Public Employee Press

Local 1549 saves members’ jobs

Union victories recently kept three Local 1549 members safely in their jobs — jobs their agencies tried to take away.

Most recently, 27-year Police Dept. employee Crystal Lewis won the fight to keep her job after the department sought to fire her for two clerical infractions.

Her tortuous struggle included grievances, two successful hearings before administrative law judges, reversals by the Police Commissioner and finally a decision from the Civil Service Commission — with union representation at every step, including that of attorney Martin Druyan. As of April, Lewis was able to return to work. “The Police Dept. needs to follow its rules,” she said. “They’re in charge of enforcing rules, but they don’t follow them!”

Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 also went to bat to save Andrea Tillman’s job at the Administration for Children’s Services. After Tillman had worked for just under one year, the agency terminated her unfairly, said Eddie Gates, 1st assistant director of the DC 37 Clerical Division. The union took the case to arbitration and the impartial arbitrator ordered Tillman reinstated. As was the case with Crystal Lewis, the agency had violated the principle of progressive discipline, Gates said.

At the Dept. of Homeless Services, Norma Lynch was terminated right before the end of her probation period. It took two years to win back her job. “I had a good record and had passed my probation with flying colors. It felt good to go back to work — and to know that the union helped me get my job back!” she said.

The dedicated and persistent team that saved these jobs included grievance and council reps from the Clerical-Administrative Division, the division director, 1st assistant director and attorneys from the DC 37 Legal Dept.