b'status. It meant that we got a refund of some of our dues so we could run our chapter affairs. We were the first ones to setup a little bit of a benefit fund. We set it up shortly after we were established as 237. I became treasurer. With the amountof money we got backwe had a roster and on the I.D. cards we had next of kin, so if somebody was sick, or for a deathbenefit. Just about any event was celebrated in one way or another. Once a year we had a meeting at the Hotel Diplomat.We would have libations plus a little food and an entertainer. We were the first, to the best of my knowledge, that had anykind of benefit fund. It worked out pretty nicely.\x02Anthony GannattiBridge Operator-in-ChargeMember since 1953 Bridge OperatorThis Oral History Project interview features excerpts of an interview with Anthony Gannatti, a retired bridgeoperator-in-charge. Gannatti, who describes himself as a solid rank and file member, was at the Borden Avenue Bridgeon that historic day in June 1971 when 25 of the citys 29 drawbridges were left in an open position, shutting down theentire city. Today, Gannatti and his wife live in Satellite Beach, Florida.I first went to work for the city on Sunday, February 15,1953. I remember it very well, because it was unusual for yourfirst day of work to be on a Sunday. I was 21 years old. My fatherand my brothers were all in civil service, working for transit. Theytold me to get into civil service. Lacking any real professional ex-perience, I applied for the test for what they called the attendantlist. Anyone passing the exam could be called for any number ofjobs such as process server, park attendant, watchman, bridgeattendant (or tender). There were no skills needed. It was a sim- Anthony Gannatti (right) with assistant bridge operatorple question-and-answer, true-or-false type of test. I passed the Tom Dennard at the Grand Street Bridge in 1981test and they called me. I was offered a couple of jobs but Iwasnt familiar with any of them. Bridge attendant, or operator, sounded pretty good, so I took that. I received a letter[from the Department of Public Works, later the Department of Transportation] telling me to report to work, and I did.We worked a 44-hour week; I made $43 or $45 a week.It was scary. The bridge was dark and dingy and dirtyit was probably built in the late 1800s. In fact, not long afterthat they knocked it down and built the new Pulaski Bridge. Some bridges were really antiquated.The union didnt existat least, Local 237 didnt. We were in D.C. 37 of the American Federation of State, County, andMunicipal Employees, AFSCME. A few years later, Teamsters Local 237 came around and tried to get us join the union.There was a group who came around. There was a guy, Lenny Gordonhe was a bridge operator, or assistant, active in the24 '