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In our ongoing efforts to stop NYCHA from eliminating your contractually guaranteed 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. schedules, we filed an action in New York Supreme Court today seeking to stop NYCHA from make any changes in your schedules until the new York City Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) holds a hearing and decides our charge that NYCHA’s proposed changes violate the law.
We are pleased to report that New York Supreme Court Justice Kathryn Freed agreed with our position and signed a temporary restraining order requiring that NYCHA:
- Not implement the FlexOps program, or any new work schedules for Local 237’s members; and
- Stop telling employees that they will be required to work new schedules under the FlexOps program; and
- Not threaten, otherwise discipline, or take any negative actions against any 237 members in connection with their refusal to work any new schedule.
The temporary restraining order is in place until May 11th, at which time Justice Freed will hold a hearing on Local 237’s request for an injunction pending the completion of the improper practices procedure at the OCB.
If you believe that NYCHA is violating any part of this order, please contact Local 237’s Housing Division at 212-924-2000.
Yesterday, Local 237 won a major battle in our fight to stop the Housing Authority from unlawfully changing the work schedules of our members. On April 7th, the New York City Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) authorized Local 237 to seek an injunction in state court to prevent the Housing Authority from implementing these schedule changes.
In discussions with the Authority over the past several months, we have insisted that forcing members to come to work at 6:00 a.m. and work after dark raised serious safety concerns and would disrupt the lives of our members, many of whom could not find childcare at those times. Two weeks ago, we filed an action at OCB to stop the Authority from implementing the schedule changes.
In its decision yesterday, OCB agreed with us and ruled that our members would suffer “immediate and irreparable injury, loss or damage” if the Authority was allowed to change work schedules before OCB could rule on our claim that the changes were unlawful. OCB also encouraged the parties to sit down and try to resolve these issues with the help of a mediator.
We will continue to aggressively challenge all actions by the Authority that disregard your contract and workplace safety and keep you up to date on what is happening.
The Union received strong support from the New York City Municipal Labor Committee representing all the City Unions, the IBT and many unions that support our fight.
We have proven again that in UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH!
