'371' Says ACS Bargaining Over Easing Layoffs

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

District Council 37 Local 371 officials say progress in negotiations has convinced them to drop their court case against the Administration for Children's Services over planned layoffs.

CHARLES ENSLEY: Encouraged by talks.

ACS officials announced in March that a restructuring of its foster-care system would result in the displacement of 650 Caseworkers. The union filed four improper practice charges in April accusing the agency of refusing to bargain over the impact of the changes on union members.

'Got What We Wanted'

"We are withdrawing the court case without prejudice," said Local 371 President Charles Ensley. "The actions have served their purpose to get the city to the table to bargain."

Union officials said that the two sides have been discussing changes to the restructuring, including some shifts to the titles that will be among the 500 new jobs being created. The procedure by which current employees will be chosen to fill the new positions is still under discussion. The content of the jobs that the workers will perform has not yet been discussed.

ACS referred questions to the city's Law Department, which handled the court case. Jonathan M. Bardavid, the Assistant Corporation Counsel at the city's Labor and Employment Law Division, stated in an e-mail regarding the negotiations, "Significant progress has been made, and ACS looks forward to continuing to work with Local 371 as ACS implements Improved Outcomes for Children."

In the past, agency officials have said they are committed to finding jobs for all 650 Caseworkers in ACS or other city agencies at comparable salaries, but they have not guaranteed placement.

Originally, about 150 of the 500 new positions were for Social Workers and Caseworkers. The rest were slated for Staff Analysts and technical and legal assistants. The agency was also requiring that the Social Workers hold master's degrees. About 250 of the affected 650 Caseworkers have such degrees.

"Prior to the court case, the agency thought it could act unilaterally," said Mr. Ensley. "There's still movement at the table, so we're still talking."