News

News From the LFA and its member

schools:

Thanks to Dan DiPleco, our newsletter editor, the LFA publishes a periodical Newsletter.  Click the links below for the most recent and archived newsletters.

Recent News:

January 2019:

T eens   Need   More   Sleep:    Most   teenagers   are   chronically   sleep deprived.      One      strategy proposed       to       lengthen adolescent     sleep     is     to delay     secondary     school start     times.     This     would allow   students   to   wake   up later   without   shifting   their bedtime,   which   is   biologically   determined   by   the   circadian   clock, resulting   in   a   net   increase   in   sleep.   So   far,   there   is   no   objective quantitative    data    showing    that    a    single    intervention    such    as delaying   the   school   start   time   significantly   increases   daily   sleep. The   Seattle   School   District   delayed   the   secondary   school   start time    by    nearly    an    hour.    We    carried    out    a    pre-/post-research study   and   show   that   there   was   an   increase   in   the   daily   median sleep   duration   of   34   min,   associated   with   a   4.5%   increase   in   the median     grades     of     the     students     and     an     improvement     in attendance. By Science Advances 12 Dec 2018: cVol. 4, no. 12 Constance    DelVecchio    Maltese,    wife    of    Christ    the    King Chairman Serphin Maltese passes away:   Constance   DelVecchio   Maltese,   a   renowned   painter   and   artist, and   wife   of   Christ   the   King      Board   of   Trustees   Chairman,   Serphin R.   Maltese,   passed   away   on   December   7,   2018.   To   honor   her   life, the   family   has   requested   that   in   lieu   of   flowers,   a   donation   be made   to   the   Constance   Maltese   Art   Scholarship.   Our   thoughts and prayers go out to the Maltese family. Mariano    Rivera    visits    St.    John    the    Baptist    Diocesan    High School:   New    York    Yankee    legend    Mariano    Rivera    visited    St.    John    the Baptist    Diocesan    High    School    in    West    Islip    where    he    ran    a baseball clinic at the school. Please   send   us   important   school   news   for   publication.   Send news to ddvt2001@gmail.com E-mail to the Editor:            Regarding   the   “information”   about   mass   shootings   appearing in   the   November   LFA   newsletter   -   I   certainly   could   question   its accuracy   (perhaps   5   gang   members   shooting   it   out   counts   as   a “mass    shooting”?).    Just    as    you    would    probably    question    the accuracy   of   facts   I   could   provide   regarding   guns   used   in   defense of persons or property. The   point,   however,   is   not   the   “facts”,   but   why   you   think   they belong in our union newsletter.          If   I   were   newsletter   editor   and   included   statistics   provided   by the   NRA   or   examples   from   its   Armed   Citizen   page   you   would legitimately   think   that   I   was   pro   gun   and   opposed   to   what   many consider   anti   gun   legislation.   I   think   you   include   this   material because   you   would   like   more   “sensible”   gun   legislation   and   want something done to somehow stop these shootings.          Everyone   is   entitled   to   an   opinion   (even   though   opinions   don’t change    facts),    but    neither    yours    nor    mine,    however    subtly expressed,   belong   in   our   newsletter   unless   they   are   pertinent   to our   union   and   our   teaching.   (We   do   not   publish   author’s   name unless requested) Cooking     with     VP     Jerry     Franza: Italian Meat Balls :   Ingredients: ½    pound    of    ground    pork    and    ½ pound of ground beef 1     cup     of     dry     seasoned     bread crumbs or wet bread                                                    ½ cup of grated parmigiano                ¼ cup chopped parsley                                               2 cloves of chopped fine garlic                                        2 large eggs                                        ¼ teaspoon of black pepper                                       Steps: 1 . Mix all together 2 . Form Balls 3 . Fry in oil until brown Questions or comments: Contact Jerry at www.chipfranza@aol.com The President’s January 2019 Message…………. Ratification   Meetings   took   place   at   The   Child   Legacy   High   School and   at   Christ   the   King   High   School.   Both   schools   voted   yes   to accept    the    newly    proposed    changes    to    the    contract.    Many thanks   to   the   Bargaining   Team   Members   for   their   hard   work, dedication,    and    their    assistance    in    helping    me    negotiate    the best possible contract for our brothers and sisters.   All    5    grievances    have    been    settled    at    Bishop    Kearney    High School.   Our   delegate,   Lisa   Molnar,   our   attorney,   Paul   Ajlouny, and   I   were   able   to   secure   our   teachers’   contractual   rights   with much      success!      Our      concerted      efforts            and      constant perseverance   finally   forced   the   School   and   their   attorneys   to look    at    the    facts    and    realize    that    every    single    one    of    the grievances     could     have     been     resolved     without     spending thousands of dollars in arbitration fees.   I    am    sure    you    are    aware    that    The    Mason    Tenders’    District Council     Trust     Fund     has     made     a     drastic     change     for     the requirements   of   medical   coverage   into   retirement.   The   previous requirements   were   that   the   member   had   to   be   in   good   standing and   be   at   least   55   years   old,   and   be   a   participant   in   the   medical 7   of   the   last   10   years   of   employment   before   retirement.   The new   addition   is   that   the   member   must   also   be   in   the   LIUNA pension    for    20    years    to    be    able    to    take    the    medical    into retirement.   The   MTDC   has   allowed   anyone   who   is   able   to   take the   medical   into   retirement      under   the   old   7   year   rule      to   retire by   March   31st   instead   of   January   1st.      I   am   lobbying   to   extend that   deadline   for   our   Local.   I   will   keep   you   posted.      Please   check our Facebook and web pages for up to date details. ***   I   will   be   holding   a   Special   Meeting   on   February   6   at   4:00PM at   the   union   office   to   help   the   members   who   are   in   this   category to retire. All members are welcomed to attend.   Our   dues   have   gone   up   one   dollar   a   month.   This   is   a   “pass along”   increase   voted   in   at   the   last   LIUNA   Convention.   Retiree dues remain the same.   I   am   looking   forward   to   working   with   our   brothers   and   sisters at:    Bishop    Loughlin,    St.    Edmund,    and    Nazareth    as    we    begin negotiations   for   successor   contracts   to   the   present   contracts that are set to terminate on August .31st.    Your President and Business Manager, Ciro Quattrocchi

