Local 237
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Vol. 48, No. 6
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December 2014/January 2015
Our Future Begins with a Solemn Oath
uests, including many elected officials, filled Local 237’s
union hall on Jan. 17 for the
Installation Ceremony that kicked off
the next five-year term for President
Gregory Floyd and six executive
board members. James P. Hoffa, general president, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, officiated,
and George Miranda, vice president
at-large, IBT, and president, Joint
Council 16, served as master of ceremonies. The Rev. Robert Royal of St.
Paul Baptist Church delivered the
invocation.
Welcoming the guests, Miranda
highlighted Floyd’s recent accomplishments, including the successful
settlement with the city that ended
pay discrimination for school safety
agents, and emphasized, “That is the
leadership Greg Floyd is known for.”
Floyd thanked the guests for attending, and noted that this swearing-in ceremony was important in
many ways, including affirmation
that the union’s leadership is in place
for the next five years with a “strong
mandate.” He promised to continue
fighting to protect members’ jobs,
pensions, health benefits, maintain
retiree benefits, and halt the move to
privatize the New York City Housing
Authority. “The effectiveness of a
union lies with strong leadership and
a membership that’s informed and involved,” said Floyd. “I am proud to
say we have both.”
Prior to swearing in the executive
G
Hoffa, third from
left, stands with
newly sworn in
board members.
They are, from left,
Edmund Kane,
trustee; Ruben
Torres, secretarytreasurer,
President Gregory
Floyd; Richard
Hendershot, vice
president, Jeanette
Taveras and Curtis
Scott, trustees;
and Patricia
Stryker, recording
secretary.
Executive Board members are sworn in by James P. Hoffa, general president,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Below, Hoffa is flanked, from left, by
President Gregory Floyd and George Miranda, vice president at-large,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and president of Joint Council 16.
board, Hoffa congratulated them on
winning the election and settling the
wage bias lawsuit. “Everyone has to
know about it,” he said. “You brought
the thing home. Great Job!” Hoffa also
held up a copy of the December
Teamster Magazine, featuring a frontpage story on the victory. [See “SSAs
Grace Teamster Magazine Cover,”
page 3.]
Hoffa administered the oath of office to Floyd and the executive board
members: Richard Hendershot, vice
president; Ruben Torres, secretarytreasurer; Patricia Stryker, recording
secretary; Edmund Kane, trustee; Curtis Scott, trustee; and the new trustee,
Jeanette Taveras. [See “Taveras Promoted to Trustee,” page 3.]
Hands held up, board members
promised “Upon my honor, that I will
truly and faithfully, to the best of my
ability, perform the duties of my office, for the ensuing term, as prescribed in the Constitution and Bylaws of this union.” In addition, they
promised to “promote harmony and
preserve the dignity of its sessions.”
Among the special guests were
Sgt. First Class Luis Laluz, a Legion of
Merit recipient and officer of the Taxi
& Limousine Commission, who recited the pledge of allegiance. Laluz has
served in the U.S. Army for over 40
years and has participated in three
major campaigns. In 2008, he was deployed to Iraq where he spent 15
Continued on page 10
2
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
Local 237 Member Services
UNION HEADQUARTERS
212-924-2000
216 West 14th Street
New York, NY 10011-7296
LOCAL 237 DIVISIONS
CITYWIDE DIVISION, 2nd Fl.
212-924-2000
Donald Arnold, Director
Derek Jackson, Director,
Law Enforcement Unit
Randy Klein, Assistant Director
HOUSING DIVISION, 2nd Fl.
212-924-2000
Remilda Ferguson, Director
Brooklyn, Queens & Staten
Island
James Giocastro,
Deputy Director
LONG ISLAND DIVISION
631-851-9800
1727 Veterans Memorial
Highway
Suite 308
Islandia, NY 11749
John Burns, Director
Benedict Carenza,
Deputy Director
Long Island Welfare Fund:
For information on the various
funds call 800-962-1145
EXECUTIVE OFFICES, 5th Fl.
212-924-2000
Gregory Floyd, President
Richard Hendershot,
Vice President
Ruben Torres,
Secretary-Treasurer
PERSONNEL, 5th Fl.
212-924-2000
Edmund Kane, Director and
Chief Negotiator
POLITICAL ACTION &
LEGISLATION, 5th Fl.
212-924-2000
Local 237 protects members’
rights by helping to sponsor legislation that is important to members, and by opposing initiatives
that would hurt members.
Patricia Stryker, Director
GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINARY
PROBLEMS, 6th Fl.
212-924-2000
For grievances and job related
problems, first contact your shop
steward and/or grievance representative. If they can’t resolve the
issue, contact your business agent.
Mal Patterson, Director of
Grievances and Hearings
Al Soto, Director,
RETIREE DIVISION, 8th Fl.
212-807-0555
Special Hearings
Provides a variety of pre- and post- Todd Rubinstein, Esq.
retirement services, including penGrievance Coordinator
sion and health insurance counsel- Debbie Coleman, Esq.
ing to members. (Pension counGrievance Coordinator
seling by appointment, Thursdays
CIVIL
SERVICE BAR ASSN
only). General retirement counsel6th
Fl.,
212-675-0519
ing and retirement planning series
Saul Fishman, President
during spring and fall.
Aldona Vaiciunas,
Nancy B. True, Director
Office Administrator and
LOCAL 237 DEPARTMENTS
Grievance Coordinator
(Citywide and Housing)
John Picucci, Esq.,
SKILLED TRADES, 2nd Fl.
Grievance Representative
212-924-2000
CSBA Welfare Fund
Donald Arnold, Director
Alicare 866-647-4617
HEALTH AND SAFETY, 2nd Fl.
COMMUNICATIONS, 8th Fl.
212-924-2000
212-924-2000
Donald Arnold, Director
Tania M. Lambert, Editor
Diane Stein, Coordinator
Local 237 Newsline
MEMBERSHIP, 2nd Fl.
Website: www.local237.org
212-924-2000
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Provides membership services
8th Fl.
and records, including address
212-807-0550
changes.
Provides a variety of training and
Laverne White,
educational advancement opporAdministrative Manager
tunities for members.
WELFARE FUND, 3rd Fl.
Bertha Aiken, Director
212-924-7220
LEGAL SERVICES, 4th Fl.
