November 2008

O f f i c i a l P u b l i c a t i o n o f S o c i a l S e r v i c e E m p l o y e e s U n i o n L o c a l 3 7 1 - D C 3 7 A F S C M E , A F L - C I O

the Volume 38 Number 10

November 2008

INSIDEwhat’swhat’s

Delegate Training:Strengthening Union Leadership

The Union’s first session of Delegate Training onNovember 8 was attended by hundreds of Delegatesfrom throughout the city. (Story and photos on pages 4-5.)

Justice for Saigon GrillWorkers

On Monday, October 20, a United States District

Court Judge in Manhattan awarded $4.6 million in

back pay to 36 delivery workers at two Saigon Grill

restaurants in Manhattan, thus justifying their long

struggle for economic justice. (Story on page 7.)

District Council 37 and the City reached atentative 24 month economic agreementon October 30 that provides a four per-

cent increase retroactive to March 3, 2008, thefirst day of the contract, and another four per-cent increase, compounded, on March 3, 2009.The tentative agreement comes one year afterbargaining began in October 2007.

District Council 37 Reaches Tentative ContractAgreement with City

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts shakes hands with City Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley at the conclusion of contract bargaining.

Phot

oby

Char

les

Brow

n

The contract was approved by the DC 37 Bar-gaining Committee with only two members votingagainst it, Local 371 President Faye Moore andLocal 436 President Judith Arroyo. The contract wasapproved by the DC 37 Delegates Council at itsmeeting on November 6 and will be voted on bythe DC 37 membership in a mail ballot. Ballots weremailed on November 13 and are due back by 9:00

Barack Obama Elected 44thPresident of the United States

C heers of victory and tears of exhilarationgreeted the historic November 4 electionof Barack Obama as the first African-

American President of the United States.Democrats also picked up at least six seats inthe Senate and at least 19 in the House, givingthem a majority in both bodies. The sweepincluded a hard-fought victory in the NewYork State Senate, which is under Democraticcontrol for the first time in 43 years.

In the union community, which has sufferedthrough eight devastating years of the BushAdministration, the election was hailed as amandate for change in this country’s prioritiesfrom health care to equitable taxation, to job cre-ation and toward ending the War in Iraq. Local371 President Faye Moore said, “I went out on

Continued on page 3

It’s been a long time coming...

am on December 8. There are no firm pay dates atthis time, pending ratification of the contract.

Moore voted against the settlement because it

Continued on page 2

T h e U n i o n i s t

2

Published monthly except for a combined issue in July/August bythe Social Service Employees Union Local 371, District Council 37,AFSCME, AFL-CIO. Subscription Price $2.00 annually. Periodicalpostage paid at New York, N.Y.

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: The Unionist, SSEULocal 371, 817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003.USPS# 348990 (212) 677-3900

PresidentFaye Moore

Executive Vice PresidentYolanda Pumarejo

Secretary-TreasurerJoe Nazario

V.P. Negotiations & ResearchAnthony Wells

V.P. Organization & EducationBeverly Mallory-Brown

V.P. Grievances & Legal ServicesLloyd Permaul

V.P. Legislation and Political ActionMichelle Akyempong

V.P. Publicity & Community RelationsMichelle Conklin

TrusteesMichael BallesterosYolanda DeJesusMelva Scarborough

EditorMartin Fishgold

Director of CommunicationsLinda Schleicher

PhotographerCharles Brown

Editorial AssociateJessica Ramos

Visit us on the Web at www.sseu371.org

the

Metro NYLabor

Communications

Counc i l

demands is scheduled for a Special MembershipMeeting on January 5. The SSRT Contract must beratified before the second-year four percentincrease can be paid.

doesn’t include any additional contributions to theUnion’s Welfare Fund and does not restore itemslost in previous contracts such as lower starting

salaries and loss of the floating holiday for newemployees. “This contract doesn’t meet the needsof our members and doesn’t measure up to con-tracts negotiated by other City unions,” saidMoore. “I still feel that we’re being treated as sec-ond-class citizens.”

The contract also includes .10 percent which will beapplied to additions to gross, such as assignment dif-ferentials and longevity steps, based on salaries as ofDecember 31, 2007. The increase, which will come to8.16 percent, will become effective on the last day ofthe contract, March 2, 2010. There is no retroactivity.

