Jul
11

Enhanced Dental Benefits Announced

As announced at our June 24th CSBA Annual Meeting, there will be a significant benefits enhancement in our dental coverage as of August 1st, when we step up to the MetroDent Premier Plus coverage tier. It provides a higher schedule of payments and a wider panel of participants. We will also increase the number of covered cleanings from two to three per year.

This change was authorized by the CSBA Welfare Fund Trustees in consultation with the experts at ASO SIDS and with Sandra Aguiar, our Senior Account Executive at Amalgamated Employee Benefits Administrators. Although this enhancement will cost the Fund in excess of an additional $100,000 per year, we make this move based both upon ample reserves and the hope that this will result in better dental care for our members and families, resulting in some offsetting savings through prevention of more serious problems down the road.

Jul
11

Air Conditioning and Vacation Top CSBA Members’ Summer Wish List

NEWSLINE Summer 2025

By Saul Fishman, President, Civil Service Bar Association

New York City and surrounding suburbs can be either very pleasant or quite brutal depending on the day, the hour, where you are and how you’re dressed. Many of these things are largely out of our control when we are in the office. So it is essential that our employer provide us with an environment which is adequate and safe, which during the summer includes air conditioning.

Important: When the air conditioning goes out or is at either ridiculous extreme, please contact us immediately at csbainfo@local237.org. Kindly let us know who has been contacted, when and by whom, and provide us with whatever details you have (i.e.- agency, address, floor(s), units and room numbers affected, when the condition started, and a suggestion (with contact information when possible) of whom we should reach out to. We can keep your identity confidential if you wish, but please provide us with your cell phone number and/or personal email address should we need further information or updates. If the indoor temperature is unbearable, we will push to allow you to work remotely until the situation has been remedied!

With all the stress most of us experience, from our jobs as underpaid (despite the recent salary and RIP raises) and overworked NYC Agency Attorneys, to living in a divided country with leadership bordering on the insane, it’s crucial that we take steps to care for ourselves.

Summer is nature’s reminder to take a vacation and/or to slow the pace down when possible. Here are a few suggestions; hopefully you can utilize at least a couple of them or alternatively find your own methods to safely enjoy yourself during the hot weather:

Spend some time outdoors, preferably either before or after the heat of the day. Nothing beats a relaxing stroll in your happy place!
Stay well-hydrated and protect your skin from the sun.
Exercise with the activities of your choice (tennis, pickleball or softball, anyone?) but be mindful of the weather and your limits. Take rest and hydration breaks in the shade.
Make your own summer music playlist.
Reconnect with a friend.
Did I mention take a vacation? Even a long weekend is better than no vacation, and can help us recharge, reenergize and de-stress. Alternatively, if you cannot leave town, even a stay-cation in the world’s greatest city, with Broadway shows, great museums, restaurants, shopping, beaches and more, can probably de-stress you for less.

Here’s to a fun and relaxing Summer of 2025, either here in the Baked Apple or in the place(s) of your choice!

Jul
11

CSBA Grieves Beloved Grievance Coordinator Aldona Vaiciunas

On May 25, 2025, Aldona Vaiciunas, our beloved CSBA Grievance Coordinator and Office Administrator for more than 25 years, suddenly passed away. She will be greatly missed by the many people who she assisted or otherwise came into contact with.

Not only did Aldona do everything possible to move our grievances forward (mission impossible with OLR) and knowledgeably advise and answer members’ inquiries, but she also was instrumental in coordinating witnesses for Local 237’s successful School Safety Officer equal pay lawsuit and separately in reviewing years of billing records from a law firm that was overcharging us.

Aldona was not only admired for her hard work and intelligence within our union, she was also the long-time President of the Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association. In that capacity, she was respected by community leaders and politicians throughout Brooklyn.

Apr
5

Spring Forecast for CSBA: RAISES, REMOTE WORK AND ROCKY ROAD AHEAD

By Saul Fishman
President, Civil Service Bar Association (CSBA)

Let’s start with the good news, beyond the warmer temperatures and longer sunlight hours after work:

Our final raise under the current collective bargaining agreement will be paid to us on Friday May 9th as 3.25% salary, recurring increment payment (“RIP”) and longevity differential increases.
Remote work is expected to continue at least until the next round of Citywide bargaining late next year, and in all likelihood, well into the foreseeable future.
Our employer, the City of New York, has very substantial reserves, enabling it to withstand almost any short-term financial crisis.

That said, you don’t need to be an expert in economics, political science or meteorology to forecast very strong headwinds battering New York and other so-called “blue states” later this year and over the next couple of years. CSBA members and indeed the whole world can see that the President of the United States is acting in totally unprecedented fashion, tearing down entire Federal agencies, slashing staffing, funding and protections for workers, consumers, seniors, veterans, hospitals and nursing homes. Monies paid to state and local governments are in many cases either threatened with cutoff or actively being clawed back. Prime example: The $80 million that the prior President reimbursed NYC for temporary migrant housing has been summarily recouped without either warning or a valid rationale.

Unfathomable too, is the change in our nation’s relations with our closest international neighbors and allies. Suddenly even Canada is our adversary? I remember when “Blame Canada!” was an absurd parody of a song by comic actor Robin Williams.

The point is that uncertainty is no friend of the economy and of Wall Street, which affects tax revenues here in New York City, complete with a big ripple effect on our agencies and potentially on collective bargaining.

