Ballots to vote on the new economic contract between DC37 and the City of New York were mailed to members' home addresses last week.  If you do not receive your ballot, reach out to a member of the Executive Board or send an email to local1482@gmail.com. 

The vote is being run by the American Arbitration Association, and ballots are due there no later than 9:00 am on Wednesday, August 14th.  Please mail in your ballots as soon as you can! 

It is important to follow the instructions for preparing your ballot, or it will be deemed invalid and will not count.  Voting instructions are found on the other side of the purple ballot.  Please read them carefully before marking your ballot or sealing it in the enclosed envelopes. 

We encourage members to vote 'Yes' on this agreement.  Besides providing raises totaling 7.42% over the 44 months of the contract, the contract is also notable for not including any givebacks on healthcare and promises increases in education and workplace skills training. 

If you have any questions about the contract, or the voting process, please reach out to a member of the Executive Board or send an email to local1482@gmail.com. 

There were a couple of major news stories this week you may have missed...

DC37 Reaches Tentative Agreement with the City for New Economic Contract
On June 25, DC37 reached a tentative agreement with the City on a new economic contract.  The 44-month contract provides 7.42% in wage hikes to the 100,000 members of DC 37, which includes members of Local 1482.  The previous contract expired in September, 2017.  The wage increases break down as follows: 

• Effective September 26, 2017 – 2.00%
• Effective September 26, 2018 – 2.25% compounded
• Effective October 26, 2019 – 3.0% compounded

The contract also preserves premium-free health insurance for DC37 members and retirees at least through 2021, due to negotiations with the Municipal Labor Council, which represents all the unions of all city workers.  In addition, DC37 and the City agreed to work together to opt-in to the New York Family Leave program by January, 2019.

The contract was approved by DC37 delegates.  Soon, secret ballots will be sent to all members to vote on the contract.  We'll share the dates the ballots will be distributed, and when they are due, once they are announced. 

You can read more about the contract about the contract at the DC37 website here and here.

Supreme Court Rules Against AFSCME in a 5-4 Decision in Janus vs. AFSCME Case
On Wednesday, the five justices in the majority vote of the Janus vs. AFSCME case dismantled 40 years of legal precedent by undermining public workers and their unions in favor of privileged, wealthy corporate interests.  The effects of this decision could eventually gut healthcare benefits, wages, and the ability to protect workplace health and safety of public sector workers. 

The five justices in the majority ruled that mandating agency fees for non-members is unconstitutional under the First Amendment.  Agency fees are paid by workers who choose not to belong in the union, but are represented by the union for contract bargaining, grievances, and other functions.  The court also ruled that unions must continue to represent non-members even if they opt out of paying agency fees.  This decision is designed to diminish revenue and erode membership and influence.

This article in Vox provides a solid overview on the significance of the Janus vs. AFSCME decision if you want to read more. 

You can read reaction from DC37 on the decision here and here.

Finally, if you have not yet signed a card to join or recommit to DC37, you can either reach out to a member of the Executive Board to provide you with a card, or you can sign up online on the DC37 site.  Encourage your coworkers and friends to fill out a card as well!  Our strength is in our numbers, and it will be through collective action that we can fight inequality and attacks on workers

This year's annual conference of the New York Library Association will be held in Rochester, November 7-10. 


The Library & Leadership Management Section (LAMS) of the New York Library Association is seeking candidates for two scholarships to attend NYLA’s 2018 Conference in Rochester for first time attendees. One award will be given to Directors/Branch Managers; the second is for Library Assistants/support staff. This award covers the full conference registration fee; hotel room; LAMS luncheon and $100.00 towards travel. All applicants must submit an application in the form of a letter which includes:

•  Why you wish to attend conference 
• How the experience will benefit your work 
• How you will share what you learn with co-workers and/or colleagues 
• Your professional goals 
• How attending conference will help you achieve those goals 

To apply for these scholarships, submit the application via email to Julie Dempsey at jkelsall@highlandlibrary.org by June 30, 2018 All applicants will be reviewed by the LAMS’ Scholarship Committee. The winners of these scholarships will be selected by July 31, 2018.