SSRT Bargaining Process BeginsNow that a tentative economic agreement has

been reached by DC 37 and the City, Local 371 isgearing up for negotiations on the Social Serviceand Related Titles Contract. No additional moneywas negotiated this round to addresst the needs ofUnit Bargaining. The Union is soliciting negotiat-ing demands and Union Chapters will be electingrepresentatives to the Bargaining Committee inearly December (see notices below). Once thedemands are approved by the Bargaining Com-mittee they are expected to be published in theDecember issue of The Unionist. Voting on the

DC 37 Reaches TentativeContract Agreement with CityContinued from page 1

President Faye Moore speaks against the contract atthe final bargaining session as Vice PresidentsAnthony Wells and Beverly Mallory-Brown look on.

NovemberALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEETING, 2:00 to 4:00p.m., Union Office, 817 Broadway, 12th Floor, Manhattan

DELEGATE ASSEMBLY, 6:30 p.m., School of theFuture, 127 East 22nd Street, Manhattan

THANKSGIVING DAY (An official City holiday)

DecemberEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, 6:30 p.m.,Union Office, 817 Broadway, 12th Floor, Manhattan

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING, 6:30 p.m.,School of the Future, 127 East 22nd Street, Manhattan

COMMITTEE OF CONCERNED SOCIAL WORKERSMEETING, 6:30 p.m., Union Office, 817 Broadway,12th Floor, Manhattan

18

9

3

27

19

8

15-Day Election NoticesThe following Chapter Meetings are scheduled to nominate and elect representatives to the Collec-

tive Bargaining Committee for upcoming contract negotiations. All meetings will be held at the UnionOffice, 817 Broadway, Manhattan:

Monday, December 1, 2008, HEALTH AND HOSPITALS CORPORATION EMPLOYEES CHAPTER,6:30 p.m., nomination and election of two Delegates and four Alternates.

Monday, December 1, 2008 , HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND OTHERAGENCIES CHAPTER, 6:30 p.m., nomination and election of one Delegate and two Alternates.

Monday, December 1, 2008, BUREAU OF CHILD WELFARE EMPLOYEES CHAPTER, 6:30 p.m.,nomination and election of five Delegates and ten Alternates.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EMPLOYEES CHAPTER, 6:30 p.m., nomi-nation and election of one Delegate and two Alternates.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, SHELTERS AND INSTITUTIONAL EMPLOYEES CHAPTER, 6:30 p.m.,nomination and election of three Delegates and six Alternates.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKERS CHAPTER, 6:30 p.m., nominationand election of one Delegate and two Alternates.

Thursday, December 4, 2008, HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEES CHAPTER,6:30 p.m., nomination and election of one Delegate and two Alternates.

Thursday, December 4, 2008, SOCIAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES CHAPTER, 6:30 p.m., nomination andelection of five Delegates and ten Alternates.

Thursday, December 4, 2008, CIVILIANS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEES CHAPTER, 6:30p.m., nomination and election of one Delegate and two Alternates.

SSRT Bargaining ProcessContinues

The Union’s Negotiations office is solicitingdemands for the Social Service and RelatedTitles contract bargaining, which will beginearly next year. After they are compiled and theBargaining Committee has met to discuss them,the demands will be printed in the December2008 issue of The Unionist. The membershipwill meet to vote on the demands at a member-ship meeting on January 5, 2009. Demandsshould be submitted in writing to AnthonyWells, vice president of negotiations, SSEULocal 371, 817 Broadway, NY, NY 10003.

Phot

oby

Char

les

Brow

n

“This contract doesn’t meet the needs ofour members and doesn’t measure up to

contracts negotiated by other City unions...”President Faye Moore

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8

3

the street in my neighborhood and the feeling wasjoy and disbelief. This is what all the sacrifices overthe decades were about. People were there of everycolor and of all ages. And the victory was unambigu-ous – clear and graceful. The last eight years havebeen so hard on workers, on unions, on the ability toorganize. Obama won and then he reached out andsaid, ‘Let’s come together and work on our problemstogether.’ It is finally a time for optimism.“

Many, many union members and staff workedtirelessly for Obama, traveling to neighboring statesto knock on doors, making phone calls and gettingout the vote. Union Vice President of Political ActionMichelle Akyempong served as a labor coordinatorfor Obama in Staten Island. “I want to thank all ofour members who did so much in this campaign. Iam ecstatic about Obama’s win. Martin Luther King,Jr. and Bobby Kennedy both envisioned this greatmoment in history. Obama will bring about achange in the country for all working people. I amso proud to have worked on his campaign.”

Union members Maxine Francis, Michelle Woodyand Associate Treasurer Andrea Walters went toPhiladelphia. “It was a great experience to be partof history,” Walters said. “We knocked on doors ofunion members and everyone was excited to haveus come.” Assistant to the President John Talbuttspent time in Allentown, Pa. Editorial Associate Jes-sica Ramos served as Queens Regional Director forNew York Latinos for Obama.

