Volume 41 • Number 4

April 2011

Official Publication of Social Service Employees Union Local 371-DC 37 AFSCME, AFL-CIO www.sseu371.org

President’s Message Protectors, Not Murders

Faye Moore discusses the need for
solidarity. Members Fight Against DA Hynes’s Overreach

L
See story on Page 2 ocal 371 members made themselves
loud and clear this past month reacting
to the indictments of two former Ad-
ministration for Children’s Services workers:
“We are not criminals!”
On April 6, more than 500 workers came
to protest outside the Brooklyn District
Attorney’s Office, and workers at ACS
locations around the City participated in
lunch-time protests March 25. Former CPS
Damon Adams and his supervisor, Chereece
Bell, were indicted for criminally negligent
homicide in the case of 4-year-old Marchella
Pierce, who died at the hands of her mother
who starved her to death last September.
At the protest earlier this month, work-
ers marched down Jay Street in downtown
Social Work Night Brooklyn, demanding that DA Charles
The annual social work celebration Hynes drop the charges. Workers said the
was a success this year, with music problem is that they are overburdened—
sometimes carrying as many as 20 cases, as
and a lively discussion about the
recent attacks on public-sector
workers and unions.
See story on Pages 4 and 5
opposed to the false “average” of 10 by Com-
missioner John Mattingly’s count—and can-
not devote their full attention to any one case
when they have to take on more than a dozen
cases at a time. In some instances, members
are juggling nearly two dozen cases.
CPS Kelly Mares, who has been with the
agency at the Marcy Avenue office for two
years, described the moment her co-workers
heard about the charges.
“The initial reaction was total horror,”
she said during a lunch-time demonstration.
“We had no belief that this would go this
far. This wasn’t their fault…If they can be
criminally charged then we can be crimi-
nally charged at any minute.”
The angry members denounced the fact
that they were being targeted when it was
the mother who neglected the child. Mares
explained that ACS management has devel-
Continued on page 3

Cast Your Vote!

Members are strongly encouraged
to participate in the election of Union
Officers, Welfare Fund Trustees, DC 37
Delegates, and Central Labor Council
Delegates. The American Arbitration
Association (AAA) is conducting the
secret mail ballot election. Any Union
member who has not yet received a
ballot must call AAA at 1-800-529-
Pat Arnow

5218 to request a ballot. Ballots are

due back by 9:00 a.m. April 29, and Hundreds of Local 371 members rallied in front of Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes’s office demanding that the charges
will be counted the same day. against Damon Adams and Chereece Bell be dropped.
CALENDAR
April Solidarity is in Our Hands

S
20 Delegate Assembly: 6:30 p.m.
Advance Realty Building, 235 West 23rd ince the beginning of 2011, the labor movement has been a major topic of
Street in Manhattan discussion. In the headlines, on the talk shows and at the dinner table unions have
27 Political Action Committee: 6:30 p.m become a source of debate and discourse like never before. Even before the civil
Union Office, 12th Floor disobedience in Wisconsin, with other states to follow, the union workers of New
Civilians in Law Enforcement
York have been discussing and organizing around the
Chapter: 6:30 p.m. Union Office, local attack on the public sector.
15th Floor The attack has been consistent. First was the media
campaign of lies and myths about our pension system
28 Jewish Heritage Committee: 6:30 p.m.
Union Office, 12th Floor and the redesign plan that will hurt current and new
members in the retirement system. Then there was
29 Ballots due at 9:00 a.m.: Call AAA at
the “reform plan” that stands to eliminate many of our
(800)-529-5218 for questions.
protections as civil service employees. That was fol-
lowed with demands for more givebacks in our health-
May care coverage. All this is combined with the continuing
1 New administrative term begins cuts to social services and new threats of layoffs. Our
4 Executive Committee: 6:30 p.m.
members have gone one year without a contract and
Union Office, 12th Floor two years without a raise.
This could be overwhelming. It could all be very
11 Women’s Committee: 6:30 p.m.
Union Office, 12th Floor
discouraging. But as one of the great activists and
President Faye Moore
orators Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. once asked, “What’s
17 Alumni Association: 2 p.m.
in your hand?”
Union Office, 12th Floor
What’s in our hand is the Union, all of us organized and ready to fight back. What’s in
18 Delegate Assembly: 6:30 p.m. our hand are the hundreds of Local 371 members who stood up for our brother and sister
Advance Realty Building, 235 West 23rd
and against the indictments on April 6. What’s in our hand is our determination to protect
Street in Manhattan
our rights, protect our pensions, and negotiate a fair wage increase.
Our Union has a rich legacy of militancy and struggle. Over time, we have fought against
poor salaries, poor working conditions, and threats to services. We’ve had small wins and
huge victories. The most important result has always been a stronger more unified Union
at the end of the fight. So, “What’s in our hand?” Solidarity. Union solidarity has held us
together in our dark days and has kept us from being complacent in good times. Solidarity
will carry us through this crisis as it has since the early days of Local 371.
Published monthly except for a combined issue in July/ Solidarity then, solidarity now, solidarity forever.
August and a Supplement in January by the Social
Service Employees Union Local 371, District Council 37, –Faye Moore
AFSCME, AFL-CIO. Subscription Price $2.00 annually.
Periodical postage paid at New York, N.Y.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: The
Unionist, SSEU Local 371, 817 Broadway, N.Y., N.Y. 10003.
USPS# 348990 (212) 677-3900
ISSN# 0041-7092
President
Faye Moore
Executive Vice President
Yolanda Pumarejo
Secretary-Treasurer
Joe Nazario
V.P. Negotiations & Research
Anthony Wells
V.P. Organization & Education
Beverly Mallory-Brown
V.P. Grievances & Legal Services
Lloyd Permaul
V.P. Legislation & Political Action
Michelle Akyempong
V.P. Publicity & Community Relations
Michelle Conklin
Trustees
Dave Sanders

