CWA 1180 - HRA Watch

HRA Watch

Union wins round on 1993 grievance; city appeals
Corruption scandal at HRA prompts idea for new slogan
November 2000

Some time ago, management at the Human Resources Administration drew up a "vision statement" and rolled out a new slogan and logo about "professionalism, accountability and integrity." But this piece of feel-good PR turned out to be one more case of empty rhetoric at the agency.

Since March, HRA has been embroiled in an embarrassing scandal in which the agency awarded a $104 million contract to a private company through a process that both City Comptroller Alan Hevesi and a State Supreme Court Justice found to be tainted by corruption and cronyism. It turned out the company was going to turn over 20% of the money to a company owned by a former senior Giuliani aide. Furthermore, in October, the Conflicts of Interest Board fined HRA Commissioner JasonTurner for a series of improper actions that it called "textbook violations of core provisions of the city's ethics laws." The Chief editorialized, "Turner's an Embarrassment." So much for integrity.

Meanwhile, on the accountability front, the administration has spent seven years fighting a grievance filed by 1180 seeking to hold HRA to a 1987 contract stipulation that set the span of supervision for 1180 members at five to one. The union filed the grievance in 1993, and it proceeded through steps one, two and three of the grievance process. Then, when the case finally reached arbitration, the city decided to challenge the arbitrability of the matter. Contending that the 1987 stipulation about the span of supervision was not part of the contract itself, the city argued it was no longer bound by that stipulation and thus the union had no grounds on which to file a grievance. The city's challenge had the effect—not unintentionally—of delaying the grievance process even further. This past summer a ruling was finally handed down on the arbitrability matter: Local 1180 was found to have the right to grieve this matter. It was a big milestone in this seemingly endless case. But before the arbitrator could decide the merits of the case, the Giuliani Administration appealed the arbitrability decision in the courts.As one frustrated 1180 observer noted, "This &$%@ makes a mockery of the grievance process." So much for accountability.

As for professionalism, it all depends on your definition. Some might see the dress code that barred HRA workers from wearing spandex or house slippers (see January/February 1999 Communique) as evidence of a professional environment. For others, though, corruption, ongoing federal investigations and disdain for the union contract can only be seen as examples of unprofessional behavior.

All this led one Local 1180 member from HRA to suggest a new slogan and logo for the agency.

Back to HRA Watch Page