In State races, Union members worked on a num-ber of campaigns. All Local-backed candidateswon. Local 371 and the DC 37 Retirees were earlymajor supporters of Joe Addabo, Jr. in his victoryover Serphin Maltese for a Senate seat from Queens.Inez Barron won in Assembly District 40, KevinParker in Senatorial District 21 and Eric Adams inSenatorial District 20. Local 371 first backed Mal-colm Smith, who is running to become the newMajority Leader in the Senate, when no one elsedid. “We were there at the beginning,” said Moore.If Smith is selected as Leader, former Union VicePresident Diane Savino will be the new AssistantMajority Leader and the head of a major committee.“The people of New York, from one end to theother, voted for change. This was the year, not onlyin Washington, but in Albany as well, ” Savino said.

In Staten Island, Union members also worked on the

campaign of Michael McMahon, who won the Con-gressional seat vacated by Representative Vito Fossella.“It was a great overall victory,” Akyempong said.

—Linda Schleicher

Barack Obama Elected PresidentContinued from page 1

Union Campaignsto Stop NYCHAFrom Closing 18Centers and LayingOff Workers

Despite an announcement in early November byMayor Michael Bloomberg that the New York CityHousing Authority would be closing 18 CommunityCenters and laying off 200 workers, 165 of themLocal 371 members, to address a $200 million budgetshortfall, the Union is continuing its campaign to stopthe cuts.

“These cuts are unconscionable,” said Local 371President Faye Moore. “I am calling on NYCHA, ourcity and state legislators, and community organizationsto stop this move that will do further damage to ourmost vulnerable citizens. We will use all means at ourdisposal to stop this attack on services to the residentsof public housing. The entire community depends onthese programs to provide positive, safe outlets foryoung people.”

NYCHA is required to notify the Union 45 days inadvance of any layoffs, at which time the Union wouldnegotiate alternatives. NYCHA would also have toidentify targeted titles and layoff units, and targetedworkers would have to receive a 30-day layoff notice.

The Union participated in a City Council briefingOctober 7, organized by Rosie Mendez, chair of theCouncil’s Public Housing Authority Committee, andCouncilmembers James Vacca, Erik Martin Dilan andMaria del Carmen Arroyo on the proposed cuts. Wehave produced a button, pictured above, that is beingdistributed to NYCHA workers, seniors, and families inthe 343 NYCHA complexes that would be hurt by thecurrent and future closings.

Educational Fund Offers Supervisor Prep CourseThe Educational Fund will offer a Civil Service Examination Preparation Course for the Child Protective Spe-

cialist Supervisor Exam No. 8556, Supervisor I (Social Services) Exam No. 8570 and Supervisor I ( Social Work)Exam No. 8571. All three exams are scheduled for 1/31/09. The course will consist of 5 classroom sessions. Therewill be two sections. Please fax or mail in the registration coupon. Unless you are contacted by the Fund you mayassume that your registration has been approved for the section you selected, you need not call to confirm.

Location — P.S. 41 (Auditorium), 116 West 11th St. (off the corner of 6th Ave.), New York, NY

Transportation — Subway to 14th Street Station (Trains #s 1, 2, 3 , V, F and L)

Time — 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

Section IMonday evening December 29, 2008Monday evening January 5, 2009 Monday evening January 12, 2009Monday evening January 19, 2009Monday evening January 26, 2009

Section IITuesday evening January 6, 2009 Tuesday evening January 13, 2009Tuesday evening January 20, 2009Tuesday evening January 27, 2009Friday evening January 30, 2009

Fax (212) 673-3813 or mail registration to:SSEU Local 371 Educational Fund, 817 Broadway, New York New York 10003

Information must be clearly printed to be processed

Name ____________________________________________________________Print Last First

Social Security Number_____________________

Home Address___________________________________________________Zip_________

Work Phone ( )_______________________Home Phone ( )____________________

Work Location__________________________Title______________________________

Check Section selected:Section I____ Section II___ (check only one)

If you have any further questions, please contact the Educational Fund at (212) 777-9000 ext. 3065

Please return coupon by December 5, 2008

Members MUST pick up the manuals for the classes at the Union’s Welfare Fund Office located at 817 Broadway N.Y., 15th floor. Training manuals will be available from 8:15 AM to5:45 PM on December 22, 2008.

Please note: No manuals will be distributed at the classes.