Michael Ballesteros
Yolanda DeJesus
Melva Scarborough
Editor
Ari Paul Union members and supporters rallied March 24 at City Hall (above) and at Times Square this month to protest the
attacks on the public-sector and social services.
Visit us on the web at www.sseu371.org

2 The Unionist | April 2011

Protectors,
Not Murders
Members Fight
Against DA Overreach
Continued from page 1
oped too many mandated protocols that
actually take time away from workers to
tend to their cases.
“It’s completely impossible to maintain
what’s expected of us,” she said. “We need
more staff.”

Look to the Top
City Councilman Charles Barron ad-
dressed the members at the April 6 protest,
saying that the DA should charge Mat-
tingly and Mayor Bloomberg for cutting
ACS staff and services.
“I say you should handcuff them togeth-
er,” he said to a roaring applause.
Local 371 members defended the repu-
tations of their charged co-workers. One
ACS worker who declined to be identified
said of Bell, “She had two of her own chil-
dren. She would make sure that the New
York City children were okay before she
attended to her own.”
Another talked about how both former
Pat Arnow
CPS Kelly Mares holds up her message along with her co-workers at 185 Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn, where both
Bell and Adams worked.
and that this was common for many Local
371 members.
Marching with the workers March 25,
Union President Faye Moore said, “We
have to make the City recognize and
respect this profession. We have to make
this work doable so we can do real protec-
tion for the City’s children. Right now,
everybody is really buckling under the
pressure, not doing the quality of work
that they can do.”
She added, “[The City] is not getting the

Local 371
workers struggled so hard to keep up with best from these people because they’re not
the workload that they commonly worked treating them like the professionals they CPSs Iydes Ramirez and Surayya Rogers handcuff
nights and weekends without extra pay, really are.” themselves in solidarity during a protest in the Bronx.

25 Years Ago April 1986 15 YEARS AGO April 1996

“STORY AND SONG PROGRAM TO MARK HAYMARKET, MAY DAY CENTENNIAL “HOUSEPARENT PAY EQUITY ISSUE GOES TO ARBITRATOR
An exciting program of labor songs and stories will mark the 100th Local 371 is taking the Houseparent pay equity issue to arbitration on May 15
anniversary of May Day, the Chicago Haymarket massacre, and the and May 22 because the City did not live up to the equity award agreement it
nationwide strike for the 8-hour day...Vice President of Publicity and made with District Council 37 as part of the 1992-1995 contract.
Community Relations Bobbie Rabinowitz has been an active member of the The campaign to win a 40-hour work week for Houseparents and
100th Anniversary Committee since it started gathering support for the Senior Houseparents with no loss in pay has been waged by Local 371 for
event last fall. ‘In our local,’ she said, ‘we’re carrying on the fight for better many years.”
working conditions the Chicago workers marched for on May 1, 1886.’”
10 YEARS AGO April 2001
20 YEARS AGO April 1991 “NOVA WORKERS GET MORE SPACE; EAU FACILITY STILL OVERCROWDED
“CAMPAIGN IS SUCCESSFUL IN RELOCATING OVER 300 WORKERS In last month’s issue of the Unionist, we reported on the impossibly
FROM 635 FULTON ST. cramped space assigned to the NOVA workers at the DHS Emergency
After months of Union pressure because of hazardous health and safety Assistance Unit on 151st Street in the Bronx. In that article we stated
conditions at 635 Fulton Street, over 300 workers have been relocated to that, as a result of a labor-management meeting, the City had agreed
alternate worksites. ACD and CWA employees have moved to modern offices to give the NOVA workers more room. Shortly after, the NOVA unit
at 2 Metro Tech Center in Brooklyn and DOE workers have been relocated to was provided with a small additional area in the operation office, large
the Municipal Building in Manhattan...‘We are glad that we were successful in enough for a supervisor’s desk and chair and near a copying machine and
relocating these workers,’ said President Charles Ensley.” a fax machine.”

April 2011 | The Unionist 3

 O
n the one hand, it is an
evening to celebrate the
achievements of social
workers who have recently
received MSWs with
dinner, music and dancing.
But it is also a time for social
workers to reflect on the challenges
the far right has placed before them.
The Committee of Concerned Social
Keynote speaker Mimi Abramovitz
Workers held its annual event at DC 37’s

Honoring
Social Work

The Committee of Concerned Social Workers pulled off another successful social work night.

