Please Help New York Update the History File!!

Once upon a time

there were no unions in the National Guard Technician Program. The employees were neither

State workers nor Federal workers. In almost every state there was no retirement system.

Each employee paid all of his or her health insurance cost and had no government sponsored

plan for health coverage. There was no government life insurance. There were no grievance

systems. Employees were onerously terminated without hearings. Many times payroll money

ran out and employees did not get paid. Other times step increases were not given for

months, if at all. Many employees had no access to position descriptions. Travel was often

required without per diem and mileage allowances. Some employees were required to work

such long hours, and be recalled so often that family disruption was common place; In summary, the

working conditions were intolerable. The answer was association. In 1960 thirteen New York

technicians got together and decided to unite. ACT was born. Today, thousands of

technicians have joined and enjoyed representation under ACT. For many years, under ACT

leadership, your fellow employees, many now retired, fought long and hard, with many

personal sacrifices, to get federal law changed and written to provide coverage under the

federal employee program. In 1968,

President Lyndon Johnson signed "The National Guard Technician ACT of 1968" into

law. Vincent J. Paterno, past President of ACT, was presented the pen used by President

Johnson to sign this historic bill in recognition of his and ACT's efforts on behalf of