The BENTE Informer, Volume 14 Edition 1

Volume 14, Edition 1
“Official publication for the Board of Education Non-Teaching Employees Union”
Fall 2015
www.BENTELOCAL2419.org
District to manage Food Services
After ten years and two different management companies, the RCSD
will take a stab at trying to manage the operation in-house
bring back the managing of
MAILROOM STAFF
the Food Services operations
under
District
staff—
something that hasn’t been
done
for
years—and
The Board of Education stands
behind the RCSD Mailroom staff
Education
and against outsourcing
proved it.
more
the
has
than
ten
Board
since
of
ap-
“I think it is worth a shot to
try and see if it can be managed in-house again and I
commend Dr. Vargas and
After bouncing back and forth between Chartwells and Ara-
the Board for giving this a
mark, Superintendent Bolgen Vargas put forth a proposal to
shot,” said BENTE President
FOOD SERVICES Page 3
BENTE launches new website/photos
BENTE Officers supported Postal
Workers at a countywide rally in
protest of closing facilities
BENTE Student Scholarship
winner Julie Pham
Members in the District’s Transportation Department pose for a photo—one of many new photos that
will be shown on the revamped BENTE website. For more on the story, turn to page 3.
UNIT INFORMATION
Page 2
CHAIR OFFICERS
Unit Officers
Central Office
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
Louise Landry
Rose Bustamante
Ana Burgos
Angelo Palmerini
Elementary Clerical
Unit Chair
Jessica Rinebold
Unit Vice Chair Judy Browne
Unit Secretary
Lori Smith
Food Service
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
Marcie Engel
Michele Niger
Tracie Darrisaw
Libby Fletcher
Custodial
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
Pete Torchia
Richard DiBenedetto
Robert Bartholomay
Vic Wilson
President
Larry Profetta
Vice President
Barb Zarpentine
Sec/Treasurer
Bonnie Ferrari
Rec. Secretary
Wayne Collom
Sgt.-at-Arms
Wilbert Navedo
Sgt.-at-Arms
Secondary Clerical
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
Christal Williams
Marta Sabado
Sue DeVelder
Laura Kuhn
OT/PT'S
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Lynette Costello
Richard Paine
Carol Bednick-Carmel
Plant Maintenance
Unit Chair
Greg Young
Unit Vice Chair Pete Stefano
Unit Secretary
David Breeding
Unit Steward
Gary Viavattine
Project Workers
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
Kenneth Davis
Leslie Hunter
Shelley Strothers
Veldra Simmons
Sentry
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
Transportation
Unit Chair
Unit Vice Chair
Unit Secretary
Unit Steward
William Hebbs
Don Jones
Robin Fogle
Eugene Scialdone
Roosevelt Murray
Mary Graham
Joe Jackson
Rickey Hepburn
Dan DiClemente
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Weezy Landry
Central Office
Pete Torchia
Custodial
Jessica Rinebold
Elementary
Marcie Engel
Food Service
Greg Young
Maintenance
Lynette Costello
OT/PT’s
Kenneth Davis
Project Workers
Christal Williams
Secondary
Roosevelt Murray
Sentries
William “Bart” Hebbs
Transportation
TRUSTEES
Kathy Gravino
Dilia Olmeda
Zelder McFadden
STEWARDS
Top Row: Wayne Collom, Vic Wilson, Eugene Scialdone, Roosevelt Murray, Zelder McFadden, Larry Profetta,
Veldra Simmons, Kenneth Davis, Dan DiClemente.
Middle Row: Greg Young, Wilbert Navedo, Marcie Engel, Kathy Gravino, Lynette Costello, Weezy Landry, Jessica Rinebold.
Bottom Row: Barbara Zarpentine, Rickey Hepburn, Angelo Palmerini, Libby Fletcher, Bonnie Ferrari, Laura
Kuhn, Christal Williams, Dilia Olmeda.
Laura Kuhn
Clerical
Vic Wilson
Custodial
Libby Fletcher
Food Service
Gary Viavattine
Maintenance
Veldra Simmons
Project Workers
Rickey Hepburn
Sentries
Eugene Scialdone
Transportation
CHIEF STEWARD
Ange Palmerini
EDUCATIONAL COORDINATOR,
EAP & STEWARD COORDINATOR
Weezy Landry
UNION INFORMATION
Page 3
Congratulations
BENTE
Scholarship
Winners!
New
Website
Launches
The BENTE website has
been retooled in an attempt
to be more user friendly
Biiftu Duresso and Julie
across
Pham
all
devices.
Infor-
(pictured
on
front
mation that needs updating,
page) won the 2015 BENTE
such as services provided, is
Student Scholarship.
expected to be completed by
BENTE Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Zarpentine, Steward
student was awarded $500
the end of October.
Coordinator Weezy Landry and Sergeant-at-Arms Wilbert
New photos featuring members in action—courtesy of
Collom—will
the new site.
Wayne
compliment
to be used for supplies in
Navedo with President Kenny Montgomery of the National
college. Biitfu is the daugh-
Association of Letter Carriers.
ter of Jahmal Abdulahi, who
is an Assistant Custodian.
BENTE photographer and
Sergeant-at-Arms
Each
District to Manage Food Services
From Page 1
ership
of
again.
“We are optimistic
that
we
the
can
operation
make
this
work,” said Recording Secretary Bonnie Ferrari.
“This is a great opportunity
for the District to show it
Dan DiClemente.
Five employees that worked
under Aramark and Chartwells have been hired by the
District in an effort to make
the transition as smooth as
possible.
can perform better than a
contractor. Whether operations are managed by an
outside
company
or
by
internal
District
staff,
it
doesn’t change our position
that the workers remain
District
employees
Employees are excited about
BENTE
the opportunity to take own-
DiClemente.
members,”
and
added
For more photos, browse our Photo Gallery under “Archives” at www.bentelocal2419.org
BENTE
CURE HOLIDAY PARTY
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
School of the Arts
Angels Needed

