| OSA Newsline -- August 31, 2020
At the Municipal Labor Committee meeting this morning, there was some unexpected news.
Based on work done by the leadership of the MLC, the City of New York has delayed issuance of layoff lists.
The City will be meeting with the top members of the MLC tomorrow and we do not know how this will work out.
We should know more details by Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
On Thursday of this week, DC37 has scheduled a demonstration against layoffs for 10am in Foley Square so, if you are in the area downtown, you might want to attend the rally. Download and share the flyer you can find at this link.
There will be a newsline update this Thursday, but, for now, no layoff lists are being issued.
Three items for this period.
First, Corey Johnson, Speaker of the New York City Council, has warned us that a false letter is circulating. It looks quite real, but it is, in fact, a hoax.
The make-believe letter lists twenty-seven employing Agencies with layoff target numbers sure to panic those scheduled for the biggest cuts. None of it is true. The actual agency layoff lists are not yet even completed.
The second item is real. The City has asked us to schedule a negotiating session to look for ways to avoid layoffs. We agreed and were ready last week. The Office of Labor Relations was not, but expects to be by early next week.
So, on Monday, August 31st, there should be lists sent to us so that we know the extent of impact on our members. Also that same week, we will be in negotiations seeking ways to lessen the damage.
The Newsline will be delayed until Monday or Tuesday of next week, until we learn how badly we are being hit. As fast as we know, we will record a Newsline with this information.
The last item is important as well. As many members have become aware, the United States Postal Service is under attack recently. Overtime was stopped and mail was being delayed.
The postal workers will be demonstrating at the Main Post Office on 8th Ave between 31st and 33rd streets this Tuesday, Noon to 1 P.M.
If you can't make the rally, you are asked to urge your Congressional representatives to support the $25 billion aid package now before Congress.
Failing any of that, please express your personal support to your own postal carrier if you meet them this week.
Please check back again Monday or Tuesday of next week.
The City Office Of Labor Relations warned us last week about the possibility of layoffs.
The Mayor has ordered the Agencies to prepare layoff lists to insure a one billion dollar savings to the budget. The Agencies will create the lists and the City will check them, and revisions may occur, all before August 31st. On that date, the City will share the lists with the unions. As per our contracts, we then have thirty days to correct any errors and also to negotiate to reduce, or avert, layoffs.
Earlier this Summer, Mayor DeBlasio had talked of 22,000 layoffs, so we have some idea of the size of the possible impact.
There are three obvious ways this disaster could be avoided between now and October. The federal government could supply aid to the states. Failing that, New York State could allow New York City to incur additional debt sufficient to meet the budget shortfall. Finally, an early out retirement incentive program could mitigate any loss of younger workers, by a lot.
Any of these, or any combination of these, would be a major help for the fiscal year 2021.
Our union office does expect many phone calls on this topic, starting today.
Please do not call to find out if you are on a layoff list, since we certainly will not know until August 31st, when the City sends us those lists.
If you are interested in learning about the rules of the civil service as it relates to layoffs, you can consult the following document, issued by the City:
Layoff Procedures: A Manual For Agencies
You need not read all the many pages; you can check the index and go to the area that concerns you.
We are all greatly upset at this development, on top of and due to the current pandemic. It is very bad news, but members who are laid off can expect easy access to New York State unemployment insurance.
As soon as our union is given access to the final layoff lists, we will know how many of our members are affected. In the case of prior layoffs, as far back as those under Mayor Dinkins, OSA has often been able to negotiate lower numbers of layoffs. We will have to see what can be done in this time period.
Our hope for a completed contract is connected to federal aid to the states for COVID-related costs. We were told this last May, and it is still true. All last week, we were hoping for an answer about that aid and none came. So, we are hoping for this week to get a good answer, or at least an answer. If Washington does not act, we are fearful of the impact on the City Civil Service.
Our other news is more positive. The various agencies that are bringing staff back into the offices are usually proceeding carefully. Most recently, the Health Department allowed a four day week for many of its returning workers.
We even have a new job open to some of our members. If you are permanent in the title of Administrative Community Relations Specialist or if you are on the Administrative Community Relations Specialist exam list, awaiting appointment, the Police Department needs you.
There are eight vacancies for NYPD Community Ambassador. The salary is $95,000 to 110,000 a year to start. It is an afternoon to evening job, with weekends as well.
If you are interested, it sounds like a very meaningful job. Check out the link:
NYPD Community Ambassador Job Posting
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
The Municipal Labor Committee, in response to a request from the AFL-CIO, has sent a letter to our two Senators from New York.
We are opposed to the Republican stimulus bill and favor the Democratic version of the same bill, including the part about keeping the extra $600 in unemployment benefits.
The argument by some, but not all, Republicans, that the $600 extra in unemployment benefits is sapping the will to work from the unemployed, would be more persuasive if there was not a plague raging through every state that returned to work too soon.
So, we do agree with the AFL-CIO, but we kind of thought that our letter was a case of "Coals to Newcastle," since we already know Schumer and Gillebrand's position is in accord with our own.
The only other news is not really news at all. The New York City Central Labor Council has finally cancelled all hope for a Labor Day Parade this September. We were expecting cancellation, given the circumstances. Good call by the CLC.
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
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