From The President
February was Black History Month. It’s a time to celebrate and educate. It’s a time to acknowledge the accomplishments, delight in a rich heritage and retell the history of a people too often forgotten, mistreated, and misunderstood. The originators of the idea for a Black history celebration were historians Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, and his associate, Jesse E. Moorland. They created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, to promote black history and recognize achievements of African Americans. But they knew that was not enough. As Woodson argued, “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition; it is a negligible factor in the thoughts of the world and stands in danger of being exterminated.” So, in 1926, they launched “Negro History Week”, on the second week of February, because both President Abraham Lincoln’s and abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ birthdays coincided. But it took 50 years for the week to become a month when President Gerald Ford created Black History Month in 1976.
So much has already been written and no doubt there’ll be countless volumes to come. The talking heads have been out in full force—TV, radio, podcasts, X—and every other media outlet on Earth. There’s been a mix of commentary, depending on where you tune in, that ranges from joy to despair. Yes, the 2024 election is over, but the burning question remains: “Where do we go from here?”
All sides of the aisle have offered advice, speculation and arguments made.
There was a time, not long ago, when the Democratic Party was generally considered the political party of middle-class working families, and the Republican Party was associated more with big business and the wealthy corporate 1%. Yet lately, many political pundits and historians have written—citing polling data for factual backing — that there’s been a change — which some would call a reversal of party ideology, identification and a shift in party affiliation.
The Republican Party has been trending toward a multi-racial, working-class, blue-collar coalition, while the Democrats now have a larger share of followers among white college graduates. And another change: Union support for Democratic political candidates is no longer 100% assumed, assured, guaranteed or delivered.
Across our nation, in the Spring and Summer months from Memorial Day to Labor Day, including Flag Day, Juneteenth, Father’s Day and Fourth of July, t here are countless celebrations where the word “hero” will be applied. That word will be the underlining theme of speeches, TV shows, parades, fireworks, barbeques, marathons and s ales throughout America.
We celebrate heroes. It’s our custom. Even though today, the actions of some of our hero standard-bearers are now being re examined, there are still plenty to go around.
March is Women’s History Month and across the nation, there will be special events and tributes to mark the accomplishments of women in America.
In seminars, conferences, TV specials and marathon runs, the accomplishments of women historically and today will be on full display. March is a time when the struggles, wisdom and unique perspective of women are recognized, analyzed and immortalized from the words of Maya Angelou, who once wrote: “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” To Rihanna, “There’s something special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.”
Across this nation, throughout February, there were celebrations in honor of Black History Month. It’s a time not only to celebrate, but to educate. It’s a time to acknowledge the accomplishments, delight in the rich heritage and retell the history of a people often forgotten, mistreated, and misunderstood.
Skip the greeting card.
No presents needed.
Labor Day
A holiday like no other whose importance lasts beyond one day.
It’s not so easy to find a holiday that crosses so many boundaries: racial, religious, ethnic, generational and gender lines. Your political party, favorite color, married or single, home-owner or renter, blue collar or white collar workers, years of education, driving an SVU or compact car—all matter very little. For sure, it’s not easy to find a holiday which most Americans celebrate in similar ways —usually involving a hot dog or two…whether it’s all beef or tofu, yes, Labor Day is a rarity: A holiday we can agree upon.
Across our nation, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which includes Flag Day, Father’s Day, Juneteenth and the Fourth of July, there will be countless celebrations where the word “hero” will be applied. The word will be the centerpiece of speeches and the supposed purpose for parades, barbeques, and sales throughout America.
February was Black History Month. It’s a time to celebrate and educate. It’s a time to acknowledge the accomplishments, delight in a rich heritage and retell the history of a people too often forgotten, mistreated, and misunderstood. The originators of the idea for a Black history celebration were historians Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, and his associate, Jesse E. Moorland. They created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, to promote black history and recognize achievements of African Americans. But they knew that was not enough. As Woodson argued, “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition; it is a negligible factor in the thoughts of the world and stands in danger of being exterminated.” So, in 1926, they launched “Negro History Week”, on the second week of February, because both President Abraham Lincoln’s and abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ birthdays coincided. But it took 50 years for the week to become a month when President Gerald Ford created Black History Month in 1976.
