the unionist october 2013

8/13/2019 The Unionist October 2013

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Volume 43 Number 9

October 2013

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

MakeYour

VoicesHeard:Vote Nov. 5!The Union helped Letitia James (above)

virtually clinch the public advocatesrace. But its not over. Story on page 3.

A r i P a u l


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2

The Unionist | October 2013

OCTOBER 2013

16 Delegate Assembly:6:30 pm, 235 West

23rd Street in Manhattan

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

21 Latino Heritage Committee:6:30 pm

Union Office, 12th Floor

23 Political Action Committee:6:30 pm


24 HPD Chapter:6:30 pm


30 Civilians in Law Enforcement:6:30 pm


NOVEMBER 2013

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

Office, 12th Floor

7 Black History Committee:6:30 p.m.


13 Womens Committee:6:30 pm Union Office,

12th Floor

14 Committee of Concerned Social Workers:

6:30 pm Union Office, 12th Floor

18 Latino Heritage Committee:6:30 pm


19 Alumni Association:2:00 pm, Union Office,

12th Floor

19 Political Action Committee: 6:00 p.m.


20 Delegate Assembly & General Membership:

6:30 pm PS 40, 319 E. 19 St. in Manhattan

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

CALENDAR

Published monthly except for a combined issue in July/August and a Supplement in January by the SocialService Employees Union Local 371, District Council 37,

AFSCME, AFL-CIO. Subscription Price $2.00 annually.Periodical postage paid at New York, N.Y.

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

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

PresidentAnthony Wells

Executive Vice PresidentYolanda Pumarejo

Secretary-TreasurerJuan Ortiz

V.P. Negotiations & ResearchRose Lovaglio-Miller

V.P. Organization & EducationArmenta Weekes

V.P. Grievances & Legal ServicesLloyd Permaul

V.P. Publicity & Community RelationsPatricia Chardavoyne

V.P. Legislation & Political ActionMichelle Akyempong

TrusteesVincent CiccarelloYolanda DeJesusMelva Scarborough

EditorAri Paul

Visit us on the web at www.sseu371.org

Standing Up for Our Future

This month I had the pleasure to be in the presence ofsome incredible labor activists, true trade unionistswho know that when we come together as one the

Union is stronger than any commissioner or mayor.SSEU Local 371 hosted a delegate training in the Catskillsfor three days of intense training in everyday workplaceorganizing and defending our rights and members on thejob. Our theme this year was Stand, a reminder that wemust be proactive, rather than reactive.

This is important because the members are the ones whotruly run this Union and make it strong. We cant simply imple-ment our agenda through discussions with managers or withour political organizing alone. We need dedicated activists tohold management accountable at every work site, in every borough and in every agency.

This month, I saw a group of delegates energized andwilling to do that.

We need that energy now more than ever, because wehave a number of fights in the near future. The Hous-ing Authority is continuing to push its lay off agenda,and we along with other unions and politicians have letthe authority know that we will not tolerate even onetermination.

We have to use that energy to make sure that Bill deBlasio is elected mayor and Ken Thompson is electedBrooklyn district attorney. We need them in office but

we also need them to remember that we supported them, so that we can be sure that theiragenda is our agenda.

Looking AheadI know that we can be successful, because we have been successful in the past andbecause these 300 delegates I met and worked with this month voiced their commit-ment to fight back. I was particularly impressed to see many delegates at the trainingwho have less than five years in the position, which should let us know that the Unionscommitment to fighting back is spreading.

Lastly, I was reminded that trade unionism means putting the Union before yourself.We may disagree about policies or strategies, but at the end of the day we agree on funda-mentals: We want a fair contract. We want retroactive pay. We want to end to privatiza-tion and contracting out.

When we come together as one we can make that happen. God bless you and God blessthe Union.

Anthony Wells

We need dedicatedactivists to hold

management

accountable at

every worksite...

The Ensley ScholarshipThe first annual fundraising event for the Charles Ensley Scholarship will take place Thursday, Jan. 23 2014

at Russos on the Bay in Howard Beach from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Honoring the legendary leader who served as SSEU Local 371 president for two decades, the scholarship will

financially support members pursuing a labor studies degree.

Ticket prices are $125 per person or $1,000 for a table for ten. Members can also donate to the fund by

sending a check payable to The Charles S. Ensley Memorial Scholarship to Deborah Williams, SSEU Local

371, 817 Broadway, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10003.


