The Chief-Leader

09/03/2020

Mayor: Need Albany To Move Swiftly To Avert More Layoffs

Mayor Bill de Blasio warns just days remain before he has to layoff 22,000 workers unless Albany comes to the city's rescue with increased borrowing capacity.
Meantime, negotiations continue between the unions and City Hall to find $1 billion to stave off biggest layoffs in a generation. DC 37 Afscme
UFT - United Federation of Teachers CWA Local 1180
Local 2507,Uniform Emts, Paramedics & Inspectors - FDNY

Two days after he held off on sending 30-day layoff notices to 22,000 city workers, Mayor de Blasio said he needed concrete quickly the State Legislature was coming back into

09/02/2020

PSC to CUNY: Negotiate Class Size After Layoffs

The Professional Staff Congress/CUNY fears that class sizes may grow after 2,900 adjuncts were laid off from The City University of New York, which would increase workloads and "set up students to fail."

The first day of classes at the City University of New York was marked by the Professional Staff Congress protesting safety and workplace issues related to coronavirus as some of

09/02/2020

Slower Mail Service Has Caused Key Delays in Prescription Drugs

Internal US Postal Service documents reveal serious decline in on time mail delivery coincided with the arrival of major Trump donor Postmaster Louis DeJoy. Mail order prescription drug deliveries increasingly became unreliable hitting the nation's veterans hardest. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, chair of House Oversight moves to subpoena internal documents following inconsistencies in Mr. DeJoy's testimony last month. APWU - The American Postal Workers Union NationalAssociation LetterCarriers
AFL-CIO

An increasing number of Americans have turned to mail delivery to get their medications during the coronavirus pandemic, despite significant delays in postal service in the aftermath of operational changes

09/02/2020

NYPD Moves to Standardize Its Discipline Process for Officers

NYPD publishes draft of disciplinary protocols and possible punishments for officers charged with or convicted of misconduct.

City police officers could be fired if they use excessive force or a prohibited restraint on a person even if they cause no injuries, according to a recently released draft

09/01/2020

In this week’s Chief-Leader

09/01/2020

MTA: Need $12-Billion From Feds or Job, Service Cuts Coming

Months of #COVID19 economic fallout has done more damage to Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) finances than the Great Depression.
Management threatens major service and job cuts but unions counter cutting consultants and execs high pay should be targeted first. TWU Local 100
Transport Workers Union (TWU)

The fiscal impact of the coronavirus in recent months has caused greater damage to city mass-transit revenue than years of the Great Depression, the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority

08/31/2020

UPDATE: MLC Persuades Mayor to Hold Off On Sending Out Layoff Notices

Mayor Bill de Blasio grants Municipal Labor Committee "day to day" breathing room on layoffs of 22 K civil servants so unions can continue push to get Albany to return in emergency session to pass city borrowing plan.
Mayor and MLC meet tomorrow. UFT - United Federation of Teachers DC 37 Afscme CWA Local 1180 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East

The Municipal Labor Committee has apparently convinced Mayor de Blasio to delay sending out layoff notices that would have affected up to 22,000 city workers, with Labor Commissioner Renee Campion

08/30/2020

After Weeks of Friction, Council Might Amend 'Diaphragm' Law

Mayor Bill de Blasio backs changes to new restraint law criticized by NYPD.

The City Council appears poised to revisit a bitterly contested city statute banning the use by police of any maneuver that compresses a person’s diaphragm during an arrest.

08/30/2020

Pressed by 'Advocate,' Shea Denies Slowdown

NYPD commissioner strongly denies cops are engaging in a slowdown.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, one of the most-prominent advocates for police reform over the past decade, recently took the position that with some of those reforms recently enacted, cops may

08/29/2020

Transit Unions Tell Legislators They Need Cops to Enforce Mask Rule

TWU Local 100 and other MTA transit unions tell New State legislative panel they want police to help enforce passenger mask rules.

Transit-union leaders told a state legislative hearing Aug. 25 that they want the police to enforce New York State's mandatory face-mask requirement within Metropolitan Transportation Authority facilities to slow the

08/28/2020

In Speech to Republican Convention, PBA's Lynch Backs Blue and Trump

NYC Police Benevolent Association's Lynch gives a blistering assessment of the Democratic Party during the last night of the Republican Party's convention.

