PLANNING ACTION — PEF Division 199 council leaders Paul Stein and Lola Parks-Guerra discuss the security problems across the street from 90 Church St in lower Manhattan. The building is the new worksite for members working at the state Health Department and Public Service Commission.
— Photo by Richard Dillard
By DEBORAH A. MILES
People have passed through the security-check at 90 Church St. in Manhattan by simply flashing an American Express credit card.
No kidding.
PEF members who work in the renovated building, adjacent to the World Trade Center, witnessed the lax security. They are concerned about their personal safety and want the building manager, Boston Properties, to upgrade the security system.
“Security in the lobby is weak,” said Paul Stein, PEF Division 199 council leader at the state Health Department (DOH). “Anyone with a New York State ID card is allowed past the security point. It doesn’t matter if their card is expired or if it names another department.”
Members are pushing for an electronic system at the lobby entrance and tighter security on the fourth floor where visitors can roam 450 feet of corridor space.
Sitting ducks
“John Q. Public can come up to the fourth floor any time,” said Lola Parks-
Guerra, Executive Board representative for DOH and assistant council leader. “What makes it worse is on the outside entrance “Federal Office Building” is engraved in the stone. It makes us feel like sitting ducks with all the crazies out there who have an ax to grind.”
Stein said the security problem on the fourth floor affects everyone, because people on the upper floors use the meeting and hearing rooms.
Most DOH members occupy the 13th through 15th floors which have security card swipes and a receptionist at the entrances.
“The security for the upper floors has some glitches, but is basically fine,” Stein said. “But we still use the meeting rooms on the fourth floor on a daily basis.”
The fourth floor can accommodate up to 400 visitors at a time. DOH shares part of the office space with members from the state Public Service Commission. Parks-Guerra said several of the meeting rooms aren’t isolated, so some PEF members work in full view of visitors.
According to these PEF leaders, some visitors have psychiatric problems and others become outwardly disturbed. For example, a doctor whose license is being revoked may exhibit violent behavior.
No one screens visitors on that floor and safety remains the number one employee issue.
“The building manager has not implemented an adequate visitor pass system,” Stein said.
Battle continues
DOH members knew the move to 90 Church St. was inevitable, being part of the governor’s plan to revitalize lower Manhattan. As a result, members face longer commutes and higher travel expenses, than from midtown and Queens.
Stein said the union was successful in making improvements to the building prior to the move, such as procuring higher efficiency air filters, comprehensive testing programs for air and water quality, and double panes of glass for the windows to reduce noise and pollution. They partnered with other groups such as the Civil Service Employees Association and 9/11 Environmental Action to get the job done.
Stein is encouraging members to participate in the 90 Church St. Labor Coalition that is pushing for building improvements, including better security. PEF meetings are being held on site to provide the members with a course of action.
“We need everyone to actively support our campaign to remedy the security issues in the lobby and on the fourth floor,” Stein said. “We were successful before and we can be again.”
The
Communicator May 2005
Inside This Issue
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big in state budget
Corporate tax loophole widens
Middletown OMH saved
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Student health insurance reminder
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Unions plan nurses' rally to end OT
Weak security bugs near WTC
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Vet returns mementos
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