212-924-1220
Lawyers advise and represent
members on covered personal
legal problems, including domestic relations (family court proceedings, divorce and separation),
purchase and sale of a primary
residence, wills, adoptions, credit
and consumer problems, tenant
rights and bankruptcies.
Office Hours:
Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mary Sheridan Esq., Director
Kenneth Perry Esq.,
Deputy Director
USEFUL NUMBERS
FOR PRE-RETIREES
NYCERS (New York City
Employees Retirement System)
By Mail: 335 Adams St., Suite
2300, Brooklyn, NY 11201-3751
In Person: 340 Jay Street,
Mezzanine, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Gen’l Information: 347-643-3000
Outside NYC toll-free:
877-6NYCERS
NYCERS Internet
www.nyclink.org/html/nycers
NYC Department of Education
Retirement System
65 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-5400
Social Security Administration
800-772-1213
NY State and Local Retirement
Systems
518-474-7736
Protecting the Protectors is Critical
To Our Safety
S
hortly after the execution-style murder
of two New York Police Department officers while sitting in their patrol car in
Brooklyn in December, two more NYPD officers were shot and wounded in the Bronx
while investigating a robbery. Such incidents
are not unique to New York; they are occurring in cities and towns across the United
States. It is evident that we must take steps to
increase the safety of our police officers as
well as repair the broken relationship with
the constituents they serve.
First and foremost, I would like to thank
the NYPD for their tireless commitment to
preserving public safety for our children, family, friends, workers and visitors to our great
city. Your efforts allow New York to continue
thriving and maintain its position as a hub for
new business, creativity, and a welcoming
home for citizens of the world. From keeping
our youths safe by monitoring schools to
being the first responders at a crime scene,
the responsibilities and devotion to our city
of New York’s Finest cannot be understated.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families
of Police Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian
Liu during such a difficult time.
The tragedy of fallen officers Ramos and
Liu has cast a dark shadow over New York in
recent weeks and has prompted new efforts to
increase the safety of our courageous police
officers, who deserve the utmost protection
from City Hall. This includes sufficient equipment and staffing to deal with the dangerous
situations they come across. Situations like
the encounter officers Andrew Dossi and Aliro
Pellerano had while investigating a robbery in
the Bronx on January 5, which resulted in
both officers being shot and wounded, are a
frightening reality for all of our police officers.
I am hopeful our leadership in City Hall will
continue to take necessary steps to ensure the
safety of police officers in the line of duty.
In light of such apprehensive times, I urge
our leadership, particularly Mayor de Blasio,
to work together with other officials to improve conditions for our police officers. As the
mayor stated, “Let us move
forward by strengthening the
bonds that unite us, and let
us work together to attain
peace.” I challenge officials
to not only work together,
but to make every effort to
unite all New Yorkers on
this mission of peace, for
this is the only means to reduce the tensions that are
significantly threatening to
destabilize our beloved city.
Councilman Robert Cornegy,
whose district is the one
where the attack on officers
Ramos and Liu took place,
should be commended for
his leadership in forging relationships between the
community and the officers who protect it.
The issue surrounding the volatile atmosphere between the NYPD and the citizens of
New York City is a complex one and requires
multifaceted solutions. Most importantly, officials must remain calm and level-headed in
working toward a resolution. This is the only
way elected officials, police union leaders,
and NYPD officials will be able to foster patient and constructive dialogue. As history has
proven, cooler heads always prevail. Antagonism only serves to exacerbate the situation.
Our police officers must feel supported
not only by local elected officials but by all
New Yorkers. In a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, as of November 2014 only
54 percent of New Yorkers, compared with 70
percent in January 2013, approve of the way
the NYPD officers are doing their job. Moreover, there is a noticeable breach between the
police and communities of color, which is apparent not only in New York City, but in
urban areas throughout the country. In the
same poll, only 34 percent of African Americans and 43 percent of Hispanics approve of
the way police officers are doing their job.
This is detrimental to both the officers and
the constituents they serve. By building closer
bonds between police officers and the citizens
of New York we can increase public safety as
well as the safety of our officers.
It is evident that a rift between the NYPD
and New Yorkers has surfaced in recent
months, one that must be mended by officials, police officers, and New Yorkers alike.
In times like these the people need strong and
proactive leadership from City Hall. Let us
honor our fallen officers by standing with the
NYPD during such a crucial and uncertain
time. As Mayor de Blasio said, the recent tragic events are “another reminder of how profoundly important the work of our police officers is, as well as the seriousness of the dangers they face every day in the line of duty.”
It is critical that we support the men and
women who protect us and risk their lives
daily with the goal of keeping our city safe.
Carlos Bernales
The Fund administers the eligibility, enrollment, disability,
optical and death benefits
directly by the Fund’s in-house
staff, as well as prescription
and dental programs indirectly.
Mitchell Goldberg, Director
A Message From
The President
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
3
SSAs Grace Teamster Magazine Cover
The front page of the December
Teamster Magazine, a national publication of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, features a fullpage color photograph of school
safety agents joined by President
Gregory Floyd. The main article describes the long process from 2010
to 2014, by which school safety
agents and Local 237 achieved the
historic gender-equity settlement.
The article, also featured on
www.teamster.org, gives a thorough
account of the complex legal procedures, organizing, and coalition
building — against daunting odds
— to successfully bring their pay to
full parity.
The article also notes that the
Teamster victory “goes beyond city
Taveras Promoted to Trustee
Extending a dynasty at Local
237, Jeanette I. Taveras brings a history of dedicated service, experience
and activism to her new role as
trustee. A Citywide Division business agent since 2013, Taveras is a
strong asset to the executive board.
Taveras, is the daughter of
Frances and Melanio “Manny” Cuebas Jr., who became the first Latino
secretary-treasurer for
Local 237 in 1992. He
rose through the ranks
from Housing Authority
caretaker to business
agent and trustee. Retired from work, he remains active in the
union, and a source of
pride and inspiration,
says his daughter.
With 30 years of service, Taveras
began her career as a school safety officer with the then NYC Board of Education Office of School Safety. After
the New York Police Department
merger in 1996 she returned to a restructured Department of Education
in 2000 to resume her work as an administrative sergeant, for the Office
of Safety and Youth Development,
the Gang Prevention Unit, and
School Support Unit. She also served
as a shop steward for five years, and
as a grievance representative for educational facilities officers.
