File #: Res 1083-2005    Version: * Name: NYS Department of Labor to keep open the Unemployment Telephone Claims Center in lower Manhattan.
Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Committee: Committee on Civil Service and Labor
On agenda: 7/27/2005
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon Governor Pataki and the New York State Department of Labor to keep open the Unemployment Telephone Claims Center in lower Manhattan.
Sponsors: Margarita Lopez, Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., Gifford Miller, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Sara M. Gonzalez, G. Oliver Koppell, Michael C. Nelson, Annabel Palma, James Sanders, Jr., Kendall Stewart, David I. Weprin, Helen D. Foster, Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Letitia James, Vincent J. Gentile, John C. Liu, Tony Avella, Melinda R. Katz, Philip Reed, Larry B. Seabrook, Gale A. Brewer, Robert Jackson, Betsy Gotbaum
Council Member Sponsors: 24
Attachments: 1. Change of Committee Assignment Memo, 2. Committee Report, 3. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9/28/05, 4. Hearing Transcript
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
9/28/2005*Margarita Lopez City Council Approved, by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
9/27/2005*Margarita Lopez Committee on Civil Service and Labor Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/27/2005*Margarita Lopez Committee on Civil Service and Labor Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
8/24/2005*Margarita Lopez City Council Re-referred to Committee by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
7/27/2005*Margarita Lopez City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
7/27/2005*Margarita Lopez City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 1083

 

Resolution calling upon Governor Pataki and the New York State Department of Labor to keep open the Unemployment Telephone Claims Center in lower Manhattan.

 

By Council Members López, Addabbo Jr., The Speaker (Council Member Miller), Comrie, Gonzalez, Koppell, Nelson, Palma, Sanders Jr., Stewart, Weprin, Foster, Arroyo, Recchia, James, Gentile, Liu, Avella, Katz, Reed, Seabrook, Brewer, Jackson and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum)

 

Whereas, The New York State Department of Labor has announced that it intends to close its Unemployment Telephone Claims Center (the “Call Center”) located in lower Manhattan; and

Whereas, There are only three Unemployment Telephone Claims Centers for New York State, and the Call Center located in lower Manhattan is responsible for handling all unemployment claims and inquiries in New York City; and

Whereas, The closing of the Call Center would take jobs from an experienced and diverse workforce of New York City residents in order to relocate those positions upstate; and

Whereas, According to a supervising labor services representative of the Call Center, many of these workers are minorities, including over 100 African-Americans, 70 Latinos, 18 Asians and 56 persons of Arabic, Slavic or Jewish heritage; and

Whereas, The employees of the Call Center serve a diverse community with unique needs by providing bilingual services as well as local knowledge; and

Whereas, The employees of the Call Center worked long hours in response to the needs of New York City’s workers in the aftermath of 9/11; and

Whereas, This proposed closure would eliminate the only Unemployment Telephone Claims Center located in New York City; and 

Whereas, In addition, the Call Center is located in an area severely depressed by the attacks of 9/11, and its relocation would be a blow to the local economy and counter-productive to Governor Pataki’s pledge to revive lower Manhattan; and

Whereas, There is no proof that closing the Call Center would provide savings, considering the loss of jobs, including bi-lingual positions, and the economic toll on lower Manhattan that such closing would cause; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon Governor Pataki and the New York State Department of Labor to keep open the Unemployment Telephone Claims Center in lower Manhattan.

 

 

LS # 3242

JP 7/21/05