L-r: Council member Allan Jennings meets Gary Goff, VP of Local 2627, Gloria E. Acevedo, president of Local 436 and John Socha, president of Local 1321.

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

A budget agreement between the mayor and City Council was finalized as PEP went to press. DC 37 local leaders helped win funding restorations in areas where members work by testifying in City Council hearings and buttonholing Council members on the steps of City Hall.

Led by DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, they pressed for job-saving budget restorations and continued the union’s attack on contracting out city services and jobs.

“We are demanding a fair budget,” said Ms. Roberts, “a budget that protects jobs for our members and services for millions of New Yorkers.”

“Local 372 asks the City Council to continue its efforts to investigate wasteful spending and outsourcing to contractors,” said Veronica Montgomery-Costa, president of DC 37 and Dept. of Education Local 372.

The local represents about 27,000 hard-working employees who feed school children in the cafeterias, protect the students in the hallways, and provide drug prevention services to vulnerable adolescents. “Most of the work contracted out would be best done and more economically performed by city workers,” said Ms. Montgomery-Costa.

Local 372 Pres. Veronica Montgomery-Costa testifies at City Council hearing.

“Every layoff represents not only a personal hardship for an individual and his or her family, but also a reduced service for the citizens of the city,” said Charles Ensley, president of Social Service Employees Union Local 371 and a member of DC 37’s executive board.

Michael Hood, president of Park Workers Local 1505, also expressed his concerns with the mayor’s budget. “We are very troubled by the proposed budget,” said Mr. Hood. “Years ago, our parks and recreation services were recognized as the gold standard of the country.” Under the proposed budget, the Parks Dept. stood to lose 1,000 seasonal employees.

Faye Moore, VP for Grievances and Legal Services for Local 371 (left), Charles Ensley, president of Local 371 (center), and Diane Savino, VP for Legislative and Political Action (right), criticize Mayor Bloomberg's budget at hearing.

The city’s public libraries, already hard hit, would have suffered seriously under the mayor’s original budget. Eileen Muller, president of Brooklyn Library Guild 1482, reminded the council of the many services that the library offers. “It is not just a source of books,” said Ms. Muller.

“Let’s not tighten our belts at the risk of our future — the youth of New York City,” warned Alex Parker, president of Juvenile Center Employees Local 1457. His local could lose up to 50 counselors.