Replace Members services with a Health, Compensation and Disability Department

Currently the TWU Local 100 provides a department called “Members Services” whose mission is to rectify all sorts of members’ problems. It is located at 180 Livingston Street on the fourth floor. There are no less than 6 Union reps assigned to work there. These reps are charged with manning the phone lines to help members in need, well, at least that is the theory. The reality is far different than the appointed mission. On any given day when a member calls members’ services it is a roll of the dice. We have called every number in members’ services, from (347)643-8062 to (347)643-8069, a total of seven different phone numbers, and did not get an answer in a 3-4 minute period. Seven phone numbers with seven “leave a message please”. Everyone was busy at the same time? Pretty hard to believe, but 100% true.

You may ask yourself, what is the cost of this “leave a message at the tone” syndicate? If one takes into account that each union rep assigned makes an average of 60K to work there (a conservative estimate) the total comes to $360,000. Not chicken feed at all.

And the problem with members services is not only with them not answering the phones on a consistent basis but when they do answer the phone they usually just give out another phone number to call. That may be a help in some instances, but aren’t they supposed to be something more than a verbal phonebook? Shouldn’t they actually advocate for their members? This is not to say every rep at members services is a talking phonebook, one or two actually do take action, but too many of them are too happy to hand you off to the next guy.

A better idea would be to restructure members services into a Worker’s compensation, disability and health issues department. Workers’ compensation issues, disability issues and healthcare issues are of paramount importance to members and are specialties that would be better disseminated by a structured department specializing and having expertise in the subjects.

When members need information about these issues, time is always of the essence - a few days can make the difference between a successful claim and an unsuccessful one. This would be a benefit to the membership and also a benefit to union reps because it would free them up to do other important work.

And as for the Union reps who should run this new department? Their selection should not have any political input at all, it should be totally merit based. To give someone a managerial job based on your desire to carry their division in the next election, is a disservice to the membership. Two good choices would be Jose Lagoa of RTO and Phil Caruana since both are competent, knowledgeable and hard workers.

A specialized department focusing on these issues would be a major improvement over a Members’ Services department which making a phone call to is actually a coin-flip on whether it would be answered or not. Our membership deserves better.