General News
Administrative law judges choose the UFT
Sep 20, 2007 5:22 PM
Administrative law judges are all smiles as they celebrate choosing the UFT to represent them with union President Randi Weingarten (center), Special Representative Ilene Weinerman (left) and Brooklyn Borough Representative Howard Schoor (third from left). Weingarten thanked Schoor and Weinerman for their work in organizing the judges.
New York City’s 250 per diem administrative law judges have chosen the UFT to be their representative in collective bargaining with various city agencies by a vote of 221-7, the union announced on Sept. 10.
“We are delighted by this vote showing overwhelming support for our efforts to represent the city’s administrative law judges,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten. “We look forward to working with them. The last step is to get the city to the bargaining table so we can start addressing their concerns about wages, benefits, due process and other issues.”
Linda March, a seven-year veteran administrative law judge working at the city’s Environmental Control Board and the Taxi and Limousine Commission, said the law judges were thrilled to have the UFT represent them.
“As per diems, we have no rights whatsoever,” she said. “The UFT is a strong union that represents professionals like us, and it has done good things for other professional groups, so we’re very hopeful.”
Sandra Frelix, a six-year veteran at the Taxi and Limousine Commission, was equally enthusiastic.
“The UFT is the best union around with a proven track record and the necessary juice to get our concerns addressed,” Frelix said. “We’re very concerned about the lack of a grievance procedure, the need to raise our hourly wages and improve our benefits, and now that we’re represented by the UFT we’re looking forward to a good working relationship with the city.”
Weingarten gave special thanks to UFT Brooklyn Borough Representative Howard Schoor and Special Representative Ilene Weinerman for their work in organizing the administrative law judges.
“Howard and Ilene put in a lot of hard work to make this happen, and the result of their labor is evident in the vote,” Weingarten said.
Administrative law judges are attorneys who conduct hearings regarding allegations of misconduct or violations of administrative codes, rules and regulations at various city agencies, departments and authorities. Their duties include hearing testimony, reviewing evidence concerning alleged infractions, advising respondents of their legal rights, determining penalties and issuing findings of facts and legal conclusions.
A group of the judges approached the UFT in the fall of 2006 seeking representation. The group — representing judges from the city’s Environmental Control Board, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Taxi and Limousine Commission, among others — cited concerns about inequitable salaries, having no benefits, an absence of due-process rights and case scheduling.
On Feb. 2 the UFT filed a representation petition with the city’s Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) along with representation cards signed by a majority of administrative law judges interested in forming a bargaining unit.
Lawyers representing the city initially objected, saying the per diem judges should be made part of an existing unit of full-time attorneys represented by the Civil Service Bar Association (CSBA), an affiliate of Teamsters Local 237.
On July 11, the OCB ruled in favor of the UFT’s claim that a separate bargaining unit is appropriate and it ordered that an election be held.
Ballots were mailed on Aug. 10 with an Aug. 31 deadline for receipt. The OCB counted those ballots on Sept. 17 and will officially certify the vote, which will allow the new bargaining unit to begin formulating contract demands for upcoming negotiations.
