The winning team: Local 1549 Cashiers celebrate their $180,000 grievance victory with chapter officers and DC 37 staff who worked on their case. Front, from left: Chapter Chair Laura Lewis, Vice Chair Carol Grant, Cashiers Linda Hall and Annette Richardson, Delegate Bonnie Boyd. Rear: Attorney Melissa Brown, Grievance Rep Ron Arnero, Attorney Mary O’Connell, and Cashiers Priyam R. Ravel, Antoinette M. Lambert-Watkins, Ravinder P. Bindra and Luz E. Vidal.

Six union Cashiers at the Police Dept. Tow Pound on Manhattan’s Pier 76 won five years’ back pay totaling $180,000 after an arbitrator ruled they were working out of title. Based on their victory, Clerical-Administrative Local 1549 has already filed a Step 3 out-of-title grievance for about 30 more members in comparable titles at the other NYPD tow pounds.

The grievants from Pier 76 are Linda Hall, Annette Richardson, Luz E. Vidal, Antoinette M. Lambert-Watkins, Ravinder P. Bindra and Priyam P. Ravel.

The case began in late 1996 when they notified the union they were being assigned work typical of the higher-paid Principal Administrative Associate (PrAA) Level 1 title.

“Their job description stated they were only supposed to deal with financial transactions of people coming to the pound to reclaim their vehicles,” said DC 37 Rep. Ron Arnero, who initiated the grievance. “But in practice, they were assigned to deal with property valued at tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

The Cashiers were examining drivers’ licenses and registrations, reviewing titles and other documents to confirm ownership, directing people to the Sheriff’s Dept. for payment of back tickets and money owed, and signing paperwork to release vehicles to claimants. They also provided passes for owners to retrieve materials from their vehicles.

One Cashier had to deal with a cargo-laden 18-wheel truck worth over $1 million.

Meanwhile, they were being paid a Cashier’s salary.

Local 1549 representatives met a number of times with the NYPD and the city’s Office of Labor Relations, but ultimately brought the grievance to arbitration when the talks failed to resolve the inequity. DC 37 Assistant General Counsel Melissa Brown and Sr. Assistant General Counsel Mary O’Connell represented the members at several hearings, and on June 26 Arbitrator Miriam M. Lipton ruled in the union’s favor.

She awarded the six grievants the difference between their salary and the PrAA Level 1 pay back to Oct. 22, 1996. They were also awarded the higher rate for as long as they continue to perform PrAA Level 1 duties.

“The victory of these members shows how important it is to file grievances for unfair practices,” said Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez. “Members in similar situations should not be afraid to come forward and to contact the union for help.”