Knocking on doors for Obama on election day inPhiladelphia are (l-r) Local 371 Activists Maxine Francis,Associate Secretary Treasurer Andrea Walters, and UnionTrustee Michelle Woody. Homeowner is second from left.

4

T h e U n i o n i s t

make sure you have the last word.” The Grievances and Legal Services section high-

lighted common grievances filed by Union mem-bers, among them out- of -title work assignments,payroll discrepancies, and unprofessional behaviorby a manager. Vice President Lloyd Permaul notedan increase in disciplinaries issued for improper useof an agency computer to check information notrelated to their own work.

Vice President Beverly Mallory-Brown andLocal 371 organizers informed Delegates of theirrights and duties when representing members.Under the Weingarten rights, Union members areentitled to be accompanied by a Union representa-tive during incident interrogations; refusal of thisright is unlawful. A skit pre-sented by organizers AubreyNorris and Jose Velez dis-played harassment at theworkplace and thenexplained how to cope withsuch working conditions.

At the conclusion of the lasthour session, Delegates werereminded that the secondDelegate Training session onNovember 15 would covermore information including Health and Safety.

– Jessica Ramos

Phot

osby

Char

lesBr

own

O ver 200 Delegates from agenciesthroughout the City attended the first oftwo Delegate Training sessions onSaturday, November 8. (The second ses-

sion was scheduled for November 15.) PresidentFaye Moore welcomed all the Delegates andstressed the important role they play in the Union’ssuccess. “We depend on our delegates to reportback to us. You are our eyes and ears at our mem-bers’ locations. It is no secret we are in battle modeand this Union needs to be well-informed,” saidMoore. Following Moore’s opening remarks, otherUnion officers and staff presented a brief overviewof their section’s functions and responsibilities. Allurged Delegates to maintain good communicationwith the Union.

After lunch, Delegates split up into three groupsand heard presentations from the Research andNegotiations section, the Grievances and Legal Ser-vices section, and the Organization and Educationsection. Each section concluded with a Questionand Answer session.

Vice President of Research and NegotiationsAnthony Wells led his section’s presentation alongwith Research and Negotiations staff membersGlenda Lee, Rose Lovaglio and Sladee Cole. Heinformed Delegates of the contract bargaining pro-cess and how to deal with management in case ofdiscord. Wells advised, “Don’t let a manager tellyou what your Union knows. They do not knowmore about your contract than you do. Always

Clockwise from top President Faye Moore, AssociateWelfare Fund Administrator Helen Wilson,Communications Director Linda Schleicher, VP ofPolitical Action Michelle Akyempong and SecretaryTreasurer Joe Nazario.

Union Organization Section (l-r): Adrienne Miller, Magda Santos, Ron Moore, Joe Locust, VPBeverly Mallory-Brown, Aubrey Norris, Jose Velez, Amador Suarez and Lisa Turner.

D E L E G AT E T R A I N I N G :

Executive VP Yolanda Pumarejo speaks with Delegates.

Union Grievance Staff (l-r): VP Lloyd Permaul, Robert Jordan,Peta Gaye Jaimeson, Patrick Verone, Dempsey Phillips, Jon Peekand Reuben Adeshuko.

Delegates listen to presentation.

Departement ofYouth andCommunityDevelopmentDelegate AlexisDavis asksquestion asother Delegateslook on.

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8

5

StrengtheningUnion Leadership

Strengthening Union Leadership

VP of Negotiations Anthony Wells responds to questions as section staff lookson; (r-l) Glenda Lee, Rose Lovaglio and Sladee Cole.Delegate Ermanie

Brathwaite-Lancosasks a question.

N I N G :

Delegate Margaretta Mormonparticipates in discussion.

ment ofa d

tyment

t Alexisa ksn as

legatesn

T h e U n i o n i s t

6

Bits &

Dedicated to Saving Souls

D avid Kayode has been helping New YorkCity’s homeless men for nearly 20 years asan outreach worker and Addiction

Treatment Counselor. He’s worked out ofPennsylvania Station, Tompkins Square Park,Grand Central Station andelsewhere. Since 1996 hehas worked in theBrooklyn Homeless Shelteron Nostrand Avenue,where he is the sole addic-tion counselor to hundredsof homeless men.

“Ninety percent of theclients are addicted to something, alcohol,cocaine, crack, heroin,” says Kayode. “My biggestsuccess is that some of my clients have turnedtheir lives around.”

Kayode, who emigrated to New York fromNigeria in 1977, says his mother was a great influ-ence on him. “My mother liked to take care ofpeople less fortunate than she was. She said thatwhatever you do for other people, God will payback to your children.”