Recently, I was awarded the World Peace Prize and named “Roving Ambassador for Peace”. This prestigious award was bestowed upon me by Father Sean McManus, President and Founder of the Washington-based Irish National Caucus. I am the first Teamster to be honored by this organization dedicated to social and labor justice. Fr. McManus said that I was “the perfect exemplar and role model for the World Peace Prize.” WOW! It was an extraordinary moment that made me think: How exactly do you “rove for peace”? That’s not so easy.
There was a time, not long ago, when the Democratic Party was considered the political party of the working class and the Republican Party was aligned with big business and the wealthy. Yet a recent New York Times/Sienna poll — for the first time ever — revealed results that indicated a reversal. The Republican Party is trending toward a multi-racial working-class coalition, while the Democrats had a larger share of support among white college graduates. Many wonder what conclusions can be drawn. Do we now have an establishment progressive party and an anti-establishment conservative party? Making matters even more complicated are recent findings that many voters are not affiliated with either major party, with polls indicating that 62% of Americans favor having a third party.
Much is written and spoken about the fact that voting in America is astonishingly low compared with other industrialized nations. In our country, for the last presidential election in 2020, only 66.5% of those eligible voted. That number pales in comparison with nations such as Belgium (87.21%), Sweden (82.61%), Denmark (80.34%), or Australia (78.96%), who have significantly higher voter turnout for that same period. While there are substantial roadblocks to voting in our nation—which have been a source of decades-old political wrangling—the U.S. Constitution is clear about which part of the government decides who can vote and legislate. Congress. Yet today, another branch of government seems to have taken its place: the Supreme Court.
The remarkable win by Amazon workers in Staten Island to unionize was no small feat. Just 18 months ago, this newly formed “Amazon Labor Union” did not exist. I recall that not long ago this was unthinkable! In 2018, Amazon announced that, after a national search, Long Island City was chosen as the site for a huge, 4 million-square-foot headquarters, with plans for 25,000 jobs immediately and an additional 40,000 jobs within 15 years. Among those protesting their strong opposition—which ranged from concerns about congestion to environmental issues—there were those who feared that Amazon, with its long history of worker abuse and union bashing, could never be tamed in this union town, let alone succumb to union organizing. True to form, in March of 2020, a Staten Island Amazon warehouse worker, Christian Smalls, led a walkout in protest of deplorable, COVID-related workplace conditions. Amazon’s general counsel’s meeting notes said of Smalls: “He’s not smart, or articulate, and to the extent to which the press wants to focus on him versus us, we will be in a much stronger PR position.” WOW! They not only dismissed Smalls as insignificant, but arrogantly condescended that an unpolished, tattooed young Black man could be used to unionize.
The recent shooting of 13 innocent victims in Buffalo demands reflection and reaction, cries out for mourning, and a search for meaning. Although the racist motive seems abundantly clear, the fact that a crazed gunman was on a killing spree in a neighborhood supermarket on an otherwise lazy Saturday afternoon, and that he live-streamed his venomous crime, actually watched by so many, makes the heartlessness and culpability of his actions unfathomably sickening, and not his alone.
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow memorably said about spring: “No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere.” In our 2-year battle with Covid 19, her comment is most fitting. And both Mother Nature and human nature seem to agree since buds appear on the branches, daylight lasts a little longer, and we push our snow boots and earmuffs to the back of the closet. As the Covid chaos seems to be subsiding, allowing restrictions to ease, the feeling is that spring has sprung, ushering in new beginnings, a sense of hope and inspiration.
February has been described as the border between winter and spring. To former major league baseball player and manager, Whitey Herzog, the month of February had even greater importance. As Herzog put it: “You sweat the free
agent thing in November, then you make the trades in December, then you struggle to sign the guys left in January, and in February, I get down to sewing all the new numbers on the uniforms.” The takeaway is that, although February is the month with the fewest days, it’s not short on significant days …days of fun and folly, and days of remembrance, reflection, and religious observance.
On the eve of his victory, with camera lights glaring, the media's microphones strategically placed and an enthusiastic crowd in full view, New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams, in a reference to the first Black mayor of this city, David Dinkins, whose inauguration speech famously spoke about New York's "gorgeous mosaic" said: "We are so divided right now that we are missing the beauty of our diversity." He then went on to declare: "Today we take off our intramural jersey and put on one jersey: Team New York."
