Minutes of Local 1407

Minutes of Local 1407

General Membership Meeting

March 14, 2011

Call to Order: President Maf Misbah Uddin commenced the meeting at 6:15 P.M. We have a quorum. This meeting is official. Sharon Steadman, Council Representative of Local 1407, is in attendance.

Approval of the Minutes:

Franklin Taylor made a motion to approve the General Membership minutes of January 10, 2011 Severally seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Monetary Items:

60th Year Anniversary: Jean LaPierre made a motion for the following expenses as recommended and approved by the 60th Year Celebration Committee related to the Local 1407 60th Year Anniversary Celebration taking place at Russo’s On The Bay on March 24, 2011:

1. The Committee is requesting to approve $15,490 for tickets broken down in the following way: 150 tickets at a $37.00 discount, for regular members, amounting to $5,550.00, 20 tickets at a $62.00 discount for members of the 60th year Celebration Committee amounting to $1,240.00 and 100 tickets at the price of $87.00 per ticket for invited guests amounting to $8,700; and

1. 500 gift bags and related items at $10.00 per bag not to exceed a total of $5,000

1. 1,000 Local 1407 Commemorative Journals at a price to be billed by DC 37.

1. Music for a band at the celebration not to exceed $2,250.00.

1. Centerpieces for each table not to exceed a total of $2,000.00.

Severally seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Vijay Kohli made a motion to approve $300.00 for the DC 37 Irish Heritage Celebration held on March 4, 2011 at DC 37 Headquarters. Felicia Gilkes-Cox seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Igor Galanter made a motion to approve $1,000.00 to be sent to our labor activist brothers and sisters to help their movement in Wisconsin. Enrique Oppenheimer seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Minutes of General Membership Meeting of March 14, 2011 – Page 2 of 6

Elsie Magloire made a motion to approve $2,500.00 to be allocated for the web master expense in maintaining the website for Local 1407. Jean LaPierre seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Franklin Taylor made a motion to approve $311.99 for a printer for the use of the Treasurer of Local 1407. Enrique Oppenheimer seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Arlene Aikens made a motion to approve $300.00 for the Scholarship Awards for Local 371. The motion was severally seconded. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Enrique Oppenheimer made a motion to approve $1,000.00 for the Somos El Futuros (We Are The Future) Hispanic Legislative Conference that will take place in Albany, New York from April 1-3, 2011. Marilyn Ballie seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Igor Galanter made a motion to approve $250.00 for a fund raising event for City Council Woman Darlene Mealy and $500.00 for a fund raiser for City Comptroller John Liu. Elsie Magloire seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

Treasurer’s Report:

Treasurer Orlana McKenzie presented the Local 1407 Financial Statements for the month ending December 31, 2010.

Franklin Taylor made a motion to approve the Financial Statements for Local 1407 for the month of December 2010. Arlene Aikens seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote.

President’s Report:

Civil Service Update: The filing for the Assistant Retirement Benefits Examiner Exam, Exam No. 1049 was from Feb. 2-22, 2011. The exam date is Saturday, May 14, 2011. The local will be having a prep course for the exam. We have mailed out coupons to all those who are qualified and may be interested in taking this examination. Please return the coupon by March 29, 2011.

Associate RBE: A review class for this Exam is going on as we speak that was offered by your union and this test will be given on Saturday, March 26, 2011. The Local wishes everyone success in taking this exam.

Minutes of General Membership Meeting of January 10, 2011 – Page 3 of 6

Workers’ Compensation Benefits Examiner: The filing for WCBE, Exam No. 1032 is from March 2-22, 2011. The exam date is Saturday, June 11, 2011. With the help of the DC 37 Education Fund we are trying to find an instructor to offer a prep class for this Exam. If you or someone you know can teach this course please feel free to contact the Local at (212) 815-1407/1933.

Accountant, Exam No. 100 wasrecently established with 153 on the list. The list will be called soon.