December 2018:

National Labor News from Bureau of Labor Statisti cs:     Please   remember   that   as   union   members   we   sacrificed   lower pay   so   that   we   may   have   a   pension   and   or   retirement   plans, health   insurance,   sick   leave   and   other   benefits   in   our   collective bargaining    agreements.    This    is    what    we    receive    to    improve people’s lives! A    Florida    teacher    battling    cancer    ran    out    of    sick    days.       School   employees   showered   him   with   theirs.   Within   four   days he had enough sick days to cover an entire semester. C ooking with VP Jerry Franza: Swordfish:   Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons of lemon juice                                                       2 cloves of garlic chopped              1 teaspoon of parsley                                                4 swordfish steaks 2/3 inch thick                                         1 small tomato chopped or diced                  Steps: 1 . Cook   for   5   to   6   minutes   on each side 2 . Combine all ingredients Questions    or    comments:    Contact Jerry at www.chipfranza@aol.com On   November   19,   2018,   LFA   President   /   Business   Manager     Ciro     Quattrocchi     and     Archbishop     Molloy     High     School President Richard Karsten signed a three year contract.   The   LFA   members   ratified   the   contract   on   October   16,   2018   with a   vote   of   66   yes,      5   no,   &      1   abstention.      The   bargaining   team   did a   great   job   securing   benefits   and   a   salary   increase   for   all   three years     of     the     new     contract     and          updating     the     Collective Bargaining Agreement as a whole. LFA all the way! The President’s December 2018 Message…………. This month:      *The     Archbishop     Molloy     contract     has     been     signed     and delivered! *Some   progress   is   being   made   to   resolve   the   5   grievances   at Bishop   Kearney   High   School.   I   am   hoping   that   the   5   arbitrations that   could   cost   from   $50,000   to   $100,000         for   the   Union   to prosecute can be negotiated and the clock can be stopped! *   Ratification   meetings   will   take   place   this   month   at   Christ   the King High School and The Child Legacy High School.   I    would    like    to    take    this    time    to    wish    all    of    you,    my    Union brothers   and   sisters,   and   your   families   a   Blessed   Christmas   and a New Year full of good health, much success and happiness! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!   Your President and Business Manager Ciro Quattrocchi