This year’s New York City Primary was different than ever before. It was held in June — not in September, which has been the case forever. For previous elections, there was never early, in-person voting — but now there was. And there was rank choice voting, which enabled a voter to make more than one selection in their order of preference. Many viewed these voting innovations as an experiment intended to expand the number of voters and encourage a bigger and more diversified reservoir of candidates from which to choose.
But did this “experiment” work? Did it the yield the results intended?
As President of Local 237, which represents School Safety Agents (SSAs), I recently spoke at a hearing of the New York City Council’s Education Committee. The Committee is considering legislation that would transfer authority of SSAs from the NYPD to the Department of Education and greatly reduce their safety duties and programs, with some elected officials proposing to totally eliminate the safety agents from the schools altogether.
Almost 30 years ago, two teens were shot to death at point-blank range in the hallway of Thomas Jefferson High School, just one hour before Mayor David Dinkins was due to arrive for a visit. In 2017, a student at Wildlife Conservation High School is stabbed to death with a kitchen knife by another student who claimed he was being bullied. There were no metal detectors or scanning in those schools on the day of the homicides. Scanning was brought in after the homicides. There were no homicides in New York City public schools from 1992 through 2017. This was no accident. School Safety Agents, under the NYPD, with the use of scanning and metal detectors, documented a huge number of confiscated weapons (boxcutters, switchblades, steak knives, knives, metal knuckles, mace, and firearms, loaded and unloaded) over that 25-year period. What is not documented is the number of weapons where metal detectors became a deterrent.
At the inauguration ceremony of President Joe Biden, Amanda Gorman, the 22 year-old poet laureate, read her poem, “The Hill We Climb”, which begins with the words: “We ask ourselves when can we find light in this never-ending shade?” She goes on to say that: “Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.” Further, she adds, “But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.” And, “We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be a country that is bruised, but whole, benevolent, but bold, fierce and free.” She concludes …”there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
In 1974, during the Watergate scandal, renowned children’s book writer, Dr. Seuss, sent a copy of his book, “Marvin K. Mooney” to newspaper columnist Art Buchwald, in which “Marvin K. Mooney” had been crossed out and replaced with “Richard M. Nixon.” In the book, Mooney had been asked repeatedly to leave—possibly by his father or granddad. He was given many ways to go, such as leaving by boat, balloon, bike or elephant. He chose none of them. The exasperated narrator tells Marvin: “You can go by foot. You can go by cow. Marvin K. Mooney, will you please go now!” Finally, he just went. And just like Mooney, after Buchwald used the altered version for his column on July 30, President Nixon resigned on August 9th.
The Pew Research Center recently issued a report that found 6% of American adults — equaling around 15 million people — attended summer rallies to protest racial injustice. That finding falls in line with a Washington Post/ABC News poll, conducted in mid-July, that found that 70% of Americans believe that Blacks and other minorities are not treated equally with whites in the criminal justice system. These findings fly in the face of what President Trump termed, “a symbol of hate”, referring to a Black Lives Matter mural. Of course, the fact that it was painted directly in front of Trump Tower may have pushed the issue, but with this President, left-leaning protesters are anarchists. To him, they represent mob rule. And, he delights in stoking the fear of whites with warnings (although unproven) of caravans of Hispanics trying to enter this country and Muslim terrorists infiltrating our communities. His senior advisor Stephen Miller, even appeared on the Tucker Carlson TV show to justify a federal crackdown on protesters in Portland, Oregon, by saying the often brutal actions by law enforcement was about the “survival of this country.” Right-wing extremists—such as the KKK and QAnon have been given a free pass. He says that there are “good people on both sides”. In fact, in the recent Presidential debate, Trump refused to condemn white supremacists, and said that if the election results are not immediately decisive (or, in other words, it appeared that he may not win) the Proud Boys, a far-right hate group, was to: “Stand back and stand by.”
Former President Barack Obama said: “When times are tough, we don’t give up. We get up.”
That’s precisely what municipal workers did when the Coronavirus struck.
At a time of unimaginable grief… when a sudden, highly contagious virus rocked the entire world — and our own personal, little world — City workers, including members of my union, Local 237, didn’t give up, they got up and went to work.
