OSA Newsline - June 24, 2002 The City Council has come to an end of the budget process, but no word is available on the pension buyout. If there is word on the buyout during this week, we will change the message on this page. Other news. A negotiating session will be held this Monday for our School Security and Traffic Enforcement uniformed members. One complicating element in these negotiations is that there are now two patterns – the City/DC37 pattern and now the City/UFT pattern. This should complicate bargaining somewhat for our newest bargaining unit.

OSA Newsline - June 17, 2002 We have a request for help from the New York City Central Labor Council. There is a minimum wage bill before the New York State legislature. The bill, Senate 4749A, would raise the minimum wage to $6.75 an hour, indexed for inflation. The Central Labor Council is asking each of us to call either Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno at 518-455-3191 or Labor Committee Chair Guy Velella at 518-455-3264. Now it is true that only one member in ten of OSA actually calls our newsline or reads this newsline page most weeks. You are that one. If even one in ten of us who calls or reads the newsline also this week calls either number in Albany, we will have a major impact on the possibility of the working poor in our state getting a raise. OSA Chair Bob Croghan said "I will make that call myself this week and I ask you to do the same," but it will not be easy. You can't call from work because it is a long distance call and you can't call from home because their offices apparently keep 9-5 hours. You will have to use a pay phone or a cell phone in most cases. When you do get through on the phone just ask the person who answers to record your support as a voter, for bill S4749A, the minimum wage bill. Remember the numbers are 518-455-3191 for Joe Bruno's office and 518-455-3264 for Guy Velella's office. If we do succeed, we will have helped tens of thousands of workers to get a bit more of a fair deal for years to come – and that makes the effort worth it. Congratulations to Shirley Gray for her receipt of an award for her outstanding work on behalf of others last Saturday from the National Council of Negro Women. Nearly 300 persons attended the ceremony and Shirley certainly earned that award. Finally, this Friday, June 21st, at 7pm in the union office, the LaborFilms series continues with Roger and Me, Michael Moore's scathing (and hilarious, believe it or not) documentary about the economic collapse of Flint, Michigan in the 1980's when General Motors closed factories employing more than 30,000 workers. As always light refreshments are available and admission for OSA members and their family members and guests is free.

OSA Newsline - June 10, 2002 Thee Department of Sanitation has given an award to Associate Staff Analyst Elissa Werbin of their Bureau of Public Information and Community Affairs. Elissa won the award for redesigning the Agency computer system in order to keep track of people during the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy. Sanitation is a career oriented agency with a good record of rewarding outstanding staff work. Analyst Werbin received a cash award along with the plaque commemorating her efforts. Good work. Congratulations to Elissa and to Sanitation for recognizing good work. OSA's planned seminar to discuss the early retirement package is now delayed. The City package has not been yet issued and may not be available until after June 20th. Obviously, if we don't have the details, we can't explain them to anyone else. There is a Municipal Labor Committee meeting set for this week, so more details may be available by that meeting or not. All those interested in attending a seminar on the early retirement package should call the phone hotline or this page on the website weekly. As fast as we know, you will know. Over 160 members have already signed up for the meeting, so we know the interest in the topic is considerable.

OSA Newsline - June 3, 2002 The MTA Board approved our Transit Authority contract last week. Our members in Transit are scheduled to receive the new salaries as of the first payroll check in July. The retroactive monies will be due two weeks later. Now, having money scheduled to arrive is nice, but beware taking the schedule too seriously. Management has been known to miss scheduled dates in the past. In short, don't spend the money until you get it. Members attending last week's membership meeting were warned by Richard Guarino that, until the City crafts its own version fo the early retirement, we really won't know all the details. Meanwhile, according to George Morgan, over 100 members have signed up for the early retirement seminar. We may need two sessions at this rate.