4 The Unionist | April 2011

headquarters March 11. SSEU Local
371 Executive Vice President Yolanda
Pumarejo, the committee’s chair,
commented in her opening remarks
that members needed to organize, as
Governors and lawmakers across the
nation have been taking unprecedented
action to cripple unions and working
families.
“It’s going to be New York if we do not

Photos 4 & 5: Dave Sanders

organize and get together,” Pumarejo
said. “Don’t think that
it’s just Wisconsin.”
Keynote speaker
Mimi Abramovitz,
a Hunter College
Professor of Social
Work who has done
landmark research on

k
the welfare system The Union honored MSW recipients at
and women’s rights last month’s event (top), and Executive
organizing, explained Vice President and CCSW Chair Yolanda
that the recent attack Pumarejo (pictured at left) addressed
on public-sector Local 371 members on the importance of
organizing. After the speeches, attendees
workers is in line with
enjoyed dancing and music supplied by
the far right’s historical 19 South (at bottom).
assault on the welfare system. The irony,
she added, was that businesses actually
benefit from lower-income families
receiving welfare benefits, because it
enables them to spend more on goods.
“They want to deflect attention from the Wall Street traders,”
Abramovitz said. “The Governors have declared class war on,
Politics as Usual
guess who: government employees like you and me.”
The reason for the attack, she noted, was
purely political. But she explained, as is so
often the case, the personal is political.
“They want to deflect attention from
the Wall Street traders,” Abramovitz said.
“The Governors have declared class war
on, guess who: government employees
like you and me.”
She added, “I can’t help but take these
attacks personally.”
While members and speakers focused
on the chilly political atmosphere unions
and working class people currently face,
they did have time to pay attention to
the good news of the evening. After the
committee honored this year’s social
work recipients on stage, members
danced the night away to the tunes of the
band 19 South.
“We’re here to recognize the sacrifices
you made,” Union President Faye Moore
told the scholarship winners. “We’re here
to honor that commitment tonight.”

April 2011 | The Unionist 5

 Benefits Funds Financial Reports
Welfare Fund Audit
GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C., CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10118-4309
Social Service Employees Union, Local 371 Welfare Fund
817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT
We have audited the accompanying statements of benefit obligations and net assets available for benefits of the
Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Welfare Fund as of June 30, 2010 and 2009, and the related statements
of changes in benefit obligations and in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial
statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether
the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over
financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for
the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used
and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
status of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Welfare Fund as of June 30, 2010 and 2009 and the
changes in its financial status for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States of America.
January 25, 2011 GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C.
STATEMENTS OF BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS AND NET ASSETS AVAILABLE
FOR BENEFITS AT JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS AND in NET ASSETS AVAILABLE
FOR BENEFITS FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
6 The Unionist | April 2011
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AT JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
NOTE 1 – DESCRIPTION OF PLAN
The following description of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Welfare Fund (the “Plan”)
provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan’s benefit booklet and it’s Summary Plan
Description for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.
General: The Plan was established in 1965 for the purpose of providing health care benefits to eligible
employees covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the Social Service Employees Union Local
371 AFSCME, AFL-CIO (the “Union”) and the City of New York (the “Employer”). It is not subject to the provisions
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as amended.
Plan Administration: The administration of the Plan is the responsibility of a Board of Trustees comprised
of seven trustees, six of whom are elected by the general membership of the Union and the seventh being the
President of the Union. The Plan’s investments are managed by an independent investment manager who has
full discretion and authority to effect transactions for the benefit of the Plan. The Plan’s investments are held
separately by a custodian.
Benefits: The Plan provides health benefits prescription drugs, dental, optical, prosthetic appliance,
diagnostic examinations, podiatry, hearing aid and abortion, disability, pension and health insurance counseling,
burial and life insurance benefits to full time participants of the Plan and to their beneficiaries and covered
dependents. Part time participants are provided dental, drug, optical, podiatry and life insurance benefits.
During the year the following insured benefit was in effect:
Insurer Benefit
Prudential Insurance Company of America Life Insurance
The Standard Life Insurance Company Life Insurance
During the year the following administrative benefit contract was in effect:
Third Party Administrators Benefit
MedcoHealth Prescription Drug
The Plan operates a medical facility that provides dental care and podiatry benefits. As an alternative to the
regular schedule of benefits, participants can elect these services with no out-of-pocket costs.
Funding: Employer contributions are made by the Employer to the Social Service Employees Union Local
371 Administrative Fund (the “Administrative Fund”), a related organization. The Plan receives, on an as needed
basis, an allocation of these contributions (see Note 6).
Plan Termination: In the event of termination of the Plan, the Trust Agreement requires that the trustees
pay all obligations of the Plan and shall distribute and apply any remaining surplus in such a manner as will, in
their opinion, best effectuate the purpose of the Plan. In no circumstances shall any funds revert or accrue to the
benefit of the Union or the Employer.
Other: Although they have not expressed any intention to do so, the Plan’s Board of Trustees has the right
under the Plan to modify the Trust and to terminate the Plan.
Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Accounting: The financial statements were prepared on the accrual basis of accounting.
Administrative Expenses: The Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative Fund pays all
administrative expenses of the Plan, other than third party administrative fees (See Note 6).
Investment Valuation and Income Recognition: Investments are reported at fair value. Fair value is the
price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market
participants at the measurement date (See Note 8 on Fair Value Measurements.)
Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the
accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Net appreciation includes the plan’s gains and
losses on investments bought and sold as well as held during the year. Unrealized gains or losses are the
differences between the fair value of the investments held at year-end and those held at the beginning of the year.
Realized gains or losses on the sale of investments are based on the historical costs of the individual investments
sold for financial reporting purposes.
Fixed Assets and Depreciation: Furniture, equipment and improvements are stated at cost less
depreciation accumulated since acquisition and does not purport to represent replacement or realizable value. All
assets are depreciated over estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Expenditures for normal repairs
of equipment are charged to current operations. All other expenditures for fixed assets are capitalized.
Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
Plan Benefits: Plan obligations at June 30 for health claims incurred by active participants but not reported
at that date and for future disability payments at June 30 are estimated by the Plan’s actuary in accordance with
accepted actuarial principles.
Note 3 – Tax Status
The Trust established under the Plan to hold the Plan’s assets is intended to be qualified pursuant to Section
501(c)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended and, accordingly, the trust’s net income is exempt from
income taxes. The Plan has obtained a favorable tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and
Plan management believes that the Trust, as amended, continues to qualify and to operate in accordance with
applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
Note 4 – Concentration of credit risk
Financial instruments that subject the Plan to concentration of credit risk include cash and short-term invest-
ments. The Plan maintains accounts at high quality financial institutions. While the Plan attempts to limit any
financial exposure, its cash deposit balances may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. Short-term invest-
ments are not covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Note 5 – Risks and uncertainties
Due to various risks (e.g., interest rate, market and credit risks) associated with certain investments and the
level of uncertainty related to changes in the value of investments, it is at least reasonably possible that changes
in the balance of claims incurred but not reported is reported based on certain assumptions, which are subject
to change. Due to uncertainties inherent in the estimations and assumptions process, it is at least reasonably
possible that changes in these estimates and assumptions in the near term would be material to the financial
statements.
NOTE 6 – AGREEMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES
The Trustees of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative, Educational, Legal Services
and Welfare Plans decided that to simplify operations and record keeping, all administrative expenses of the
above-mentioned benefit plans would be paid by the Administrative Fund.
As stated in Note 1 the Administrative Fund is the recipient of employer contributions. These contributions
are then allocated on an as needed basis to cover the costs of the Plan’s benefit programs and related expenses.
The Plan reimburses the Union for 50% of the Union’s cost of the Health and Safety Coordinator’s payroll.
 Welfare Fund Audit (continued)
Note 7 – Investments NOTE 10 – BENEFITS PAID