Who would ever have thought that a 2-hour movie you enjoyed with buttered popcorn and M&Ms—a movie that scared you silly the whole time it was on the big screen—but nonetheless, didn’t stop you from enjoying your burger and fries at McDonald’s after the mayhem from Hollywood had ended—who would ever have thought that the movie would be coming to us in real-life and in real time? The actors in this flick don’t take off their pancake makeup at the end of the day’s filming and head over to their favorite pub to throw back a few or enjoy a glass of Chablis on their patios. No, the “actors” of this drama are hunkered down in their homes—if they are lucky enough to have such a place to go—glued to their TVs, reeling in fear from scenes before them, featuring streets they’ve walked down, people they know, while praying for the best. No backlot here. The “actors”, unfortunately, are us!
It’s hard to believe, but 5 years have passed since I was sworn into office. Standing in the same spot and having the oath administered again by our General President, James P. Hoffa, still conjured up that same feeling of pride. Yet, I had the sense that things were somehow very different.
So much has changed in the world around us. And, in so many ways the changes have not been for the better. I feel as though we live in a different city. Actually, we live in a different America. We’ve gotten colder toward one another. To some degree, we’ve become less sensitive to human suffering. There’s just so much of it. The headlines bombard us with stories about gun violence, homelessness, hunger and predators of every kind. We may feel badly, but so many have just given up the hope to turn things around.
March 24, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
This is a very difficult time for all Americans, but especially for those delivering vital public services on the front lines of the New York City pandemic crisis. The Governor, Mayor and Police Commissioner activated a protocol for all essential personnel to report to work. The vast majority of Local 237 members, working in the Citywide, Housing and Law Enforcement divisions, are the indispensable employees who will keep the City functioning during the COVID-19 emergency.
There will be no “business as usual” for the foreseeable future. During this emergency, Local 237 members are being asked to perform new duties.
The Union is aware of all changes in assignments and directives (including shift changes, tour and precinct changes and job duties). We will continue to express our concerns to the City, the NYPD, The Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Education, as well as Health+Hospitals, NYCHA and CUNY, and to advocate for your rights, including health and safety issues.
Has the American Dream become just a mall in New Jersey? Right now, this $6 billion version, just 6 miles from Manhattan, in East Rutherford, is where private developers were able to leverage a stake in property abandoned by previous developers, along with the sale of $1.1 billion in taxexempt bonds and $390 million in tax concessions. With $3 million-plus square feet that include a Nickelodeon Theme park, a DreamWorks water park, ice skating rink, ski slope, movie theaters, a live performance theater, high-end retail shopping stores and destination restaurants, this American Dream — which already employs 1,200 people directly with an additional 17,000 jobs expected to come — may actually come closer to embodying the concept of the “American Dream”, a term originally coined in 1931.
You probably saw the pictures. 60 veterans, well into their 90’s, recently participated in the Normandy American Ceremony on the sun-drenched bluff above the Normandy beaches where 10,000 of their comrade soldiers gave their lives 75 years ago. One veteran on the stage with the world leaders received a helping hand from France’s President Emmanuel Macron, as he struggled to stand up to pay tribute to his fallen brothers, during the dramatic ceremony. 75 years earlier, 19-year-old Private Russell Pickett was a member of the famed 29th Infantry Division that was among the first to land and storm the French beaches at Normandy. Considering that an 18-yearold soldier then, would be age 93 today, this commemoration is expected to be the last to include living D-Day veterans.
A recent movie, “A Private War,” told the real life story of Marie Colvin, portrayed by Rosamund Pike in a powerful performance. Marie covered stories many did not want told, in dangerous locations, where few would dare to go.
I recently attended a Teamsters conference. It was billed as “A Weekend With The Teamsters” focused on education and reflection. It was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Workers’ rights and civil rights are one. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew this and ultimately died in the fight for equality and dignity in the workplace. As we remember that horrifying day when he was assassinated 50 years ago, what adds to our revulsion is to know that the fight must continue — it has not been won yet. The Janus case is a grave reminder of this. The fact that such a loathsome case could make it to the Supreme Court and that its supporters represent the worst instincts among a few, but powerful voices, means that we still have a lot of work to do toward making Dr. King’s “Dream” an irreversible reality.
Three students, three families ripped apart. One student is dead; one critically wounded and the other awaits trial. Yet, at a community meeting with Mayor de Blasio, Chancellor Farina and what was termed “parent leadership”, the horrific incident involving a fatal stabbing and a critical wounding inside a Bronx school of two students by another student, who claimed he had been bullied by the two for a long time, never touched on a core question: How did a knife get into a classroom?
