Public Employee Press

The case of the missing pens

Debra Perry worked for the Police Dept. as a Police Administrative Aide. But when the agency became the perp, private eye Perry solved the mystery of the missing pens.

For many years, the NYPD had routinely filled her requests for pens for the health insurance unit, but suddenly it seemed that every request was being answered “out-of-stock.”

A little snooping and questioning revealed that the agency had decided to stop issuing pens to its clerical workers — without telling them. But management did direct employees to use black ink in their (own) pens, stating that “black ink makes better copies.”

“It was ridiculous,” said Ms. Perry. “We’re doing a city job, but we’re not getting city pens! We needed the pens for people to make logbook entries and sign applications.” Often, applicants walked off with the pens.

Ms. Perry, a member of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549, researched the union contract and learned that “the employer is supposed to supply the proper equipment to do our job.”

She called Assistant Clerical Division Director Ron Arnero and together they filed a grievance. “Communications at the NYPD are computerized, but our members use pens for many reasons,” he said. “And when the computers go down, the employees have to have pens.”

“I believed in this totally, so I was not letting go. I felt that I wasn’t just fighting for myself but for others,” said Ms. Perry.
Finally, DC 37 attorney Melissa Brown got involved and the NYPD signed an agreement to issue pens to all the Local 1549 clerical workers. “It took a while, but I was elated,” said Ms. Perry.

However, the pens are being rationed — only six a year for each employee. Ms. Perry, who is now working in the License Dept., will need to pay close attention so that the clients don’t walk off with one of her six pens.