Visit with Santa &
Mrs. Claus

A special gift for
each child

Holiday music

Face painting

Clowns

Magic show

Games and prizes

Pizza, snacks,
cookies, & juice
To become an Angel follow these
Three easy steps:
1. Call the Union Office at 458-8670 to get
the specifics on one of these special
children or sign up to be a volunteer for
the evening
2. Purchase and wrap a gift for “your”
child
3. Bring your gift to the Union Office by
Friday, December 4, 2015
POLITICAL ACTION, GOOD & WELFARE
Page 5
BENTE, RTA endorse Adams, Evans, Hallmark, Powell for School Board
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
VOTE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
GENERAL ELECTION
Three out of the four incumbents running for another term have been endorsed by
BENTE/AFSCME Local 2419: Mary Adams, Malik Evans, and Willa Powell.
Liz Hallmark was endorsed for the fourth seat, currently held by Melisza Cam-
VOTE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
pos, who is not seeking a third term.
“Mary, Malik, and Willa have consistently supported us on contract votes, they
have been against the unwarranted outsourcing of our members, and they are
always accessible whenever we have an issue that needs to be brought to their
attention. Liz would be a great addition to the Board with an educational background and an understanding of the issues. She also values the role of support
staff and is appreciative of the services our members provide.”
The BENTE union is encouraging all members who live in the city to get out and
vote for Mary Adams, Malik Evans, Willa Powell, and Liz Hallmark for
Rochester City School Board!
The inauguration ceremony of a vocational
training center that Home School Assistant
Kuc Majak constructed on the outskirts of the
town of Aweil in South Sudan. The project beKick-it Kailee Fundraiser: Employees at Central Office raised money to support Kailee,
came a reality with help from the American
the four-year-old granddaughter of BENTE Member Bob Kwiecien.
people embodied in the churches, institutions,
battling her 2nd bout with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of muscle cancer.
Kailee is bravely
civil society and Rochester community at large.
UNION INFORMATION
Page 6
Meeting Dates
Executive Board
September 16
October 7
November 4
January 6
February 3
March 9
April 6
May 4
June 8
Vice President Larry Profetta illustrates the grievance process during a training conducted in April for all Officers, Stewards and Trustees of
BENTE/
AFSCME Local 2419.
All membership
meetings
held
at
are
Water
Works (10 Felix
Street),
except
June 15, which
will be held at
Seneca Park.
Membership
September 23
October 14
November 18
January 13
February 10
March 16
April 13
May 11
June 15
Mark Snyder, Randy Johnson, and Wes Reaves retained their
Physical Therapist Charlie Roberts poses for a picture that
positions after the Board of Education supported the Union
will be featured on the new BENTE website.
and thwarted an attempt to outsource the mailroom.
Great News!
25 YEARS
Congratulations to Keith
Babudadiddydobachuck
for being able to sleep at
night after destroying
the lives of four BENTE
members!
Congratulations
on your
retirement!
SSO’s Johnny
“Flash” Figueroa
and Luz Ramos!
Congratulations to
Nancy Jemison for
FIFTY YEARS
of service to the RCSD!
Congratulations to all of our BENTE award recipients for completing
25-years of service to the RCSD:
Richard Garbutt, Roddy Johnson, Mario Ozuna, Zoel Antonetti, Karen Johnson,
Iris Vargas-Andujar, Delores Cooper, Billy Anglin, William Perez, Mark
Demersman, Steven Caso, Michael Butler, Thomas Madison, Carol Bauer,
Wayne Bence, Cecelia Ferron, Kimberly Tennant-Green, Mary Ridley,
Gwendolyn Brisbon-Shepard, Michelle Griffin, Cynthia Johnson, Oscar Rayam,
Rose Bustamante, Mayra Vargas, Stanley Sharp, Jeanette Hansen.
Full Buffet
Raffles & Prizes
Best Costume (optional) wins $100
Open Bar
Music & Dancing
FUN!
*Cash Only Please*
Tickets are on sale NOW at a discounted price of
$10 per member and $25 per couple if you
purchase prior to Wednesday, October 16, 2015.
Don’t drink and drive! Stay at the LaQuinta next
door to The Diplomat at a reduced rate.
Increases to full price after October 16. Do not
delay. Call 458-8670 to reserve your spot today!