NYSCOPBA Officer Says Union Wouldn't Combat DOCS Bias
By MIA GOLDBERG
A Latino state correction union official has claimed he has been racially discriminated against - first by his employer and later by his union for failing to support him with an agency grievance. He has filed a complaint against the union for violating his civil rights and is awaiting a hearing.

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James SAYS HE'S VICTIMIZED TWICE: National Latino Officers Association head Anthony Miranda contends that Wilfredo Perez, right, has been stonewalled by the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association in his bid to bring a bias complaint against the state Department of Correction Services even though Mr. Perez is a vice president of the union.

Wilfredo Perez Jr. has worked for the New York State Department of Correctional Services as a Correction Officer assigned to the Ossining Correctional Facility since January 1998.

Says Union Wouldn't Support Him

He became an active member of the National Latino Officers Association - an advocacy group - in 2001, and began speaking out about the state DOCS's failure to promote Latino and other minority officers.

In 2005, he was elected the southern region vice-president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, but he said last week that despite his status as union official, when he brought his grievances to NYSCOPBA, it refused to represent him and became outwardly hostile towards him.

Standing outside Governor Paterson's Manhattan office June 25, Mr. Perez accused DOCS and NYSCOPBA of working together. "For three years I have dealt with a hostile and racially charged environment including threats to my safety, the subject of investigations from the internal affairs of my department, and I am currently being charged by the union for being Hispanic and being part of a Hispanic organization," he said.

The New York State Division of Human Rights determined that he is entitled to a hearing on the matter.

A DOCS spokesman declined comment, noting that it is not a subject of Mr. Perez's complaint.

NYSCOPBA President Larry Flanagan also declined to respond to Mr. Perez's accusations.