Public Employee Press

Job fair helps members as NYCHA cuts staff

DC 37 job fair April 16 provided employment leads for 83 members facing layoffs at NYCHA. Above, Rhonda Leak of Local 371 (r.) and Kathy Blackmon of Local 768. Another job fair is set for May 12.

To assuage the sting of layoffs at the New York City Housing Authority, DC 37 held a job fair April 16 to help 83 provisional workers find jobs at other city agencies.

“NYCHA is not calling it layoffs, these are ‘staff ­reductions,’ but we know what they are,” explained job fair organizer Nola Brooker, an assistant director in the union’s Research and Negotiations Dept.

In meetings between NYCHA officials and a group of local presidents, DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts convinced authority Chair Tino Hernandez to reduce the layoff list of long-term provisionals — some with up to 30 years of service — to 83 from 190.

Roberts said, “One job loss by a member is one job loss too many. We are doing everything we can to protect members, and I’ve instructed the union’s staff to organize another job fair to help members learn about openings at other city agencies. At the same time, I really want to remind provisional employees that because of the changes in the law due to the recent Long Beach decision, they should take civil service tests as soon as possible.”

The second job fair is scheduled for May 12 from noon to 2 p.m. for those who did not find work April 16.

For more than a year the union has rallied at City Hall and in Albany and lobbied lawmakers for more federal and state aid to the Housing Authority. While some of these funds would have averted layoffs and service cuts, provisionals remained vulnerable to layoffs as the state implemented the Long Beach court decision, whichrequires municipalities to reduce the number of provisional employees on their payrolls.

Housing Clerical Employees Local 957 had nine members targeted for layoffs, but most were removed from the list, said President Walthene Primus, after discussions with management. “I asked, ‘How could they lay off a person with 26 years of service?’ I felt it was heartless for them to do that, and they listened,” Primus said.

Mainly long-term provisional employees were ­hit by the staff cuts. DC 37 locals 154, 371, 375, 768, 957, 983, 1407 and 2627 represent NYCHA employees. The Local 957 workers let go had been provisionals for decades without permanent civil service status. Last January NYCHA offered civil service exams for the Secretary and Clerical Associate titles; results have not been released yet.

“NYCHA is still contracting out our work to consultants who are paid three times more,” said Local 375 Vice President Michelle Keller, “while longstanding provisionals with decades of service are cut.”

DC 37 brought to the job fair representatives from the Dept. of Juvenile Justice, HHC, Parks, and NYCHA, which has openings in other titles. Union staff explained health benefits, education opportunities and pensions.