New York Union Fights City’s Union-Busting Tactic

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.afscme.org/publications/13835.cfm

New York Union Fights City’s Union-Busting Tactic

March 30, 2007

‘Union busting’ is an ugly phrase, but it appears to be the unofficial policy of New York City, according to leaders of DC 1707. They have filed a civil suit in an effort to force the city to honor the union contract that covers workers in school-age day care centers funded by the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS).

The conflict began several years ago when the city decided to save money by closing classrooms in ACS centers and transferring the funding to the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). In place of some of those classrooms, the city opened public school child care programs for school-agers, staffed mainly by high school and college students who receive low pay and no benefits.


Members of New York City Local 205 (DC 1707) rally at City Hall in March. Supporting their campaign to get the city to respect their contract are (front row, from left to right) state Assemblyman Jose Peralta, City Councilman Miguel Martinez, City Councilwoman Letitia James, DC 1707 Assistant to the Executive Dir. Neal Tepel, and DC 1707 Executive Dir. Raglan George.
PHOTO CREDIT: Anthony Rios

The transfer in funding resulted in the closure of nearly 100 ACS-operated classrooms. About 600 child care workers, bookkeepers, cooks and maintenance workers represented by Local 205 (DC 1707) were laid off.

Hundreds of other workers who remain in ACS-funded programs have seen their health benefits and pensions cut off, while some 200 employees in DYCD-funded school-age programs are receiving entry-level pay and no benefits in violation of the union’s contract.

The city contends the union’s contract didn’t apply to these workers once funding was transferred to DYCD. The city even refused to abide by an arbitration ruling last year that sided with the union. DC 1707 then filed suit, accusing it of illegal union busting. In March, hundreds of members rallied at the steps of City Hall and crowded a city budget hearing to press their case.

DC 1707 Executive Dir. Raglan George says, “We’re going to systematically go after the city to support what the arbitrator awarded us.”

To read news coverage about this issue, click here: http://www.dc1707.net/Day%20care%20union%20busting.htm