Outreach is her specialty. She
conducted workshops in schools,
communities, and other agencies to
provide gang prevention and inter-
vention training. She also conducted
the “Choices Program” to teach children, in grades 1 to 12, how to resist
gang pressure, bullying and cyber
bullying. She was a recipient of Local
237’s President’s Award in 2009.
A native New Yorker, Taveras
completed the leadership course at
the New York State AFL-CIO Cornell Union Leadership Institute. She
has an Associate Degree
in Business Administration from Kingsborough
Community College and
plans to pursue a degree
in labor studies.
Taveras and her husband, Geraldo Taveras,
celebrated their 25th
wedding anniversary in
2012. Her husband is a
supervisor at Jacob Javits Center
where he was formerly a Local 237
shop steward for housekeepers.
They have one child, Geraldo M.
Taveras, Jr., a graduate of Union
County Community College.
“I have a passion to help people
since high school when I initiated the
first walkout,” recalls Taveras. The
walkout at John Jay High School was
staged to protest the rape of a student
in a poorly lit staircase of the school.
“That’s when I met my first school
safety agent, outside the school with
the media,” recalls Taveras. “He told
me ‘You’re going to become a union
rep like your father.’” She has indeed
followed closely in his highly esteemed footsteps.
NEWSLINE
216 West 14 St., New York, NY 10011
212-924-2000
Website: www.local237.org
e-mail Newsline: [email protected]
President
Vice President
Edmund Kane
Trustee
Ruben Torres
Patricia Stryker
Secretary-Treasurer Recording Secretary
Jeanette Taveras
Trustee
Curtis Scott
Newsline and www.local237.org
Trustee
Tania M. Lambert
Editor
IF YOU MOVE – Please send your change of address in writing to Membership
to insure that you continue receiving your newspaper.
Metro NY
Labor
Communications
Council
Mayor de Blasio selected Local 237 President Gregory Floyd to the 101member 2016 Democratic National Convention host committee. The main
task for the team will be to raise $100 million to put on the major political
event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2016. Among the powerful New
Yorkers named to the team are JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs head Lloyd Blankfein and CBS president Les Moonves.
ON AIR
Reaching Out With Gregory Floyd
“Reaching Out With Gregory
Floyd,” Local 237’s cable television
and radio public affairs program airs
8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on AM 970 “The
Answer” on the first and second Saturday of each month, and is also carried on New York City and Long Island cable TV systems.
“Reaching Out” features Floyd in
Greg Floyd with Scott Stringer.
conversation with leading government and elected officials, union leaders and Local 237 members, discussing
the key issues that impact all who live and work in New York and Long Island.
Recent guests included City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Congressman
Peter King of Long Island, and City
Council members Laurie Cumbo and
Robert Cornegy, both of Brooklyn.
Stay tuned for upcoming guests
including U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and David R. Jones, president
of the Community Service Society.
Floyd with Peter King.
Local 237: On the Air
Local 237 Newsline (USPS 700-000 ISSN 1083-3536) is published bimonthly by Local 237,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 216 West 14 Street, New York, NY 10011.
Periodical postage paid at New York, NY. Postmaster: Send address changes to
Local 237 Newsline, 216 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10011.
Gregory Floyd Richard Hendershot
Floyd Named to DNC Host Committee
See video excerpts of “Reaching Out With Greg Floyd” on Local 237’s
website at www.local237.org/videos. The complete programs air on the
NYC cable TV systems and Cablevision Long Island systems listed below.
Local 237
Executive Board
limits.” New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo has pointed to the
school safety agents’ equal pay settlement as a standard for the
Women’s Equality Act. The law
would close a loophole in the state’s
equal pay law that allows employers
to justify paying lower wages to female employees.
“Many women in the work force
are nonunion and don’t have a union
like Local 237 to fight on their behalf.
That’s why Governor Cuomo recognizes the need for broader legislation,
because it shouldn’t take huge lawsuits to win equal pay for women,”
Floyd was quoted as saying.
STATEN ISLAND COMMUNITY
TELEVISION (CTV):
Time Warner Ch.34 & Verizon Ch.34
Wednesdays, 7 p.m.
Fridays, 6 p.m.
BRONXNET:
Cablevision Ch. 67 & Verizon Ch. 33
Tuesdays, 7 p.m.
Program repeats: Mondays, 8:30
a.m. & 3 p.m.; Tuesdays, Saturdays
and Sundays, 8:30 a.m.; Sundays,
9:30 p.m.
MANHATTAN NEIGHBORHOOD
NETWORK (MNN):
Time Warner Ch. 34, RCN Ch. 82
& Verizon Ch. 33
Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m.
BROOKLYN COMMUNITY
ACCESS (BCAT):
Time Warner Ch. 35, Cablevision
Ch. 68, Verizon Ch. 43, & RCN Ch. 83
Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m.
QUEENS PUBLIC TELEVISION
(QPTV):
Time Warner Ch.34 & 1995, Verizon
FiOS Ch. 34, and RCN Ch. 82
Thursdays 9:30 p.m.
Saturdays 1:30 p.m.
LONG ISLAND CABLEVISION:
Hauppague System Ch. 20
Fridays at 7 a.m.
Woodbury System Ch. 115
Fridays 7:30 p.m.
4
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
All in a Day’s Work for SSAs and CPOs
School Safety
Agent José Garcia
displays his award
as his family and
Assistant Chief
Brian J. Conroy,
executive officer,
School Safety
Division, look on.
Assaulted SSA Garcia
Recognized
School Safety Agent José Garcia,
accompanied by a parent coordinator and a dean, responded to an altercation in Stairwell B between the
5th and 6th floors of Humanities
H.S. in Manhattan at noon on Dec.
5. They found a student from Landmark H.S. fighting with a student
from Humanities. Both schools are
located in the Bayard Rustin Educational Campus.
While breaking up the fight,
Garcia was stabbed in the lower left
leg with a folding knife and taken to
Bellevue Hospital where he was
treated and released. The dean injured his knee and four students
were injured, including the Landmark H.S. student, who was arrested for assault. Three students were
taken to Bellevue Hospital with
minor lacerations.
Interviews with the injured students suggest that the incident was
triggered by one student accidentally bumping into another on the
staircase. Humanities is not a scanning location.
Garcia was recognized for his
courageous service with a Chief Appreciation Award presented by As-
sistant Chief Brian J. Conroy, executive officer, School Safety Division.
