Union Files Lawsuit against NYC Dept. of Education
Union Files Lawsuit against NYC Dept. of Education Charging Bad Faith, Violation of State Education Law and misuse of Medicaid Funds
What: District Council 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, District Council 37 Associate Director Henry Garrido and Local 372 President Santos Crespo, Jr. will be holding a press conference to ask the courts to reinstate unfairly laid off city workers.
Where: District Council 37 – Local 372 at 125 Barclay Street, 6th Floor – Room 665A, New York, NY 10007
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 12:00 noon.
Why: The union insists the layoffs were done in bad faith because the NYC DOE was more committed to laying off Local 372 members than finding any alternatives. The union points out that the DOE refused to even consider several significant cost-saving proposals, the DOE also hid layoff plans from City Council members and school Principals and that some workers were eliminated through layoffs under the guise of economic necessity while new employees were hired to perform substantially similar work under different titles.
“We are hoping the courts can see the blatant deceit the DOE used when they laidoff these members. There is no clear monetary justification for the layoffs,” said Crespo. “We want a swift and positive resolution that will get these hard working people back in to their jobs”.
The DOE violated State Education Law requiring a distribution of reductions “in an equitable manner,” by requiring all schools to absorb the same 3.26% cut when in fact schools in poorer neighborhoods where over 40% of the population receive public assistance, simply do not have the same fund-raising resources as others.
The lawsuit also cites the fact that the DOE has set aside $25.7 million from Medicaid revenue to fund charter schools and $47.6 million to fund supplies and materials. In addition, the union cites the DOE’s continued use of high paid consultants and employees in its central office charging that any of these funds could have diverted layoffs.
Since 2008, our union and schools have suffered the loss of more than 2,200 Local 372 employees. This most recent layoff affected 642 hard working members. Most of the affected are single mothers, head of households who already live and work in underserviced communities which are in need for enhanced social services and suffering with higher unemployment rates. Notwithstanding that, these Local 372 members are some of the lowest paid employees within the DOE. “The economic sense of laying off city workers does not add up” said Local 372 President Santos Crespo, Jr. “Our children deserve better”.
Who: Lillian Roberts – Executive Director of DC37
Henry Garrido – Associate Director of DC37
Santos Crespo, Jr. – President – Local 372
COBA
CWA
Laidoff Workers Including:
Cliftonia Johnson – Former Community Associate
Regina Dudley – Former School Aide
TWU – Invited
32BJ – Invited
1199 – Invited
Henry Garrido – Associate Director of DC37
Santos Crespo, Jr. – President – Local 372
COBA
CWA
Laidoff Workers Including:
Cliftonia Johnson – Former Community Associate
Regina Dudley – Former School Aide
TWU – Invited
32BJ – Invited
1199 – Invited