currently, the new CSEA members are busy
wrapping up the left-over problems of the former
independent association while preparing to
negotiate their first contract under the CSEA
banner. "We're ready this time," Salvione said,
confidently.
CETA workers may i|ual^ for county servtee
NASSAU COUNTY — Civil service employees of Nassau County may be
credited with previous county service as CETA workers for purposes of
computing salaries under the CSEA contract, according to a recent New
York Court of Appeals ruling.
,
CSEA brought the legal action on behalf of former CETA workers who
were placed in the county's non-incremental salary plan when they were
given civil service appointments.
"The CSEA contract with the county provides that new employees
entering service after Jan. 1,1977 go into the non-incremental salary plan instead of the older graded salary plan," explained CSEA's attorney in the
proceedings, Marjorie E. Karowe.
^
"We argued that county employment for these workers began when they
were initially placed in CETA-funded positions, and thus4hey were entitled
to placement in the incremental salary plan," she said.
The appeals court agreed with the union's position, pointing out in its
ruling, "Although the federal government provided funding for the CETA
positions, salaries were paid-through county accounts, the county had the
power to hire and fire the CETA workers, and the county exercised direct
control and supervision over their work."
It was also pointed out that the CETA workers were in the bargaining
unit and derived their employment benefits from the collective bargaining
agreement between CSEA and the county.
The State Court of Appeals remanded the case to the Appellate Division
for a review of the facts, which Ms. Karowe says should not affect the Court
of Appeals decision that the workers should be credited with their county
service as CETA employees.
Newburgh raid
grounded by AFL-CIO
WASHINGTON - An attempt by Local 589 of the International Association of Fire Fighters to raid four
positions from the City of Newburgh CSEA Unit has been
halted by the AFL-CIO.
Impartial Umpire William Gomberg found the
Fire Fighters in violation of Article XX of the AFL-CIO
constitution, which forbids affiliated unions from raiding
each other's members.
The case arose when six employees of the code enforcement department were relocated to office space in
a fire department building. The Fire Fighters then
sought to recruit them. CSEA argued that the people involved were doing identical tasks they have always performed. and accordingly upheld the right to keep them in
the bargaining unit.
A hearing was held Oct. 5 in the nation's capital.
INSTALLATION—Suffolk County Local 852 President Novo (right) installs the following officers of the Suffolk County Health Services Unit: President Terry Ribaudo (left); Local
Representative Gloria Shore, Vice President Ernst Dinda (seated); and Board Member Rick
Meyer, Executive Board Member Jerry Felice, Board Member Fred Linka, Treasurer Bob
Petrisch and Sergeant-at-Arms Stan Gawarecki (standing, left to right).
Nassau local shocked at imposed settlement
MINEOLA — One of the most
blatant abuses of the dictatorial
powers of employers under the Taylor
Law occurred in the Westbury Fire &
Water District as the board of commissioners imposed a 3 percent
settlement.
"1 couldn't believe it," a shocked
and angry Nassau Local 830 President
Jerry Donahue declared.
It was noted that the chairman of
the board of commissioners, Donald
Crouchley, will be up for re-election
next month.
Donahue said the Nassau local
would be "intensely involved" in
negotiations scheduled to begin shortly for a new contract for 1983.
CSEA had been unable to reach a
settlement with the commissioners
although efforts continued after the
contract covering 18 employees expired last January 1. Finally, the
board conducted a legislative hearing
under the Taylor Law and voted to impose its own terms. It voted a three
percent wage increase.
"Fortunately, a new contract will be
due in less tlian two months, and the
power of a united CSEA membership
will be behind our brothers in the district," Donahue asserted.
CdlCllddP
of EVENTS
DECEMBER
5 — S t . Lawrence County Local 845 annual Christmas p a r t y , 6 : 3 0 p.m., Fiacco's
Restaurant, Potsdam.
,
.
.•
5 — O G S Local 6 6 0 executive committee meeting, 10 a.m.; general membership meetmg,
11 a.m.. Ford's Tavern, 1118 Central Avenue, Albany.
7- -Nassau County mini-v^orkshop for small units, 5-9 p.m., Salisbury Inn, Eisenhov«/er
1 1 —iTps'tate M e d i c a l Center Local 615 annual Christmas Dinner Dance, 6:30 p.m.. Holid a y Inn, Farrell Road, Syracuse.
1 2 - - S y r a c u s e Developmental Center Local 422 annual Christmas Dmner Dance, 6:3U
p.m., American Leg,on Hall, East Manlius Street, E. Syracuse.
1 6 - W . l l a r d Psychiatric Center Local 428 General Information Day, 9 a.m.-3
p.m.,
Hadley Hall, W i l l a r d campus.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
J V .; . j ; - s c n - . x c H x =
HI.
Page 7
i iOoH
Union investigating wiiy Nassau unit
deposited retirement funds in banics
Discover that a local government unit
placed monies in non-interest account
instead of employee retirement system
By Hugh O'Haire
CSEA Communication Associate
MINEOLA — Local 830 has launched an investigation to determine if
government units in Nassau County are depositing monies deducted from
employee paychecks in non-interest-bearing accounts in local banks instead
of in the New York State Employees' Retirement System in Albany.
The investigation was sparked by the discovery that the Nassau Board
of Cooperative Educational Services had deposited retirement monies from
17 employees in non-interest-bearing accounts in local banks instead of in
the retirement system.
Nassau County politicians have been investigated and criticized in the
past for placing government funds in non-interest-bearing accounts in banks
that make low-interest loans to their campaigns.
The problem was discovered when a Nassau County CSEA member in
the Tier 3 category quit and requested the return of his contributions to the
retirement system. When that return was not forthcoming, the CSEA checked and found that BOCES had instead deposited the employee's deductions,
along with those of 16 additional BOCES employees, in non-interest-bearing
accounts in Long Island banks.
Under the Tier 3 retirement system, deductions of three percent are
made by government units from bi-weekly paychecks. The deductions are
supposed to be placed in the government units in the retirement system in
Albany. The money is refundable at five percent if an employee leaves the
system before retirement. Annual accountings of the sums in each
employee's account are made and mailed to employees.
Since the discovery. Local 830 officials are worried that the practice
might be widespread. Moreover, they say it is difficult to detect. If a new
employee's money is being deducted and not deposited in the retirement
system, the employee would never receive an annual accounting report. If
employees never receive the reports, they would be unable to detect that the
monies were not being deposited.
