We stand together or fall alone - CWA Local 1180

Gary schoichet Gary schoichet
Gary schoichet
2 J u l y /Au g u s t ’11
C o m m u n i q u e
roving reporter Asks...
I just gave you
$1million. What
are you going to
do with it?
Arlene White
Health and
Hospitals
Corporation,
Coney Island
Hospital,
Coordinating
Manager.
First I’d bank it and help my kids so
they don’t keep coming to me. I’d give
money to charities because I know
other people need help. If I have it, I
can give it and help people with AIDS,
with diabetes, with autism.
And I’d do a week’s worth of soaking
in the bath and full body massages.
Ava George
Department of
Environmental
Protection,
Principal
Administrative
Associate.
With my million
dollars I’m going back to my islands,
St. Vincents and the Grenadines,
and being the mother of a child with
autism, I would build a residence
and school for children with autism.
People in the islands are not trained
to deal with children with disabilities.
I’d want to make the kids independent
and self-sufficient.
I will, however, need more than $1
million. Maybe once I get started
people will help.
Natasha Lee
NYS Unified
Court System,
Administrative
Services Clerk.
I’d build a youth
center so that
teenagers in
trouble can have a place to go. There
would be counseling, recreation
facilities, scholarships for college, and
whatever else was needed.
And I would travel to Egypt to see the
pyramids along the Nile; and to Peru
to see its indigenous populations and
Machu Picchu, which is a pre-Columbian
Inca site built in the mountains more
than a mile above sea level.
Gary Schoichet is the Roving Reporter
By Gary Schoichet
Carmen Carter
Principal Administrative
Associate, Department of Citywide
Administrative Services
“
Even though when I
looked into the heart of
that water I was afraid, I
was determined, I knew
that I was going in and learning
how to swim,” said Carmen Carter,
steward at the Department of
Citywide Administrative Services
(DCAS), Division of Real Estate
Services. She grew up in inner-city,
inner Brooklyn far from the ocean
and even city pools. “We played
street games, tag, scully, hopscotch,
street shuffleboard (I really
Gary schoichet
Civil Service in her bones
loved that game), and other kinds
of running activities,” she said. “So
now I’m 50 plus and I see the Y near
my house and I go in and I have to
be friendly with the water. I will do
it until I get it right.”
She is learning to swim because
the exercise will help stimulate the
poor circulation in her legs, legs she
needs to stand on for hours at rallies
or subway stations giving out
leaflets to her fellow citizens; legs
she needs to walk around her shop
and talk to the members about
their issues. “Walking and rallying
Walking and rallying is good for my legs.
Sometimes it hurts, but I keep doing it.
is good for my legs. Sometimes it
hurts but I keep doing it.”
It is that same determination to
walk, to swim, to overcome, that
motivates her as a shop steward.
“We have to build our shop. Some
people are real low-key about
being union members. They want
to be approached. I like to talk with
union proud
people one-on-one, confidentially,
building trust,” Carter said. “We
have people who are victims of
domestic violence. Why don’t we
Carmen Carter handing out “Myths about City Workers” flyers at the Bowling Green subway station.
have a domestic violence committee
to help our members? It’s
something that interests me and I’m
ready to do something about it.”
Child care is another issue affecting
members in her shop. Single
parents can’t always find the time
to do union work outside their regular
work hours. “Why can’t we do
something about that?” she asked.
“Find a solution.”
Carter was a single parent raising
a son in a Brooklyn project. He
is currently a correction officer. “I
thank God every day that he ended
up on the right side of the prison
gates.” She has encouraged him to
be active in his union. He reads his
contract, knows his rights. “Maybe
one day he’ll be president of his
union,” she said.
Her family was and is civil service:
Mom was with MABSTOA
(Manhattan and Bronx Surface
Transit Operating Authority)
and then with the Department of
Employment; a sister is a 911 operator;
a niece is a school teacher.
“I was in a banking job for 15
years and took a job with the City
because I needed more money.
When I came into the City in 1991
David Dinkins was mayor and there
were massive layoffs. I then realized
I wanted to take tests. Until then
I didn’t know about provisional
titles. I learned,” she said.
Her first union was Local 1549
at District Council 37. “I asked a lot
of questions at 1549.” She became
active and her mantra was, is,
“before you say the union doesn’t
do anything, get involved.” That’s
what she did and she thinks it was a
very good choice.