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October 2013 | The Unionist 3

The landslide election of Letitia Jamesfor public advocate in a run off voteOct. 1 indicates that the political

winds in New York City are changing,and its because of the grassroots efforts of

unions like ours. Unions and communitygroups are also coming together to pushBill de Blasio and Scott Stringer into themayor and comptrollers offices, respec-tively. These political developments showthat it is near certain that the post-Bloom-berg era will be defined by the 99 percent,and not by the insatiable avarice of theparasitic business elite, said MichelleAkyempong, the Unions vice presidentfor political action. That is something tocelebrate.

History MadeJames, a virtual lock in the General

Election, will be the first African-Amer-ican woman to hold the Citys thirdhighest office. This Union knows Jameswell, as she has been a regular fixture atour events and has stood with us at ralliesagainst privatization, outsourcing andCityTime. But more than that, she hasused her City Council seat to grill admin-istration officials when necessary, espe-cially when it came to social services and

housing, a trait she will bring to the officeof the ombudsperson.

Akyempong and theother dedicated mem-bers of the political ac-tion committee workedtirelessly to inform vot-

ers about the race andwhy James was the rightchoice. SSEU Local371 knew it was impor-tant to back James, andwith phone banking andoutreach our Unionshowed that our voicematters, Akyempongrecalled after learn-ing of Jamess victory.There are two lessonsfrom this. One, when

SSEU Local 371 mem-bers come together andorganize a campaign weare powerful enoughto shape policy in thisCity. Two, when Jamesis the public advocatenext year she will remember who put herthere.

The Union also helped in the primaryvictory of Daneek Miller, president ofAmalgamated Transit Union Local 1056,

virtually ensuring him a City Council seatin Queens, again showing the strength ofSSEU Local 371s organizing. Having alabor leader in the City Council will showthat, in general, labors political influencein the City is on the ascendance.

The Unions work is not done, however.We need to mobilize to ensure that deBlasio is elected mayor. President An-thony Wells said, Unions, tenant groupsand other social justice organizations arebuilding a campaign behind de Blasio thatis showing the nation that a new kind ofprogressive political agenda is possible,one that listens to the middle and work-

ing classes. We are making it clear thatthe new administrations agenda must beour agenda.

The 1 percent is scared, and that shouldremind us how powerful our voice is.De Blasios opponent, a hoary antique from

the Giuliani administration, has pulledirrelevant moments from the Democratspast to paint him as some sort of dangerousradical, and the outgoing mayor denouncedhim as a racist. Akyempong, long re-garded as an astute observer of the politicalscene within the labor movement, scoffedat this, saying, Members should not fearthese asinine accusations, as they are thedeath rattles of a bankrupt ideology.

A New DA

The Union has endorsed Ken Thomp-son for Brooklyn district attorney. Hedefeated incumbent Charles Hynes, whohas needlessly over-prosecuted two of ourformer members. Thompson, a Democrat,will face Hynes, running as a Republican,in the General Election. He will need oursupport to put him in office. Thompson, asuccessful civil rights attorney, spoke to theSSEU Local 371s executive committee,and vowed not only to restore a semblanceof justice to the office if elected but also tomake labor rights a focus.

Political Victory Is Within Reach

Bill de Blasio attended SSEU Local 371s holiday party last year and was

warmly received.

Daneek Miller, left, spoke to members last month. Continued on page 8

Photos:AriPaul

Special NYCHA MeetingThe Union is holding special meetings for members

working in the Housing Authority concerning com-

munity centers and the campaign to save jobs.

The meetings will be held Oct. 29 at the Unions

headquarters at 817 Broadway in Manhattan on

the 12th floor.

The first meeting will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The second meeting will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.


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4 The Unionist | October 2013

n a show of renewed energy

and solidarity, more than 300delegates and alternates packedinto a conference facility in up-state New York this month forintensive training in grievancehandling, labor relations andmost importantly, organizingthe rank-and-file against man-

Over the course of three days, delegates and alternates were inspired and energized for the fights ahead of them.

agement attacks and getting

workers more involved in theUnion.

What was incredibly refresh-ing about this training was howmany newer delegates were inattendance. As several delegatesnoted, it was an opportunityfor workers to meet their com-

patriots in other agencies and

other boroughs.This years theme, Stand,

is meant as a sense of pride inunion activity and that onesactivism here is why membershave good civil service jobswith benefits and a pension.But it is also a reminder that

The Union CStand!

I

John English of AFSCME spoke about Wisconsin. President Anthony Wells inspired members about everyday organizing.

