Westchester County Board of Legislators
Committee on Labor
Minutes: Monday, November 25, 2002
Present
Committee: G. Latimer (Chair), R. Wishnie, M. Kaplowitz, J. Maisano, L. Mosiello
Others: Michael Carriere (District Council 9), Joe Fleetz (District Council 9), Abby Klingbeil (Journal News), Karen Pecora (CSEA Unit 9200), Bill Randolph (CEO), Kyle Bragg (Local 32 BJ), Ericka Bozzi (Local 32 BJ), Carl Finger (Counsel to Committee), Maritza Corniel and Marco Mendoza (Local 32BJ members)
Meeting called to order by Chair George Latimer at 4:35 p.m.
Motion made by Legislator Michael B. Kaplowitz to remove from received and file folder former Item # 5 Accent Maintenance Contract (originally placed on Committee Agenda - June 24, 2002) and placed on the agenda. Seconded by Louis Mosiello. All in favor – Aye.
Items to be discussed - letter received from Local 32-BJ regarding the ongoing wage dispute from Accent Maintenance employees at Eastridge Properties (11/19/02), and a letter from AFL-CIO Central Body regarding Accent Maintenance Corporation of Ossining (11/18/02).
Kyle Bragg, Assistant to the President Local 32 BJ – testified about the continuous unfair labor practices from Accent Maintenance against its employees.
Rev. William Hearst from Trinity Church, representing the White Plains religious interfaith association spoke in support of Local 32 BJ members. He spoke from a theological dimension of a justice issue regarding vulnerable people who seek to work a fair day and receive a fair wage.
Testimony from former Accent Maintenance employees:
Maritza Corniel – “I am Dominican who came to this country in search of a job to support my three children. I spoke to someone from Local 32 BJ to check my pay stub because I was paid less than the 20 hours that I was supposed to get paid. Accent Maintenance called her for a meeting two days later and fired her.”
Discussion ensued regarding Ms. Corniels’ testimony.
Marco Mendoza – “Good afternoon, I think you have heard my story before, I have been here three or four times telling my story. I am here again asking for your help. I am alone. I want to keep the struggle, and I am not going to stop until justice is done. I am going to go wherever I have to go. The case is in National Relations Labor and I want answers but this is taking too long. Accent continues to lie by saying that they have offered me my job back but they have not done that. I had been working for 7 years at $5.50 an hour without benefits, so when the Union arrived with the contract offering $7.00 and hour with benefits, I wanted to be a part of it. Accent Maintenance fired me and my supervisor informed me that I was being fired because I had signed a contract with the union.“
Discussion ensued regarding Mr. Mendoza’s testimony.
Legislator Maisano recommended drafting a resolution asking the County to immediately investigate the contracts that Accent currently has with the County and to take any and all actions to cancel all contracts currently with the County of Westchester because of their unfair labor practices. Seconded by Legislator Kaplowitz. All in favor – Aye.
Chair Latimer reported that Accent Maintenance has been invited on two separate occasions to meet with the Committee on Labor and have declined.
Motion to recess at 5:07 p.m. by Chair Latimer. Seconded by legislator Maisano. All in favor – Aye.