NOTE 8 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, Fair Value Measurements
and Disclosures, provides the framework for measuring fair value. That framework provides a fair value hierarchy that
prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority
to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under FASB ASC 820 are
described as follows:
l Level 1: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active
markets that the plan has the ability to access.
l Level 2: Inputs to the valuation methodology include:
Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;
Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability;
Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the level 2 input must be observable for substantially the
full term of the asset or liability.
l Level 3: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.
The asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level
of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use of
observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.
Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets at fair value. There have been no
changes in the methodologies used at June 30, 2010 and 2009.
U.S. government securities: Valued at the closing price reported in the active market on which the individual
securities are traded.
The preceding methods may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value
or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and
consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair
value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.
The inputs used in valuing all of the Plan’s investments have quoted prices in active markets for identical
securities (Level 1).
NOTE 9 – FIXED ASSETS

Administrative Fund
GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C., CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10118-4388 AT JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
Social Service Employees Union, Local 371 Administrative Fund
817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of the Social Service
Employees Union Local 371 Administrative Fund as of June 30, 2010 and 2009, and the related statements
of changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements
based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about
whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal
control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances,
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial
reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence sup-
porting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial state-
ment presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net
assets available for benefits of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative Fund as of June 30,
2010 and 2009, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

January 25, 2011 GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C.

April 2011 | The Unionist 7

 Administrative Fund (continued)
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS NOTE 6 – PENSION PLANS FOR EMPLOYEES
FOR THE fiscal years ENDED JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009 The Plan’s eligible employees are provided pension benefits by the Social Services Employees Union Local 371
Funds’ Staff Pension Plan, a defined contribution profit sharing plan.
Contributions to this plan were $137,998 and $136,196 for the years ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
NOTE 7 – INVESTMENTS