Two Students Stabbed
In a separate incident, two
teenagers were stabbed inside Clara
Barton H.S. in Prospect Heights at
about 9:15 a.m. on Nov. 20. The
male victims, ages 16 and 17, were
rushed to Kings County Hospital in
Floyd Testifies at Hearing on NYCHA Lighting
President Gregory Floyd testified at a City Council oversight hearing on the relationship between
lighting and safety at New York City
Housing Authority in the wake of
the Akai Gurley shooting. The hearing was held on Dec. 16.
Speaking before City Council
members Ritchie Torres, chair of the
Public Housing Committee, and
Vanessa Gibson, chair of the Public
Safety Committee, Floyd, joined by
David Jones, president and CEO of
the Community Service Society
(CSS), and Victor Bach, senior housing policy analyst, CSS, emphasized
several lighting issues.
“Regrettably,” said Floyd, “It
took the recent death of a young
man, Akai Gurley, at the Pink Houses to shine more than just a light on
an unlit staircase.” He noted that
NYCHA, with more than 500,000
residents, is the biggest landlord in
the city, but is federally underfunded. “We can make all the suggestions we want, said Floyd, “but
money is still the key factor.
NYCHA must receive greater help
from Washington.” He also said
NYCHA should upgrade its lighting
with tamper-proof fixtures. No
NYCHA buildings currently have
them.
Residents are not the only ones
who suffer because of broken lights.
Local 237 has about 8,000 members
working at NYCHA; one third of
them are residents as well. “Our elevator mechanics, for example, told
me and NYCHA representatives at a
labor-management meeting that
they have been approached while
working on a roof by police officers
with guns drawn,” said Floyd, who
called for better coordination with
the police department to help ensure that when skilled trades or
other NYCHA workers are working
on the roof, their presence is known.
President
Gregory Floyd is
joined at City
Council by David
Jones, president
and CEO of
Community
Service Society,
center, and
Victor Bach, senior housing policy analyst, CSS.
stable condition. The 16-year-old
was stabbed once in the abdomen,
and the older victim was slashed in
the right shoulder and hand. Both
teens refused to tell police what
happened, according to the Daily
News.
Campus Peace Officers
to the Rescue
Campus Security Assistant Mohammed Kamal reported to his superiors that a man collapsed at the
entrance of the C Building of LaGuardia Community College, in
Long Island City, at noon on Dec. 16.
Sgt. Richard Larreategui and Campus Peace Officer George Rodriguez
rushed to the scene where Rodriguez checked the man’s pulse
and found it was weak. Larreategui
called EMS and assigned CSA
Devon Tomlin to bring the automatic external defibrillator (AED).
Two police officers also arrived
and helped the CPOs administer the
AED and CPR. When EMS arrived,
they assumed medical control and
transported the patient, a LaGuardia
faculty member, to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, where he survived.
In addition to the first responders, James Grantham, director of
Public Safety at LaGuardia credited
CPOs Frank Antwi and Elijah Evelyn for providing crowd and traffic
control and said that the college’s
Public Safety Department assisted
in notifying the patient’s wife and
securing his personal belongings.
NYCHA Stalls at Opening of Contract Talks
Breaking with tradition, Shola
Olatoye, chair and chief executive
of the New York City Housing Authority, did not attend the first contract negotiation meeting held at
Local 237 on Dec. 10. Also, management did not present any proposals.
Instead, City Labor Commissioner
Bob Linn asked the committee to
“push the reset button” on union
management relations, and General
Manager George House walked the
committee through NYCHA’s poor
financial condition.
On learning that NYCHA failed in
its attempt to secure additional state
funding, Floyd responded, “Why didn’t you ask for our help in getting it
through the State Senate? We have
connections and influence in Albany
that could have made the difference.”
Local 237 has been instrumental in
obtaining additional Federal and
State funding for NYCHA.
Floyd made it clear that the
union would accept nothing less
than the city pattern, and said he
would not consider any schedule
changes without commensurate pay.
Days before the first contract talks,
Olatoye had told the Daily News
that concessions from Local 237
were needed, including round-the-
clock staffing with no premium pay.
Local 237 Attorney Susan Davis
noted that workers have gone too
long without raises while the cost of
living increases every year. The next
contract talks are expected to continue in late January.
Floyd reminded negotiation
committee members that they will
receive retroactive pay once an
agreement is ratified, and encouraged them to wait for a fair contract and not settle quickly for a
bad deal.
Skilled Trades Negotiations Begin
The first Skilled Trades negotiation meeting was held at the Office
of Labor Relations on December 15. Attending the session were representatives of the city, NYCHA, workers from all seven 220 titles and
Local 237 staff and leaders. No specific proposals were exchanged but
bargaining sessions will be convened for specific titles.
The city spoke in general terms about the city pattern, which provides a 10 percent raise over seven years. Future negotiations will focus
on raises, pension contributions, Health and Welfare Fund contributions
and annuities for each title. Health benefit contributions have been negotiated by the Municipal Labor Coalition (MLC), so there will be no
health benefit cost increases over the next seven years since savings
have been realized.
During a union caucus, Local 237 Attorney Marty Glennon explained that the union is waiting for the City Comptroller’s determination of comparable private-sector pay and benefits for each of the seven
skilled trades titles that Local 237 represents. The union requested the
determinations in 2012. Once the union receives these determinations,
each title’s committee will compare the outside rate to the city pattern
and determine which is the most beneficial to members.
Other contract provisions, such as changes to work rules, are determined by either Citywide or Housing authority contracts. The Citywide
contract was ratified in September.
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
5
The Political Scene
Obama: ‘We Can Do This’
In his first State of the Union address before a Republican-controlled Congress, and his sixth as
president of the United States,
Barack Obama claimed credit for a
growing economy and called for cooperation in advancing policies to
help restore the struggling middle
class.
“We need to do more than do no
harm,” said Obama, “and restore the
link between hard work and growing opportunities for every American.” Calling for more ways to help
families get ahead, Obama recited a
litany of measures, including raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans to pay for expanded tax credits
for child care, which he called “a
national economic priority.” He also
called for establishing a seven-day
sick leave, higher wages, and fair
wages for women, as well as
strengthening unions “to give workers a voice.”
Stating that “Americans are
priced out of education,” Obama
called for lowering the price of community colleges “to zero.” He also
noted that 21st Century businesses
need an infrastructure plan to create
jobs, and vowed to protect a free and
open Internet, among other initiatives. “We can do this,” said Obama,
using the refrain several times
throughout his speech.