This would a terrific opportunity for members of Local 1482 who have never attended a NYLA conference before.  Please share this information with colleagues and friends you think may be interested!

We deeply thank the membership of Local 1482 for participating in our Day of Action on Wednesday and making it a success.  It looks like most of our work locations were represented, often with full participation.  We hope the day promoted a sense of teamwork and solidarity throughout all of the agencies represented by Local 1482. 

We've heard that numerous library visitors noticed the shirts, hats, and buttons, and asked what they were about.  Thank you for responding to their questions, and for helping to raise awareness that the city's libraries run thanks to the hard work and dedication of staff who belong to a public sector union.

Also, many thanks to members who took photos and have forwarded them to us. If you have photos, send them in!  We'll add them to the slideshow.  You can email them to local1482@gmail.com. Also send us your stories, anecdotes and impressions from the day.

As of this posting, there is still no decision issued from the Supreme Court on the Janus vs. AFSCME case.  It is expected any day now.  We encourage Local 1482 members to make a plan on how you will respond.  If you haven't already, you can sign up for action alerts from DC37.  Also, at 5:00 pm on the day of the ruling, there will be an Emergency Janus Protest/Union Power Rally is planned in Foley Square in Manhattan at 5:00 p.m. All union members--and their families and supporters--are invited.

Once again, thank you for your enthusiastic support of Local 1482's Day of Action, and for demonstrating that your union is proud and strong and ready to confront the future.

 Here we are, June 20th, Local 1482's Day of Action!

This is a day where we display solidarity towards union members everywhere simply by getting dressed for the day.  T-shirts, hats, and buttons are being delivered to all branches and work locations (Unfortunately, we were not able to obtain t-shirts for all of our members as we originally planned.  But DC37 was able to make up for it with hats and buttons).  Please wear the shirts, buttons, and hats today, demonstrate to your communities that union members keep NYC running--particularly its libraries--and that as union members we are undivided and ready to face the future together.

The Executive Board thanks all of our members for making the Day of Action a success, and we intend it to be a springboard for future actions.  Please take pictures, and share your stories with us!  You can email them to local1482@gmail.com.

Rally Planned on Date of Janus vs. AFSCME Decision
We chose June 20th for the Day of Action because it is around the time the Supreme Court is expected to issue it's decision in the Janus vs. AFSCME case, which could overturn decades of precedent and severely hobble public service unions' capacity to function.  On the day the decision is handed down, an Emergency Janus Protest/Union Power Rally is planned in Foley Square in Manhattan at 5:00 p.m.  It is being organized by the PSC (the CUNY faculty and staff union), together with NYSNA (the nurses’ union), but all union members and their family and friends are welome.

There is an event page, but please note the date is not accurate (Facebook requires inserting a date, even if it's just a placeholder).  The rally will be at 5:00 on whatever day the Janus decision is announced, rain or shine.  We encourage Local 1482 members to come out to make some noise and show that NYC will always be a union town. 

Thank you again for taking part in the Local 1482 Day of Action!

Today marks two weeks until Local 1482's Day of Action on June 20th.  For the Day of Action, we are asking that members of Local 1482 wear their green DC37 shirts to work to illustrate that our branches and work locations operate due to the commitment and hard work of union members.   Uniformed members, such as Special Officers and Custodians, will be provided with green DC37 pens to display in the front pockets of their uniforms. 

Shirts and pens will be delivered to all agencies and branches in the coming days. 

The Day of Action will also be an opportunity for members to learn about participating in union activities and events, such as shop steward training and contributing to the PEOPLE campaign.

• More information on the Day of Action can be found here. 
  
• Print out and share the Day of Action flyer.
  
• Questions? Comments? Feedback? Reach out to a member of the Executive Board or send an email to local1482@gmail.com.
  

Local 1482 calls on all of our members to take part in our Day of Action on Wednesday, June 20. The date is around the time the Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling in the Janus vs. AFSCME case, a decision which could subject public sector unions like ours to ‘right to work’ laws that could over time lower wages, strip benefits, and stifle the collective voices of workers.