"Because there is no way for the union to audit every account, we are
urging all employees who have any cause for doubt to write to the
retirement system and demand an accounting. If they discover they have a
problem, we urge them to come to us for help," said Jerry Donahue,
president of Local 830. "Mistakes do get made, but no employee wants to
find, when he is about to retire, that his account is empty. It could take
years to straighten out."
The local confronted BOCES officials with its findings. BOCES officials
said that the problems stemmed from the new accounting procedures
created for the Tier 3 employees which are a minority of BOCES employees.
Payments for older employees is apparently continuing without problems.
While Donahue said that BOCES officials have agreed to make up the
payments for all employees with interest to the retirement system but there
was no way for the union to know if the problems were limited to 17
employees so far identified by the CSEA. BOCES officials refused to identify the bank in which they deposited the employees' retirement monies.
"It could happen in a lot of school districts. Many members tell me they
have never received a statement. That could be a tipoff that something is
wrong with their account."
He urged all CSEA members who have any doubt to write to the
Employees' Retirement System, Gov. Smith State Office Building, Albany,
NY 12244.
Union counsel named to OSHA enforcement board
James Roemer appointed by governor
James W. Roemer, Jr.
ALBANY — CSEA's successful pressure to enact
an occupational safety and health law for public
employees in New York State has received added
recognition with the announcement by Gov. Hugh
L. Carey that CSEA will have its voice heard in the
enforcement of the life saving OSHA laws.
The governor has appointed CSEA Chief Counsel
James W. Roemer Jr., of East Berne, N.Y., to the
seven-member Health Hazard Abatement Board.
Simultaneously, the governor announced the appointment of Richard Winsten, of Brooklyn, N.Y.,
counsel to AFSCME District Council 37's
legislative office, as another board member. The
two unions had lobbied aggressively together for
passage of the state's first public employee safety
legislation.
Roemer is managing partner of Roemer and
F e a t h e r s t o n h a u g h , an A l b a n y l a w f i r m
representing CSEA. He is a graduate of Albany Law
School of Union University and the University of
Buffalo.
The Health Hazard Abatement Board was
created as part of the legislation granting public
employees the protections of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). The
board has the responsibility to appropriate $15
million in funds to finance the capital costs of
abating safety hazards in local government
facilities.
Under the law, any political subdivision of the
state (but not the state itself or any of its
departments or agencies) may apply for assistance
in eliminating safety hazards cited under the law.
The board reviews the applications and awards
funds based upon many factors. Any employer
applying for the funds must eliminate the hazard
cited whether they receive funding or not.
The OSHA law, however, prevents any public
employee or any public employer from being a
member of the board. It also precludes officers of
public employee unions from being members of the
board.
Roemer has been associated with CSEA's legal
matters since 1969.
A
NEW SLATE OF OFFICERS of District 8,
Department of Transportation CSEA Local
507 were installed recently in Poughkeepsie
by CSEA Region III First Vice President
Pat Mascioli, left. Taking oath of office are
President Pete Dean, First Vice President
Jack Shaw, Second Vice President George
Ballard, Treasurer Barbara Ritshie, and
Secretary Allyn Constable.
Page 8
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
You-name-lt-we-do-lt,
It's a madhouse world
where the buok stops
"We have to keep up with whatever
President MoQowan gets Involved In
ON THE PHONE is where Administrative Assistant Judy Burgess spends much of the work day,
helping solve members' problems.
ALBANY — "This union just got in my
bloodstream. I got hooked, just like being an
alcoholic. So now the union is my whole life, and
here I am," explained Judy Burgess.
"Here" is in the President's Office at CSEA
headquarters, where she, as President William
L. McGowan's admirfistrative assistant, and
Kathleen "Wojo" Wojtulski, as secretary/receptionist, work to keep things flowing smoothly.
"It's a you-name-it-we-do-it kind of job," Ms.
B u r g e s s said. " K e e p i n g track of correspondence, helping solve members' problems,
trying to work out McGowan's schedule, following up on directives from the board and
delegates, smoothing ruffled feathers and
putting up with the president's cigars. In short,
it's a madhouse."
The office receives, by actual count, an
average of 350 pieces of mail a day — mail that
The offloe reoelves,
by aotual oount, an
average of 350 pleoes
of mall a day . . .
CHECKING THE BUSY SCHEDULE for
members of the union leadership at CSEA headquarters are Kathleen "Wojo" Wojtulski of
President William L. McGowan's office, left, and
Sue Victor of Executive Vice President Thomas
McDonough's office, right.
has to be answered, referred elsewhere in the
union, followed up and/or tracked down.
"The discouraging part is that a great deal of
that mail shouldn't be here at all; it should be in
the regional o f f i c e s , " Burgess said. "If
members have a problem with a grievance, or a
problem with their local, or a problem on their
job, they decide to go straight to the top and the
letter winds up here.
"What many of them don't realize is that there
are regional offices, with elected officers and
professional staff, set up to solve their problems.
And often, because of their physical location and
their knowledge of the locals within their area,
the regional offices are in a much better position
to deal with some of these problems than we are.
Sure, the buck should stop here, but it shouldn't
necessarily start here."
Scheduling is a major responsibility — from
setting up statewide officers' meetings and agendas to making sure that the president can make
his commitments from Chautauqua to Clinton to
Suffolk. "Sometimes I wonder if Wojo has night-
The Civil Service E m p l o y e e s Assn. is an extremely diverse
organization. Its membership of upwards of a quarter of a million
workers perform thousands of different jobs at hundreds of work
locations throughout N e w York State. The needs of those m e m b e r s
can vary as much as the members themselves, and it takes a
sophisticated staff organization to m e e t those needs. CSEA employs
99
mares about appointment calendars and transportation schedules," Burgess said, laughing.
And that's just the beginning of the staff's job.
"We have to keep up with whatever President
McGowan gets involved in, from making
political action contacts, to dealing with
AFSCME International or other unions, from
making committee appointments and making
sure that statewide committees are fulfilling
their duties, to his roles as chairman of the
Political Action Fund and the Employee Benefit
Fund," Burgess recounted. "And, of course,
right now we're starting up state contract
negotiations, and it's been a big task working out
the details of appointing negotiating teams,
setting up meetings and so forth."