Yes, NYC has very significant financial reserves. Given these crazy times, how much is enough? Both the NYC and NYS Comptrollers have publicly expressed concerns. The truth is nobody knows for sure how this is all going to shake out for our city, region and nation. Inflation is very likely to increase from steep reciprocal tariffs, which act essentially as a sales tax to the consumer from the goods now made more expensive at our border. And suddenly there is also talk about a possible recession.

All that is certain is that there will be a lot of pain and displacement. Overall good news? Probably not in the near term. Take heart, buckle down, get involved and know that over time, the pendulum swings and some semblance of normalcy and/or progress returns.

Feb
4

Raises to be Paid on May 9th

We have been informed that the NYC Office of Payroll Administration has scheduled payment of our salary, RIP and longevity differential increases (3.25% each) for Friday May 9th. There should be a small retroactive payment to make up for the three-week delay from the contractual April 18th date it should have been paid.

Are we surprised by the delay? Unfortunately not, as they have never paid us (or any other title to my knowledge) exactly on time. At least by NYC government standards, this is a relatively short delay.

Jan
2

AEBRx is our new Prescription Drug administrator as of January 1, 2025

As you have probably heard, whether by a mailing containing your new prescription cards and a Welcome brochure, or at the detailed presentation at our October 30th General Membership meeting, or via our Facebook page (CSBA Attorneys), AEBRx (powered by Prime Therapeutics) is our new prescription drug administrator (replacing Aetna).

FYI, AEBRx is affiliated with the Amalgamated family of union-centered companies. Our Welfare Fund Trustees believe that this change is the best interests of our members and the Fund, and apologize for any temporary inconvenience you may experience during the transition. You should be able to continue to pick up your medicines from the same pharmacy as before. If you have any questions, please call AEBRx’s 24-hour Customer Service number: (855) 371-9780 or visit their website AEBRx.com.

As always for Welfare Fund issues, especially if there remains a problem after calling the AEBRx Customer Service number for prescription issues (above), you can continue to reach out to Sandra Aguiar, our Senior Account Executive at Amalgamated Employee Benefits via saguiar@amalgamatedbenefits.com.

Oct
23

Seasons Change But CSBA Remains Here for You

By Saul Fishman
President, Civil Service Bar Association (CSBA)
From Newline, Fall 2024

It’s Autumn 2024. A bunch of us recently participated in the Labor Day Parade (see photos in this Newsline edition as well as on our CSBA (Attorney’s Facebook page). It’s now prime time for apple-picking, apple cinnamon donuts (sorry dieters) and pumpkin spice coffee. The leaves will be turning brilliant orange, red and yellow, and soon will be under foot. Maybe deep postseason baseball will return to New York (let’s hope).

What remains the same is the dedication of the CSBA staff to assist you however and whenever we can. We are here for consultation and advice on your contractual rights, and collectively have a lot of experience and a fair amount of contacts. Members can always email us at csbainfo@local237.org or call us at (212) 675-0519, and we will gladly respond quickly (reliably within one business day, usually sooner).

The benefit of an email to csbainfo@local237.org is that there are only four of us, all of whom are knowledgeable and discrete. Lee Gordon is our \Grievance Advocate/ Business Agent, and was a CSBA officer and member from ACS for many years. Aldona Vaiciunas has been the CSBA Grievance Coordinator and Office Administrator for well over twenty years, and is at least as knowledgeable as anyone here. Devin Rohena, our Receptionist/ Secretary, is our latest addition. He’s very polite, efficient, a quick learner and has a great attitude. Whatever he doesn’t know, he’ll find out and get back to you, or alternatively have the best available person contact you as soon as possible. And I’m Saul Fishman, trying to earn your trust each day for the past dozen years as CSBA President (and as CSBA Business Agent and Officer for a bunch of years before that).

Regardless of day of the week, time of day or night, grievance or arbitration schedule, vacation, illness, etc., one of us will read your message relatively soon and make sure that you are responded to courteously and professionally. Yes, the volume of emails, calls, consultations and grievances picks up from mid-September forward. Fear not. We are here for you!

P.S. Kindly advise us if there is an issue of concern in your shop. With approximately 40 agencies and 60 locations, we need your timely input. In addition to grievance and contract-related matters (referred to above), we take Health & Safety concerns very seriously.

Reserve the Date: the next CSBA General Membership Meeting will be held on Wednesday October 30th at 6PM. Kindly contact us a few days to a week ahead of time for member log-in information.

May
17

CSBA Election Results

The following individuals were duly elected as CSBA Officers, Class of 2027 on Tuesday May 14, 2024. As they ran unopposed, they were elected by one unanimous ballot cast by the Recording Secretary:

Saul Fishman (DOF), President; Lester Paverman (NYPD), First Vice President; Abbe Kalnick (ACS), Second Vice President; Kevin Hsi (HPD), Corresponding Secretary; Laura Sword (DEP), Recording Secretary; Michaele Bober (DSS), Treasurer.

Elected as Directors, Class of 2027 (unopposed) were Daniel Brickman (DOB), John Cannavo (NYCHA), Brigitte Rajacic (NYCHA), Robert Spiesman (DSS), Renee Storey (DOB), Bernard Tordesillas (DOF), and Vincent Verdi (NYPD).

Elected as Welfare Fund Trustee, Class of 2026, was Ka Ng (NYCHA).

Congratulations, all!