Public Employee Press

Grievances win cash, upgrades

For Claudette Cave and Christina Figueroa, a winning grievance turned out to be a gift that keeps on giving. Both women are members of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 in the Radiology Dept. at North Central Bronx Hospital. Both were expected to perform duties outside their job descriptions.

“I was working on financial records and I knew that I was entitled to more money,” said Figueroa.
They contacted Clerical Division Council Rep Eddie Douglass and filed grievances in November. “Some members don’t even want to file grievances because they are afraid management will retaliate,” said Douglass.

But Ms. Cave and Ms. Figueroa went through all the steps of the process until a settlement was reached in June, upgrading them to Clerical Associate III positions and increasing their pay. They also got retroactive payments of almost $1,400 for the salary differential between their prior positions as Clerical Associate II’s and their new job titles.

The check for the retroactive payment arrived just in time for Ms. Cave’s 25th anniversary at the hospital on July 7. “It took a long time, but we’re very happy with the results,” she said. “We’re happy it’s over and that it all turned out so well,” said Ms. Figueroa.

“Our rep, Eddie Douglass, fought hard to get the hospital to make a decision,” she added. “Union reps have the skill and experience to win these grievances for the members,” said Assistant Clerical Division Director Renee Gainer. “But it’s important for the members to act in their own self-interest and take the first step by reaching out to their reps.”

Douglass aims to turn the pair into union activists and has encouraged them to run in upcoming shop steward elections.