Conceding that the issue is
“how to pay for improvements,”
Obama called for closing tax loopholes and rewarding companies
that invest in the United States.
“We can achieve that together in
this new economy,” said a confident Obama.
Associated Press
President Obama making a key point during his State of the Union message.
Defining his first duty as defending the United States, Obama
called on Congress to authorize the
use of military force “to degrade and
destroy” the Islamic State in Iraq
and Syria (ISIS).
Cuomo Combines Annual Address with Budget Plan
Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered the first joint State of the State
and budget address on Jan. 21, as a result of delays related to the death of
his father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo,
on New Year’s Day. [See “Remembering New York Trailblazers” on page 9.]
Leading with an upbeat report,
Cuomo emphasized that New York
State has recovered economically
with the highest credit ratings in 40
years and the lowest taxes in 50 years.
Unemployment is down to 5.9 percent from 8.9 percent in 2010. “It’s
about making life better for people,”
said Cuomo, who was sworn in to his
second term on New Year’s Day just
hours before his father died.
Calling his plan the 2015 Opportunity Agenda, Cuomo said, “The New
York that we brought you for the last
four years is the New York we’re going
to keep bringing you.” He plans to
keep taxes down to attract business,
and seek property tax relief for homeowners and renters. He also called for
Nathaniel Brooks for the New York Times
Governor Cuomo delivering his State of the State message.
investments in infrastructure, including an air train to connect LaGuardia
airport to the subway and the Long Island Rail Road.
Among key opportunities for the
disadvantaged, Cuomo called for raising the minimum wage to $11.50 in
New York City and $10.50 in the rest of
Floyd to Council: ‘Bag the Tax’
President Gregory Floyd stated
Local 237’s opposition to a proposed
ordinance before the City Council in
November that would require a minimum 10-cent citywide tax on paper
and plastic grocery bags.
“We stand in opposition to Intro
209, that would charge a fee on plastic and paper retail bags distributed
to consumers in New York City
stores. We believe this legislation
would lead to irreparable harm to
the unionized plastic-bag manufacturing industry in New York City in
favor of reusable bags that are made
overseas,” said Floyd in a statement.
“Local 237 recognizes the importance of eliminating pollution
and protecting the environment, but
it makes no sense to create a tax that
benefits retailers and penalizes consumers. As written, Intro. 209 is a
regressive tax. Any revenue from
such a tax should benefit the people
hardest hit by earmarking the funds
for improvements to public services
and housing.”
Local 237 joins a coalition of organizations to prevent the bill from
passing, including The Black Leadership Action Coalition, the Bodega
Association, The Safety Net Project
of the Urban Justice Center, the HipHop Summit Youth Council and the
American Progressive Bag Alliance,
which promote recycling education
programs as an alternative to the regressive tax.
For more information visit
www.BagtheTaxNYC.com.
the state. The current minimum wage
is $8.75 and is scheduled to rise to $9
by the end of the year. “If you’re a fulltime worker, you should be able to pay
the rent and buy food and not live in
poverty,” said Cuomo.
The 2015 Opportunity Agenda includes increasing the homeless budget 20 percent; investing $486 million
to expand affordable housing; helping
graduates with high debt who earn
less than $50,000 a year; passing the
Dream Act to aid undocumented students; and expanding universal prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year olds.
Claiming to have closed more prisons than at any time in history, Cuomo
said he will seek to reform the criminal
justice system to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction in New York State,
which is one of only two states where
16-year olds are treated as adults.
New initiatives and investments
will be funded from the normal state
budget plus $5.4 billion in settlement
funds.
A New Day for the Teamsters
The International Brotherhood
of Teamsters announced, on Jan. 14,
that it entered into an agreement
with the United States, represented
by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, whereby
the U.S., upon order from the court,
will dismiss its action against the
union and end decades of government oversight over the Teamsters
Union.
The Teamsters and the U.S. Attorney filed an application with
Chief Judge Loretta Preska requesting that she approve an agreement
to end the consent decree. She is expected to approve the agreement.
“This is a historic day for our
Teamsters,” said James P. Hoffa, general president, in an official statement to the 1.4 million members of
the union. “After decades of hard
work and millions of dollars spent,
we can finally say that corrupt ele-
ments have been driven from the
Teamsters and that the government
oversight can come to an end.
“In 1989, the Teamsters Union
settled a court case brought by the
U.S. government by agreeing to a
consent decree. The purpose of the
consent decree was to remove corrupt influences from the Teamsters
by establishing direct elections of
International officers and establishing an independent disciplinary
process for rooting out corrupt elements in our union.
“When I took office in 1999, I
pledged that we would run a clean
union, that organized crime would
never have a place in the Teamsters
Union. I also promised that we
would ensure that every rank-andfile Teamster have a direct voice in
electing the union’s international officers. After 15 years, we have accomplished these goals.”
6
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
Celebrating Italian H
ocal 237’s annual celebration of Italian Heritage
Month on Oct. 24 focused on Italian music, from
opera to Sinatra. From 16th Century Florence, where
the first opera was performed, to 21st Century concert halls,
where Frank Sinatra classics still rouse audiences, Italian
music, like its food and fine arts, has had a significant
impact in America.
Descendants of Italy, who are outstanding Local 237
members, were also celebrated with President’s Awards.
Carl Delli-Bovi, Housing Division; Christina Sorrento and
Anthony Abbate, Citywide Division; and Gregory Vaccaro
of the Long Island Division were presented with awards
by President Gregory Floyd, who also presented State Sen.
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., with a Golden Teamster Award for
his support of city workers over the years. “We work together to do the right thing,” said Addabbo.
Emcee Buddy Mantia introduced opera singer Anthony
Tolve, back by popular demand, and performed Sinatra classics with Delaura and the Rat Pack Band.
L
President Gregory Floyd and State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo
shake hands.
Presidentʼs Award Honoree Anthony Abbate, Citywide
Division, is joined by an admirer.
Emcee Buddy Mentia poses with Nancy B. True, event coordinator
and director of the Retiree Division.
Anthony Tolve sings opera standards.
Delaur
Presidentʼs Award Honoree Carl D
standing in the back.
Heritage & La Musica
ra, inset, and the Rat Pack band perform Italian American hits.