The job requires an intimate, in-depth
knowledge of CSEA, which Ms. Burgess began
acquiring, as she proudly points out, when she
organized her CSEA unit at Geneva City School
District. After serving as unit president, she held
offices as local president, board member,
member of numerous committees and six-term
Region VI secretary.
"This is a 24-hour-a-day job," she added. "I
can't think of the last weekend or holiday when I
didn't get phone calls wanting some help or some
information. But it has to be that way. After all,
there are a lot of members out there who work
from midnight to 7 a.m., and they're just as important and just as deserving of our help and
attention äs those members who work days.
"It boils down to the fact that we work for the
elected statewide president. His responsibility is
directly to the members, so our job is to see that
the members get served."
. . we work for the
eleoted statewide
president. His
responsibility Is
dlreoUy to the
members, so our Job
Is to see that the
members get served."
a professional staff of more than 200 people to provide services to the
membership. Slightly more than one-half of that total are assigned to
statewide headquarters at 33 Elk Street, Albany, with the remainder
assigned to the six regional headquarters maintained by CSEA
throughout the state. "Staff Profiles" is an informational series
designed to acquaint m e m b e r s with staff departments and personnel.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
Page 13
1 was very embarrassed/ said budding balioonist.
Locai secretary iands in the news
By Tina Lincer First
Associate Editor
AT JOURNEY'S END — CSEA's Kathy DiMaggio and friend Glen Golden
are pictured in the gondola of the balloon which made an unscheduled
landing in Ilion recently.
Local 010 member
receives overtime pay
NEW YORK CITY - It took more
than a year and a half, but New York
City Local 010 member Betty Mallory
finally received nearly $700 in
previously denied overtime pay.
Mrs. Mallory, a data entry clerk in
Queens Criminal Court, was offered
compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay to which she was entitled. A
grievance representative for Local
010 members in Queens Criminal
Court, Mrs. Mallory was well aware
of her rights under the CSEA Administrative Services Unit contract
with the state. She filed a grievance in
March 1980 and patiently waited for a
first step decision. In January 1981
she won her grievance at the first
step, granting her the overtime pay.
Mrs. Mallory expected to receive'
her money witiiout any problems, but,
after what she considered an inappropriate amount of time passed,
she c o n t a c t e d R e g i o n II F i e l d
representative Charles Bell.
Bell investigated the status of Mrs.
Mallory's grievance and learned that
"higher-ups in the Office of Court Administration (OCA) had, by ignoring
the first step decision, in effect,
rescinded it" without informing Mrs.
Mallory.
A f t e r m e e t i n g w i t h OCA
management, writing letters, and, in
Bell's words, "making a lot of noise,"
Mrs. Mallory received the overtime
pay to which she was entitled.
Page .14
When Kathy DiMaggio went for a
balloon ride recently, she didn't reach
any new heights but she did make
headlines.
Kathy, secretary of CSE A Local
414, Marcy Psychiatric Center, took
flight with a friend late one afternoon
last month. When they discovered the
wind wasn't strong enough and it
started getting dark, they landed in a
parking lot in Ilion, attracting some
50 villagers — and a few reporters.
The next day, pictures and an account of their unscheduled landing
appeared on the front page of the
Utica Daily Press, as well as in the
Frankfort Evening Telegram.
"I was very embarrassed," said
Kathy in a recent telephone interview, though the spirit in her voice
spoke more of fun and adventure.
"There w e r e crowds of people
watching us. The next day everyone,
was calling me up and now everyone
wants a ride."
When not off on flights and other
fancy escapades, the 22-year-old
union member has her feet firmly
planted on the grounds of Marcy
Psychiatric, where she is a secretary.
She lives in Frankfurt, about 10 miles
outside of Utica, and while she enjoys
skiing, swimming and "all the things
people my age do," she says ballooning is now her "main hobby."
She was steered into the sport by
her friend, Glen Golden, who has
been doing it for about hve years.
"We usually go up about 4:30 p.m..
when I get home from work," said
Kathy. explaining they use Golden's
own six-story high red balloon, called
"Skyrider."
On the day of their newsmaking
journey, said Kathy, they took off
from in front of her house, checking
first with Flight Service for weather
and wind conditions. "They said the
winds were 0-5 miles, but when we got
in place there were no winds and we
were at a standstill. We figured we'd
better land."
The two touched down in the first
place they could find, which turned
out to be the parking lot of Remington
A r m s , i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y known
manufacturer of firearms and ammunition, located in Ilion.
"I don't know if they thought we
were spies or not," said Kathy, who,
along with her friend, escaped the
episode uninjured. (The balloon was
undamaged.)
They also escaped charges. According to the Utica newspaper, an
Ilion patrolman said the two might
have been arrested for disorderly conduct, but weren't because they claimed it was an emergency landing.
"You really can't steer a balloon,"
said Kathy. "I was learning to keep it
level. You just have to go with the
wind. That's why you never know
where you're going to end up."
Kathy's experience in unplanned
landings comes after only three
months of lessons, but it hasn't downed her ballooning spirit.
"It's such a nice feeling," she says
about the airborne activity, "When
you're up there you feel really free."
They 'positively' enjoy worlcshop
Members find help in dealing
with careers, personal lives
ORANGEBURG — "Very special" is the term
that best describes the Career and Personal Skills
Workshop held the first weekend in November in the
Southern Region.
Union members who took part in the nine-hour
program were unanimous in their thinking, which was
fitting enough, since its objective was to stimulate
more positive mental attitudes.
"Its purpose is to help you develop skills you can
use to improve your careers and personal lives," said
Chester Galle, who led the program, held at the
Orangeburg Holiday Inn.
"I found part of me," is how one member summed
up the experience. Comments from others who participated included: "If people will listen with an open
mind, they will learn to understand"; and "It was a
great opportunity to reaffirm positive thinking
habits."
One participant simply called the program "mindopening."
Included during the two days were a variety of exercises and teaching techniques, including a debate on
whether "negative people" exist and an exercise that
entailed identifying different things in a drawing.
Galle, who has held similar sessions in the
Western Region, sees his methods as an especially
good way to train union members to work together at
problem-solving.