Minutes before Donald J. Trump stepped onto a flag-draped stage on the White House’s South Lawn to accept his party’s nomination for President, New York City’s boldest backer of the

08/28/2020

MLC Asks Mayor for 30-Day Delay In Sending Out Layoff Notices

New York City public unions ask Mayor Bill de Blasio to delay for 30 days the layoffs of 22k civil servants to permit more work on a plan to offer early retirement to tens of thousands of older workers who are at greatest risk from COVID19. Unions say the proposal would save lives and hundreds of millions of dollars a year. CWA Local 1180 Local 983 Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York DC37 UFT - United Federation of Teachers

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The Municipal Labor Committee has asked Mayor de Blasio to delay by 30 days the sending of layoff notices to up to 22,000 city workers while the unions continue negotiations

08/26/2020

With COVID-Inspired Limitations, 9/11 Tributes Taking Shape

9/11 tributes to take shape amidst once in a century pandemic. Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial
District Council 37, AFSCME WTC Health Program - Clinical Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai

Fire Department union leaders believe a recent departmental advisory that members of the service "forego participating in 9/11 gatherings" due to the coronavirus does not preclude attendance at the annual

08/24/2020

House to Probe Limits Put on Postal Cops Protecting the Mail

Carolyn B. Maloney ,chair of United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform, calls for more scrutiny of limitations placed on long standing role of the uniformed U.S. Postal Police protecting mail in transit.
Union says major roll back of their mandate to protect the mail in transit came in 2017 at the start of the Trump administration.

The House of Representatives Oversight Committee is investigating concerns raised by the union which represents the U.S. Postal Police Officers that their ability to protect the U.S. mail in transit,

08/22/2020

State Police Unions Challenge City's 'Diaphragm' Law, Calling It Illegal

Union representing New York State Police Troopers is the latest to sue New York City over new chokehold and restraint law.

Add two more law-enforcement unions to the legal effort to overturn the city’s recently enacted statute prohibiting the use of chokeholds and other restraints.

08/22/2020

Judge: Public Has Right to View Records of Complaints vs. Cops

Federal judge says that complaints against NYPD officers' and any disciplinary outcomes are matters of public record.

A day after the release of a cache of complaints made against NYPD officers that reach back decades, a Federal Judge Aug. 21 cleared the way for the future disclosure

08/22/2020

Elected Officials Blast NYCERS's Denial Of Flagman PTSD Claim

Elected officials blast NYCERS rejection of disability claim of subway flagman hit by a train that killed his co-worker.
TWU Local 100 FealGood Foundation Outreach And Education Program

The decision by the New York City Employees' Retirement System to twice deny the post-traumatic stress disorder pension-disability claim of a former subway flagman who was hit by a train

08/21/2020

Elected Officials Blast NYCERS's Denial Of Flagman PTSD Claim

Elected officials blast NYCERS rejection of disability claim of subway flagman hit by a train that killed his co-worker.
TWU Local 100 FealGood Foundation Outreach And Education Program

The decision by the New York City Employees' Retirement System to twice deny the post-traumatic stress disorder pension-disability claim of a former subway flagman who was hit by a train

08/20/2020

City May Lay Off 400 FDNY EMTs Oct. 1

400 New York City Fire Department (FDNY) EMTS could be laid off by Oct. 1 says their union. Negotiations continue between the de Blasio administration and city unions to find $1 billion in savings as hopes for timely Washington aid fades.

As many as 400 city Emergency Medical Technicians could be laid off Oct. 1, according to their union leader, District Council 37 Local 2507 President Oren Barzilay.

08/20/2020

PBA 'Forgotten People' Of 2020 for Trump

Donald J. Trump's "unflagging devotion" to police, including the NYPD, appears to have eclipsed all else and earned the NYC Police Benevolent Association's endorsement.

There are plenty of arguments against the Police Benevolent Association making its first endorsement for President in at least 36 years on behalf of Donald Trump.

08/20/2020

Massive Airline Layoffs Loom Unless Feds Extend Payroll-Protection Aid

Transport Workers Union (TWU) International President Samuelsen warns without action from Washington, the nation's unemployment lines will get much longer as jobless rate approaches Great Depression levels. New York State AFL-CIO

Tens of thousands of unionized airline workers are slated to be laid off at the end of September when Congress's payroll-protection program for their industry lapses, according to John Samuelsen,

08/18/2020

Federal Judge Denies PSC's Bid For Reinstatement of Adjuncts

An effort by the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY to have the The City University of New York reinstate almost 3,000 laid-off adjuncts was rejected by a Federal Judge.

