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2002 Table of Contents |
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Oliver
Gray
Roberts taps public policy expert as top
aide
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Oliver Gray brings more than 25 years of experience
in the city's public sector to his new job as associate director,
the number two staff position in the union.
A lot of his time will be dedicated to his duties as the top advisor
to newly elected Executive Director Lillian Roberts. He will also
oversee the development of the union's public policy positions and
day-to-day operations at 125 Barclay St.
"Though I have always been involved in the political process
in my career, I certainly do not consider myself a politician or political
groupie," said Mr. Gray, who is a jazz aficionado with a collection
of 10,000 CDs and LPs.
"By and large, I am an administrator and technician," Mr.
Gray said. "I view my role as asking why things are happening
here and making sure what needs to get done is carried out."
Though Mr. Gray comes to DC 37 without experience at a union, he has
a keen appreciation of the labor movement and DC 37's central role
in the city's economy and politics. "People who doubt unions
have made major contributions to the daily lives of Americans are
deluding themselves," said Mr. Gray.
As the leader of the largest municipal employees union in a city whose
budget is bigger than the economy of many countries, Ms. Roberts tapped
Mr. Gray for his knowledge of the complex interconnections between
the budget, the local economy, politics and government.
From 1992 to 1999, Mr. Gray - who earned his bachelor of science degree
at Hampton University in Virginia and a master of science in urban
planning at Hunter College - supervised staff research and oversight
hearings as director of human services at the City Council.
As deputy commissioner of the Dept. of Business Services and director
of the Bureau of Labor Services from 1985 through the early '90s,
he headed staffs that reviewed employment practices and city contracts.
Earlier, he served as special advisor to Mayor Edward Koch for education,
immigration and intergroup relations and held administrative posts
at the Health and Hospitals Corp.
Like Ms. Roberts, Mr. Gray said he was troubled by DC 37's corruption
scandal in recent years. But he said that now that DC 37's parent
union has ended a 3 1/2-year trusteeship, DC 37 is back on track.
"The recent problems were an aberration," Mr. Gray said.
"What's important is whether the union is doing a good job day-to-day
in serving and helping its members. There remains work to be done,
but we are moving forward."
-- GNH