Allphotos:AriPaul


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these things should not be

taken for granted, and thatmembers need to stand up andfight against any attempts bymanagement and the 1 percentto violate our contract, cheatus out of overtime, weaken ourunion rights and push us out ofthe middle class.

Members First

An organized workplace andstrong delegates and alternatesare what make this Unionstrong, theyre what make

management sit down and ne-

gotiate, said Union PresidentAnthony Wells. Lobbying,political outreach and mediacampaigns are important, butthey are built on the work thatevery day leaders do at all loca-tions, large and small. Havingstrong leaders on the shopfloor to inspire to the rank-and-file to recognize that theyare the backbone of this union

is what makes SSEU Local 371

a mighty, mighty union.The Unions Organizing

section had built off the modelof the Unions previous out-of-city delegate training weekendin 2011. This years weekendevent was bigger and morecomprehensive for sure, saidsection VP Armenta Weekes,whose staff worked tirelesslyfor weeks to make this years

event what it was. We hope to

improve upon this model andhave other events like this inthe future.

The three-day training alsooffered celebrations and com-memorations of the Unionshistory, including a slideshowon the life and career of JosephNazario, the Unions secretarytreasurer and career-long unionactivist who died last year.

mes Together for Delegate Training

Newer delegates spoke to each other about their roles as leaders in the Union. Henry Garrido, associate director of DC 37.

State Sen. Diane Savino


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DISCLOSURE NOTICE OF NON-CREDITABLE COVERAGEImportant Notice From the Social Service Employees Union Local 371

Welfare Fund About Your Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare

Please read this notice carefully and keepit where you can find it. This notice hasinformation about your current prescrip-

tion drug coverage with the Social Ser-vice Employees Union Local 371 WelfareFund (Fund) and prescription drugcoverage available for people with Medi-care. It also explains the options you haveunder Medicare prescription drug cover-age, and can help you decide whether ornot you want to enroll. At the end of thisnotice is information about where youcan get help to make decisions about yourprescription drug coverage.

1. Medicare prescription drug cover-

age became available to everyone withMedicare through Medicare prescrip-tion drug plans and Medicare Advan-tage Plans that offer prescription drugcoverage in 2006. All Medicare pre-scription drug plans provide at leasta standard level of coverage set byMedicare. Some plans may also offermore coverage for a higher monthlypremium.

2. It has been determined that the pre-scription drug coverage offered by the

Fund is, on average for all plan par-ticipants, NOT expected to pay out asmuch as the standard Medicare pre-scription drug coverage will pay and isconsidered Non-Creditable Coverage.This is important, because for mostpeople enrolled in the Funds prescrip-tion drug plan, enrolling in Medicareprescription drug coverage means youwill get more assistance with drug coststhan if you had prescription drug cov-erage exclusively through the Fund.

3. You have decisions to make aboutMedicare prescription drug cover-age that may affect how much you payfor that coverage, depending on if andwhen you enroll. Read this notice care-fullyit explains your options.

Consider enrolling in Medicare prescrip-tion drug coverage.

Because the prescription drug coverage youhave with the Fund is on average for all planparticipants, NOT expected to pay out asmuch as the standard Medicare prescription

drug coverage will pay, you should considerenrolling in a Medicare prescription drugplan. Individuals can enroll in a Medicare

prescription drug plan when they first be-come eligible for Medicare and each year.This year, the open enrollment period to joina Medicare drug plan is from October 15,2013 through December 7, 2013. Benefi-ciaries leaving Fund coverage may be eligiblefor a Special Enrollment Period to sign upfor a Medicare prescription drug plan.

This may mean that you will have to wait toenroll in Medicare prescription drug cover-age and that you may pay a higher premium(a penalty) if you join later and you will pay

that higher premium as long as you haveMedicare prescription drug coverage.

If you go 63 days or longer without prescrip-tion drug coverage that is at least as good asMedicares prescription drug coverage, yourpremium will go up at least 1% per monthfor every month that you did not have thatcoverage. You will have to pay this higherpremium as long as you have Medicare pre-scription drug coverage. For example, if yougo nineteen months without coverage, yourpremium will always be at least 19% higher

than what many other people pay.