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
Christina Sorrento, Citywide Division, is presented with a Presidentʼs
Award by President Gregory Floyd.
Photos by Pat Arniow
Above, School Safety
Agent L3 Terence Elmore
and his son are in the
house.
Right, School Safety
Agent L3 Ernesto Luis
Rodriguez dances with a
little guest.
Delli-Bovi, Housing Division, is joined by his fan club, including Trustee Curtis Scott,
Presidentʼs Award Honoree Gregory Vaccaro, Long Island Division, is
congratulated, from left, by Andrew Viegas, business agent; Ben
Carenza, deputy director; and Richard Hendershot, vice president.
7
8
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
LONG ISLAND
REPORT
Brentwood School District
Above, Bill Bakunas, a retired maintenance mechanic 3, displays
his plaque as Business Agent Arthur Wright and co-workers at the
Brentwood School District look on. Barkunas retired with more than
35 years of service.
Upper right, Julio Ruiz, a retired driver-messenger for the Brentwood School District, displays his plaque and is congratulated, from
left, by Chris Robles, groundsman 2; Arthur Wright, business agent;
and Mike Marsden, groundsman 2 and shop steward for Grounds. Ruiz
retired with more than 40 years of service.
Right, Joe Giambrone, head custodian of the administration building of the Brentwood School District, is greeted by Business Agent
Arthur Wright. Giambrone has 12 years of service with the district.
Syosset Library Custodians
The work of
custodians is never
done, but visitors to
the Syosset Library
will never know that
because the facilities
and grounds are kept
sparkling clean by
these Local 237
Teamsters.
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
Added to the Roster of Retirees
Keeping the Faith
John Hamilton, a retired
supervisor of stock workers,
Level 3, holds his retirement plaque and is joined,
from left, by Patricia Stryker, recording secretary;
Randy Klein, assistant director, Citywide Division,
and Edmund Kane, trustee.
Hamilton, who retired with 28 years of service at Bellevue Hospital Center, said he plans to continue his ministry at Church of Christ
in Brooklyn, where he resides.
“It was a challenge and a privilege to work at HHC and be supported by Local 237,” said Hamilton, who is married with two sons,
two daughters and 10 grandchildren. “I will cherish those years.”
9
Floyd Salutes the Boy Scouts
President Gregory Floyd served
as the Master of Ceremonies for the
Boy Scouts of Greater New York’s
29th annual “Salute to Labor”
luncheon held in November. The
event raised $90,000 to support the
efforts of the Boy Scouts, who make
a positive difference in the lives of
thousands of youth and their families.
Floyd was also a co-chairman of
the event, along with Vincent Al-
varez, president of the New York
City Central Labor Council; Bruce
Both, president of the United Food
and Commercial Workers, Local
1500; James Claffey Jr., president of
the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 1;
Michael Mulgrew, president of the
United Federation of Teachers, and
Garry LaBarbera, president of the
Building and Construction Trades
Council of Greater New York.
California Dreaming
Michael Friscia retired with 26 years of service
at the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The former
lieutenant and veteran TLC enforcement officer,
lives in Brooklyn and has two daughters, two granddaughters and a grandson. He plans to do some traveling with stops in California and along the West
Coast.
The Honeymooner
Camille Fuentes, a retired
Coney Island Hospital police
sergeant, is presented with her
retirement plaque by Citywide
Division
Business
Agent
Dwayne Montgomery as, from
left, Assistant Director Randy
Klein and Hospital Police Director Deborah Iemmiti look on.
Fuentes, who recently married and changed her surname to Hall,
retired with 33 years of service on December 12. She also worked at
Kings County Hospital.
Gone Fishin’
Jerelyn Dawson displays
her retirement plaque and is
joined, from left, by Al Soto,
director, Special Hearings,
and Edmund Kane, Trustee.
Dawson, a former sergeant, retired from Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan
with 35 years of service.
The Bronx resident is married to George Dawson, a retired maintenance worker who worked at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx. Dawson
said she met her husband of 32 years at the hospital police training
academy. The couple have five daughters, one son, and four grandchildren. They plan to go fishing a lot.
Grateful Grandpa
Rafael Astacio, a retired supervisor of stock workers, Level
2, holds his retirement plaque
and is flanked, from left, by Edmund Kane, trustee, George
Wade, Citywide business agent,
and Ruben Torres, secretarytreasurer.
Astacio retired from the
Sanitation Department’s automotive parts department with
26 years of service. “It was truly my honor to serve this illustrious City
of New York,” said Astacio, a Queens resident, who is married 42 years
and has three sons and a daughter. “I thank God to be retired and be
able to spend time with my six grandchildren.”
Scouts of New York City flank honorees Christina Hajagos-Clausen with her son,
center, and Anthony Wells, second from right, as Master of Ceremonies Gregory
Floyd looks on.
CONDOLENCES TO...
...PRESIDENT GREGORY FLOYD and his family on the
death of his sister, Cheryl D. Perry, on Dec. 24, at age
44. Perry, the youngest of Floyd’s siblings, worked as
a Court Reporter for the New York State Criminal
Courts and was a certified Notary Public.
Perry was predeceased by her husband, Pastor La’Mon C. Perry, and father, Willie Floyd, a former hospital police captain. She is survived by her children Jasmine and La’Mon, her mother, Virginia Floyd, and her
three brothers, Gregory, Reginald and Dwayne Floyd.
The funeral service was held January 2, at The Greater Bibleway Temple in Brooklyn.
•••
…the families of NEW YORK POLICE OFFICERS RAFAEL RAMOS and WENJIAN
LIU, who were murdered while on duty in their patrol car on Dec. 20.
Ramos was a former school safety agent from 2009 to 2012 at the Rocco
Laurie School on Staten Island, which is named for an officer who was
murdered along with his partner in a similar shooting in 1972. Ramos,
who was 40 years old, is survived by his wife, Maritza, and sons Jaden
and Justin. Liu is survived by his wife and other relatives who came from
China for his funeral.
•••
…SCHOOL SAFETY AGENT MARIEL DEJESUS of the Bronx East Command, on
the death of her sister, Sonia Hernandez. The funeral service was held in
the Bronx on Jan. 8.
•••
…SSA REOSITA PROVIDENCE of I.S. 227 in the 62nd Precinct, on the death
of her mother, Alician Theresa Chambers. The funeral service was held
Jan. 9 in Brooklyn.
