Mana er TheNewYorkCity - NYC MEA

1 Mayor Michael Bloomberg approved general wage increases toall managers effective November 14, 2005. Mayor s PersonnelOrder 2005/3 authorized a 1% raise retroactive to July 1, 2004 andan additional retroactive to July 1, 2005. MEA presidentStephen Ferrer immediately responded, The ManagerialEmployees Association is pleased with Mayor Bloomberg s deci-sion to authorize general wage increases for all managers. Onceagain, the Mayor has shown by his actions that he values thecontributions of career managers who play a critical role in theday-to-day operations of city government and tirelessly serve thepopulation of the City of New York. MEA s executive director Dr. Sandra Taylor Griffin andPresident Ferrer submitted compelling justifications to the Officeof Labor Relations, advocating for these pay increases. The MEAappreciates the efforts of labor commissioner James Hanley andhis able first deputy commissioner, Pamela Silverblatt, in commu-nicating our compensation concerns to the Mayor, said executivedirector Dr.

2 Griffin. In my two years as president of the MEA, said Ferrer, I havefound the current administration to be more than fair in its treat-ment of career managers. I am sure this positive dialogue willcontinue and that our issues will be dealt with expeditiously. The personnel order said, Each manager who was hired for aposition under the Pay Plan for Management Employees betweenJune 30, 2005 and the date of this Order is eligible to receive anincrease of effective on the date of such appointment, at thediscretion of the Agency Head. The 1% raise for managersappointed after June 30,2004 is also effective onthe date of the appoint-ment, but is not at thediscretion of the AgencyHead. Our feedback showsmanagers across thecity, including mayoraland non-mayoral agen-cies, received theirincreases and back pay in December, said Dr. Ferrer said these raises are a part of the MEA s effortsto improve conditions for active and retired managers.

3 We are notdone yet as we have other issues that need to be resolved, includ-ing the equalization of terminal benefits with those granted non-managerial employees, he said. Currently, mayoral agenciesrequire a minimum balance of 60 days upon retirement for a man-ager to receive accrued sick leave payments at a rate of one sickday paid for every three sick days accrued. There is no such 60 dayrequirement for non-managerial city employees who accrue sickleave payment at a rate of one to two. The personnel order did not address the pay plan for manageri-al employees. We are working with OLR to address the inequitiesof the pay plan, particularly the difference between the Level Istarting salaries and the salaries of the managers immediate sub-ordinates, said Ferrer. nFerrer,Lewis and RamagliaReelected; Durrah, Bowes andWoodbury Elected To MEAE xecutive BoardThe 2005 Managerial Employees Association s elections createdan executive board divided between the President s LeadershipTeamand the Members First/Time For A Changeslates.

4 StephenM. Ferrer (ACS), the head of the President s Leadership Team,ran unopposed for reelection as president. James C. Durrah(DOH), the Members Firstcandidate for executive vice presi-dent, ran unopposed after Eleanor Armstrong (HRA), the incum-bent, resigned and dropped out of the Warren Lewis, the incumbent MEA treasurer and PLTcandidate, defeated Edward M. Yood (Sanitation), 327 to 273,with 16 blank or void mail ballots. MF/TFAC gained two of thethree directors-at-large seats. Tracy Bowes (HHC) gar-nered 354 votes and Jesse Woodbury (HHC) 296 voteswhile PLT s Joseph Ramaglia (DEP) earned 330 L. Sims (HPD) had 286 votes and Lee Fiorino(Finance) 282 votes. There were 300 blank and void mailballots for votes were tabulated and certified by the AmericanArbitration Association on November 18, 2005. The entireElection ResultsContinued on page 3 Stephen M.

5 FerrerWarren LewisJoseph RamagliaThe New York CityManaerApril 2006 Volume X11, No. 1 Mayor Authorizes General Wage IncreaseFor All ManagersgDr. Sandra Taylor Griffin (right) withMEA s President Stephen Ferrer President sPlaceWhat a birthday present! The editionof The Chief dated November 25,2005 (my birthday) reported MayorBloomberg s decision to authorizegeneral wage increases for allManagers. The New York CityManagerial Employees Associationefforts were instrumental in securing these wage increases in atimely manner. We also insisted that the raises be granted acrossthe board to all managers on yourself a question. Would the City of New York havebeen as generous if the MEA did not exist as an advocate forcareer managers? I, for one, would not like to take that chance! MEA exists because its membership, like those in any otherorganization, has the obligation to pay periodic dues.

