Public Employee Press

Grievance pay will help fight breast cancer

Clerical Aide Delores Sanders has a deep core of determination and tenacity. She put it to work in her fight against breast cancer and again to win a long-standing out-of-title-work grievance.

In the grievance settlement, she received more than $11,000 and shared some of the money with the breast cancer walkathon team she brings together every year. “So many people are diagnosed every year here at the Human Resources Administration,” she said. “I try to promote awareness of the disease.”

Clerical-Administrative Division Council Reps Jestina Roberts and Kenneth Mulligan and Grievance Rep Alvin Williams pursued the case with Sanders, who HRA’s Fair Hearing Dept. assigned to many out-of-title tasks, including dispensing carfare to clients.

“I knew that at HRA headquarters, only supervisors gave out carfare,” said Sanders. When she realized that she was actually doing the work of a Clerical Associate III, she brought in Williams; he investigated and consulted with Mulligan, and the dispute was finally settled at a step 2 grievance hearing.

In addition to the payment for the higher-title work, Sanders has received two promotions and is now a CA III. “I was ecstatic when I won the grievance,” she said, praising the union’s work on her behalf. “I have been able to help my two children and my four-year-old granddaughter.”

“Although she was going through her own health battles, she was able to stick in there and stay strong,” said Mulligan. “This is a perfect example of teamwork,” said Williams. “When we work together, we win.”

“This case shows the importance of a collective bargaining agreement that deals with out-of-title work and the strength of our staff in enforcing the contract,” said Clerical Division Director Ronnie Harris.