Officer Biography

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OFFICERS

Joseph Puleo

President

Joseph Puleo began his civil service career in 1989 as a Sanitation Enforcement Agent. In 1992, he went on to become an Urban Park Ranger (UBP) in the Department of Parks and Recreation and a member of Local 983. At that time, he immediately became involved in the Union, attending membership meetings regularly and volunteering his time wherever it was needed in order to learn how unions function. In 1997, he became a Shop Steward so he could help other UBPs navigate job obstacles and ensure they understood the importance of a union and organized labor.

In 1998, members elected Joe as Vice President of Local 983. His dedication to that position and to the more than 3,000 members was immediately apparent. While on leave to the Union as Vice President, he was able to take the Civil Service Promotional Exam, which he fought for New York City to offer for the first time in 14 years. Joe passed that Promotional Exam and in 2005, was promoted to the title of Associate Urban Park Ranger.

After serving as Vice President for five terms, the membership elected Joe in 2013 as the Union’s President, and has re-elected him since.

As President, Joe’s first order of business was to clean up the dire financial situation he inherited from his predecessor. He has made Local 983 fiscally sound and transparent, turning major debt into a surplus. Joe also has been an outspoken voice for saving jobs, spearheading a massive union rally during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to stop NYC from laying off 22,000 workers. This event was covered by all NYC media outlets, and helped send a message to the mayor that essential workers are not expendable workers. Joe has successfully negotiated new contracts for each title that included salary increases and enhanced benefits. In 2017, Joe blocked a threatened raid by LEEBA to take more than 500 UBPs and Traffic Enforcement Agents. In 2020, he welcomed members from a defunct union, and in 2021, has onboarded hundreds of new members into Local 983.

Joe Puleo also serves as Vice President on the District Council 37 (DC 37) Executive Board, and Co-Chairs the DC 37 Parks Policy Committee. Prior, he was a DC 37 Sergeant-at-Arms and served on the Elections Committee.

Marvin Robbins

First Vice President

Marvin Robbins truly lives by the personal slogan “if you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything” – and that’s what helps him excel in his position as Local 983’s First Vice President.

Marvin started with the City of New York in Oct. 1989 as a TEA 1 at NYPD, which placed him into his initial union. Seeing how the union functioned and what it was supposed to do to represent members piqued his curiosity of organized labor. When Marvin became a TEA 3 and a member of Local 983, he knew he had to get more involved.

In 1996, his co-workers elected him as Shop Steward for the Bronx Tow Pound, a position he held until 2005. It was during those years that Marvin faithfully represented members, making sure all workplace issues were immediately addressed and rectified, attended all meetings to enhance his knowledge of unions, and volunteered for other duties and responsibilities whenever they arose.

In April 2005, with a changing of the guard in Local 983’s leadership, Marvin was appointed to Vice President. Three years later, he was elected to that same position and has been re-elected since.

Marvin got involved with the union to represent the members who had rights, yet were unwilling or unable to fight for themselves. He makes the rounds to all work sites on a regular basis in order to stay in direct contact with those he represents.

Thomas DiNardo

Vice President

It’s been almost three decades since Tom DiNardo started his career with the City of New York. In the summer of 1992, he began as a Filter Plant Operator with the Parks Department. Just a few months later, in Nov. 1992, he went on to become a High-Pressure Plant Tender at New York City Transit, a job he still holds today. Tom received two United Citation awards for performing in emergency situations doing asbestos removal for NYCT in the 90's. This is the highest award given to employees at NYCT.

From the start, Tom knew he wanted to get involved in Local 983 because he saw how much the union did for its members. By attending union meetings, asking questions, and getting involved wherever he could, Tom became a go-to guy for information. That prompted him to run for Shop Steward in 1994, and he won. His co-workers turned to him regularly as the liaison with union leadership, which led to Tom further increasing his knowledge of the daily workings of Local 983.

In 2014, Tom became the High-Pressure Plant Tender Chapter Chairman. One year later, with years of experience under his belt, he was elected in 2015 as the Local 983 Vice President, the position he currently holds.