A Federal Judge Aug. 12 denied a request by the Professional Staff Congress to force the City University of New York to rehire thousands of adjunct instructors laid off earlier

08/18/2020

Council to Probe 911 System's Problems During Major Storm

City Council to probe disruption of 911 call system during killer storm.
Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York Dc 37 Union Rank and File members NYC Police Benevolent Association

Tropical Storm Isaias, which knocked out power for tens of thousands of city households Aug. 4, was also too much for the city's 911 Emergency dispatch system and its 311

08/17/2020

CSA Calls on Mayor, Chancellor To Delay In-Person Classes

The Council of School Supervisors & Administrators is calling for in-person instruction to be delayed until the end of September, a move supported by the UFT - United Federation of Teachers and Teamsters Local 237.

With less than a month until the first day of school, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators Aug. 12 urged Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza to

08/15/2020

New Head of COBA: Building Faith Among Members Key to Success

"The reality is you can’t have care, custody and control without safety and security first.” New COBA NYC head talks about challenges for officers in NYC Dept. of Correction jails.

Benny Boscio’s stands on punitive segregation, on Rikers Island, on the causes of violence in city jails and their remedy, among other pressing issues, don’t markedly differ from those of

08/15/2020

City: Layoff Wheels In Motion, Call on Unions

As Washington fails to come through with pandemic aid for local governments, DC37 - Local 983 heads to Albany
hoping to win support for extra borrowing capacity for the city to stave off over 20,000 layoffs by Oct. 1. CWA Local 1180 DC 37 Union Hall @ 125 Barclay Street SEIU Local 246

Mayor de Blasio Aug. 12 said his administration was preparing the administrative process to lay off up to 22,000 city workers by Oct. 1 unless significant Federal aid and/or union

08/14/2020

Pro-Police Groups Sue for Right To Paint Murals at NYPD HQ

Two pro-police organizations wanted to paint a mural outside NYPD headquarters. When they couldn't get the city's OK, they filed a First Amendment lawsuit against Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Paint it Blue.

08/14/2020

Front-Line Workers: Let Us Know Of New Coronavirus Hot-Spots

NYC making marked progress in suppressing the COVID19 virus but hot spots spark concern.
Sunset Park, Brooklyn, Tremont in The Bronx and the Rockaway in Queens all flagged for attention.
TWU Local 100 NYCOSH New York City Fire Department (FDNY) DC 37 Union Hall @ 125 Barclay Street CWA Local 1180

The city continues to suppress the coronavirus that has claimed the lives of more than 26,000 residents, including hundreds of civil servants, but it still has hot-spots that require immediate

08/12/2020

Ex-NYPD Chief Sues, Alleges Gender Bias Cost Her 'Chief of D'

Built-in Blue Ceiling? A recently retired NYPD three-star chief has sued Commissioner Shea for gender bias after he passed her up for promotion.

Lori Pollock, a former three-star NYPD Chief, is suing Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, accusing him of gender bias for passing her up for promotion to Chief of Detectives, his former

08/12/2020

AFGE Gains New Pact With EPA That Emphasizes Protecting Staff

AFGE wins 5-year contract with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency despite Trump administration efforts to force Federal unions out of the workplace.

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 7,500 workers with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached contract terms requiring the agency to provide personal protective equipment and indoor

08/11/2020

Feds Say DOC Hasn't Done Enough To Stem Officers' Abuse of Inmates

Feds say violence in NYC Dept. of Correction jails remains stubbornly high, and orders agency to address "systemic deficiencies." COBA NYC calls report "distortion."

The Department of Correction has failed to meet “core obligations” of a five-year-old consent decree intended to address the violence-plagued Rikers Island jails and will now be subject to additional

08/11/2020

In The Chief-Leader this week

08/11/2020

Flagman Struck by Train Still Denied PTSD-Related Pension by NYCERS

Former TWU Local 100 flagman tells the The Chief-Leader that to despite being granted disability by the Social Security Administration back in 2018, NYCERS (New York City Employees' Retirement System) continues to send him in bureaucratic circles.

A former city subway flagman, who was hit by a train in a 2016 accident that killed his co-worker, has been denied a disability pension tied to post-traumatic stress disorder

08/10/2020

Union, Rose to MTA: Keep E-ZPASS Jobs Unionized and in Staten Island

Congressman Max Rose and Communications Workers of America demand RFP for new E-ZPass contract for MTA Bridges and Tunnels include worker protections. New York State AFL-CIO

Nearly 300 workers at an E-ZPass Customer Service Center on Staten Island could lose their jobs because the solicitation for a new service provider does not require retaining them, according

08/08/2020

Police Unions Sue City Over 'Diaphragm' Law

Law enforcement unions, including NYC Police Benevolent Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association and COBA NYC, sue to overturn the city's chokehold law.

A coalition of law-enforcement unions, including all five representing city police, has filed suit against the de Blasio administration in a bid to overturn a law prohibiting the use of