He says he seeks to "help retrack your mind in a
new direction, gain greater self-confidence, bring out
your creativity and uniqueness, and choose thoughts
that will advance your career."
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, ^ciday, November. 2D. 19£1.
WHAT DO YOU SEE? That was the question for many
members of Region III who attended a workshop on
personal and career skills. The key to this exercise,
designed to help people think more positively, was to
identify as many different things as possible.
Eva Katz, who chairs the region's education committee, said those who attended "gained a lot, and
those who missed, missed much."
MIddletown City Court
i
A 'chicken coop' atmosphere
Inspection reveals intolerable conditions
MIDDLETOWN — A chorus of protests is rising in this city of 22,000 people to have working
conditions improved for City Court employees.
Judge Elaine Slobod, Judiciary Local 332
President Pat Nealon, and now Field
Representative Flip Amodio have demanded
better facilities for employees who occupy three
small rooms in the City Hall complex.
Amodio scored what he called "unwholesome
working conditions...a chicken coop atmosphere
unworthy of both city residents and court
employees." Each year, the court processes
approximately 7,000 parking tickets, 1,600 traffic
summonses, 1,500 criminal cases, 500 small
claims, 400 civil cases, and responds to
numerous requests for information.
A recent inspection of the facilities with Court
THE CRAMPED QUARTERS which serve as
the "main office" of the Middletown City Court
are near impossible to work in. Darlene Garland
has to wait to walk through the doorway until
Joan O'Brien finishes filing court records.
Marshall Frank Dendanto revealed such trouble
spots as:
• Inadequate space which makes for cramped,
unsafe quarters;
• Insufficient soundproofing which compromises the confidentiality of business;
• Not enough storage facilities which require
keeping records in a bathroom and in a
damp, cluttered basement which can only be
reached via the police locker room;
• Lack of appropriate security facilities;
• Inadequate ventilation;
• Lack of space to accommodate people summoned to court, to jury duty or to witness
proceedings;
• Inadequate bathroom f a c i l i t i e s for
employees, and no facilities for public;
• Locating of two employees in judge's
chambers which also serve as a "multipurpose room" they must vacate when it's
used for other purposes such as jury
deliberations, attorney/client conferences,
holding room for youthful offenders, etc.;
• Inadequate fire prevention measures and
exit procedures;
• Lack of private work space for chief clerk;
• Dangerous system of transporting prisoners
which requires them to be taken into
chambers through a door which opens right
next to sitting judge; and,
• Understaffing.
Amodio met Oct. 21 with city officials to
remind them of Article 39 of the Judiciary Law,
which puts responsibility directly on the city to
provide facilities "suitable and sufficient for the
transaction of business." He expressed concern
that they "discharge their responsibility under
the law and act before, not after, tragedy
strikes," to which City Marshall (and Shop
Steward) Frank Dendanto adds: "Do we have to
wait until the horse is out of the barn?"
PERMANENT COURT RECORDS are stored in
a basement too small and too damp to tolerate.
The cluttered basement can only be reached via
the police locker room.
Photos and story
by
Stanley Hornak
FILES AND
are stacked
"unisex"
designated
employees.
SUPPLIES
up in the
bathroom
for court
IN THE "MAIN OFFICE" — actually a corridor turned office —
Marie Hotaling, left, Field Representative Flip Amodio and Darlene
Garland try to get some work done on the demands for better working
conditions.
THE /»UBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20. 1981
Page 15
CSEA moves to block contracting out
at Oneida County sewage treatment plant
UTICA — Officers of Oneida County
Local 833 have called for the full support of CSEA and AFSCME research
departments in an all-out effort to
prevent contracting out of the
operation and maintenance at the
county sewage treatment plant.
In an initial, hard-hitting letter to
Oneida County legislators. Penner
and John Mikalauskas, first vice
president of the local, stated the union
was unequivocally opposed to any
takeover by Envirotech, a California
firm.
According to Dorothy Penner, local
president, the action was taken to
protect the jobs and security of more
than 40 employees at the treatment
plant.
CSEA Region V President Jim
Moore also pledged the full
cooperation of both the Albany and
Washington, D.C. research teams in
analyzing background data and the
proposal
figures offered by the
private firm.
In a supportive comment, Moore
said, "We firmly believe the county
can solve its own problems at the
treatment plant and operate for less
money than the Envirotech proposal.
As the official representative of the
employees at the treatment plant,
CSEA is vehemently opposed to any
plan that might jeopardize the job
security of any employee."
To add further support to the union
position that a private firm takeover
is not the best a n s w e r , John
Mikalauskas called attention to a
recently-issued consent order from
the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation to the
county. It stated, in part, that "the
primary operational concern is the
deteriorated condition of the sewage
collection system pipelines owned by
municipalities which are members of
the system."
"It is the consensus of most
professionals at the plant that if the
collection system pipelines are corrected, and the county hires a
qualified deputy commissioner for
water polution control, we are confident we can meet and surpass the
standards required by state law,"
Mikalauskas said.
Since the union's letter to Oneida
County legislators, the county has
called an advisory board meeting to
hear both sides of the issue from the
county deputy public works commissioner and representatives of Envirotech.
According to figures submitted by
Richard Edwards, deputy commissioner, sewer tax rates would increase 79 percent next year if the
county hired Envirotech to run its
treatment plant, but would increase
only 14 percent if county operation
were to continue.
Envirotech officials said they would
not want to comment on Edward's
report before discussing it privately
with county officials.
JOHN MIKALAUSKAS, a maintenance supervisor, monitors operations on the grounds of the treatment plant.
Kings Park employee cleared
of insubordination charges
KINGS PARK — "A mental hospital is not a totalitarian state," an arbitrator has ruled in a CSEA case that cleared an employee of Kings Park
Psychiatric Center Local 411 of charges of insubordination.
The ruling came as a "new atmosphere" in labor-management relations was
forecast by Local 411 President Carl Fennell. Fennell noted that a new
cooperative spirit had been demonstrated by Acting Director Stephen
Goldstein since his appointment September 1.
The strongly-worded ruling was issued by arbitrator Israel Kugler as he set
aside a charge of insubordination and a proposed $150 fine and directed the
hospital to remove any mention of the incident from the employee's personnel
file.
The employee had been asked to report to a supervisor after his night shift
with only a few hours notice. The interview was to deal with a tire-slashing incident on the grounds of the institution.
