Page 5 - Work Force January 2020

Members fight leads to win in unsafe policy
DMV workers pass
major hurdle on path
to change
ALBANY — After months of CSEA members meeting with state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) management to resolve workplace safety and health issues that placed Motor Vehicle License Examiners (MVLEs) at potential risk for serious injury, the agency has agreed to a policy change.
In our October 2019 edition,
we reported that Motor Vehicle License Examiners (MVLEs) were experiencing rampant workplace violence after giving road tests due to an agency policy that requires MVLEs to personally hand-deliver news of a pass or fail to test-takers immediately following the conclusion of the test, while enclosed in the
test-taker’s vehicle.
Our members worked for
months at meetings, surveys and data collection, working with our union’s Occupational Safety and Health Department, having frank conversations and sharing very personal, harrowing stories of violence and intimidation in the field.
After this strong advocacy, DMV management has agreed to let MVLEs exit the test-taker’s vehicle before they deliver results and change key parts of the policy.
A temporary fix
DMV management agreed to CSEA’s request to move to the much safer electronic notification system,
but not until 2021, when an already expected new electronic system is expected to launch.
CSEA responded that is too long for our members to wait.
CSEA’s Occupational Safety and Health Department suggested a temporary fix, and DMV management agreed to this temporary change to the ‘Instant Notification’ system.
Given a deadline of November 1 to implement a ‘sealed envelope” system while they continue to work to put in place a permanent electronic fix, here is how it works:
DMV will conduct a six-month pilot program using CSEA’s suggestion to supply envelopes
to MVLEs, who after exiting the test-taker’s vehicle, will place the results in the envelope, seal it and give it to the test-taker while the MVLE stands outside the vehicle. This test pilot began the week of November 18, 2019.
Work will continue
CSEA hopes this will naturally
lead to a permanent solution, but our union is realistically looking at more work to hold the agency accountable and to ensure an extension after successful completion of the six-month pilot program.
Stiles. “It wasn’t just handed down out of the kindness of their hearts. We had to fight for this, and we have more to fight for to ensure we get all that we need.”
Stiles noted that to keep the agency’s management accountable, all MVLEs will need to be involved.
“Right now, we need all MVLEs
to be on board to make sure DMV honors their commitment,” Stiles said. “We will need all MVLEs to send us detailed descriptions of any issues that may arise so we can help solve them before anyone throws out the baby with the bath water.”
Stiles also said that although
this is a victory and a testament to what we can achieve with collective action, CSEA does not see the sealed envelope as the final and best solution to MVLEs’ safety issues.
The goal remains that eventually electronic notification by the agency to test-takers would eventually relieve MVLEs of the requirement to deliver the test results in any format on the spot.
“All DMV Locals across the state need members to be active and involved in this issue,” Stiles said. “United, we can get what we want to stay safe while our customers are still served well. They are not exclusive of one another.”
If you have questions, please contact your local president or your CSEA region office to speak with your labor relations specialist cseany.org/csea-regions.
— Jill Asencio
Bright is PEOPLE Recruiter of the Month for October
BREWERTON — Karen Bright of the Madison County Local in our Central Region is our PEOPLE Recruiter of the Month for October. She recruited 22 new members.
“When I talk with members about the PEOPLE program, I tell them this is the most important program in CSEA,” said Bright, a longtime recruiter. “It is the only program dedicated to protecting our jobs, our benefits and our retirement here in New York State. I also let them know the program is about fighting for worker-friendly legislation at the local, state and federal levels. PEOPLE is really the only tool in the toolbox that fights for us!”
CSEA’s PEOPLE Program protects and improves our jobs, benefits and pensions
in Washington, Albany and in your community. Your support
Karen Bright, left, recruits New York State Environmental Conservation Field Local President John Gray for the PEOPLE program at a recent region conference.
and participation in PEOPLE strengthens CSEA’s clout in the workplace, in the legislature, in your community and in the labor movement.
— Nicholas Newcomb
“This is a good first step, but we can’t forget that this change is not due
to the benevolence of DMV,” said CSEA Motor Vehicle (Albany) Local President Cindy
Stiles
January 2020
The Work Force 5