Kayode, who is also a pastor in MaranthaBaptist Church in Brooklyn, has five children andhas been married for 25 years to Adunni CeciliaKayode, a Local 371 member who works inQueens as a Fraud Investigator II. In the familytradition, his oldest daughter is attending schoolfor her MSW degree.

Kayode is in his late 50s but has no plans toretire, even though his work has become moredifficult because of staffing shortages. “This is mypassion,” he says, “to help more people regard-less of where they come from.”

L ocal 371’s Women’s Committee event, “Safetyand Self-Protection,” on October 29 featuredguest speakers Jessica Penaranda from Safe

Horizons and Brenda Jones from the Center forAnti-Violence Education. Both women educatedLocal 371 women about safety planning and self-defense tactics in a domestic violence situation.Penaranda advised women to pack a “go bag” incase of an emergency, with cash and personaldocuments, aside from basic necessities such asclothing. She emphasized the importance ofkeeping a journal and having a support networkof friends and church leaders. Jones taught thewomen several blocking techniques and told themthat running away and speaking up are also formsof self-defense. She also informed the audiencethat the Center for Anti-Violence Education offersclasses on a sliding scale, or based on theindividual’s income, and free childcare.

Women’s Committee Event

O n October 10, 2008,workers at the ACS Stat-en Island Field Office

pulled together to celebrateItalian heritage in a big way.With the goal of promoting“cultural awareness through-out the agency . . . to highlightand promote the achievementsand accomplishments of Ital-ians,” the afternoon eventincluded the Honorable JudgePorzio as guest speaker, anItalian buffet lunch, a comedian, Italian dancers,and elaborate displays of Italian heritage andculture. Prizes were raffled off, and each partici-pant received a cookbook of Italian recipes, com-piled by the committee. The event was a greatmorale-booster for all involved.

Committee Chairperson Andrea Liota is pic-tured with many of the members of the ACS

Italian Heritage Committee, which includedVictoria Brunetti, William Colavito, TrudyCristallo, Pat Ditmore, Grace Festa, Mary Fitch,Janis Formisano, Laura Gold, Emelia Ippolito,Pat Matarrese, Carol Meduri, Eileen Moclaire,Dawn Picone, Alice Pietracatella, Marie Regula,Kathy Roda, Angela Schiavone, Robert Salemi,Frank Schulz, and Lisa Warren.

ACS Staten Island Field Office Celebrates Italian Heritage

Speaker Jessica Penaranda addresses Union Women’sCommittee as speaker Brenda Jones (center) andCommittee Co-chairs Margaretta Mormon (l) and HelenWilson (r) look on.

Staten Island Black Heritage Day Parade 2008

Above pictured (l-r) are Local 371 V.P. Michelle Conklin, Local 371 President Faye Moore,Assemblyman Matthew Titone, N.Y. State Senator Diane Savino, parade founder/CEOBobby Digi, Local 371 V.P. Michelle Akyempong, parade Grand Marshal/President of theStaten Island Chapter of the NAACP Ed Josey, Committee Head/Local 371 Grievance Rep.Reuben Adeshuko, and Deputy Grand Marshals Tara L. Martin, N.Y. Field Director, Obamafor America, and Rose Kingston, Founder/Director of Century Dance Complex (CDC).

S taten Island’s 2nd Annual Black Heritage Parade took place on Saturday,October 18, with the support of numerous politicians, local businessesand community groups. The parade is organized by Island Voice, whose mission is “to act as a

resource in promoting community development by facilitating solutions to effect positive and lastingchange in the lives of its constituents through Economic Empowerment opportunities, YouthAdvocacy and Training and to cultivate a positive environment of cultural pride and unity amongstthe African-American, African, and Caribbean Communities of Staten Island.”

The parade ended at Staten Island Yankee Stadium, where Local 371 President Faye Moore gavethe Keynote address, followed by speeches from several elected officials and dignitaries includingcurrent N.Y. State Senator/former Local 371 V.P. Diane Savino. The Cultural Drummers Ensembleof Steel Bands and Talking Drums provided entertainment, along with performances by the CenturyDance Complex, Pink Diamonds, the First Central Baptist Choir, and others.

Reuben Adeshuko, aLocal 371 GrievanceRepresen-tative and aStaten Island resident,headed the committeeand played a key role inorganizing the event.

Phot

osby

Char

les

Brow

n

Phot

oby

Char

les

Brow

n

Audience members at Women’s Committee event practiceself-defense techniques.