Three students, three families ripped apart. One student is dead, one critically wounded and the other awaits trial.
Yet, at a recent community meeting with Mayor de Blasio, Chancellor Carmen Fariña and what was termed “parent leadership,” the horrific incident involving a fatal stabbing and a critical wounding inside a Bronx school of two students by another student, who claimed he’d been bullied by the two for a long time, never touched on a core question: How did a knife get into a classroom?
Although the New York State Constitution is 50,000 words, only about 50 words of it are crucial to union members, especially public employees. In Article V, Section 7, it reads:
“Membership in any (public) pension or retirement system…shall be a contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.”
Also, Article XVI, Section 5, states:
“All salaries, wages and other compensation, except pensions, paid to officers and employees of the state and its subdivision shall be subject to taxation.”
For union members, it is vital that those words be preserved. They guarantee worker safeguards for us and our families that are now in jeopardy.
On November 7, 2017, when voters go to the polls to cast their ballot for candidates of various elective offices, including Governor and Mayor, there’s another part of that ballot―toward the end―that may affect them as much, if not even more.
Toni Morrison, the renowned writer and recipient of the1993 Noble Prize in Literature, once wrote: “When spring comes to the City people notice one another in the road; notice the strangers with whom they share aisles and tables and the space…. It’s the time of year when the City urges contradiction most, encouraging you to buy street food when you have no appetite at all; giving you a taste for a single room occupied by you alone as well as a craving to share it with someone you passed in the street. Really there is no contradiction — rather it’s a condition.”
February is Black History Month. It is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and heritage of black people in our nation. Its founder, historian Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, along with his associate, Jesse E. Moorland, created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or ASALH) in 1915 to promote black history and recognize achievements of African Americans.
After 12 consecutive presidents from somewhere other than New York, this time, no matter who won the election, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, the president would be a New Yorker. Political pundits will be writing about this election for years to come, including questioning how the outcome was miscalculated by almost all of the experts and pollsters who predicted that things were supposed to be different.
Isn’t it ironic that the United States can be both admired and despised by people of other countries for precisely the same thing: Our democratic values.
Those values have been hard fought; they have cost many lives; they have been challenged throughout the ages and continue to be challenged today. Whether we’re talking about the values represented by the Civil Rights Movement or the Labor Movement — both of which are intertwined — voting for a democratic, representative government is the mechanism by which those values come to fruition.
Last year, when Mayor de Blasio issued his proposal for the City’s budget, he expressed concern about a growing deficit that would adversely impact millions of New Yorkers and the City’s ability to provide essential services. In his budget presentation, he cited his greatest concerns. Public housing, home for nearly 600,000 residents, was listed among the top problems the City faced.
Iattended Governor Cuomo’s press conference, at which he was joined by Vice President Joe Biden, where he announced his proposal for a 12- week paid family leave to allow an employee to take off from work to care for a sick relative or a newborn child.
More than 8,000 members of Local 237 work at NYCHA buildings, which means that our union represents the largest number of workers at NYCHA. Approximately one third of them also live in NYCHA housing.
In 1992, two teenagers were shot to death in the hallway of a Brooklyn high school a little over an hour before Mayor David N. Dinkins was to visit the school to give an inspirational speech. The shooting happened just 15 feet away from two police officers who were part of the school’s normal security team. There were no metal detectors in use.
Fortunately, some candidates understand the importance of protecting the American worker. Although I do not agree with all of his positions, Donald Trump is right about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which will govern 40 percent of U.S. trade. He called it “a bad, bad deal for American businesses, for workers, for taxpayers,” and “a huge set of hand-outs for a few insiders that don’t even care about our great, great America.”
Fortunately, some candidates understand the importance of protecting the American worker. Although I do not agree with all of his positions, Donald Trump is right about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TTP), which will govern 40 percent of U.S. trade. He called it “a bad, bad deal for American businesses, for workers, for taxpayers” and “a huge set of hand-outs for a few insiders that don’t even care about our great, great America.”
Joining the middle class is at the heart of the American Dream. Immigrants and low income Americans struggle tirelessly in hopes of obtaining stable jobs with fair pay. Unfortunately, these jobs, and the American Dream with them, are dying. Unions are the nation’s best chance at preserving and growing middle-class jobs.
