Region 9A Newsletter: Local 2325 Virtual Rally & More

Welcome to the first Friday Newsletter of 2022! We hope you find the information contained herein valuable. If so, please feel free to forward the newsletter on!

As always, we would very much like to highlight local unions and members. If you have something you want announced to the entire region, have a member you want to suggest we highlight, tell us about a great new contract, or announce a new group of workers who decided to join our union email it to Cathie at cgraugard@uaw.net by Thursday each week!

MEMBER HIGHLIGHT: UAW LOCAL 2377 WOMENS COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS DENISE COOPER AND BOBBI BARBIE
BY ANGIE MURPHY

Denise Cooper and Bobbi Barbier are co-chairs of Local 2377 Women's Committee.

Denise resurrected our Women's Committee. She attended the annual Women's Conference where she learned and gained information. On fire from the conference she was ready to spearhead our Women's Committee. Along comes Bobbie who was eager to jointly assist Denise. Together they have initiated and led monthly meetings and clothing drives. They've even took it upon themselves in honoring local 2377 women leaders with plaques.

This is only the beginning, we're looking forward to seeing what their future endeavors hold and their commitment to our Women's Committee. In addition to their roles as co-chairs of the Women's Committee, Denise serves as our Recording Secretary and Bobbie serves as Steward. Congratulations to you both on a great job!

IN MEMORY - HERB HYDE

Herbert A. Hyde, 77, of N. Mohawk St., died peacefully surrounded by his loving family Sunday, December 26, 2021. Born in Vermont, he was the son of the late Franklyn and Mabel Davenport Hyde. He graduated from Troy High School, earned his associate’s degree in culinary arts from SCC and his bachelor’s degree from Regents College. He worked for 20 years at the Ford Motor Co. in Green Island and then at the NYS Dept. of Taxation & Finance until his retirement in 2009.

Herb was always very active in his community. He belonged to the Cohoes Waterford Elks and Cohoes Historical Society, was a member of the UAW and chairperson for retired employees, a member of PEF as well as the State Tax Examiner’s Assoc. He also was very active in Cohoes politics and sat on numerous committees. He always looked forward to meeting monthly with his high school friends and enjoyed being a part of the Ida Hill / Prospect Park / College & 8th Group. He was an avid golfer and loved to watch movies. He also closely followed his favorite hockey team, the RPI Engineers and belonged to the Friends of RPI Hockey.

Herb was also an accomplished author having published 4 books, “College & 8th,” “Uncle John’s Diner,” “Shanie & The Magical Shed,” and “Puck You.”

Herb was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Barbara Patrick Hyde; by his loving children, Sharon Hyde-Scully (Robert) of Cohoes and Denise DeAlba (Jim) of Soquel, CA; his sister, Bonnie Mattoon (Chuck) of Troy; his granddaughters, Terra and Sequoia Andrade; his grandson and favorite “hangout buddies,” Brandon and Shane Scully as well as his 2 “grand fur-babies,” Sadie and Smokey. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his siblings, Frank, Jack and Clifford Hyde, Kathleen Zayachek, Dorothy Iacketta, Patricia O’Bomsawin, Brenda Robinson and Jan Roberts.

Funeral services were previously held. Memorial contributions may be made to the Troy Boys and Girls Club, 1700 7th Ave., Troy, NY 12180.

UAW LOCAL 2325 HOLDS VIRTUAL RALLY:
NYC Public Defender Union Calls for Virtual Arraignments and Court Appearances to Stop the Spread of Omicron

Watch a replay of the Virtual Rally that was held on January 5. Director Beverley Brakeman had the chance to speak during the rally. Here are her remarks:

Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. What a scary time we find ourselves in once again. UAW Local 2325 attorneys and staff have been doing tremendous work managing through this pandemic, returning to work and are now facing a third wave that is far more contagious and systemically dangerous then prior variants. UAW Region 9A stands with our staff and attorneys in this fight. The office of Court Administration must return to virtual arraignments during this wave of the pandemic. Keeping the courts open, when for more than one year, arraignments were virtual with barely a glitch, is irresponsible to attorneys, legal aid and court staff, defendants and the entire incarcerated population. Given that a minimum of 25% of incarcerated individuals in NYC alone are currently Covid-19 positive, we are needlessly exposing everyone to this virus and in turn furthering the spread throughout the entire criminal justice system. And to what end? UAW has worked tirelessly to train and educate our members on proper ventilation and health and safety measures, yet OCA and DCAS refuse to have the courts examined and inspected for safety. This is suspicious, highly questionable and particularly egregious given the times we are in. Not only are people getting sick and endangering themselves and their families, OCA is creating a situation where the proper mitigation of justice and due diligence under the law is challenged. As public defenders and staff, with the knowledge to ensure a fair and just arraignment process, fall ill, we risk the system’s integrity. The fact that anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers are everywhere including the DOC and NYPD where many refuse to properly wear masks, only serves to further endanger everyone. Enough is enough OCA – You did virtual arraignments once and you can do them again.

STATEMENT FROM UAW REGION 9A DIRECTOR BEVERLEY BRAKEMAN ON THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED TODAY AT COLUMBIA

“Today’s Tentative Agreement is a historic achievement by a group of workers who exemplify the fighting spirit of the broader labor movement and the growing wave of UAW academic workers organizing across the US. Despite numerous obstacles, Columbia student workers have shown the world what workers can accomplish when they join together, hold the line and fight for justice. Now these workers will take up the important democratic process of voting on whether to ratify this agreement as their first union contract.”

LABOR LINKS OF INTEREST

We wish you all a safe and healthy 2022!

Sincerely and In Solidarity,
Bev and Region 9A Staff