Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance: Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance By Howard Goldin BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- The only team representing the Bronx in the Women’s NCAA Tournament,...

Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance

Lady Rams Leave the Big Dance

By Howard Goldin

BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- The only team representing the Bronx in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, Fordham University, seeded 10th, played competitively throughout its first round contest against the seventh seeded California Lady Bears at Waco, Texas. A victor was not decided until the final seconds of the game.

The Lady Bears ran up their largest lead in the first half, six points, 13-7, with a three at 14:25. At that point, the Rams of Fordham began a 14-1 scoring run that raised their advantage to a game high of seven points, 21-14, at 7:51. The run was culminated by a three by Erin Rooney. After the last first half tie at 28, Fordham’s Emily Tapio sunk a basket that gave Fordham a 30-28 lead at the half.

During the second half, neither team displayed any intention to accept losing the contest. The score was knotted eight times and the lead changed hands on nine occasions. 

Three of the lead changes took place during the final 31.5 seconds of play. With the Rams leading, 61-60, Afure Jemerigbe netted two free throw to give the Bears a 62-61 lead. The ball then was given to the star of each team, Erin Rooney of the Rams and Brittany Brown of the Bears to hopefully give her team a win. They are two of only three players in the NCAA this year who averaged at least 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

With 19 seconds on the clock, Rooney’s basket provided the Rams with a 63-62 advantage. Five seconds later, Brown’s layup gave the lead back to the Bears, 64-63. Rooney took the final shot of the game, but it was blocked by Reshanda Gray. The block was caused by a defensive switch made by Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb. 

The two backcourt leaders of their teams played outstandingly and achieved double-doubles. Brown scored 22, 16 in the second half, dished 10 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds. Rooney scored 17, hauled down 10 boards and passed for five assists. 

Coach Stephanie Gaitley assessed the two, one day before the contest was played, “I think Erin is very disciplined. I think she is more of a disciplined guard and I think Brittany can really create her own shots and she does a great job of getting other people shots as well. In so many ways, what they both do for their teams is very similar.”

Although the Rams were narrowly edged in Saturday afternoon’s contest, their improvement since Gaitley assumed the head coaching position is remarkable. In the 2007-8 season, the Rams were 0-29. Under the helm of Gaitley for the past three seasons, Fordham has won 62 games, a Fordham record high of 25 in each of the last two years.

Two star Fordham seniors commented on the team’s rise. Rooney remarked, “I think it’s just nice to be able to put a school on the map. It’s a great school, and people, I think, think of it as more of an academic school, and to be part of a team that can put it out there in in the sporting world and get people to recognize it, it’s pretty special.” 

Another Fordham senior, Abigail Corning, said, “It means a lot to be a part of the historical run that we’ve put together and really building our program up from obviously winning zero six years ago.”

Meaningful comments regarding Fordham were tweeted by Scarsdale native Lindsay Gottlieb, the classy and highly successful coach of Cal, “Major credit and kudos to @Fordham WBB. Well coached is an understatement. [They are] excellent players with a winning attitude.”

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Split for Jaspers

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Split for Jaspers: Split for Jaspers (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Gary Quintal BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- Manhattan Softball split a pair of games Sunday afternoo...

Split for Jaspers

Split for Jaspers

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Gary Quintal

BRONX NEWS, MARCH 24- Manhattan Softball split a pair of games Sunday afternoon at Gaelic Park.  

The Lady Jaspers took the opening game 9-0, but Long Island University took the second contest 10-7.  

Manhattan continues its home stand this week facing Fairleigh Dickinson and opens its conference play against Quinnipiac in doubleheaders this week.  

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Trouble in Workers’ Paradise

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Trouble in Workers’ Paradise: Trouble in Workers’ Paradise Management Not Paying Workers on the Clock? Workers Not Paid for Goofing Off? By Michael Horowitz BR...

Trouble in Workers’ Paradise

Trouble in Workers’ Paradise

Management Not Paying Workers on the Clock?
Workers Not Paid for Goofing Off?

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX NEWS, MARCH 21- The Riverbay Corporation, in a telling “fact sheet” officials distributed to shareholders said that it is perfectly legal for Riverbay to give workers “the choice” of getting compensating time in lieu of overtime pay.

In their fact sheet, Riverbay states that the compensating time is allowed under the collective-bargaining agreements that Co-op City has with several of its unions.

In its statement, Riverbay notes that no union has ever filed a grievance challenging the compensating-time option, which attorneys for workers suing Co-op City say is a clear violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as New York State laws on the same subject. 

“Honoring the employee’s choice of compensating time is not `cheating” the employee,” Riverbay stressed, in its prepared fact sheet.

Brett Gallaway, who represents more than 100 current and former Co-op City employees who have joined the suit against Riverbay, has stated, unequivocally, that no collective-bargaining agreement can “trump” federal and state laws that protect hourly employees against abuses by private employers.

Gallaway has stated that the federal Fair Labor Standards Act has protected hourly employees against abuses by employers since the 1930’s. 

The only exception, Gallaway has stressed, applies to government employees. Federal law gives governmental entities the option of giving hourly employees compensating time in lieu of overtime pay.

Co-op City is seemingly different from every other workplace. 

“Time worked is not based on punch time (the time clock),” the Riverbay Crop[oration stated in a “fact sheet” that management officials disseminated a townhall meeting in the auditorium of the Dreiser Loop Community Center.

Management’s startling admission could make it extremely difficult for the Riverbay Corporation to defend itself against a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Co-op City that more than 100 current and former workers have reportedly joined.

Responding to a lawsuit alleging that Riverbay has been “cheating workers,” the fact sheet, in effect, alleges that Co-op City’s workers routinely cheat the housing company.

In its statement challenging accounts in the News, management states that those suing Co-op City seem to expect to be paid for time they spend socializing with one another, having breakfast, and otherwise not working.

A businessman, who wished to remain unidentified, stressed, this week, “It is up to the management of Co-op City to monitor their employees’ behavior. The management of Co-op City seems to be saying that pay is being routinely deducted from workers’ pay because everyone knows that workers routinely goof off on their jobs. That’s a helluva statement to make unless you can prove it. In the workplace, the time clock is God. It governs what workers are to be paid. That’s the law!”

In its telling statement on overtime pay for its workers, management stated, in part, “Time worked is not based on punch time; it is based on time actually performing work the employer permits the employee to perform. When some employees arrive before their scheduled shift, they punch in and then socialize, are on their cell phone or I-pad, go to the store to get breakfast, and otherwise are not performing work.”

The Riverbay statement continues, “Federal law only requires employers to pay overtime for work performed in excess of 40 hours. Riverbay pays overtime if an employee works more than 40 hours in a week or earns overtime under the employee’s collective-bargaining agreement. The Co-op City workers are not being cheated out of overtime, and Riverbay is aware of no employer filing an overtime grievance with their union representative.”

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jaspers Can’t Beat the Odds

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jaspers Can’t Beat the Odds: Jaspers Can’t Beat the Odds March Madness Ends for Manhattan By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 21- Neither the Manhattan Ja...