The employee declined because he had already made an appointment to
carry out personal business after his shift. However, the arbitrator noted, the
employee offered to telephone the supervisor at home but was denied access to
the supervisor's telephone number. The employee did report for interrogation
several days later.
The employee, the arbitrator noted, had no knowledge of the tire-slashing.
He further noted that no charge of insubordination was made until weeks later.
Moreover, the employee had been employed at the Kings Park institution for
25 years "without a single blemish on his record," the arbitrator pointed out.
He concluded that "no case of insubordination existed," and added, "While a
mental hospital, particularly in terms of the care of patients, requires
dedication, loyalty and obedience, it is not a totalitarian state. The collective
bargaining relationship between the State of New York and the CSEA clearly
implies a consideration of the individual humanity of both employees and
supervisors..."
The defense of the employee was handled by CSEA Regional Attorney Lester
B. Lipkind.
Page 16
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
CSEA is expected to submit an
evaluation of the Envirotech proposal
in the near future.
EAP PROGRESS
Statewide and regional officials of the Employee Assistance Program
met recently in Rome to discuss progress of the program in Region V.
Pictured during a break in the day-long activities were, seated left to
right, Mary Ellen Mangino, EAP coordinator for PEF, and James
Moore, CSEA Region V president. Standing, left to right, are Robert
Hill, Rome Developmental Center coordinator; Stan Watson, Region V
EAP representative; Jon Premo, president of Local iZZ, Rome DC;
and James Murphy, statewide EAP director.
open continuous
°open c o m p e t i t i v e
STATE JOB CALENDAR
STATE JOB CALENDAR
^^
FILING ENDS DECEMBER 7, 1981
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Beginning Office Worker
$7,971
Railroad Equipment Inspector
$17,335/$18,975
Railroad Track and Structure Inspector
$16,375/$18,000
FILING ENDS DECEMBER 21, 1981
Motor Equipment Mechanic
$12,954
Maintenance Assistant Mechanic
$10,335
Education Counselor (Spanish Speaking)
$19,835
Employee Health Service Physician I
$43,550
Title
20-970
20-972
20-973
20-974
20-975
20-976
20-977
20-978
25-479
25-478
20-014
20-013
28-294
28-310
the union
that
works
for you
CONGRATULATIONS is offered Suffolk County Labor Department CSEA Unit
President Tony Lagnese, right, after he was sworn in by Suffolk County Local
President Charles Novo, left. Smiling approval are, from left, Kathie Geyer,
sergeant at arms; Second Vice President Michael Miles, Treasurer Mary
Demas, and Recording Secretary Suzanne McCarthy. Missing from photo are
First Vice President Ann Koslow and Corresponding Secretary Carol Whiting.
Deadline is approacliing
for employee training courses
Employees in CSEA's three state bargaining units — Administrative, Institutional and Operational — are reminded that November 27 is the deadline
for applying for Employee Benefits Training courses scheduled for spring 1982.
Hundreds of courses covering all fields are being offered at dozens of
colleges, schools and mental hygiene and other facilities throughout the state.
There is no tuition charge for any of the courses, which are supported by funds
negotiated between CSEA and the state, and administered by the Training
Section of the Department of Civil Service.
A complete list of courses is available through the Civil Service
Department and through agency training or personnel offices. Those who wish
to apply should obtain a training application card from their supervisor, fill it
out completely, and obtain their supervisor's signature.
Completed cards should be forwarded to training or personnel offices
before November 27. Employees should not apply for more than two courses.
Nominees will be ranked in priority order. First preference is based on
how applicable the course is to the employee's current job duties. Second
preference is based on the value of the course to the employee in any future
positions.
Homework and attendance are important parts of the classes and
attendance records will be forwarded to the participant's agency. Some
courses will start as early as January 4. Employees will be required to
purchase any books or other related course materials.
Assistant Stationary Engineer
Stationary Engineer
Electroencephalograph Technican
Data Machine Operator
Medicial Record Administrator
Food Service Worker
Mental H y g i e n e Theraphy Aide Trainee*
Associate Actuary (Casualty)
Principal Actuary (Casualty)
Supervising Actuary (Casualty)
Senior Actuary (Life)
Associate Actuary (Life)
Supervising Actuary (Life)
Assistant Actuary
Vocational Instructors*
Industrial Training Supervisors
Dietitian Trainee
Dietitian
Supervising Dietitian
Social Services Disability Analyst
Medical Specialist I
M e d i c a l S p e c i a l i s t II
Psychiatrist I
P s y c h i a t r i s t II
Assistant Clinical P h y s i c i a n
Clinical Physician I
C l i n i c a l P h y s i c i a n II
Audiologist
Speech Pathologist
Assistant Speech Pathologist
Assistant Audiologist . . .
Child P r o t e c t i v e S e r v i c e s S p e c i a l i s t I*
Social Services Management Trainee
Social Services Management Specialist
Physical Therapist*
Senior Physical Therapist*
Stenographer
Typist
Senior Occupational Therapist*
Occupational Therapist*
Cytotechnologist
Senior Medical Records Technician
Pharmacist
Physician's Assistant
Licensed Practical Nurse
Junior Engineer (Bachelor's D e g r e e )
Junior Engineer (Master's Degree)
Attorney
Assistant Attorney
Attorney Trainee
Assistant Sanitary Engineer
Senior Sanitary Engineer
Nutrition S e r v i c e s Consultant
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Trainee
Medical Record Technician
Histology Technician
Supervising Medical Record Administrator
Senior Computer S y s t e m s Analyst
Senior Computer P r o g r a m m e r Analyst
Computer Programmer
Senior Computer P r o g r a m m e r
Mobility Instructor
I n s t r u c t o r of t h e B l i n d
T e a c h e r s of t h e B l i n d a n d
Partially Sighted*
T e a c h e r s of t h e D e a f a n d H e a r i n g
Impaired*
Senior H e a t i n g and Ventilating E n g i n e e r
Senior Sanitary Engineer (Design)
Senior Plumbing Engineer
Teachers (Remedial Mathematics)
T e a c h e r s ( R e m e d i a l Bilingual Education)
Teachers (Remedial Reading)
Assistant Accountant
Assistant Auditor
C o m p e n s a t i o n C l a i m s Auditor
Accountant (Social Services) Trainee I
E x a m i n e r of M u n i c i p a l A f f a i r s T r a i n e e I
Insurance Examiner Trainee I
Insurance P r e m i u m Auditor Trainee I
Medical Facility Auditor Trainee I
Mental Health Auditor Specialist Trainee I
M e n t a l R e t a r d a t i o n Audit S p e c i a l i s t
Trainee I
Public Utility Auditor Trainee I
State A c c o u n t s Auditor Trainee I
Salary
E x a m No.