One in three New Yorkers worry that they could become homeless. Thus far, the state has given them good reason for concern.
More than 230,000 rent-regulated units have been lost in the last thirty years, often due to landlords forcing tenants out with higher rents. At press time, with rent regulations having expired, all one million remaining units are in jeopardy.
All new Yorkers must be concerned with fighting crime, but it is the city government’s mandate to focus on keeping all New Yorkers and visitors safe. Developing community policing programs is a creative strategy whose time has come;
The impact of Hurricane Sandy on residents of New York City Housing Authority, who were evacuated to safety or remained without heat or hot water in the fall of 2012, continues to demand attention. Recently, Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer announced the largest Federal Emergency Management Agency Grant in history, $3 billion, to restore livable housing for thousands of families and fortify NYCHA against future disasters.
New York City affordable housing crisis is likely worse now than ever before in our history. According to a recent Bloomberg report, the average monthly rent in February 2015 for a Manhattan studio apartment is $2,351, and Brooklyn is officially the least affordable housing market in America.
New York City’s attempts to sell New York City Housing Authority properties to private developers should be a concern to all New Yorker’s. On Tuesday, February 10th, I testified before the New York City Council Committee on Public Housing regarding a deal NYCHA made with the City of New York to sell fifty percent stakes in six housing projects to private developers L+M Development Partners and BFC Partners.
Shortly after the execution-style murder of two New York Police Department officers while sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn in December, two more NYPD officers were shot and wounded in the Bronx while investigating a robbery. Such incidents are not unique to New York, but are occurring in cities and towns across the United States.
With 8,000 New York City Housing Authority workers in our ranks – a third of whom are also NYCHA residents – we at Local 237 take the safety of this city’s public housing developments very seriously. Last month an incident occurred in the Pink Houses of East New York, ending another young life, and bringing into question again the safety of our public housing developments.
Just hours after the midterm elections on November 4, talk of impeachment was already on the lips of pundits, and polarization inWashington was at a high point. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, this means the prospect of addressing income inequality grows slimmer, even as the problem reaches epic proportions in our city and across the nation.
It’s a new day for New York City’s 5,000 school safety agents. They will finally be receiving the wages we have fought for over the years and which they so deserve. New York City offered school safety agents a two-part proposal, including a new contract that was overwhelmingly ratified by voting members, and a proposed settlement of the equal-pay lawsuit.
The safety of our public housing developments should be of critical concern to every New Yorker. We must use every tool available to reduce escalating crime in NYCHA developments.
For too long, the New York City Housing Authority was treated like the neglected child of New York City. It was almost as though 400,000 residents and 10,000 workers were invisible.
The issue of unequal pay for men and women has reached critical mass in the United States as socioeconomic forces have propelled women into the workplace in unprecedented numbers. On Equal Pay Day on April 8th, I led a rally at City Hall to focus on the issue as it affects a group of New York City public employees who are predominantly women. Also on that day, President Obama issued an executive order to address the issue among federal contractors, noting that “When women succeed, America succeeds.”
Hand-in-hand with the war on workers, affordable housing is under attack. When the Furman Center reported recently that 31 percent of New Yorkers pay 50 percent or more of their income in rent and utilities, it wasn't shocking. This confirmed a routine budgeting nightmare for many of us.
Not everyone loves the government. Some people argue that it is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Others even believe the government can hurt us or make our lives more difficult.
But that’s not how I see government. Government at all levels can be a powerful tool to uplift people and make our communities better.
The start of a New Year is always an exciting time. It prompts change and renewal for many of us, and for New York City this New Year also ushered in a new era.
As Mayor Bill de Blasio assumes leadership of New York City, we rejoice in the hopes that the new and improved New York – the one we voted for – will soon be all that it can be for all its denizens. It’s an exciting and meaningful time, especially for public employees, as we welcome the first Democratic Mayor to this great city in 24 years.
As the union representing workers responsible for maintaining New York City Housing Authority buildings, we at Local 237 Teamsters have had a front-row seat for the mismanagement and incompetence that has plagued the agency for the last several years.
We learned a lot from the Democratic Primary Election. Most importantly that the democratic process is still alive and well in New York – a city that often felt like it catered to the one percent more than the rest of us. Even though many unions did not stand together behind a single mayoral candidate, the labor movement came out in force and made a real difference in how New York will move forward.
