By GREGORY N. HEIRES

Rose Lovaglio-Miller, the union’s new director of research and negotiations, is a union baby.

And having grown up in a union family, she brings a deep passion to her job as the chief enforcer of DC 37’s many contracts.

“I feel a great responsibility to the membership of the union and want to do the best job I can to help all members,” Lovaglio-Miller said. “Whether we are looking to increase our wages or improve our benefits, the bottom line is, that this is all about fighting for dignity and respect.”

DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido appointed Lovaglio-Miller to her new position after her predecessor, David Paskin, retired this summer.

“We are confident that Rose will be a key force in strengthening our voice at the bargaining table and strengthening the contractual protections members have,” Garrido said.

Lovaglio-Miller joined the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Department in 2015. She came to the union after seven years cutting her teeth in the art of negotiations as vice president of research and negotiations at SSEU Local 371.

“Rose is a committed, talented negotiator and unionist,” said SSEU Local 371 President Anthony Wells. “We will all benefit from her great array of skills.”

At 371, Lovaglio-Miller’s primary charge was to prevent managers from abusing the contractual and civil service rights of members while nevertheless working constructively with city officials to improve working conditions.

She continued to be a voice for SSEU Local 371 workers when she became a member of DC 37’s team of negotiators. She also took on the responsibility of handling contractual matters for many other locals, whose members include blue collar, cultural and clerical workers.

Lovaglio-Miller earned a degree in sociology at the State University of New York, where she also minored in African-American studies. She worked as a correctional counselor for the state for a couple of years before joining the city workforce as a Caseworker (now Child Protective Specialist) for the Administration for Children’s Services.

Lovaglio-Miller didn’t need much convincing to get involved right away with her union. Her father was a Teamster and an aunt was president of an upstate labor union. As an activist, she especially appreciated the opportunity to deepen her commitment to defending women’s rights.

“The weight of this position is not lost upon me,” Lovaglio-Miller said about her new job. “The labor movement is under attack. We face a hostile federal government and a national anti-labor campaign financed with millions of dollars. The way we will make it through is by working together.”