NOTE 8 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, Fair Value
Measurements and Disclosures, provides the framework for measuring fair value. That framework provides a fair value
hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest
NOTE 1 – DESCRIPTION OF PLAN priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the
The following description of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative Fund (the “Plan”) lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under FASB
provides only general information. ASC 820 are described as follows:
General: On July 19, 1973, the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 AFSCME, AFL-CIO (the “Union”) l Level 1: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in
entered into an Agreement and Declaration of Trust establishing the Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to collect employer active markets that the plan has the ability to access.
contributions received pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement between the Union and the City of New York (the l Level 2: Inputs to the valuation methodology include:
“Employer”), to remit these contributions to the Social Services Employees Union Local 371 Educational, Legal Services, Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
Welfare, and Staff Pension Plans, and to pay the administrative expenses of those plans. The Plan is not subject to the Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as amended. Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability;
Plan Administration: The administration of the Plan is the responsibility of a board of trustees comprised of five Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
trustees, four of whom are appointed by the executive committee of the Union and the fifth being the President of the Union. If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the level 2 input must be observable for substantially the
The investments of the Plan are managed by an investment adviser and maintained by a separate Plan custodian. full term of the asset or liability.
Benefits: The Plan does not provide benefits directly to covered members; instead employer contributions are l Level 3: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.
allocated to the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Welfare, Educational and Legal Services Funds on an as The asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level
needed basis to support their programs of benefits. of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use
Funding: Contributions are made by the City of New York for covered participants based upon an annual per of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.
member amount. The contribution rate is determined by the collective bargaining agreement in effect at the time. Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets at fair value. There have been no
The Plan also receives contributions on behalf of eligible employees of the Union and Plan who are provided changes in the methodologies used at June 30, 2010 and 2009.
coverage under the Union’s Benefit Plans. U.S. government securities: Valued at the closing price reported in the active market on which the individual
Plan Termination: In the event of termination of the Plan, the Trust Agreement requires that the trustees pay all obliga- securities are traded.
tions of the Plan and shall distribute and apply any remaining surplus in such a manner as will, in their opinion, best effectuate The preceding methods may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value
the purpose of the Plan. In no circumstances shall any funds revert or accrue to the benefit of the Union or the Employer. or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and
Other: Although they have not expressed any intention to do so the Plan’s Board of Trustees has the right under consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair
the Plan to terminate the Plan and to modify benefits provided to participants. value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.
The inputs used in valuing all of the Plan’s investments have quoted prices in active markets for identical
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES securities (Level 1).
Basis of Accounting: The financial statements were prepared on the accrual basis of accounting. NOTE 9 – Fixed Assets
Investment Valuation and Income Recognition: Investments are reported at fair value. Fair value is the
price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market
participants at the measurement date. (See Note 8 on Fair Value Measurements.)
Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis.
Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Net appreciation includes the plan’s gains and losses on investments
bought and sold as well as held during the year. Unrealized gains or losses are the differences between the fair value of the
investments held at year-end and those held at the beginning of the year. Realized gains or losses on the sale of invest-
ments are based on the historical costs of the individual investments sold for financial reporting purposes.
Fixed Assets and Depreciation: Furniture, equipment and improvements are stated at cost less depreciation
accumulated since acquisition and does not purport to represent replacement or realizable value.
All assets are depreciated over estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Expenditures for normal NOTE 10 – LEASE COMMITMENTS
repairs of equipment are charged to current operations. All other expenditures for fixed assets are capitalized.
Administrative Expenses: The Plan pays the administrative expenses of the Social Services Employees Union
Local 371 Educational, Legal Services, Welfare, and Staff Pension Funds.
Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results
could differ from those estimates.
NOTE 3 – TAX STATUS
The Trust established under the Plan to hold the Plan’s assets is intended to be qualified pursuant to Section 501 (c)
(9) of the Internal Revenue Code; accordingly, the trust’s income is exempt from income taxes. The Plan has obtained a NOTE 11 – ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
favorable tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and Plan management believes that the Trust, as
amended, continues to qualify and to operate in accordance with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
Note 4 – Risks and uncertainties
The Plan invests in various investment securities. Investment securities are exposed to various risks such as
interest rate, market, and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at
least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such
changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the statement of net assets available for benefits.
The Plan’s allocations of employer contribution income and the resulting balances due from these related
organizations are based on certain assumptions, which are subject to change. Due to uncertainties inherent in the
estimations and assumptions process, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in these estimates and assump-
tions in the near term could be material to the financial statements.
NOTE 5 – AGREEMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
The Trustees of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative, Educational, Legal Services
and Welfare Plans decided that to simplify operations and record keeping, administrative expenses of the above-
mentioned benefit plans would be paid by the Plan.
As stated in Note 1, the Plan is the recipient of employer contributions. These contributions are then allocated
on an as need basis to cover the costs of each of the Union’s benefit plans. NOTE 12 – LINE OF CREDIT
The Plan and the Union share office facilities (see Note 10), personnel and other overhead expenses. These The Plan has a $1,500,000 line of credit with the Amalgamated Bank of New York. No amount has been drawn
expenses are allocated based on estimated time and space usage. against this line of credit.

8 The Unionist | April 2011

 Educational Fund
GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C., CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10118-4309
Social Service Employees Union, Local 371 Educational Fund
817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT
We have audited the accompanying statements of benefit obligations and net assets available for benefits of
the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Educational Fund as of June 30, 2010 and 2009, and the related
statements of changes in benefit obligations and in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on
these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether
the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over
financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for
the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used
and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
status of the Plan as of June 30, 2010 and 2009, and the changes in its financial status for the years then ended
in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
January 25, 2011 GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C.
STATEMENTS OF BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS
AND NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
Plan Termination: In the event of termination of the Plan, the Trust Agreement requires that the trustees pay
all obligations of the Plan and shall distribute and apply any remaining surplus in such a manner as will, in their
opinion; best effectuate the purpose of the Plan. In no circumstances shall any funds revert or accrue to the benefit
of the Employer or the Union.
Other: Although they have not expressed any intention to do so, the Plan’s Board of Trustees has the right under
the Plan to modify the Trust and to terminate the Plan.
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Accounting: The records of the Plan are maintained on the accrual basis of accounting.
Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results
could differ from those estimates.
Plan Benefits: Estimated liabilities for benefits incurred but not reported were estimated at 20% of benefits paid
less actual accruals for benefits payable.
Administrative Expenses: The Administrative Fund pays all administrative expenses of the Plan.
NOTE 3 – TAX STATUS
The Trust established under the Plan to hold the Plan’s assets is qualified pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code, as amended and, accordingly, the trust’s net income is exempt from income taxes. The
Plan has obtained a favorable tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and Plan management
believes that the Trust, as amended, continues to qualify and to operate in accordance with applicable provisions
of the Internal Revenue Code.
NOTE 4 – TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES
The Trustees of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative, Educational, Legal Services and
Welfare Plans decided that to simplify operations and record keeping, all administrative expenses of the above-
mentioned benefit plans would be paid by the Administrative Fund.
As stated in Note 1, the Administrative Fund is the recipient of employer contributions. These contributions are
then allocated on an as needed basis to cover the costs of the Plan’s benefit programs and related expenses.
Note 5 – Risks and uncertainties
The balance of claims incurred but not reported is reported based on certain assumptions, which are subject to
change. Due to uncertainties inherent in the estimations and assumptions process, it is at least reasonably possible
that changes in these estimates and assumptions in the near term would be material to the financial statements.
NOTE 6 – RECONCILIATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO FORM 5500