When deciding whether or not to enroll in aMedicare drug plan, you should compare yourcurrent Fund prescription drug coverage, in-cluding which drugs are covered, with the cov-erage and cost (including premiums, deduct-ibles and co-payments) of the plans offeringMedicare prescription drug coverage in yourarea. You should also consider the following:

The Fund does not require that you joinMedicare Part D for prescription drugcoverage;

Because the prescription drug coverageyou have with the Fund is on average for allplan participants, NOT expected to pay outas much as the standard Medicare prescrip-tion drug coverage will pay, you should con-sider enrolling in a Medicare prescriptiondrug plan;

As a Fund enrollee and/or covered depen-dent eligible for Medicare, you will contin-ue to receive full prescription drug benefitscurrently available to you under the Funds

prescription drug plan if you do not enrollin Medicare Part D;

If you join a Medicare prescription drugplan, you will NOT be reimbursed for thePart D premium by the Fund.

For more information about this notice oryour current prescription drug coverage

You will receive this notice annually and mayreceive it at other times in the future suchas before the next period you can enroll inMedicare prescription drug coverage, andif your prescription drug coverage throughFund changes. You also may request a copy

of this notice or contact the Fund office formore information.

For more information about your op-tions under Medicare prescription drugcoverage

More detailed information about Medicareplans that offer prescription drug coverageis in the Medicare & You handbook fromMedicare. Youll get a copy of the handbookin the mail every year from Medicare. Youmay also be contacted directly by Medicare-

approved prescription drug plans. For moreinformation about Medicare prescriptiondrug plans:

Visit www.medicare.gov Call your State Health Insurance Assis-tance Program (see your copy of the Medi-care & You handbook for their telephonenumber) for personalized help,Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

For people with limited income and resourc-es, extra help paying for Medicare prescrip-tion drug coverage is available. Informationabout this extra help is available from theSocial Security Administration (SSA) onlineat www.socialsecurity.gov, or you call them at1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

October 2013Social Service Employees Union Local 371Welfare FundJohn Brown, Administrator817 BroadwayNew York, New York 10003212-777-9000


7/8

ABrooklyn grand jury this month issued

a biting report noting that the Admin-istration of Childrens Service ignoredrecommendations to overhaul the agencythat could have avoided 19 child deaths.

The findings in the 102-page reportvindicate much of what SSEU Local 371 hassaid in rallies and before the City Council:The ACS workforce is understaffed andoverworked, making it impossible for thefront line workers to adequately serve theclients the agency is mandated to protect.And the Union has said in the past that un-less this deficit is addressed children will die.

Helping Bell and Adams

The report also bolsters the legaldefense of two former ACS workers andSSEU Local 371 members, ChereeceBell and Damon Adams, who are facingcharges of negligent homicide in the tragicdeath of Marchella Pierce in Sept. 2010.

The Daily News reported, The panelconcluded [Pierces] tragic death, alongwith at least 18 others citywide between2005 and 2010, could have been prevented

and that serious errors and shortcomings

are indicative of the existence of a system-

ic failure within the troubled agency.SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wellssaid, The Grand Jury report chided ACSfor not implementing these recommenda-tions, failing to properly supervise workers,failing to provide adequate training, andfailing to support its workforce. The reportalso recommends that more than a single

caseworker do the initial investigation where

there is high risk, alleged criminal activityand/or where there are a large number ofchildren listed on the allegations. The reportalso discusses the implementation of caseloadlimits and limits on the amount of overtimeon a weekly basis.

Andrew White, the director of the Cen-ter for New York City Affairs at the NewSchool, which publishes the journal ChildWelfare Watch, noted that since RonaldRichter took the helm of the agency inSept. 2011 some of the problems in thesearenas have been addressed. Nonethe-less, its not impossible to find flawstoday, he told the Unionist. There arestill a lot of improvements to be made, nodoubt about it.

The Union has also had a good workingrelationship with Richter, Wells said, andhopes to work with him on these issues.

Bells attorney, Joshua Horowitz, toldthe Daily News, The report makes itclear these unfortunate tragedies werefairly common. Chereece was an excellentworker whos being unfairly blamed for

endemic problems.

THE UNIONS WELFARE FUNDhasa few updates that are important to thehealth and wellbeing of our members,including a whole host of improvements atour dental office and some changes regard-

ing the prescription drug benefit.

Modernization of the Dental Office

Over the past 24 months, the WelfareFund has been improving and modernizingthe Dental Office. The first and perhapsmost important step, was to hire a clinicalmanager, Dr. Ronald Milth, who is respon-sible for instructing our dentists on newtechniques, review treatment plans, insuringthat the dentistry performed is of high qual-ity and provide leadership to the dentists.

The next phase was to modernize our

computer systems. New practice manage-ment software was installed that will allowthe dental office to become paperless.All records, including x-rays, are storedelectronically in the system. New monitorswere mounted in each operatory that en-ables the patient to see their x-rays clearly

when the dentist is explaining their courseof treatment.