On June 20th, we ask that members of Local 1482  wear a green DC37 t-shirt to work, which will be provided to you for free. Uniformed members who cannot wear the t-shirt, such as Custodians and Special Officers, should instead display a green DC37 pen in the front pockets of your uniform shirts.  

By wearing the t-shirts and pens, we as members of Local 1482 and DC37 will demonstrate visually that our branches and agencies are staffed by people who belong to a public sector union, that we are committed to retaining our ability to represent the rights and interests of our members, and that we stand in fellowship and solidarity of unionized workers nationwide.

As part of the Day of Action, Local 1482 will also provide members with information on signing up for Local 1482 Shop Steward training, contributing to PEOPLE (AFSCME’s fund to support political candidates who support and understand the needs of working families), and participating in Local 1482 events and activities.

A flyer for the Day of Action is located here.  Please print it out, display it, and share this information widely with your colleagues.  Encourage everyone to participate! Our collective power is built member-by-member, action-by-action.

If you have any questions or feedback about the Day of Action, please email us at local1482@gmail.com.  Or reach out to a member of the Executive Board.  We will also have more information and will answer questions at the General Membership Meeting on June 5th.  

We will continue to post updates about the Day of Action.  Keep an eye on this space. We'll also provide answers to your questions in the FAQ below.

Day of Action FAQ
Do I need to order a shirt (or pen) myself?  No, we have you covered!  We will provide green DC37 t-shirts for all of our members, and they will be delivered (along with pens for uniformed titles) the first week of June to your branches and work locations.

Local 1482 invites all Special Officers to a special meeting on Friday, April 13th at 6:30 pm.  It will be held at the Central Library in the Youth Wing.  This is an opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to Special Officers, your supervision, and what Local 1482 can do to help address your concerns. Come with your questions and feedback.

Please share information about this meeting with Special Officers in your work locations.

Members of Local 1482 have recently received ballots in the mail for election of its Executive Board.  The election held for these positions in December, 2017 is being re-done.  It was discovered that only 600 of 800 members received ballots in December, effectively disenfranchising 200 members from choosing its representatives on the board.  The ballots delivered in December were also a departure from how Local 1482 has held elections in the past.  Instead of being able to vote for all contested positions on the board, the ballot only permitted members to vote for board members who would represent their titles.

Both of these issues were presented and discussed at the General Membership Meeting on December 5, 2017.  The following motions were proposed and voted on by the membership in attendance. Both motions passed.

• New ballots would be mailed to  members, in effect re-running the election, so that all members have the opportunity to vote.
• While limiting members to voting for the Executive Board who represent only their titles is in accordance with the election policies of DC37 and AFSCME, the re-ballot would allow Local 1482 members to vote as it always has in the past for this election.  For future elections, members will vote by title, but the Local will be able to communicate this in advance, which it wasn't able to do with the ballot issued in December.
  

All ballots must be received in the mail to the American Arbitration Association no later than January 30th.  Please follow the instructions on the back of the ballot precisely.  Ballots that are incorrectly marked or sealed will not be counted.

If you have any questions, please reach out to a current member of the Executive Board, or send an email to local1482@gmail.com.

We are pleased to announce that Ronaldo Barber has assumed the role of President of Local 1482, Brooklyn Library Guild, effective October 18, 2017.  Mr. Barber was nominated for the position at the General Membership Meeting on October 3rd.  His nomination was unopposed, which automatically gave him the position without having to hold an election.  Like the rest of Executive Board, he would have begun his three-year term in December. 

Past President Eileen Muller retired from the library in August, but stayed on as President of Local 1482 by hand-paying her dues at DC37.

At October's Executive Board meeting on the 17th, a motion was made to allow Ms. Muller to step down immediately and allow Mr. Barber to start serving his term as President early.  It passed with a unanimous vote.

Ron is looking forward to representing the members of Local 1482.  It goes without saying that Eileen Muller will be deeply missed.  For years she has been a vocal and energetic advocate for Local 1482, DC37, libraries, and the labor movement.  Information about her retirement celebration is coming soon!

While office space for Mr. Barber is being arranged, you can contact him by calling the Professional Division of DC37 at 212-815-1040 and leaving a message.