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

AND IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009

Amounts currently payable to or for participants, dependents and beneficiaries are recorded on the Form 5500
for benefits that have been processed and approved for payment prior to June 30, 2010, but not yet paid as of that
date, and for estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported to the Plan.

NOTE 1 – DESCRIPTION OF PLAN

The following description of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Educational Fund (the “Plan”)
provides only general information. Participants should refer to the benefit booklet for a more complete description
of the Plan’s provisions.
General: The Plan was established in 1965 for the purpose of providing educational benefits to eligible employ-
ees covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 AFSCME,
AFL-CIO (the “Union”) and the City of New York (the “Employer”). It is not subject to the provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as amended but voluntarily files Form 5500.
Plan Administration: The administration of the Plan is the responsibility of a Board of Trustees comprised
of seven trustees, six of whom are elected by the general membership of the Union and the seventh being the
President of the Union.
Benefits: The Plan provides a schedule of reimbursements for job-related courses, conferences, etc. The Plan
also provides its own training courses at no cost to members.
Funding: Employer contributions are made by the City of New York to the Social Service Employees Union Local 371
Administrative Fund (the “Administrative Fund”), a related organization. The Plan receives, on an as needed basis, an
allocation of these contributions (see Note 4).

April 2011 | The Unionist 9

 Legal Services Fund
GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C., CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10118-4309

Social Service Employees Union, Local 371 Legal Services Fund

817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

We have audited the accompanying statements of benefit obligations and net assets available for benefits of
the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Legal Services Fund as of June 30, 2010 and 2009, and the related
statements of changes in benefit obligations and in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended. These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on
these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether
the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over
financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for
the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting.
Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used
and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial
status of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Legal Services Fund as of June 30, 2010 and 2009, and the
changes in its financial status for the years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States of America.
January 25, 2011 GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C.
STATEMENTS OF BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS
AND NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
AT JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS
AND NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2010 AND 2009
NOTE 1 – DESCRIPTION OF PLAN
The following description of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Legal Services Fund (the “Plan”)
provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan’s benefit booklet for a more complete
description of the Plan’s provisions.
General: The Plan was established in 1974 for the purpose of providing prepaid legal benefits to eligible employ-
ees covered by collective bargaining agreements between the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 AFSCME,
AFL-CIO (the “Union”) and the City of New York (the “Employer). It is not subject to the provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as amended.
Plan Administration: The administration of the Plan is the responsibility of a Board of Trustees comprised of seven
Trustees, all of whom must be members of the Legal Assistance Committee of the Union. The Union’s constitution, which
determines the composition of the Committee, thereby determines the composition of the Board of Trustees.
Benefits: The Plan provides a program of prepaid legal benefits, which include civil and criminal defense
representation.
Funding: Employer contributions are made by the City of New York to the Social Service Employees Union Local 371
Administrative Fund (the “Administrative Fund”), a related organization. The Plan is financed by employer contributions
allocated to it by trustees of the Administrative Fund on an “as needed” basis.
Plan Termination: In the event of termination of the Plan, the trust agreement requires that the trustees pay
all obligations of the Plan and shall distribute and apply any remaining surplus in such a manner as will, in their
opinion; best effectuate the purpose of the Plan. In no circumstances shall any funds revert or accrue to the benefit
of the Employer or the Union.
Other: Although they have not expressed any intention to do so, the Plan’s Board of Trustees has the right under
the Plan to modify benefits provided to participants and to terminate the Plan.
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Accounting: The records of the Plan are maintained on the accrual basis of accounting.
Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results
could differ from those estimates.
Administrative Expenses: The Administrative Fund pays all administrative expenses of the Plan.
NOTE 3 – TAX STATUS
The Trust established under the Plan to hold the Plan’s assets was intended to be qualified pursuant to Section
501(c)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and, accordingly, the trust’s income is exempt from income taxes. The Plan
has obtained a favorable tax determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service, and Plan management believes
that the Trust, as amended, continues to qualify and to operate in accordance with applicable provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code.
NOTE 4 – TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
The Trustees of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Administrative, Educational, Legal Services and
Welfare Plans decided that to simplify operations and record keeping, all administrative expenses of the above-
mentioned benefit plans would be paid by the Administrative Fund.
As stated in Note 1 the Administrative Fund is the recipient of employer contributions made by the employer.
These contributions are then allocated on an as needed basis to cover the costs of the Plan’s benefit programs.