6 These duesare set by a vote of the membership. The dues help pay for thecosts of representing members interests and in advocating forincreased compensation and improved not a union and unlike New York City municipalunions, we do not have agency shop. An agency shop is a work-place where even if workers do not join the union, they must stillpay the equivalent of dues to the union. MEAmust depend on itsmembers to voluntarily join the organization. We currently have approximately 2,000 members. This number is less than half thepool of current managers who are eligible to join clich that there is strength in numbers has never beenmore true, nor has the need for that strength been greater. TheMEA will soon draft a proposal to the City regarding the equal-ization of terminal benefits with those granted to non-manage-rial employees. We will also meet with the Office of LaborRelations to discuss ways of maximizing the benefits providedby the Management Benefits Fund (MBF).

7 We will also advo-cate raises for 2006 and 2007 at a higher rate than those grantedto the privacy purposes, the City will not provide a list of cur-rent managers and their addresses to us. As an MEA memberyou have the responsibility of helping us identify all managersand recruit new members. This is how you can help. When youmeet with other managers in your agency, ask them if they knowabout the MEA and are they members. If not, give them a cardand sign them up. Call the MEA Office at 212-964-0035 and wewill provide you with membership kits. MEA is an equal opportunity recruiter. All managers, evenCommissioners, are eligible to join. Try to sign up your Deputyand Assistant Commissioners also. They also receive the bene-fits that MEAadvocates , we are professionals who do our job very do not accept mediocrity and we are worth more than Unity,Stephen M. FerrerMEA president Stephen M.

8 Ferrer s proposed action plan for2006 was approved by the executive board at the January 17thmeeting. President Ferrer emphasized the opportunities MEA hasto expand advocacy, benefits and career development if the vari-ous stakeholders worked together and with the MEAoffice staffduring the Compensation and Professional Development Committee,under the leadership of Darrel Sims (HPD), will work with MEAexecutive director Dr. Sandra Taylor Griffin and Mr. Ferrer (ACS)to develop position papers delineating advocacy issues identifiedby the MEA membership. This committee will also plan an MEAmembership educational conference this Fall, said FerrerDr. Griffin will continue to prepare the advocacy plans anddocumentation needed for 2006/7 salary increases, TerminalLeave revisions and other salary enhancements. President Ferrerstated, We have worked together effectively to dialogue with theOffice of Labor Relations and the Mayor.

9 The unprecedentedacross the board salary increases the members received in 2004 andthis past December are the fruits of our labor. Newly elected executive vice president James Durrah (DHMH)will aggressively monitor chapter director elections. I want toensure every member has a voice at our board meetings. My goalis to have a duly elected director for every chapter by this Fall. MEA will sponsor its second annual Women s Issues In TheWorkplace workshop. Director-at-large Tracey Bowes (HHC)and Dr. Griffin will be responsible for coordinating this confer-ence, originally suggested by Mr. Ferrer in 2004. Executive direc-tor Griffin stated at last year s conference, .. as we see it, whilemany women have been contributing their skills in the workplacewithin all levels of city government and some have received well-deserved recognition for their efforts, many still have a long wayto go to break down barriers to success.

10 Joel Fishelson (Retiree) continues as chair of the organizingcommittee. We accomplished more than ever before in 2005, andwe ll do even better in 2006, said Fishelson. The committee isresponsible for monitoring and evaluating the management bene-fits plan, developing legal and financial planning services, review-ing proposals to affiliate with management advocacy groups,expanding the scholarship program and holding benefits Warren Lewis (Retiree) continues his responsibilitiesfor all financial matters. Along with the finance committee, he willprepare the proposed 2006 operating budget and develop revenueAction Plan EmphasizesAdvocacy,Benefits and CareerDevelopment OpportunitiesContinued on page 4 SPRING MEMBERSHIP MEETINGJUNE 21, 2006 6 PM180 Water Street 12th Floor Conference Room2 April 2006 The New York City ManagerMEAP resident Stephen M. Ferrer publicly recognized theeleven MEA scholarship winners at the 2005 MEA Holiday Party.