Investment Analyst: The title of Investment Analyst has been re-classified. Investment Analyst Trainee has been eliminated. Investment Analyst is now Investment Analyst I. Senior Investment Analyst is now Investment Analyst II. Supervisory Investment Analyst is now Investment Analyst III. The only exam that is being given is for the Investment Analyst I title. Levels II and III are up to management’s discretion. The salary and service increments for all title levels remain the same as they were before re-classification.

DC 37 Action Alert: We urge all members to fill out the card left on the table with their personal e-mail so that DC 37 can alert you about everything important in the labor movement such as rallies and lobbies organized by your union.

Municipal Labor Committee: The Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) met on March 11, 2011. President Uddin attends all the meetings of the MLC. The Committee is strongly opposed to all of the City’s proposed Civil Service reforms. The City is asking the members to pay for a portion of our health insurance. We will not give back our hard-earned benefits. We will do everything to protect our members’ benefits. President Uddin within the MLC forum will do everything for the union, with the union and by the union. We will win and we must win in this on going struggle.

Snow Days: January 27, 2011 - Please write a letter to your Department Head stating that why you could not come in to work due to the inclement weather. Most agencies are providing a prescribed form to request for the snow day, please use them where ever available. The union will monitor what happens. For December 26, 27, 28, 2010: The union has filed a Step III grievance for those days as we did filed and won a similar case after the 1996 snow storm during Mayor Guiliani’s time.

Public Hearing: A public hearing was held at DC 37 on February 25, 2011. The hearing was attended by the representatives from the City Comptroller John Liu, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Also present were NYS AFL-CIO President Dennis Hughes and CWA President Arthur Cheliotes. The hearing was to explore contracting out City jobs where it spent over 10 billion dollars of tax money during this hard economic time.

Minutes of General Membership Meeting of January 10, 2011 – Page 4 of 6

City Council Breakfast: A City Council Breakfast was held at DC 37 Headquarters on February 25, 2011. It was attended by President Maf Misbah Uddin, Vice President Jed Matalon and Grievance Representative Igor Galanter. We are imploring the members of the City Council to stop the budget cuts that threaten the jobs of municipal workers.

Municipal Employee Compensation: City Comptroller John Liu has published a research paper that city workers get 17% less than their private employee counterparts even though city workers are better educated. Accountants and auditors are receiving 13.6% less than their counterparts in private industry. This report is in favor of Local 1407 members. The Comptroller is also studying the DC 37 white papers to see where the City can save money. We appreciate what Comptroller Liu is doing for the labor.

Lobby Days: The annual AFSCME Lobby Day was held on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. Local 1407 was represented by President Maf Misbah Uddin, Vice President Jed Matalon, Felicia Gilkes-Cox, Joseph DeWeever, Vantia Newman, Natasha Bradley, Harsha Jani, Philomena Nieves and Bridget Ospina. We lobbied our State Senators and Assemblyman to implore them not to cut the State Budget to punish working families. Lee Saunders, the Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME, fired up the crowd and told them to be ready to fight and stand up for their rights. Everyone, not just labor, has to sacrifice to balance the budget including management and the super-wealthy. The next Lobby Day will be sponsored by DC 37 on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. As this day is specifically for DC 37 members we are requesting you to register by calling DC 37 Political Action at (212) 815-1407/1933. We will pay all expenses incured by participating Local members.

Collective Bargaining: The City contract expired on March 2, 2010. DC 37 had a bargaining caucus on March 9, 2011. The union is intending to begin negotiations after April 30, 2011. This date is after the State budget is presented. It should be noted that the union has negotiated contractual raises of 37. 69% for the last nine years contracts, that President Uddin negotiated during his tenure. The rate of inflation for the same time period has been 33.40%. We have actually done slightly better than the rate of inflation. Our goal is to do the same if not better in the future.