$9,984
20-271
$12,514
20-272
$9,330
20-308
$7,795
20-334
$14,860
20-348
$8,338
20-352
$9,773
20-394
$19,288
20-416
$23,829
20-417
$27,842
20-418
$14,850
20-519
$19,208
20-521
..$27,842
20-522
$15,030
20-556
$11,835
20-600
$13,264
20-700
$13,265
20-844
$14,045
20-845
$16,610
20-846
$16,100
20-848
$40,020
20-851
$43,560
20-850
$40,020
20-853
$43,560
20-852
$34,220
20-854
$38,035
20-855
$42,050
20-856
$16,610
20-860
$16,610
20-861
$14,860
20-862
$14,860
20-863
; $15,030
20-864
$13,465
20-875
^4,245
20-876
$11,337
20-880
$12,670
20-881
$7,613
20-890
$6,943
20-891
$12,670
20-894
$11,337
20-895
$13,395
20-101
$10,624
20-102
$15,520
20-103
$16,420
20-104
$8,454
20-106
$16,100
20-109
$16,600
20-109
$19,835
20-113
$17,655
20-113
$16,050
20-113
$20,000
20-122
$24,600
20-123
$20,870
20-139
$18,535
20-140
$15,710
20-213
$9,481
20-143
$9,865
20-170
$15,624
20-212
$17,570
20-219
$17,570
20-219
$14,045
20-220
$17,570
20-221
$14,860
20-224
$11,250
20-225
$12,395
20-111
$12,395
$21,129
$21,129
$21,129
$12,395
$12,395
$12,395
$14,045
$14,045
$14,043
$14,045
$14,045
$14,045
$14,045
$14,045
$14,045
20-112
20-227
20-228
20-232
20-240
20-243
20-246
20-200
20-200
20-200
20-200
20-200
20-200
20-200
20-200
20-200
$14,045
$14,045
$14.045
20-200
20-200
20-200
^Spanish Speaking
APPLICATION FORMS:
Y o u may o b t a i n application forms by mail or in
person at the f o l l o w i n g offices of ttie State Departnrwnt of Civil Service:
A L B A N Y - State O f f i c e Building Campus 1 2 2 3 9
B U F F A L O - Suite 7 5 0 . 1 W. Genesee Street 1 4 2 0 2
N E W Y O R K - 5 5 t h F l o o r , 2 W o r l d T r a d e Center 1 0 0 4 7
L
L O C A L O F F I C E S of the N . Y . S . E m p l o y m e n t Service (no mail requests handled)
W h e n y o u request an application, specify the e x a m i n a t i o n number and title. Mail
c o m p l e t e d application to: N Y S D e p a r t m e n t of Civil Service, State O f f i c e Buildii.y
Campus, A l b a n y , N e w Y o r k 1 2 2 3 9 . In the B u f f a l o area, mail applications to
B u f f a l o address shown above.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Frio l y , N o v e m b e r 20, 1981
Page
17
Child car seat required by law after April 1,1982
This special car seat offer could
help you save your child's life
ALBANY — CSEA wants to help its members keep their children from Thousands of children are being killed or injured in accidents every year
becoming one of the 850 kids under four years of age who will be killed on and, according to the experts, many of these tragedies could have been
highways in this country this year or one of the estimated 60,000 children avoided if only the child had been protected by car seat restraints."
To help, CSEA is publishing this special price list from Cosco on its
that will be injured, many of them permanently disabled, in automobile acchild seat products. Most of the prices listed are well below list price and
cidents.
CSEA has joined with the state Department of Motor Vehicles in urging generally below even discount prices. The prices listed also include the cost
motorists to buy federally-approved child car seats and the union is working of handling and shipping.
Any CSEA-represented public employee can purchase a car seat directwith the Cosco/Peterson Co., to make those car seats available at an afforly from Cosco by following the instructions on the price list below. Of
dable cost.
Union President William L. McGowan made every major manufacturer course, they can also buy a Cosco product, or any other federally-approved
of federally-approved child car seats an offer: if they would give CSEA's child car seat in most major department stores or baby product stores.
"We're not saying that these products are better than any other," the
members a low price on their products, CSEA would tell its members about
their product. The union isn't endorsing the manufacturer, it's just trying to union leader said, "but what we are saying is that these products meet the
help its members protect their children and comply with a new state law rigid standards of the federal government and the manufacturer, approved
that makes it illegal to operate any motor vehicle in this state after April 1, by the union label department of the AFL-CIO, has agreed to offer this
1982, unless any passengers under five years of age ride in an approved child special price directly to CSEA members. What is important is that your
child be properly protected. This is one way to do it."
car seat.
All orders and any questions concerning these particular products
Cosco was the only firm that accepted the union's offer and, according
to the Union Label and Service Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, it's the should be addressed to the manufacturer at the address printed below.
only baby products manufacturer that is union-represented.
"Nobody needs something else to buy these days," commented
President McClowan, "but the facts clearly justify the new state law.
COSCO/PETERSON
Send
purchase order w i t h prepayment
to:
Co»co/P"t«r»on
2525 State Street
Columbu», Indiana 47201
Attn: Special Markets
Page, Iß^ c ^
THEl PUBLIC SE^TQR^ ^Friday, N o y ^ r ^ i b e r . 2 9 , ^If 81. ^
KiDoe
2J24S1.<« SI
After eight months of talks, city resorts to Taylor Law
Watertown imposes settlement
WATERTOWN — More than 250 Watertown employees, represented by
CSEA Local 828 Jefferson County, will receive a 5 percent salary increase
effective January 1, 1982, as part of a recent settlement imposed by the city
council.
According to Tom Dupee, CSEA field representative and chief
negotiator for the bargaining unit, the settlement actually represents an increase of only 2.5 percent because it takes effect mid-way in the fiscal year.