Phot

oby

Jess

icaRa

mos

Phot

oby

Jess

icaRa

mos

Phot

oby

Char

les

Brow

n

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8

7

Please read this notice carefully and keep itwhere you can find it. This notice has infor-

mation about your current prescription drug cov-erage with the SSEU Local 371 Welfare Fund andabout your options under Medicare’s prescriptiondrug coverage. This information can help youdecide whether or not you want to join a Medicaredrug plan. Information about where you can gethelp to make decisions about your prescriptiondrug coverage is at the end of this notice.

There are three important things you need toknow about your current coverage and Medicare’sprescription drug coverage:

Medicare prescription drug coverage becameavailable in 2006 to everyone with Medicare. Youcan get this coverage if you join a Medicare Pre-scription Drug Plan or join a Medicare AdvantagePlan (like an HMO or PPO) that offers prescriptiondrug coverage. All Medicare drug plans provide atleast a standard level of coverage set by Medicare.Some plans may also offer more coverage for ahigher monthly premium.

The SSEU Local 371 Welfare Fund (“Fund”) hasdetermined that the prescription drug coverageoffered by the the Fund’s Prescription Drug benefitis, on average for all plan participants, NOT expectedto pay out as much as standard Medicare prescrip-tion drug coverage pays. Therefore, your coverage isconsidered Non-Creditable Coverage. This is impor-tant because, most likely, you will get more help withyour drug costs if you join a Medicare drug plan,than if you only have prescription drug coveragefrom the Fund’s Prescription Drug benefit. This alsois important because it may mean that you may paya higher premium (a penalty) if you do not join aMedicare drug plan when you first become eligible.

Important Notice From SSEU Local 371 Welfare Fund AboutYour Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare

You can keep your current coverage from theFund. However, because your coverage is non-creditable, you have decisions to make about Medi-care prescription drug coverage that may affecthow much you pay for that coverage, dependingon if and when you join a drug plan. When youmake your decision, you should compare your cur-rent coverage, including what drugs are covered,with the coverage and cost of the plans offeringMedicare prescription drug coverage in your area.Read this notice carefully - it explains your options.

When Can You Join A Medicare Drug Plan?You can join a Medicare drug plan when you

first become eligible for Medicare and each yearfrom November 15th through December 31st.

When Will You Pay A Higher Premium(Penalty) To Join A Medicare Drug Plan?

Since the coverage under the Fund’s Prescrip-tion Drug benefit is not creditable, depending onhow long you go without creditable prescriptiondrug coverage, you may pay a penalty to join aMedicare drug plan. Starting with the end of thelast month that you were first eligible to join aMedicare drug plan but didn’t join, if you go 63continuous days or longer without prescriptiondrug coverage that’s creditable, your monthly pre-mium may go up by at least 1% of the Medicarebase beneficiary premium per month for everymonth that you did not have that coverage. Forexample, if you go nineteen months without cred-itable coverage, your premium may consistentlybe at least 19% higher than the Medicare base ben-eficiary premium. You may have to pay this higherpremium (penalty) as long as you have Medicareprescription drug coverage. In addition, you may

have to wait until the following November to join.

What Happens To Your Current Coverage IfYou Decide to Join A Medicare Drug Plan?If you decide to join a Medicare drug plan, your

current Fund coverage will not be affected. For More Information About This Notice Or

Your Current Prescription Drug Coverage…Contact Funds Administrator John Brown at (212)

777-9000 for further information. You will also getanother notice before the next period when you canjoin a Medicare drug plan, and if this coveragethrough the SSEU Local 371 Welfare Fund changes.You also may request a copy of this notice at any time.

For More Information About Your OptionsUnder Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage…

More detailed information about Medicare plansthat offer prescription drug coverage is in the“Medicare & You” handbook. You’ll get a copy ofthe handbook in the mail every year from Medi-care. You may also be contacted directly by Medi-care drug plans. For more information aboutMedicare prescription drug coverage:

Visit www.medicare.gov Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Pro-

gram (see the inside back cover of your copy of the“Medicare & You” handbook for their telephonenumber) for personalized help.

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTYusers should call 1-877-486-2048.