Annuity Fund
GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C., CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10118-4309 Statements of changes in net assets available for benefits
Years ended MARCH 31, 2010 AND 2009
Social Service Employees Union, Local 371 Annuity Fund
817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of the Social Service Employees
Union Local 371 Annuity Fund as of March 31, 2010 and 2009, and the related statements of changes in net assets
available for benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s manage-
ment. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United Stated of America.
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over financial report-
ing as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we
express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures
in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates
made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets avail-
able for benefits of the Plan as of March 31, 2010 and 2009, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the
years then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
November 22, 2010 GOULD, KOBRICK & SCHLAPP, P.C.

10 The Unionist | April 2011

 Annuity Fund (continued)
STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS
Years ended MARCH 31, 2010 AND 2009
NOTE 1 – DESCRIPTION OF PLAN
The following description of the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 Annuity Fund (the “Plan”) provides only gen-
eral information. Participants should refer to the benefit booklet for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.
General: The Plan is a collectively bargained single employer non-contributory defined contribution plan that
provides annuity benefits to eligible participants. The Plan was established in 1999 pursuant to a collective bargain-
ing agreement between the City of New York and its agencies (the “Employer”) and Social Service Employees Union
Local 371 AFSCME, AFL-CIO, (the “Union”). It is not subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), as amended.
Plan Administration: The administration of the Plan is the responsibility of a board of trustees comprised of union
officers and appointees. The Plan’s investments are managed by independent investment managers who have full discre-
tion and authority to engage in transactions for the benefit of the Plan within the guidelines set by the trustees. A separate
Plan custodian holds the investments of the Plan.
Contributions: Contributions are made by the Employer for covered participants. Rates are determined by the collec-
tive bargaining agreement in effect at the time. The collective bargaining agreement requires contributions for all eligible
participants to be paid at a pro-rata daily rate not to exceed $684 per annum.
The Plan accepts rollover contributions from other New York City Governmental Plans for employees transferring
into covered titles.
Participant Accounts: Each participant’s account is credited with employer contributions made on their behalf plus
an allocation for Plan earnings (losses) less distributions and a deduction for Plan expenses.
Vesting: Once an individual account has been established, all contributions and earnings thereon are immediately
vested in each participant’s account after the end of each quarter.
Payment of Benefits: Participants are entitled to their entire account balance. Account distributions are made upon
termination of employment, retirement, death or permanent disability.
Plan Termination: In the event of termination of the Plan, the Trust Agreement requires that the Trustees shall
distribute to each employee the value of his account subject to any administrative adjustment at the time of termina-
tion in such a manner that will best effectuate the Plan’s intent.
Other: The Plan’s Board of Trustees has the right under the Plan to terminate the plan and modify benefits
provided to participants.
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Accounting: The financial statements are prepared under the accrual method of accounting.
Investment Valuation and Income Recognition: Investments are reported at fair value. Fair value is the
price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market
participants at the measurement date. See Note 10 for a discussion of fair value measurements. Purchases and
sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends
are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Net appreciation includes the plan’s gains and losses on investments bought
and sold as well as held during the year. Unrealized gains or losses are the differences between the fair value of the
investments held at year-end and those held at the beginning of the year.
Use of Estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results
could differ from those estimates.
Payments of Benefits: Benefit payments to participants are recorded upon distribution.
Amortization of Start-up Costs: All expenses associated with the preparation of the Plans trust documents
and obtaining its tax exemption have been capitalized and amortized over a 15-year period.
NOTE 3 – TAX STATUS
The Plan is a qualified trust under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and is exempt from federal
income taxes under provision of IRC Section 501(a). The Internal Revenue Service has determined and informed the
Plan by a letter dated November 9, 2000, that the Plan and related trust are designed in accordance with applicable
sections of the IRC.
Note 4 – Concentration of credit risk
Financial instruments that subject the Plan to concentration of credit risk include cash and short-term invest-
ments. The Plan maintains accounts at high quality financial institutions. While the Plan attempts to limit any financial
exposure, its cash deposit balances may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. Short-term investments are not
covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
NOTE 5 – INVESTMENTS
April 2011 | The Unionist 11
Note 6 – RISK AND UNCERTAINTIES
The Plan invests in various investment securities. Investment securities are exposed to various risks such as
interest rate, market, and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at
least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such
changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the statement of net assets available for benefits.
NOTE 7 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The Plan shares its office facilities and administrative staff with the Social Service Employees Union Local 371
Administrative Fund, at no cost to the Plan.
NOTE 8 – ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
NOTE 9 – UNALLOCATED NET ASSETS
Due to timing differences in the receipt and posting of contributions and investment income there are differences
between the total of participants’ account balances and the net assets available for benefits of the Plan. As a result,
the Plan had unallocated net assets at March 31, 2010 and 2009 as follows:
NOTE 10 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 820, Fair Value
Measurements and Disclosures, provides the framework for measuring fair value. That framework provides a fair
value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the
highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements)
and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three Levels of the fair value hierarchy
under FASB ASC 820 are described as follows:
l Level 1: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in
active markets that the plan has the ability to access.
l Level 2: Inputs to the valuation methodology include:
Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;
Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability;
Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other
means.
If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the Level 2 input must be observable for substantially
the full term of the asset or liability.
l Level 3: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.
The asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement Level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest Level
of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use
of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.
Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for assets at fair value. There have been no
changes in the methodologies used at March 31, 2010 and 2009.
Common stocks and U.S. government securities: Valued at the closing price reported in the active market
on which the individual securities are traded.
Corporate bonds: Certain corporate bonds are valued at the closing price reported in the active market on
which the individual securities are traded. Other corporate bonds traded in the over-the-counter market and listed
securities for which no sale was reported on the last business day of the Plan year are valued at the average of the
last reported bid and asked prices.
The preceding methods may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value
or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, although the plan believes its valuation methods are appropriate and
consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair
value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.
The inputs used in valuing all of the Plan’s investments have quoted prices in active markets for identical
securities (Level-1)
Write the Unionist Periodicals Postage
Paid at New York, NY
The Unionist accepts and publishes letters
to the editor, as long as they are relevant to Social Service Employees Union
union issues, and are subject to editing for Local 371
length and grammar. 817 Broadway
New York, N.Y. 10003
Letters should be typed and sent to SSEU
Local 371, Attn: Ari Paul, 817 Broadway,
14th Floor, New York, NY 10003. Or email
letters to apaul@sseu371.org.