"We are not at all happy with the settlement," Dupee said. "It is unfortunate that after eight months of solid negotiations, complete with an
accepted fact finder's report, we still do not have a contract."
Along with the imposed salary settlement, the city also acted on an ordinance ending the 4p.m. closing of city hall during summer, a practice
which the city claims costs $100,000 annually.
The settlement decision was not unexpected by rank and file members
of the unit. Earlier this month, council members and the city manager were
greeted by nearly 100 employees who demonstrated they were unhappy
without a contract by setting up an informational picket line at a council
meeting and public hearing.
At that meeting, both Dupee and city manager Forbes expressed their
positions to the council.
The decision to impose the settlement came two weeks later. When
questioned concerning the future, Dupee indicated he plans to request
negotiations be renewed with the city after the first of the year.
"The imposed settlement was tough to take, but under the law (Taylor)
we had no choice. In a few months we will be back at the bargaining table.
Hopefully, we can hammer out a good contract for the employees." Dupee
said.
After-hours picket In
protest of city's position
WATERTOWN - Members of the Watertown Unit of Jefferson County Local 823
conducted informational picketing in front
of the Watertown Municipal Building Nov.
2, prior to a public hearing held by the City
Council which resulted in an imposed settlement on the 250-member CSEA unit.
CSEA Field Representative Tom Dupee,
chief negotiator for the union, said during
the hearing that CSEA members would
accept the recommendations of a stateappointed factfinder, calling those
recommendations "fair to both sides.",
Watertown City Manager Ronald" G.
F o r b e s , h o w e v e r , r e j e c t e d those
recommendations, and returned to ,fhis
original bargaining position of no pay hikes
or improvements in contract provisions
over the 1980-81 fiscal year agreement.
The CSEA members have been working
without a contract since July 1.
Labor press
importance
emphasized
at meeting
CONTRACT PROTEST — Members of the Watertown CSEA Unit demonstrate outside the Watertown Municipal Building recently while inside the
NEW YORK CITY - iThe labor
movement is facing extraordinary
challenges, AFL-CIO SecretaryTreasurer Thomas R. Donahue
reminded delegates attending the 1981
International Labor
Press
Association (ILPA) constitutional
convention here last week. And that
puts increasing pressure on the labor
press to continue providing the kind of
information working men and women
require to speak in a united voice
against those that would dismantle
city council conducts a public hearing that will lead
to an imposed contract upon the employees, who
have been working without a contract since July 1.
organized labor, information often
missing from the commercial press,
he said.
Donahue was among s e v e r a l
prominent individuals to address the
representatives or to conduct panel
discussions, workshops and presentations held to help members of the
labor press hone their unique brand of
journalism.
Among the more than 150 delegates
from throughout the United States
and eastern Canada were CSEA
Director of Communications Gary G.
Fryer, who serves as publisher of The
Public Sector, and Public Sector
Editor Roger A. Cole.
The ILPA is comprised of representatives of more than 700 labor newspapers, magazines and newsletters
published by AFL-CIO organizations
and by Canadian Labour Congress
o r g a n i z a t i o n s . ILPA m e m b e r
publications have a combined per
issue circulation of more than 24
million copies.
McGowan, Frucher at Suffolk Local 430
Two leaders
confront
unresolved
MHTA, floating
schedule
problems at
Suffolk Dev.
MELVILLE — A high level meeting between
CSEA and members of state government is expected to result in an eventual solution of continuing problems at Suffolk Developmental Center.
President William McGowan and members of his
Albany staff met with Meyer Frucher, Director of
the Governor's Office of Employee Relations, and
Acting Commissioner Zygmund Slezak of the
Department of Mental Retardation to hear complaints by Local 430 about problems that have
remained unresolved at the local level for more
than a year.
Among the problems discussed at the Nov. 12
meeting were the deployment of MHTA employees
being forced to work alone on night shifts,
minimum of "floating" schedules by management,
and allowing MHTA trainees to work alone on
wards.
The session lasted for more than four hours and
moved from Suffolk Developmental Center in
Melville to Region I headquarters in Hauppauge.
The exchange between labor and management was
heated at times, but both sides kept tempers from
flying.
"We're here to solve problems. If it is within the
realm of the possible, we'll solve them," said
Frucher.
Joe LaValle, president of Local 430, said he was
skeptical of management promises in general but
added, "It helps to bring things out."
"I never feel I have accomplished anything until I
see the results after I meet with management,"
McGowan said at the end of the meeting. "We will
review what happened today in two months when I
will send someone down here to check. But as a
rule, these high level meetings are successful."
Also attending the meeting were: CSEA Counsel
James Roemer; Jim Conboy and Jason McGraw,
collective bargaining specialists; and officers of
l ocal 430.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, November 20, 1981
Page 19
,
-
.
—lIBi- :
-
,
.
J U N E FERNER: long road to
safer school bus laws
leads to state senate hearing
Driving a school bus is a job June Ferner takes
seriously. Very seriously. When the state of New
York raised the height of bus seats to an obstructive
28 inches, Ferner stepped down from the driver's
seat to protest the law, which went into effect in
1974.
Finally, seven years later, Ferner's hard work
was recognized. The New York State Senate Tran"Members of Senator Caemmerer's Staff,
Members of the Conrmiittee, my name is June
Ferner. I have been a member of CSEA Erie
Educational Local 868 and a school bus driver for 16
years. The topic I will be addressing here today
deals with the issue of the height of bus seats.
"In 1974, New York State legislation was enacted
into law (Chapter 971). This legislation requires a
bus seat height of 28 inches for all school buses
manufactured after 1975 with a capacity of over 11
passengers. This requirement in New York State is
3 1/2 inches higher than the standards imposed bv
federal r e f l a t i o n s . In fact, New York State is the
only state in the United States that has a bus seat
height requirement that is higher than that of
federal regulations.
"CSEA opposes the NYS bus seat height requirement of 28 inches. CSEA not only opposes this
regulation but has also proposed legislation dealing
with the repeal of the law. Senate 4846 and
Assembly 3515 would delete the statutory requirement that passenger seats on school buses
used in NYS be equipped with padded seat backs at
?ast 28 inches in height. This piece of legislation
was in Senate Transportation committee and
Assembly ways and means committee.