Remembering New York Trailblazers
MARIO CUOMO, former governor of New York State, died on New
Year’s Day at age 82. A great orator and humanist, Cuomo declined the
Democratic nomination for U.S. President in 1988 and 1992. He served
as the 52nd Governor of New York for three terms from 1983 to 1994, and
also served as Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State of New York.
Cuomo is survived by his wife Matilda and five children, including
Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York State.
•••
HERMAN BADILLO, New York City’s first Latino congressman and
Bronx Borough President, died Dec. 3, 2014, at age 85. Born in Puerto
Rico, Badillo came to New York as a poor, orphaned child and became a
famous politician who championed civil rights, jobs, housing, and education reforms. He served as deputy mayor under Ed Koch and ran unsuccessfully for mayor six times between 1969 and 2001.
10
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
New Executive Board Is Sworn In
Continued from page 1
months. Most recently he served with
the 305th Engineer Detachment at
Fort Wadsworth, N.Y.
Elected officials attending included U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, Congressmen Jerrold Nadler and Gregory
Meeks, State Senator Andrea StewartCousins, Assemblyman Keith Wright,
New York City Council Speaker
Melissa Mark-Viverito, Public Advocate Letitia James, Councilman Daneek Miller, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough
President Gail Brewer and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz. Also in
attendance were Mario Cilento, president of the New York State AFL-CIO,
and Vincent Alvarez, president of the
New York City Central Labor Council.
Addressing the guests, Sen.
Schumer said that income inequality
was the biggest issue facing American
workers, and emphasized that “Only
the union movement can bring back
the middle class.” He praised labor
movement leaders, such as Floyd,
who led the fight against privatizing
the city’s hospital police and the New
York City Housing Authority.
Schumer was instrumental in attaining federal funding for NYCHA and is
a long-term ally in the continuing
fight to save public housing.
“This union represents a labor
force that makes life better for each
resident of this city,” said Council
Speaker Mark-Viverito. “You reflect
what we aspire to.”
Vincent Alvarez, president of the New York City Central Labor Council, speaks
with Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York City Council speaker.
Promotions & Raises
Jeannette Taveras was promoted to trustee of Teamsters Local 237.
Her salary will be $2,396 per week ($124,592 per year). Her monthly auto
allowance is $750 per month ($9,000 per year). She will also receive an
American Express card and gas credit card.
•
Separately, a motion was passed to provide Welfare Fund benefits to
business agents on release time whose employers do not provide Welfare
Fund benefits.
Seated in the front row of the audience are, from left, Letitia James, public advocate, Natasha Torres, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.
Above, members of the
Executive Board listen to
speaker James P. Hoffa,
right, general president,
International Brotherhood
of Teamsters, who displays the December issue
of Teamster Magazine.
Time to Apply for Hoffa Scholarship
Applications for the James R. Hoffa
Memorial Scholarship Fund are available
at Local 237 for high school seniors who
are children of, or dependents of, Teamster Members, and who will be graduating
in 2015.
Completed applications must be submitted by March 31, 2015.
For more information, and to get an
application for your child, call Local 237’s
Education Department at 212-807-0550.
Prepare Before You Apply for
A Civil Service Exam
Local 237’s Education and Training Department has received numerous calls from members who were disqualified for civil service promotions by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services
(DCAS). Unfortunately, DCAS has denied candidates’ appeals because
they failed to provide important information on their exam applications as follows:
Incomplete information on an application cannot be corrected
once the application period has ended.
Insufficient information about work experiences on the Education and Experience portion of the application.
Candidate did not meet the qualification requirements that are
stated in the application.
You are responsible for determining whether you meet qualification requirements prior to taking the exam. The test may be given before DCAS validates your qualifications.
Before you apply for a civil service exam, make sure to contact
Local 237’s Education and Training Department at 212-807-0550 to
sign up for the Civil Service Exam Prep workshop, where we will guide
you on how to properly complete your DCAS application.
Save the Dates
Learn the ABCs of Workers Compensation
Find out about your rights to compensation if you get hurt on the job.
Sat urday, March 14, 2015, at t he union
I Housing: 9:00–12:00
I Citywide and Long Island: 1:00–4:00
More information: Diane Stein, 212-924-2000; email [email protected]
•
Friday, Feb. 27 – Black Herit age Ce lebrat ion
Friday, March 27 – Irish Herit age Celebrat ion
Both celebrations begin at 5:30 p.m. and are held at
Local 237’s Union Hall.
NEWSLINE, December 2014/January 2015
11
Resumen en Español
Atascada Primera Negociación con NYCHA
Rompiendo con lo tradicional,
Shola Olatoye, presidenta y ejecutiva principal de la Autoridad de
Viviendas de la Ciudad de Nueva
York, no asistió a la primera reunión de negociación que tuvo
lugar Diciembre 10, 2014 en la
sede del Local 237. También, la
gerencia se abstuvo de presentar
alguna propuesta. En su lugar, el
Comisionado Laboral de la Ciudad,
Bob Linn, solicitó al comité “apretar el botón de reajuste” en cuanto
a relaciones obrero-patronales, y el
Gerente General, George House dio
un resumen de las malas condiciones económicas de NYCHA.
Al enterarse que NYCHA fracasó en su intento por obtener fondos adicionales del Estado, Floyd
respondió, “¿Por qué no buscaron
nuestra ayuda en lograr que esto
fuera aprobado por el senado estatal? Nosotros tenemos conexiones e influencia en Albany que
Federales y Estatales para NYCHA.
Floyd hizo clara declaración
de que el sindicato no aceptaría
nada menos que el patrón de contrato de la ciudad establecido en
negociaciones con otros sindicatos, y dijo que no dará consideración a cambios de horarios sin
el sueldo correspondiente.
Días antes de la primera reunión sobre el contrato, Olatoye le
dijo al periódico Daily News que
era necesario que el Local 237
hiciera concesiones, incluyendo
el trabajo de personal las 24 horas,
sin sueldo diferencial. Susan
Davis, abogada del Local 237 notó
que los trabajadores han estado
sin aumento salarial por demasiado tiempo, mientras que el costo
de vida aumenta cada año.
