| OSA Newsline - May 29, 2023
Ukraine still lives.
Our second negotiating session is this Tuesday, May 30th. Members should not get too excited. These affairs have a sort of ritual nature. First session, we made our demands. Second session, the City responds. We don't know of a single instance where negotiations ever concluded at the second session. Third session, arguing begins.
We are hoping for a quick conclusion this year, but the City may not be and summer is upon us. We will do the best we can.
A mailing is due out this week. It should be posted on our website by the end of the week and arrive in hard copy within two weeks from now.
Training for the upcoming exams continues at our office most nights, but there is still room for late comers.
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
|
| OSA Newsline - May 22, 2023
Ukraine still lives.
The OSA bargaining team met with the Mayor's Office of Labor Relations on Monday, May 8th. At this session, the City introduced the economic pattern illustration and the union submitted its bargaining demands. The City will be responding to our bargaining demands at the next bargaining session on Tuesday, May 30th.
The bargaining team is happy to announce that the Transit Authority unit agreement has been fully ratified by our membership and has been fully executed by all parties.
We anticipate the pay authorization for the wage increases and the retroactive monies to be implemented within the coming weeks.
This Thursday, May 25th, there will be a chapter meeting for OSA members at the Department of Transportation.
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
|
| OSA Newsline - May 15, 2023
Ukraine still lives.
We will be having an in person meeting this Tuesday with our Department of Corrections chapter. This will take place at the Bulova Building on Astoria Boulevard. City workers labor in many types of buildings, but the Bulova building is one of the more unique. It was the former world headquarters for the Bulova watch company and looks the part. Most impressive. We welcome a return to in person meetings when feasible.
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
|
| OSA Newsline - May 8, 2023
Ukraine still lives.
Today, we began the collective bargaining process for the current period. As always, the union provided our list of demands on the first day and the City sets its limits based on pattern bargaining. Thereafter, matters can go quickly or not, mostly as the City dictates.
We are always seeking a quick conclusion to a fair contract, but sometimes the city has another agenda. Time will tell, but it's good that we have started.
Last week, we learned a lot about the expected impact of the Aetna Medicare Advantage program on the Management Benefits Fund. Since this will affect our own Welfare Fund, we will be sharing those details with our own OSA Retirees Club meeting this Wednesday.
Don't forget, the application is out for the upcoming Staff Analyst Exam. You can reach it on the City's Exam Application Page. We have posted the Notice of Exam on the Exams, Lists and Training page of this website, along with information about signing up for training classes for the Staff and Staff Analyst Trainee exams. Training materials will be posted on that page soon.
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
|
| OSA Newsline - May 1, 2023
Ukraine still lives.
There are two important exams opening up. Both the Staff Analyst Trainee and the Staff Analyst exams will be given soon.
For the first time in a generation, the City has chosen to reduce the educational requirement from a four year college degree to a high school degree plus experience. This will open up each exam to a great many more candidates.
Originally, the Analyst title did not have a four-year college degree requirement, but one was added under Bloomberg. Now, for these upcoming exams, the requirements are returning to a four-year high school degree plus satisfactory experience.
Completion of the experience section of the exam may benefit from help. In 1978, for the first of these exams 6,000 people applied and 3,000 were disqualified based on a lack of proper experience. Our union began helping candidates prepare for such exams that year, and we were able to help many to claim proper experience credit.
We have begun to set up courses for this year. Anyone seeking help on these exams should call George at the union office at (212) 686-1229.
The applications and notice of exam are due out May 3 through May 23 for Staff Analyst. The Staff Analyst Trainee exam opens June 6th through June 27th.
We will be offering assistance in completing the Staff Analyst applications starting May 8th and through May 19th. Help will be given at the OSA office at 220 East 23rd Street.
We will be offering assistance in completing the Staff Analyst Trainee exam from June 12th through June 23rd.
The training for these exams will start on May 22 and may go on for as long as 8 weeks.
For more information, call the OSA office for an appointment for application assistance and training. Again, call George at (212) 686-1229.
Assistance and training is free to all members of OSA, but candidates not covered by OSA will be required to pay $97.50 in order to be helped.
Please note both of these exams are for civil service permanent jobs. Members of OSA holding noncompetitive civil service jobs may find it advantageous to consider these exams.
Also, check this website under Exams, Lists and Training for more details.
If you would like to listen to this newsline as an audio file, please click on this link:
|