Public Employee Press

Grievance Victory
Jacobi Hospital worker wins $8,000 promotion and back pay in grievance

After 20 years in Jacobi Hospital’s Telecommunications Dept., Sandra Tyson knows about staying in touch. But after supervisors gave her extra layers of work with additional responsibilities, she learned that management was out of touch with the contract.

Chief Shop Steward Thelma Esson and Grievance Rep Efrain Perez saw that Tyson’s duties were well above her job description and encouraged her to file an out-of-title work grievance. Four months later, the Local 1549 member won a promotion, an $8,000 raise and back pay.

Emergency calls

Her department handles emergency calls for Jacobi and the North Central Health Center and all calls for the staff and from the public.

“Last June, management asked me to step in and assist with the administrative side of the office,” she said. “I was already supervising staff on three shifts,and then I was building a data base for the paging system for both facilities and getting the department’s files in order.”

Management settled the case at the Step I hearing, Perez noted. “My union reps did a good job. They guided me through it and hammered out the details with management,” Tyson said. The settlement advanced her from Clerical Associate IV at $39,000 a year to Assistant Managing Coordinator at $47,000 and includes back pay at the higher rate from when she filed the grievance until her promotion.

Well-deserved promotion

“This member does such a good job. She multitasks,” Esson said. “Management knew they had a gem. This is a well deserved promotion.”

Members should compare their job descriptions with the work they are doing, says Perez. “When in doubt, call your union rep.”

“This case proves that the contract is important and a key to victory,” said Clerical Division Director Ronnie Harris.