Nearly 9,000 Local 237 members work in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments. Their work ranges from apartment repairs, to grounds caretakers, boiler and elevator services, to rent collections. About one-third of these workers also live in NYCHA apartments.
While our rents continue to rise, chronic underfunding and mismanagement threaten the very future of New York’s public housing. Between 2002 and 2008, the city lost nearly 200,000 affordable rental housing units, according to the public advocate’s office, and the National Low Income Housing Coalition reported that 60 percent of all renters in the city cannot afford the market rate for a typical twobedroom apartment, which is about $1,474, according to New York, NY HUD.
A contract is more than a financial agreement between two people or parties. It’s a sign of trust and a commitment. When negotiating an agreement, you are not just setting financial terms but also establishing a bond that will serve as the foundation for the relationship moving forward.
Unions fight for better pay, wages and pensions that guarantee workers dignity in retirement. We do this because the Labor Movement, at its heart, is about fairness.
Fairness and equality go hand in hand. That’s why we are fighting so hard for our school safety agents to be paid the same wage as other certified peace officers who do similar work.
In his recent State of the City address, Mayor Bloomberg used the opportunity to take a final victory lap and congratulate himself for the changes he brought about during his 11 years in office. As Bloomberg’s final term comes to an end, it is disheartening to hear him increasingly blame organized labor for the problems that his administration failed to solve.
We are a nation founded on the principle that “all men are created equal.” When the founders wrote those words, they had a very a different idea about equality.
Nevertheless, that fundamental principle has endured, and the list of people who are “created equal” has expanded over the years, to include women, people of different races and religions, and all people regardless of sexual orientation.
We are a nation founded on the principle that “all men are created equal.” When the founders wrote those words, they had a very a different idea about equality.
Nevertheless, that fundamental principle has endured and the list of people who are “created equal” has expanded over the years, to include women, people of different races and religions, and all people regardless of sexual orientation.
For many Americans, government is just an abstract idea. It’s something confusing they hear about on TV. It’s a faceless thing they send their taxes to every April 15. These people don’t have to think about government very much. They just go about their lives, complain about it sometimes and just hope that it works.
The race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney was more than a choice between two very different men. It was also a contest between two visions for this country and the role of government in our lives. In one version, the government would step back and allow businesses and the wealthy to run the country. In the other, the government would continue to function fully as a Democracy to protect and advance all Americans.
Unions have been under attack since they were first formed to protect the rights of workers. For 60 years, Local 237 has been on the front lines of the fight to earn better wages and benefits for members — building a middle class along the way.
As we gather with loved ones to celebrate the holidays, there is a somberness not usually associated with this joyous season. The weight of two recent tragedies – the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy and the senseless slaughter of innocent children in Newtown, Connecticut – have caused us to all feel some degree of sadness, unease and anxiety. But these horrific events have also called attention to the essential role of public workers in our society.
Over the past several years, the focus of the national debate, water-cooler conversations and household discussions has been about the troubled economy. Our well-being as a country and a community is strongly tied to our economic health. That dialogue continues to dominate the political agenda today.
It seems like before every presidential election, we call it the most important one of our time. In truth, every presidential election is incredibly important. It decides who will be the leader of the free world and the commander in chief of the most powerful military on earth. Even more than that, it shows the national mood and says something about our values at the time.
Many union leaders and politicians often talk like they are at war. We “fight” for our rights. We “battle” against big business or management. It sounds inspiring, but is it a fair comparison? After all, we are not really charging into combat like our brave men and women overseas.
These days, public pensions seem more like public enemy number one. Both at the city and the state level, some politicians make it sound like pensions are a black hole where money simply disappears into nowhere.
As we enter 2012, it’s hard to believe it’s time for another presidential election. It seems like only yesterday that President Obama gave his victory speech in Chicago, bringing tears of joy to millions of people around the United States and the world.
Working people have had a long, tough road in this country. This is especially true for women, people of color and people belonging to religious minorities. We have come far, but we have farther to go, and it is important to remember how we got here.
As public sector workers, our pensions are our most important asset. They are more than just money and investments. They’re our shared life savings. They are not generous gifts from our employers, but deferred compensation that we have bargained for over decades. They signify dignity and freedom in retirement.
Organized labor has spent years trying to hold Wall Street accountable for the harm it did to this country. It wasn’t until a month ago, however, that the seeds we planted grew into a grassroots uprising against economic injustice.