Since the installation of the new soft-ware, we have begun to use digital x-rays.There are many advantages to digital

x-rays namely, that the patient is exposedto approximately 85 percent less radiationthan normal x-rays. These x-rays can beenlarged, do not have to be developed andare available instantaneously. To compli-ment the new digital software, a new digi-tal panoramic x-ray unit has been installed.

An implant referral program was createdfor those members who are patients of theFunds dental office. There is a select net-work of specialists who insert the implantat their private offices. The patient thenreturns to the Funds dental office to have

the crowns over the implants placed andthe treatment plan is completed.

Additionally, a near-term goal is toreduce the waiting time for appointmentsfor new patients and to reduce the time be-tween appointments for existing patients.

There will be additional changes in the

future. The Welfare Fund will inform youas they occur.

Formulary Changes to Coverage underPrescription Drug benefit

The Welfare Fund was recently notifiedby Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI), the Pre-scription Benefit Management (PBM) forthe Funds Prescription Drug benefit that itintends to introduce significant changes toits National Preferred Formulary effec-tive January 1, 2014. These changes willaffect coverage for certain prescription drugs(mostly for Asthma drugs) under the FundsPrescription Drug benefit. The Fund is

working to convince ESI to delay implemen-tation of the changes, and hopes to reportprogress on this matter in the near future.

Welfare Fund Update (correction)

Acceptable documentation for studentcertification: Copy of bursars receipt oraletter from the educational institution eachsemester certifying your dependents statusas a full time student.

UPDATES FROM THE FUND


Report: ACS Managements Ignorance Led to Child Deaths

Members protesting ACS and the DA in March 2011.

PatArnow


8/8

This is the first time I can remember

a candidate for District Attorney in anyof the boroughs coming to speak to ourexecutive committee, Wells said after themeeting. This shows our strength andinfluence. The game is being played, andwere in the ballpark.

Akyempong noted that political organiz-ing doesnt stop after Election Day. Whenthese officials who we helped elect take theiroaths of office Jan. 1, we as unionists and asvoters must also vow to continue to agitateand hold these leaders to their promises,

she said. This will mean coming to politicalaction meetings, going to rallies and goingto City Council meetings and showing thatour voices will be united long after the votesare tallied.


Social Service Employees Union

Local 371

817 Broadway

New York, N.Y. 10003

Periodicals Postage

Paid at New York, NY

Condolencesare extended to the familyand friends of Jose Otero, Assistant Fraud

Investigator and Delegate at BEV in theBronx Field Office, who died in October.

Condolences may be sent to Yosmari Lotz,c/o Bronx Field Office, 555 East Tremont

Avenue, 2nd Floor, Bronx, NY 10457.

Condolencesare extended to ElmaFrancis, Child and Family Specialist at150 William Street, on the death of her

mother, Julia Hazel Dalmau, who died Sept.24. Condolences may be sent to Elma

T. Francis, Child and Family Special ist,Administration for Children Services,

150 William Street, 7th Floor, New York,NY 10038.

Condolencesare extended to the family

and friends of Bashir Dademade, at HRA/the Fair Hearing Division, who died in

September. Condolences may be sent to

Sarah Dademade, 636 Lenore Lane, Elmont,NY 11003.

Condolences

Political Victory Is Within ReachContinued from page 3

Members marched proudly in last months parade through Harlem.

Lists ExtendedThe Unions Research and Negotiations

section has shown its skills in labor-manage-

ment jujitsu and is happy to report two list

extensions.

The Sup I (social services and social work-

ers) list has been extended to Feb. 2015

and the Associate Fraud Investigator list has

been extended to Oct. 2014.

This is a big victory for our membership,

and shows the strength of our ability to

get these lists extended, said section Vice

President Rose Lovaglio-Miller. We hope

to provide more good news like this in the

future.

AriPaul

African-American Day Parade, 2013

Ken Thompson addressed the Unions Executive Committee.

15-Day Election Notice

Official 15-day notice is hereby given for the

nomination and election of three (3) members

of the Election Committee to be elected by the

membership for the General Officers Election.

To be eligible to run for election as a commit-

tee member, one must be a member in good

standing.

The nomination and election of these three

(3) members of the election committee will be

held at the General Membership Meeting on

Wednesday, November 20, 2013, 6:30 p.m. at

PS 40, 319 E. 19 St. between 1st & 2nd Aves.,

on the right side of the street in Manhattan.

the unionist october 2013

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