AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO COBA DELEGATES AND MEMBERS

Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, Inc.
“Patrolling the Toughest Precincts in New York”
NORMAN SEABROOK
President
ELIAS HUSAMUDEEN
1st Vice President
JOSEPH BRACCO
2nd Vice President
ELIZABETH CASTRO
3rd Vice President
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO COBA
DELEGATES AND MEMBERS
MICHAEL MAIELLO
Treasurer
June 4, 2015
AMELIA WARNER
Financial Secretary
DEAR COBA MEMBER,
KAREN BELFIELD
Recording Secretary
As you may already know, the Union recently received a grand jury subpoena from the
United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The subpoena
requests documents, including COBA’s financial records. The COBA is cooperating with
the United States Attorney’s Office to produce the requested documents. We have hired
the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP to represent the union in this
matter.
BENNY BOSCIO
Sergeant-At-Arms
We want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our voice as your elected leaders of the
COBA.
THOMAS FARRELL
Legislative Chairman
WILLIAM VALENTIN
Corresponding Secretary
KENYATTA JOHNSON
First City-Wide Trustee
ALBERT CRAIG
Manhattan Borough Trustee
DANIEL PALMIERI
Bronx Borough Trustee
FREDERIC FUSCO
Queens Borough Trustee
PAULETTE JOHNSON
Brooklyn Borough Trustee
BISHOP WILLIAM
RAYMOND WHITAKER II
Chaplain
VINCENT COPPOLA
Retiree Consultant
KOEHLER & ISAACS, LLP
COBA Attorney
75 Broad Street, Suite 0810
New York, NY 10004
t. 212.274.8000
f. 212.274.8255
COBA Satellite Office
77-10 21st Avenue
East Elmhurst, N.Y. 11370
t. 718.545.COBA (2622)
f. 718.545.2668
WWW.COBANYC.ORG
Before a few important points are made, let us be absolutely clear from the beginning.
We are 110% focused on continuing to do the jobs you elected us to do, twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week. That will never change.
Your Executive Board, as a team, has been very busy working on your behalf and fighting
on your behalf.
Here are just a few examples of what’s going on at COBA that you unfortunately won’t
read about in the press:
WE CONTINUE TO: Engage in discussions with OLR to negotiate the best possible
and over-due contract for every single COBA Member
WE CONTINUE TO: Lobby legislators to overturn the Pension Law that was enacted by
Governor Cuomo in 2012 that diminished the ¾ disability benefits for New York City
Correction Officers. In fact just last week, we testified again before the City Council to
lobby legislators to get this benefit back for our new members hired after 2012
WE CONTINUE TO: Expose and publicize the significant increase in violent assaults
on Correction Officers throughout the Department. In fact we testified before the
City Council to lobby legislators to make our facilities safer and provide more
resources for us to actually be able to do our jobs – providing care, custody and
control
WE CONTINUE TO: Represent officers every single day fighting to protect their
employment rights
WE CONTINUE TO: Operate one of the busiest municipal union membership
benefits department, helping officers and their families get all the dental,
vision and prescription benefits provided for in our contract
WE CONTINUE TO: File grievances against the Department of Correction
WE CONTINUE TO: Fight for safer workplaces for example, we just files three
new Workplace Violence Complaints with the New York State Department
of Labor
WE CONTINUE TO: Work to ensure that the COBA funds and their solvency
are secured for decades down the road
We’re working day in and day out at the satellite office, at the main office,
at the Bulova Building, and even our own homes, responding to calls from
our brother and sister officers around the clock
Here’s the bottom line and what we are asking each and every one of you to
remember, STAY FOCUSED! We’re here to represent over 15,000 active and
retired Correction Officers who this city will never ever fully appreciate.
Most of you already know this. Since day one, we’ve been there. We’ve had your
backs. We’ve been through the storms. BUT WE HAVE NEVER LOST TRACK OF
OUR COMPASS, OUR ONE SINGLE GUIDING LIGHT STEERING US EVERY STEP
OF THE WAY….YOU!
We will remain focused on providing you the best representation this union has
ever seen and will continue to improve the quality of life that you and your
families have come to expect and enjoy since you elected us.
Sincerely,
Norman Seabrook
President
REPRESENTING NYC’S BOLDEST