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REBUTTING '237' SPIN

Rebutting '237' Spin

To the Editor:

Last week a letter from Diane Hogan of the Health and Hospital Police was published. Unfortunately editorial letters submitted to THE CHIEF-LEADER are not held to verifiable truths and facts.

Clearly Diane Hogan can't tell fantasy from reality.

Reality, Ms. Hogan, is Department of Environmental Protection Police took two years to decertify, and strength does not come from numbers. Your claim that LEEBA needs your dues is incorrect. LEEBA has spent thousands of dollars in its fight to decertify Health and Hospital Police, School Safety and Taxi and Limousine employees without accepting any contributions from any members. You speak of dues, but have you checked recently on where your dues go?

You state my research is incorrect in calling Local 237 a "housing-dominated union" and that Local 237 has more peace officers than housing members. I believe Gregory Floyd's lobotomy of you is now complete.

Reality, Ms. Hogan, is that Gregory Floyd did not spearhead any historic campaign for School Safety; Carl Haynes did that campaign. And yes, School Safety now has competitive Civil Service status but is still the lowest-paid title in Local 237. And Local 237 has not achieved separate bargaining status for its law-enforcement members. As a matter of fact, I believe Local 237 has just offered its members the same contract DC 37 received.

You state proudly "of the one million dollars spent by Local 237 to block privatization of Hospital Police, where, pray tell, would LEEBA have found the money for that campaign?" Reality check, Diane! I would not have found a million dollars for that campaign because it doesn't cost a million dollars. And while you're at work, Ms. Hogan, say hello to all the security guards now working in all HHC hospitals. I guess you wasted a million dollars.

You state, "LEEBA has no welfare fund" and that Local 237 members "have the best welfare fund, financial strength, and a great international union to back us up." Reality check again, Diane: all unions have a welfare fund because the City of New York pays for it. You boast of Local 237's welfare fund being the best; just remember it was Barry Feinstein who built it and your present regime that is destroying it.

Financial strength, you say? Where? Local 237 brings in dues of approximately $7.8 million a year, spends $1 million on its executive board, $2.5 million for its business agents, half a million on its directors, $1 million on expenses (you know, cars, suits, vacations, dinners, street teams, consultants, taxes and last of all, Christmas bonuses) and another $2 million for your great international, which has done what for you? That leaves $800,000, and you still haven't paid your lawyers. I don't call that financial strength. And as for my own apparently limitless personal ambition, I believe you could use some.

KENNETH WYNDER Jr., President,
Law Enforcement Employees Benevolent Association.