For months, many labor leaders, including myself, have supported workers’ actions in Wisconsin and Ohio, and, more recently, the CWA strike here in New York. We contemplated what the future may hold for America’s workers. As last week’s walkout by Longshoremen in Washington demonstrates, worker dissatisfaction — both here and abroad — is reaching a crisis.
Organized labor has many enemies in this country. Unfortunately, we also need to start worrying about our friends.
Hopes for a robust economic recovery were set back with a rise in the jobless rate last month, a plunging stock market, and continued debate in Congress over deficit reduction versus job creation as the nation’s number one priority.
In politics, simultaneous with the war on public workers, there is a war of words being waged around the country and here at home. Like many battles, both sides profess to be on the right side, which in this case is about protecting America’s future. In such a war, it is important to understand what to believe and what to doubt.
Madison, Wisconsin. Columbus, Ohio. Indianapolis, Indiana. These cities are the front lines of the current assault against the rights of working people and the middle class. With state and local government deficits ballooning around the country, however, the fight is expanding every day.
Make no mistake. This push against unions is not simply about getting fair wage and benefit concessions during tough economic times. It is about the rich and powerful breaking the backs of labor — especially public sector unions — once and for all.
But can it happen in New York City?
There’s a reason why they call us public service employees. We work hard to serve the public. It sounds simple, but today it seems that people forget what we really do. Our towns, cities and states simply would not work if the roads were not cleaned and the streets were not policed.
Many public service jobs are not glamorous. No one takes them to get filthy rich. People do them because they want to do honest work, make a decent living, contribute to society and have some financial security in retirement.
The labor movement is no stranger to conflict. By definition, it involves organizing workers to fight aggressively against a larger, more powerful foe. Periods of conflict have ebbed and flowed over the course of labor's history, some moments uneventful, others full of marches, speeches and strikes. The last decade has certainly had its share of confrontations. Unions have always had to fight for just treatment and fair wages. Constant vigilance keeps our organizations strong and unified.
We can be proud of another year well spent! I am always amazed, excited and a little relieved when December arrives. It’s a time to look back on all that we have accomplished and look forward to new opportunities and alliances in the face of future challenges. The Holidays are also a time for celebration and coming together with friends and family, as well as a time of change and rebirth.
Call it a tidal wave, call it a revolution, but there's no doubt the Republicans stormed back into power in Congress and the national stage on Nov. 2. U.S. Voters, upset about the economy and the bickering in Washington, took their anxiety and frustration out on incumbents by handing the House to Republicans, as well as several seats in the Senate.
Anger is everywhere. So many people are angry about so many things that you can almost smell it in the air. New Yorkers and Americans across the country have been angry for a long time, and it is coming to a head. Public anger can cause great change, but it can also do tremendous damage. Lately, too much anger has undeservedly fallen upon the labor movement, and we need to fight back hard.
It seems today you cannot turn on the news without hearing a politician talking about “reform,” or “change.” Most of their ideas are welcome. Albany is certainly in need of serious reform. Barack Obama famously cam- paigned on the slogan of change, which he has brought about in a more positive way than critics give him credit for.
Diversity is a word used a lot these days, usually in reference to racial or religious diversity, but it can mean so much more. Teamsters Local 237 is truly diverse in a number of ways. Not only do our members come from every possible background, but they also perform many different and valuable services all over New York City and Long Island. Each of our titles brings a special and valuable point of view that makes our union strong.
We have been especially busy here at Local 237 lately. The executive board and I have been working on several fronts. I’d like to take the time in this column to talk about important initiatives we are undertaking.
In good times, it is easy to take our government for granted. When our bank accounts are full and our jobs secure, democracy seems to be working. Politicians appear in the press more like heroes than villains.
These are tough times for unions. Critics have taken the recent problems in New York as an opportunity to attack and insult the labor movement. They say we prospered too much during the good years. They say we are not helping enough with the financial collapse of our government. They say many things, but they forget the role that makes unions not only important, but necessary.
Like many of you, I feel very frustrated these days. Wall Street is back earning record profits, and yet millions of Americans struggle to find work. Young and old alike cannot afford health insurance, and yet the health-care reform bill is at a standstill in Washington. New York is burdened with increasing debt, and Albany has been generating more scandal and confusion than leadership.
