FIGHTING REAL ISSUES  Lou Ferrone, Jr., PEF's statewide L-M chair for DOT, explains the need to fight out-of-title work at a mobilization training conference in Albany. Photo by Deborah A. Miles

Moving full steam ahead at DOT 
Stopping out-of-title work in its tracks

By DEBORAH A. MILES
Since the state Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the implementation of a new plan called “transformation” last spring, union leaders are heightening their mobilization strategies and developing action techniques to address problems created by the plan.
As reported in the February issue of The Communicator, DOT’s plan is an attempt to create a seamless statewide transportation system by closely coordinating the management of the various transportation agencies and authorities. 

So far, union leaders have filed more than 100 out-of-title grievances with a success rate of more than 90 percent. But they remain concerned about the vacant positions created by those taking early retirement.

“We’re not against the department addressing the needs of the 21st Century that are customer-service based,” said Lou Ferrone Jr., PEF’s statewide labor-management chair for DOT. “The concern is how this affects our members.”

DOT ignores order
Even though PEF keeps winning the grievances and members are receiving monetary awards, Ferrone said DOT ignores the cease-and-desist order, causing members to continue doing out-of-title work.

“What DOT has been doing allows the state not to fill the titles,” Ferrone said. “By not making the proper appointments, DOT managers are circumventing the Civil Service Law. It affects not only DOT, but other agencies with similar titles.”

The artful maneuvering by DOT to keep the stream of out-of-title work flowing, and the possible creation of Program Service Centers which could force members to relocate to other geographic areas in the future, have pushed PEF leaders into high gear and ready to fight back.

Mapping out a plan
To start an action plan, the DOT L-M team fine-tuned its mobilization strategies at a March workshop.

“We are focusing on the real issues such as the out-of-title problem,” said Sue Stepp, the PEF L-M secretary for DOT. “The workshop also helps us focus on goals and breaking-down the steps we need to take to accomplish those goals.

“We are learning the charting aspect, and we’re getting down to the real nitty-gritty of mapping workplaces, identifying our members, union enthusiasm, and the best ways to deal with pro-union members and the fence-sitters,” she said.

Ferrone said the first course of action is setting a deadline and drafting a summary of PEF’s position on transformation for distribution and review by council leaders, followed by a presentation to the members.

“It’s time to take some real action,” Ferrone said. “This workshop is honing our skills to protect the membership.”

Communicator Home June 04

Inside This Issue
Features
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Take agencies out of the shadows
Law could reduce contracting-out
Keep pressure to save Fulton CF
Heroes plant feet in NH

Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
Nurses' Station
Retirees In Action
Members' Highlights
Back Cover Ad
PEF Member Benefits & Travel

Union Matters
Vote: PEF’s privatization buster
Senate demands offset of...
Stopping out-of-title work in its...
Vote: privatization buster for ’04
Step in the right direction at SED
Fed. law changes bad for union
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PI scientists’ write to the top

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