If you have limited income and resources, extra help paying for Medicare prescription drugcoverage is available. For information about this extra help, visit Social Security on the web at www.socialsecurity.gov, or call them at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

When pickets appeared in front of the SaigonGrill restaurant on University Place and 12thStreet, near Local 371 headquarters, last year,

we interviewed them and wrote a story about their hero-ic struggle for the June 2007 issue of The Unionist (seestory on right). On Monday, October 20, a United StatesDistrict Court Judge in Manhattan awarded $4.6 millionin back pay to 36 delivery workers at two Saigon Grillrestaurants in Manhattan, thus justifying their longstruggle for economic justice. Some of the deliverymen,all of whom are from Fujian Province in China, wereawarded as much as $328,000 in back pay and damages.The judge, Michael H. Dolinger, also ruled that the com-pany had improperly made the deliverymen buy andmaintain the bicycles and motorbikes they used to makedeliveries. Still to be adjudicated is the finding thatSaigon Grill illegally retaliated against 23 delivery work-ers by firing them when they notified the employer oftheir intention to file a wage complaint. “Because of theruling in this case,” said Josephine Lee, an organizerwith Justice Will Be Served, an advocacy group for immi-grant workers, “many restaurants have already started topay their deliverymen much better.”

Justice for Saigon Grill Workers

eted other established restaurants, including Ollie’sand Our Place.Under the state minimum wage act, workers areentitled to receive $4.85 an hour before tips and $7.15an hour without tips. The workers, almost all ofwhom are immigrants from China, have also filedFederal wage lawsuits in Manhattan against therestaurants. One of the workers, who did not want tobe identified said, “We want to make minimumwage, that’s all.”

The deliverymen also claim they were fined forcalling in sick, slammingdoors, and entering orders intocomputers 15 minutes late. Themen noted that they were ver-bally abused by managementwho referred to them as “dirtydogs.” The deliverymen alsomaintain they received nomedical benefits, no lunchbreaks, and were given notime to call their families.

Advocacy groups like theChinese Staff and Workers'Association, the NationalMobilization AgainstSweatshops, and elected officials like ManhattanBorough President Scott Stringer and City Councilmember Gale Brewer have publicly displayed theirsupport for the delivery workers. The courts, how-ever, have yet to make a ruling on the case.

Workers at Saigon Grill Picket for Better WagesS hortly after noon on Tuesday, June 5, 15 deliv-erymen picketed the Saigon Grill Restaurant atUniversity Place between 11th and 12th Streetsin Manhattan. Carrying signs that read “Slavelabor,” “Rehire All Workers,” and “Obey the Law,”the workers chanted, “Boycott Saigon Grill” andbooed when customers entered the restaurant.Since February, Simon and Michelle Nget, the own-ers of Saigon Grill, have locked out the deliverymenafter the workers refused to sign affidavits stating theyreceive minimum wage. The workers allege they wereforced to accept $1.60 to$2.00 an hour, and if theycomplained, they were fired.With restaurants at 620Amsterdam Avenue, 93University Place and 17002nd Avenue (which is tem-porarily closed), the workerssay the Saigon Grill gener-ates nearly $2 million amonth in business and cansurely afford to pay betterwages.

Justice Will Be Served, anadvocacy group that helpsrestaurant, hotel, deli, and other service workers indifferent communities across New York fight againstlong hours, second-class wages, stolen tips and othersweatshop conditions, is assisting the workers ingaining legal representation. The group has also pick-

Workers picket in front of Saigon Grill.

Phot

oby

Tani

aGe

lin

T h e U n i o n i s t

8

Condolences are extended to Richard Albrecht,Associate Fraud Investigator II, on the death of hismother, Lillian Albrecht. Condolences may be sentto Richard Albrecht 250 Livingston Street, 6thFloor, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

Condolences are extended to Irwin Reiser,

Associate Counselor I at Rikers Island, on thedeath of his father, Solomon Cohen Reiser onOctober 13. Condolences may be sent to AMKC18-18 Hazen Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11370.

Condolences are extended to Julia Diatloff,Substance Abuse Counselor at Rikers Island, on the

death of her sister, Grecia McCormick onSeptember 25.

Condolences are extended to Peta-GayeJamieson, Local 371 Grievance Representative, onthe death of her father, Ezra Jamieson, onOctober 28. Condolences may be sent to 817

Broadway, 14th Floor; New York, NY 10003.Condolences are extended to Gregory Davis, JOS

worker at Crotona Job Center #46, on the death ofhis father, Henry Daniel Davis. Condolences may besent to Gregory Davis at Crotona Job Center #461910 Monterey Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457.

Condo l en ces

Swap, Buy & SellFOR SALE – 55 inch Panasonic television.

