Over five hundred members sent in mail ballots by last Friday's counting. A total of 512 were received. There was only one position actually being contested the vice chairpersonship. Tom Anderson, the incumbent was reelected with 422 votes. Serena Freeman the Chapter Chairperson of our Department of Design and Construction received 53 votes and Stanley Cohen, Chairperson of the Department of Environmental Protection received 28 votes.

Thanks are due to the volunteer counters and observers who came in on a holiday weekend to tally the returns.

We had some good news the past week. Members who call regularly are aware that our union was complaining that some of our members at the New York City Housing Authority were being forced to work overtime and management was trying to deny compensation. Len Schrier, our general counsel reports that the Housing Authority is agreeing to cease and desist for 2015. Now we will seek compensation for what had occurred last year. That’s all the news for this week, please check this page again next year.

An important announcement concerning the upcoming exams.

The application period for the Administrative Staff Analyst exam has been moved from January to February. The new dates are from February 4th to February 24th. These are the same dates as the Staff Analyst and Associate Staff Analyst applications. Our union will be assisting with the application process for all of the exams from February 7th to the 22nd ONLY. We will be available on weeknights from 5pm-9pm and weekends from 10am-3pm. Please tell your friends and coworkers.

Continue to call the hotline or visit this page regularly for more specific date information as the staff at OSA has no further information at this time.

Meanwhile, there were over 500 members at last week's holiday party and a good time was had by all.To all of our members - Happy Holidays.

The big news this week is our unions’ biannual election. The OSA constitution specifies a mail ballot in the case of a contested election.

This year at the membership meeting there were three candidates nominated for the position of Vice Chairperson, OSA. Following the guidelines, nominations closed ten days after the meeting and all candidates were offered the right to send out mail campaign leaflets through OSA’s mailing house.

Candidates are responsible for postage and printing etcetera so, many candidates do not choose this option. The ballots went on December 10th and should be in your mailbox already or very soon. Only those members who signed a dues card are entitled to vote and will receive a ballot. If you think you are eligible and do not receive a ballot by this Wednesday, call George at the union office and he will check your address and eligibility then send you out a replacement ballot.

Counting will be done by the tally committee after work on December 26th. The numbered return envelope will be separated from the enclosed folded ballots to preserve the secrecy of the ballot.

Any member choosing to attend and observe the process is welcome. He or she should call Katie at the union office in advance so we have an idea of how many people are coming.

The election is very important to our union so vote as you choose, but please vote.

The Organization of Staff Analysts Constitution specifies that elections be held every two years. Nominations were opened at the November membership meeting and remained open for ten days thereafter. The Constitution specifies a mail ballot and mandates that the ballots be mailed out ten days after the close of nominations.

In accordance with those rules, ballots will be mailed out this Wednesday. Members are asked to vote and return their ballot quickly as they are due back by Friday, December 26th.

Only those who signed a dues card are entitled to vote and will receive a ballot.

We are sorry but technical difficulties interfered with our telephone newsline over the weekend and part of Monday. It has now been finally corrected.

There is a bit of welcome news. The arbitrator dealing with the UFT contract has ruled that the full payment of retroactive monies owed retiring teachers will have to be paid to them. This would appear to impact favorably on our own situation with our School Safety and Traffic Enforcement retirees. More on this, as we learn it.