By MIKE LEE

A Custodian at the New York Public Library (NYPL) won a grievance for several Local 374 Quasi Public Employees members thanks to intensive detective work.

It began with a grievance the Local filed challenging the square footage of several of the larger New York Public Library branches. When the square footage is above a specific number, the Custodian assigned gets a title upgrade and, therefore, more money.

In the course of investigating the grievance, Roland Blowe, Assistant Library Custodian at the Hamilton Grange branch and DC 37 Chapter Chair for Local 374, examined the layouts of larger branches, including the Mid-Manhattan Library, to determine whether workers at those branches deserved to be promoted to a higher title.

“The contract language says that if it’s between a 20,000- and 40,000-square-foot building, these workers are supposed to be a Level II, and if it’s over 40,000 square feet, they are supposed to be a Level III,” Blowe said.

After Blowe passed the information to the union, Local 374 confronted NYPL.

“At first, management put up a fight,” Blowe said. “I thought it would be a clear-cut case because they have the numbers. These are your blueprints.”

The Library stalled for more than a year before giving in. A settlement agreement was signed on Sept. 26, and six Local 374 members were promoted. The group received collective back pay of $16,733. Moving forward, the positions will be filled at the higher title.

Blowe’s investigation and the union’s resulting action prove the effort to do research pays off.