La proxima reunión se espera
que sea pronto. Floyd les recordó
a los miembros que recibirían
sueldo retroactivo una vez que se
ratifique el acuerdo, y les animó a
buscar un contrato justo y a no
contentarse con un mal acuerdo.
azgo en el Instituto de Liderazgo
Sindical de la AFL-CIO del Estado
de Nueva York en la Universidad
Cornell. Ella cuenta con una Licenciatura Asociada en administración
de Negocios del mKingsboro Community College y es graduada de
John Jay High School. Ella planea
obtener su Licenciatura en Estudios
Laborales.
Taveras y su esposo, Geraldo
Taveras, celebraron su 25º Aniversario de matrimonio en el 2012. Su
esposo es supervisor en el Centro
Jacob Javits, donde fungió como representante de Taller del Local 237
para los trabajadores de mantenimiento. Los Taveras tienen un hijo,
Geraldo M. Taveras, Jr., quien se
graduó del Union County Community College.
“Tengo una pasión por ayudar a
la gente, desde High School cuando
organicé mi primera huelga, recuerda Taveras. La huelga fue hecha
para protestar la violación sexual de
una estudiante en las rondas de escaleras mal iluminadas en la escuela. “Allí fue que conocí a mi
primer Agente de Seguridad Escolar, afuera de la escuela con representantes de la prensa,” recordó
Taveras. “Él me dijo ‘Tú vas a ser un
representante sindical como tu
papá.’” Seguramente, ella ha seguido fielmente los pasos de alta estima de su padre.
Miembros del comité de negociaciónes prestan atención.
hubiera podido hacer una diferencia.” El Local 237 ha sido intermediario en la obtención de fondos
Taveras Es Promovida
A Fideicomisario
Extendiendo la dinastía en el
Local 237, Jeanette I. Taveras trae
una historia de dedicado servicio,
experiencia y activismo a su nuevo
rol como Fideicomisario. Fungiendo como agente de negocios de la
División de la Ciudad desde el
2013, Taveras es una fuerza positiva
en la Junta Ejecutiva.
Taveras es hija de Frances y
Melanio “Manny” Cuebas Jr., quien
llegó a ser el primer SecretarioTesorero Latino del Local 237 en el
año 1992. Él subió a través de los
rangos – desde Caretaker a Agente
de Negocios y luego Fideicomisario. Aunque se jubiló del trabajo,
sigue activo en el sindicato, y es
fuente de orgullo e inspiración, dice
su hija.
Con 30 años de servicio,
Taveras comenzó su carrera como
oficial de seguridad escolar en la
entonces Junta de Educación de la
Ciudad de Nueva York, Oficina de
Seguridad Escolar. Después de que
ésta se fundiera con el Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad en 1996,
Taveras regresó al reestructurado
Departamento de Educación en el
año 2000 para resumir su trabajo
como sargento administrativo, en la
Oficina de Seguridad y Desarrollo
Juvenil, la Unidad de Prevención de
Pandillas, y la Unidad de Apoyo Escolar. Ella también trabajó como
representante de taller ante el Local
237 por cinco años, y como representante de querellas para los oficiales de localidades educacionales.
Su especialidad es alcance y
promoción. Ella condujo talleres en
las escuelas, la comunidad y en
otras agencias con el propósito de
proveer entrenamiento sobre la prevención de pandillas y como intervenir en ellas. Ella también dirigió
el Programa de Opciones (“Choices
Program”) para enseñar a los niños
de grados 1 a 12, cómo resistir la
presión de unirse a una pandilla, el
hostigamiento y el hostigamiento
por internet. Ella fue recipiente del
Premio Presidencial del Local 237
en el 2009.
Nacida en Nueva York, Taveras
completó su entrenamiento de lider-
Guarde Estas Fechas
I Viernes, Febrero 27 – Black Heritage Celebration
I Viernes, Marzo 27 – Irish Heritage Celebration
•
Las celebraciones comienzan a las 5:30 p.m. en el
gran salon del Local 237.
Aprenda los Pasos Básicos de
Compensación al Trabajador
Conozca sus derechos a recibir compensación si
resulta herido en el trabajo.
Sábado, Mar zo 14, 2015, en la Unión
216 West 14 Street, New York, NY 10011
I Autoridad de Viviendas: 9:00 – 12:00
I Citywide y Long Island: 1:00 – 4:00
Para más información, llame a Diane Stein al 212-924-2000 o
por email: [email protected]
Remembering
Martin Luther King
And His March
From Selma
Dr. Martin Luther King
and his wife Coretta, far
right, lead the march
from Selma to
Montgomery, Alabama,
in 1965.
Associated Press
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and timely model for activists today.
Within a week, King gained President
Johnson’s support for federal protection
for marchers and a promise to introduce a
voting rights bill in Congress. Johnson said
in a public statement that “Americans
everywhere join in deploring the brutality
with which a number of Negro citizens of
Alabama were treated when they sought to
dramatize their deep and sincere interest
in attaining the precious right to vote.”
In the face of murders, beatings, hosings, and attack dogs, King and thousands
of civil rights activists persisted. On
March 16, they submitted a marching plan
to a federal judge who approved it; on
March 17, President Johnson submitted
voting rights legislation to Congress, and
on March 21 marchers began their trek
from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery.
Name ____________________________________________________
ifty years ago, on March 9, 1965,
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a
symbolic march to the Edmund
Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where
two days earlier, on “Bloody Sunday,”
600 civil rights marchers had been brutally attacked by police as they decried
the murder of an activist and called for
voting rights.
King, a Nobel Prize winner, led more
than 2,000 marchers in what he called “a
peaceful, nonviolent march for freedom,”
and they returned to the bridge, where he
asked marchers to kneel and pray. Then
they rose and returned to Selma. King
avoided another confrontation and trusted that the right time would be revealed.
Amid the recent waves of massive civil
rights protests across the United States,
King’s restraint and faith are an urgent
Limited to 300 marchers by court
order, their number swelled to 25,000, protected by an army of federal soldiers and
guardsmen. They marched 54 miles in
about four days, camping at night in supporters’ yards, and were joined by elected
officials and celebrities, including Harry
Belafonte and Lena Horne. They arrived at
the Alabama state capitol on March 25.
Addressing the marchers on the steps
of the capitol, King said, “The end we
seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience.
And that will be a day not of the white
man, not of the black man. That will be
the day of man as man.”
On Aug. 6, President Johnson signed
the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the presence of King and other civil rights leaders. The struggle continues.
Civil rights marchers in Selma are beaten by Alabama police.
Library of Congress