Victor Shannon

Vice President

Victor Shannon started working as a Motor Vehicle Operator (MVO) for Health + Hospitals Corp. at Harlem Hospital in 1991. He first got involved with Local 983 by attending union meetings to learn the inner workings of unions. In 1997, he was elected as a Shop Steward, a position he still holds today. Victor said the impetus for getting involved came from seeing the problems and issues workers were having that resulted from the City’s overall treatment of its employees, and the way some of his coworkers from different unions were represented. “The Shop Steward I took over from was instrumental in bringing me on board and getting me acclimated, but other union’s Shop Stewards weren’t as good. I saw how damaging that could be,” he said.

With his commitment to both H + H members and Local 983, and his keen interest in unionism, Victor was elected/appointed as a Vice President in month 2020. Victor has been instrumental in helping Local 983 fight for salary gains, job security, and overall worker rights.

As an Executive Board member, Victor has garnered a better understanding of how intertwined unions are with politics and government, and spends a portion of his time focusing on new members to get them involved.

Ralph Baselice

Vice President

Ralph Baselice started working for the City of New York in Sept. 2005 as an Urban Park Ranger (UPR) in the Park Department. Realizing how fortunate he was to belong to a union, he got involved early on to garner enough labor knowledge to work his way toward a leadership position.

In 2013, his co-workers realized he was their “go-to” guy for all things union and encouraged him to run for Shop Steward. He was elected in 2013, and for the next six years, continued to responsibly and enthusiastically represent Local 983 member who worked in Parks. In 2017, Ralph became an Associate Urban Park Ranger (AUPR). Six years after he first started as a Shop Steward, the Officers realized what a tremendous asset Ralph would be to the Executive Board, and they appointed him as a Grievance Representative, where he now manages complaints from members in various locations. On July 11, 2019, Ralph also became the local’s Sergeant-at-Arms.

Giving back to the union that gives so much to members is important to Ralph, who in 2020, amidst serious talks by the New York City Mayor to lay off 22,000 municipal employees as an attempt to balance a fiscal crisis, Ralph played a large role in organizing a Local 983 Rally in Albany, as well as a Sept. 2020 labor rally in Foley Square, Manhattan, that drew a socially-distanced and masked crowd of close to 500 during the pandemic.
Ralph also was involved in PPE and food distribution to members at 100 different worksites during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marlena Giga

Secretary-Treasurer

Marlena Giga is Local 983’s Treasurer, a position she has held since first elected in June 2013. In addition, she also is a Grievance Representative, responsible for trouble-shooting member complaints and interceding with management when needed.

Marlena started with the City Department of Parks on May 10, 2001, as a CSA and worked her way up to Sergeant. Her involvement with Local 983 from the time she became a member was apparent, with members regularly turning to her for advice. She now works directly with members throughout all agencies on disciplinary hearings, health and safety issues, and labor-management meetings. She has testified numerous times at City Hall on behalf of the membership and the labor movement.

As Treasurer, Malena is responsible for oversight of the Union’s budget, making sure Local 983 remains fiscally sound. She works in tandem with the entire Executive Board to make sure members and their families are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to as part of a union.

Marlena is a 2019 graduate of the DC 37 Women’s Leadership Academy, and is a strong voice for equality in the workplace.

Donald L. Chapman

Recording Secretary

Donald Chapman is the Local 983 Recording Secretary, a Shop Steward representing NYPD-FSD, and the local’s Grievance Representative.

He started his career with the city as a Motor Vehicle Operator (MVO) on Nov. 14, 2014, and two years later enrolled in a Shop Steward class that would prepare him to assume his first official role with the Local. He initially was elected as a Shop Steward in 2017 and from there, also assumed the role of Grievance Rep two days a week. His interaction with the members, and skills at working with management, were noticed by Local 983 officers, who increased his responsibilities.

In 2019, Donald was elected as Recording Secretary, and in 2020, he started handling grievances three days a week. In addition to all these titles, Donald also is a union Delegate and currently works at NYPD Fleet Services.

Having originated from the private sector, with no union, no benefits, and long work hours, Donald said the importance and value of belonging to a union cannot be stressed enough. He strongly encourages more members to get involved in order to build up the strength of Local 983.

Sylvester Ervin

Sergeant-at-Arms

Bio coming soon.

District Council 37

AFSCME, AFL-CIO

Contact

125 Barclay St.
New York, NY 10007

212.815.1983

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