"Although the seat height difference is only 3V2
inches from that of the federal standards, these
higher seats make it much more difficult for the
bus driver to view what is going on in the bus.
Before the effects of the passage of this legislation
could be seen, drivers used to fight over who would
be entitled to receive a new bus. Today, transportation supervisors must force the drivers to accept
and drive these buses. No driver wants to live with
a tragedy, especially one that could have been
sportation Committee invited her to testify about
the bus seat requirement. She gladly accepted.
CSEA backed Ferner from the beginning.
Together, they are campaigning to have the state
law repealed. Legislation is now pending in the
state assembly and senate.
Following is Ferner's testimony presented verbatim before the New York State Senate Transportation Committee.
prevented. This state statutory requirement makes
it impossible to observe student behavior and contributes to the loss of driver discipline. It also
results in an additional c©st to the taxpayers.
"The risk of accident is increased. This is not fair
to the students being transported, the driver, or the
motoring public at large, who may also be involved.
If an accident does occur, the cause will undoubtedly be determined as "driver error," yet, every
school board member, every administrator, every
transportation supervisor and of course, every,
driver, will know that the accident was the result of
extraordinary high seat backs. Originally, high
seats were created to eliminate whiplash in case of
emergency stops or accidents. This may be true,
but whiplash is not the only injury a student can
sustain. Whiplash could almost be considered
minor compared to other injuries that may be caused if a bus with high back seats is in an accident, for
example, facial cuts and fractures.
"The drivers' view is another problem concerning the 28-inch seat backs. His or her view is
obstructed by the higher seats, therefore distracting the drivers' attention from the road longer,
in order for them to locate the problem or trouble
on the bus. With the higher seats it also takes longer
to even know that a problem exists. The driver's
attention is diverted, making it more difficult to
drive because they must keep looking in the mirror,
thus their eyes are off the road.
"In buses with high back seats only a few hands
and tops of heads of the taller students are visible.
In this case those three inches makes a distinct
difference. In the buses with the seat back
standards of federal regulation, the heads of even
the smaller children can be seen, even if they
attempt to slouch down. If a student is smoking or
otherwise misbehaving on the bus, it cannot be
detected. High seats also magnify the driver's blind
spot to the left, making road visibility extremely
difficult and lane changing additionally hazardous.
"In summary, the 28-inch high back seats cause
disciplinary and safety problems.
"Aside from disciplinary and safety problems,
this 28-inch height requirement for bus seats in New
York State has increased production costs for
manufacturers and has forced the redesign of
school buses operating in New York State. This cost
has been passed on to school districts. And who
pays additional school costs? Exactly, we the taxpayers do.
"While the 28-inch seat has not caused a loss of
occupant capacity, it has necessitated a general upgrading of the interior and exterior of the bus body.
Vandalism has increased in the buses with higher
seats. In fact, as a result of high backs, New York
State has the highest vandalism rate in the country.
The New York State 28-inch regulation for bus seats
was established as a safety feature on school buses.
You can clearly see that after careful study, this
height is more dangerous than it is preventative.
"We at CSEA urge you to support the repeal of
this New York State regulation on bus seat heights
and comply with the federal standards of 24 1/2 inches. By doing so, you are securing the lives of our
children, school bus drivers, motorists and
pedestrians.
"In closing, on behalf of the membership of my
union, I thank you for allowing me to address you
here today and I thank you for your support."
1981 marks progress for school legislation
ALBANY — 1981 was a banner year for legislation affecting the state's
school districts, especially in the area of transportation. And according to
Lawrence Scanlon, CSEA's coordinator of school district affairs, this is only
the beginning.
School employees will particularly benefit from two pieces of
legislation, Scanlon said: the elinination of the seven percent cap on transportation expenditures and the adoption of a "partial parity" bill which
tightens the gap between reimbursement for contractor-provided transportation services and district-provided services.
"These new laws generate more state aid," Scanlon explained, "and by
getting the dollars back into the districts, services and jobs will be provided
by our members."
. . ,
Among significant legislation adopted by the 1981 state legislature are:
ELIMINATION OF THE SEVEN PERCENT CAP on total gross expenditures for transportation. Previously, under the state's local assistance
budget, school districts were limited to a a set reimbursement schedule. By
lifting the arbitrary seven percent ceiling, districts will be eligible for more
state aid. In an age of rising energy costs and inflation, Scanlon said, this
legislation enables local schools to keep up with the times.
PARTIAL PARITY. Until this past year, the state funded services
provided by a private contractor but did not recognize the same services
provided by public employees as y supplemental expense. The new
amendment permits the cost ot certain public employee salaries to be aided
by the stale.
Scanlon cstmiaies ihat an additional
m i l l i o n w i l l b e g e n e r a i p d b y :.e
i)artial par! v ai:
i n o i o n i v r r c a L e > n c / r e s l a t e a i d . lie s a i d , b u t il a c t s i s
a n i n c e n t i v e t o h i r e p u b l i c e m p l o y e e s n s i e a u '.»1 c o n t r a c t i n g o u t .
Page 20
THE PUb-'C S K ' / O K , Fnday
Nc er^iber .0,
'98
However, this legislation does not apply to the cost of pensions, health
insurance, or other programs presently provided on behalf of the public
employee. Scanlon said the ultimate goal of his office is complete parity,
where public employees and private contractors are treated on an equal
bäsis
COMPUTERIZED BUS ROUTING. A corollary of partial parity, this
legislation makes computerized busing an approved transportation expense.
Previously, only private contractors' systems were aided by the state. This
chapter of the Education Law allowed public employed systems to be funded
as well.
BOCES SALARIES. The law was amended to provide up to $14,500 for
BOCES salaries. Scanlon said this bill will ease tight salary restrictions on
this state-funded program, thereby creating more state aid for school districts.
AID TO SMALL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS. The HURD decision, handed down in the early 1970's, cursed certain city school districts with constitutional tax limit deficits. This year, over $28 million was alloted to correct the imbalance.
WORKER'S COMPENSATION DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR
PREGNANCIES. Women were previously granted eight weeks oi disability
payments ior uncomplicated pregnancies. This new legislation allows up to
lU) weeks.
' houph the nbove legislation brought an additional $68 million in state
= 1 r local
loi (
canion »."nnhasized t le neea 'or complete
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npcraiive uiai wt» tnisri ior the full panty bill > balance the