OSA Newsline - September 28, 1998 At last week's membership meeting, a number of topics were discussed which deserve mention here. First, the union is pleased to note that the Department of Personnel is preparing for the next Staff Analyst exam. The old list died this past month. Based upon information received so far, it appears that the City will be departing from the "training and experience" format followed five years ago. On this occasion, the City intends to give an actual competitive exam. More details as we learn them. Also, our campaign at the Transit Authority appears to be moving toward a close. The union's legal forces are expecting an election to be held this Winter. OSA seems to be the only City union doing organizing at present. We will, of course, continue so long as we have Analysts asking to be organized. We are also hoping for a breakthrough soon on the Administrative Staff Analyst case. Both cases are now nearly five years old. OSA Newsline - September 21, 1998 The OSA general membership meeting will be held this Thursday at 125 Worth Street, 2nd floor Auditorium. On the agenda will be a discussion on our contract, report on the recent flurry of dress codes at various agencies and an Organizing Drive report. We are close to an election for the Staff & Associate Staff Analysts at the Transit Authority and MabStoa and are discussing an agreement with the City on our Administrative Analyst effort. The meeting will start at 6 P.M. sharp and is generally over by 8:00 P.M. Members interested in the pre-retirement seminar should be aware that there are many spaces left for the session set for the last 2 weeks in October. Dinner will be provided. If you lost the coupon, just call OSA in order to register for the seminar. Also please note that our Defensive Driving course is also still open but it is set for Oct. 3rd so call quickly if interested. OSA Newsline - September 14, 1998 A dress code meeting is being held this afternoon, since the meeting held last week was very unsatisfactory. At first HRA, then later the Agency for Children Services, and now the Department of Transportation have all chimed in to tell us how to dress. Since most Analysts, by free choice, dress neatly already, a dress code is an unwelcome insult to us as employees. These returns to the grey flannel suit of the 1950's are so oppressively written that we are even denied our most basic right. We are forbidden to join our mayor in wearing a Yankee baseball cap to work. This is clearly going too far! More later. Many thanks to the many members and especially the retirees who participated in last week's Workfare Vigil. A half dozen organizations and two score of union activists made the task possible and almost easy OSA Newsline - September 7, 1998 Members are invited to join the vigil being sponsored by OSA and a number of other organizations this week. We are bearing witness against the dishonesty of the current workfare program (WEP) and we will be located at a table at 16th Street and Park Avenue South. OSA will be there from 7 AM to 7 PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We will conclude the vigil on Saturday morning by attending the re-dedication of Union Square. Brian McGlaughlin of the New York City Central Labor Council has asked us to participate in that ceremony. We have also been invited to march in the Labor Day parade and will do so along with Local 802 of the Musicians Union. Any members who can stop by the table on 16th Street before or after work will be most welcome. Next week there will be a response on the newsline to HRA's recent attempt at a dress code.