b"\x02Vincent W. Douglas NYCHA, maintenance Member since 1956In his own words Letter dated October 21, 1997When I first became a maintenance man working for Housing, I was asked to join the union. I signed up right thereand then, no questions asked. The year was 1956.The Shop Stewards approach was kind and friendly. I said to myself I know now how to act if I would become a shopsteward. I did three years after when the regular shop steward left for a new project. I did carry out just what I had learnedand used it to sign up new workers as member to Local 237.Also, when problems came about with some of the maintenance brothers, I told them to be cool and hold them-selves together, and problem will be settled in the right manner. The same held true when the union delegates hadmeeting with the city controller. They were carried out in a true and friendly manner to obtaining the union goal. It paidoff in the settlement for a pay increase for Local 237. I enjoyed my part as a shop steward and working for Housing.I am now retired holding what strength I have at age 85 and I thank the union in helping me to see this age. \x02Charles TimberHealth and Hospital Corporation, Dietary Aide, CookMember since 1957In his own wordsLetter, November 27, 1997I remember when we paid our dues to the shop stewards, who would put a stampin a little black book. They were former dockworkers and they reminded me of some-one from On the Waterfront. This was before collective bargaining. If you went beforethe Department of Hospitals with a problem, you could lose your job.After a while, I joined Local 420 because they were a new union. I was drafted into the U.S. Army on July 7, 1955,where I became a cook in Frankfort, Germany. After two years I returned to Bellevue Hospital, in 1957. I went from dishwasher to cook. My salary was $3,500 per year. I was a member of 420, where I became the chairman of the cooks organizing committee citywide. They were really fighting the Teamsters for the collective bargaining rights to the cooks.We had to deal with the Salary Appeals Board and very cold picket lines in Albany, New York. After all kinds of fights theTeamsters finally won the right to represent the cooks citywide. I joined the Teamsters and became chairman of the CooksChapter. First, I was a shop steward and helped Mrs. Dyer and Barry Feinstein build 237 at Bellevue and citywide. The enjoyment I had was fighting the administration, whose labor reps with PhDs in labor relations and me with my certifi-cate in labor relations from Cornell labor relations. I really had big fun using street knowledge to win. Barry Feinstein wasa great help to me because he was always there and always spoke his mind. Barry came with his Ivy League suit and didn't know much about unions. We helped him, and he became something else. I enjoyed it because we were very 195 "