Department of Finance: The Dept. of Finance has hired 29 new auditors in the last fiscal year and intends to hire 25 additional auditors in the future. The lunchtime meetings at the both locations were well attended and as such the local greatly appreciates all participating members.

Lunch Time Meetings: Please call (212) 815-1407/1933 to have a lunchtime meeting at your respective Agency. We will go to any place that we have members no matter how many members we have in a specific location. Whether you call or not just read your mail to see when we are coming to your location.

Minutes of General Membership Meeting of January 10, 2011 – Page 5 of 6

City Hall Rally: President Maf Misbah Uddin represented Local 1407 at a rally in front of City Hall on February 24, 2011. President Uddin spoke strongly at the rally against the budget cuts, possible layoff of city workers and Mayor Bloomberg’s anti-union strategy. Remember you must be part of these rallies and demonstrations. Management is trying to take away the benefits we won during the last 40 years. We must not let that happen. We bring services to the city, we bring money to the city’s treasury, we make this city run. Please join us in the fight to help preserve our benefits.

Questions and Answers:

Joseph DeWeever: The union is not doing enough to prepare the members for the fight ahead. Why is the union not doing more to bring the membership out?

President Uddin: Your union is doing everything that we can to educate our members. When DC 37 wants to have a rally it puts the information in the PEP, sends a flyer in the mail, makes calls to an estimated 100,000 members. But it is unfortunate that only less than 10,000 members show up. It is up to the members to respond. Today, we are requesting you to fill out these action alert cards and get contacted by e-mail. Even you should be surprised to know that many of our members do not vote in the general election. We must strive to bring out more members to rallies, demonstrations and other union activities. The time now is tough and it requires all members to join in the fight to preserve what their union has brought for them over the years.

Arlene Aikens: There is a Workers’ Comp. Benefits Examiners Exam coming up. Will there be a prep course?

President Uddin: As in any exam we have requested the DC 37 Ed Fund to prepare a class for this Exam. We will send the members a form to notify them of the prep course for the exam. We are currently looking for an instructor to teach the course. Should you know someone who can teach please feel free to contact us at (212) 815-1407/1933.

Essaline Pika-Winter: Did the union oppose the previous re-classifications of the Accountant and Management Auditor titles?

President Uddin: We strongly opposed these re-classifications. We had meetings and discussions with DCAS. We testified at the State Civil Service Commission and City Council Civil Service Committee where we voiced our opinion. The union always opposes any re-classification of our titles and will always seek to preserve the civil service merit system for the betterment of everyone.

Minutes of General Membership Meeting of January 10, 2011 – Page 6 of 6

Committee Reports:

The following committee report were presented by Vice President Jed Matalon:

The Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus: The annual Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus was held in Albany, NY from February 18-21, 2011. President Maf Misbah Uddin and Vice President Jed Matalon represented Local 1407. Many prominent politicians spoke at the caucus including Senators Charles Schumer and Kirstin Gillibrand, Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Congressman Charles Rangel.

The keynote speaker was the former Governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson. He stated that municipal workers are the lynch pin of good government, we must dedicate ourselves to the re-election of Barack Obama, we must invest in education starting with pre-school and full time kindergarten. We must be true to our values of freedom and democracy. What makes this country great is our diversity and our ability to come together. As always the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus was an informative and enlightening experience.

Good and Welfare:

We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of Arthur Tibaldi. Mr. Tibaldi was the President of Local 1407 for over 35 years and the treasurer of DC 37 for many years. We thank him for his excellent leadership and the help he gave to many members for over three decades.

The membership observed a moment of silence in honor of President Tibaldi.

We also extend “get well” wishes to Marcus Lipschitz of the Dept. of Finance who is recovering from a brief illness.

Motion To Adjourn:

Arlene Aikens made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Franklin Taylor seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a Voice Vote. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 P.M.

Prepared by:

Jennifer Sagnelli-Secretary

Edited by:

Jed Matalon-Vice President