TV is 5 years old with original parts.Asking $500.00. All serious buyers cancall (718) 978-7005. (7)

WANTED – Top cash for your old jazz, soul,R & B and gospel albums. Call Howardat 212-873-4016. (1)

FOR SALE – Electrician’s meters, dolly,lady’s size small brown borghese fake furjacket in very good condition, gift items,clown collection, tie rack, never used

cordless telephone with clock radio, largeceiling fixture, large flags, and lots more.Call Lisa at 718-430-1769. (9)

SWAP – Job Opportunity Specialist (JOS) atRiverview Annex Model Center, 132West 125 Street in Bronx, would like toswap with JOS in Brooklyn or DowntownManhattan. If interested call Natela at646-206-9309 or 347-713-1117. (9)

SWAP – Caseworker at CASA X would like toswap with caseworker at CASA II. If

interested call Giovanny at 917-977-0012. (9)

FOR SALE – 1999 Dodge Caravan in goodcondition, AC, CD player and radio.Mileage 150,000 miles. Price $3,500,negotiable. Call 917-627-1320 (10)

FOR SALE – 1999 FORD TAURUS, 73KMILES, LIGHT BLUE SEDAN, ASKNGPRICE $2700 NEGOTIABLE, MINORREPAIRS NEEDED; CALL VIVIAN 917-842-6948 (10)

FOR SALE – New Jersey Nets ticket holderhas 2 excellent seats available for the2008-2009 season. Tickets are $80each. VIP Parking Pass is $10 with pur-chase of any set of same day games.Call Michael at (646) 338-2544. (11)

SWAP – CPS worker at Bronx ACS, 2501Grand Concourse would like to swap withCPS in Queens. Contact Tyanda Smith(718) 933-5087. (11)

CLASSIFIED ADS are free to Union members

and agency shop fee payers in writingonly (typewritten if possible) to THEUNIONIST, 817 Broadway, New York,N.Y. 10003. Include your work phone andsocial security number with ad copy, butwork phone numbers will only be printedwith transfer ads. In no instance will adsbe run longer than three months. No realestate or business ads accepted. TheUnion neither endorses nor is responsiblefor these offerings.

Local 371

Get WellGet well wishes are extended to Yasmin Martinez and

Nena Purewal, Caseworkers at Bronx APS, recovering fromdog bites suffered during a home visit. Get well wishes canbe sent to them at Bronx APS 1209 Colgate Avenue, Bronx,NY 10473.

New Edition of Funds Benefit Book

The new edition of the benefit book has beenmailed to all Fund members. Members who havenot received a book should contact the Funds by e-mail at [email protected] Members shouldinclude their current mailing address in their e-mail,so that a new book can be mailed to them.

Placing Classified ADSCLASSIFIED ADS are free to Union members and

agency shop fee payers. Ads must be in writingonly (fax, mail, or e-mail). Include your workphone and social security number with ad copy.Please contact the Unionist’s editorial associate,Jessica Ramos, at (212) 677-3900, extension3011 or [email protected] if you have any ques-tions. In no instance will ads run longer than threemonths. No real estate or business ads accepted.The Union neither endorses nor is responsible forthese offerings.

Educational Fund Offers JOS Prep CourseThe Educational Fund will offer a Civil Service Examination Preparation Course for the Job

Opportunity Specialist Exam No.8105 scheduled for 1/24/09. The course will consist of three class-room sessions. There will be two sections. Please fax or mail in the registration coupon. Unless youare contacted by the Fund you may assume that your registration has been approved for the sectionyou selected; you need not call to confirm.

Transportation — Subway to 14th Street Station (Trains #s 1, 2, 3 , V, F and L)

Time — 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

Section IFriday Evening January 9, 2009Friday Evening January 16, 2009Friday Evening January 23, 2009

Location — Local 237 Main floor216 West 14th St. (between 7th & 8th Ave.)New York , New York

Section IIFriday Evening January 9, 2009Friday Evening January 16, 2009Friday Evening January 23, 2009

Location — P.S. 41 (Auditorium)116 West 11th Street (off the corner of 6th Ave.)New York, New York

Fax (212) 673-3813 or mail registration to:SSEU Local 371 Educational Fund, 817 Broadway, New York New York 10003

Information must be clearly printed to be processed

Name ____________________________________________________________Print Last First

Social Security Number_____________________

Home Address___________________________________________________Zip_________

Work Phone ( )_______________________Home Phone ( )____________________

Work Location__________________________Title______________________________

Check Section selected:Section I____ Section II___ (check only one)

If you have any further questions, please contact the Educational Fund at (212) 777-9000 ext. 3065

Please return coupon by December 5, 2008

Members MUST pick up the manuals for the classes at the Union’s Welfare Fund Office locatedat 817 Broadway N.Y., 15th floor. Training manuals will be available from 8:15 AM to 5:45 PMon January 6th, 7th and 8th.

Please note: No manuals will be distributed at the classes.