File Now for Sup. II and

Sup. III Exams
April 26 is the filing deadline for the Supervi-
sor II (Social Services and Social Work) exams
and the Supervisor III (Social Services and
Social Work) exams. The exam is in the form
of an Education and Experience test paper.
Active Union Member Basil Ebong Retires
See the Union website at www.sseu371.org
for the Educational Fund’s online tutorial. Go
to www.NYC.gov/dcas for the Notice of Exam
and further information.
L ong-time SSEU Local 371 Executive
Committee Member and Union
activist Basil Ebong retired February
25 after 30 years of dedicated
service to the children and
Ebong went to work at the ACS Children’s
Center at 492 First Avenue, where he was
assigned to the Hospital Unit, finding
foster care placement for
children who had been re-
Condolences families of New York City. moved from their homes due
Condolences are extended to Angela Miller on the Ebong started his career to abuse and neglect.
death of her mother. Condolences can be sent to as a Caseworker in the Food Ebong had been a Union
111 Woodruff Avenue, Apt. 6F, Brooklyn, NY 11226. Stamps program of the Hu- Delegate for three years when
man Resources Administra- then-President Charles Ensley
tion (HRA), and then went on asked him to run for Executive
Members’
BULLETIN BOARD to work in Disability Review
when he was promoted to
Committee Member in 1989.
He was elected and served
SWAP- AJOS1 at East River Job Center in Long Island Supervisor I (Social Work) in for 16 years on the Union’s
City would like to swap with AJOS1 in Far Rockaway. If 1985. He was later promoted Executive Committee.
interested, please call (917) 776-1223. Union in his blood
to Supervisor II (SW) and Throughout his challenging
SWAP- CPS/FSU at 2501 Grand Course, Bronx went to work for the Adminis- career, Ebong encouraged his
looking to swap with CPS at 974 Morris Park Avenue, tration for Children’s Services (ACS), where fellow workers to get involved in the Union.
or CPS at 1200 Waters Place. If interested please there was a need for workers with an MSW As he put it, “The Union is in my blood. I
contact (718) 679-7561.
degree like him. like to advise people about the Union as a
GREAT DEALS ON ART- Beautiful custom framed Ebong worked in group homes in Brook- way to help others.”
8” x 10” and 11” x 14” prints are available for sale. lyn and the Bronx before he worked in the Ebong plans to enjoy his retirement by
Prices range from $25 to $75. Prints from artists like
Family Home Care program at 150 Wil- traveling to Nigeria to visit his family from
Romare Bearden and more are available. Please call
Fred at (646) 265-8288.
liam Street, providing services for families time to time. A celebration in his honor was
in need. After four years there, the pro- held at T.J. Byrnes Restaurant in downtown
FOR SALE- Large ceiling fixture, dolly, luggage, gram was reduced due to budget cuts, and Manhattan on April 1.
dishes, pots, glassware, gift items, never worn
size small ladies’ clothing including dark brown
Borghese faux fur jacket, never worn boots and
shoes size 8, large American flags, books, new
cordless telephone with clock radio, electrician’s Official 15-Day Official 15-Day
meters and tools, lots more. Call (718) 430-1769
and leave a message. Election Notice Election Notice
FOR SALE- More than one thousand Jazz records in Official 15-day notice is hereby given for the Official 15-day notice is hereby given for the
excellent condition, including Duke Ellington, Miles nomination and election of two (2) delegates and nomination and election of ten (10) delegates
Davis, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald and more. Call four (4) alternates for the Citywide delegation and twenty (20) alternate delegates for the
Gertrude at (718) 379-6401.
from the Department of Transportation (DOT). Citywide delegation from Civilians in Law
CLASSIFIED ADS are free to Union members and agency The Election will take place on Wednesday, May Enforcement on Thursday, May 26, 2011 at
shop fee payers in writing only (typewritten if possible) to
THE UNIONIST, 817 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003. Include 11, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the Union office, 6:30 p.m. at the Union office, 817 Broadway,
your work phone with ad copy, but work phone numbers 817 Broadway, 12th Floor, Manhattan. 15th Floor, Manhattan.
will only be printed with swap transfer ads. In no instance
will ads run longer than three months. No real estate or
business ads accepted. The Union neither endorses nor is
responsible for these offerings. 12 The Unionist | April 2010