Background
Schmertz, Eric Joseph was born on December 24, 1925 in New York City.
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Eric Joseph Schmertz
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Eric Joseph Schmertz was an American lawyer who specialized in labor negotiation, helping reach agreements between workers and management in many strikes and other threatened union actions in New York City, including actions by the city"s taxi drivers and other municipal workers, as well as helping resolve other negotiations elsewhere in the United States.
Education
AB, Union College, 1948. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Union College, 1978. Certified, Alliance Francaise, Paris, 1948.
Juris Doctor, New York University, 1954. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Hofstra University, 2008.
Career
A law professor for many years, he also served as dean of Hofstra University School of Law. Raised in suburban New Rochelle, New York, he played baseball at New Rochelle High School and was tendered a contract to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates after being spotted by a scout for the team Schmertz rejected the offer and enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served in the Pacific Theater during World World War World War II When The Rockettes went on strike at Radio City Music Hall in 1967, Schmertz helped negotiate a deal that brought the dancers pay increases of 15%.
A 1969 negotiation he oversaw brought 2,000 striking cab drivers back to work.
While negotiating a labor agreement relating to adjusting the schedules of employees of the New York City Fire Department in 1970, Schmertz spent time with a firehouse and joined the firemen on calls to incidents. Mayor of New York City Editor Koch refused to reappoint him after he had served 15 years as part of the city"s negotiating board, saying that Schmertz had favored union workers over the needs and concerns of the city.
Koch was so bothered by the favoritism he perceived that Schmertz had for union workers, that he said that he had "turned Schmertz into a verb and a noun", so that "If you have been abused, we say you have been Schmertzed. If you get an unwarranted and undeserved payment from the City of New York, you say, "Thank you Mr.
Mayor, for the Schmertz."" "Schmerz" is a German and Yiddish word for pain.
Having been a professor at Hofstra Law School since it was formed in 1970, Schmertz was named as the school"s dean in 1982. In that role he created a program teaching students about mediation as an alternative to using the court system. Mayor David Dinkins fired Schmertz in 1990 from his position as labor commissioner after he had reached a deal with the city"s teachers unions granting a 5.5% increase, amid criticism from other city officials that the deal was too generous.
In the early 1990s, he helped negotiate a deal with striking private sanitation workers in the city, ending a five-day strike that affected garbage pickup at businesses and gave employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters a three-year deal that included increases of $75 per week.
In 2005, Schmertz was part of an independent committee that oversaw a 10% salary increase as part of a new contract for officers of the New York City Police Department, with Schmertz noting that police officers in surrounding communities were paid more despite having "less duties, less responsibilities and less stress and danger" and stating that he would have approved an even larger increase if he had the opportunity. Schmertz died six days before his 85th birthday, at his home in Mount Kisco, New New York
Achievements
Membership
Member numerous civic organizations Served to lieutenant United States Navy, 1943-1946. Member National Academy Arbitrators, American Arbitration Association (law committee, Whitney North Seymour Senior medal 1984), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, New York Mediation Board, New Jersey Mediation Board, New Jersey Public Employment Relations Board, Hofstra University Club, Princeton Club.
Connections
Son of Max & Hetty Schmertz. Married Dana Von Buskirk (divorced). Married Harriette Leibowitz.
Children: Andrew, Ellen, Donald, David.
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Born
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Died
December 18, 2010 (aged 84) -
Nationality
United States
Education
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1948
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1978
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1948
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1954
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2008
Awards
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Recipient Testimonial award Southeast Republican Club, 1969. Alexander Hamilton award Republican Law Students Association. Eric J. Schmertz Distinguished Professorship Public Law and Public Service established Hofstra Law School, 1993.Recipient Testimonial award Southeast Republican Club, 1969. Alexander Hamilton award Republican Law Students Association. Eric J. Schmertz Distinguished Professorship Public Law and Public Service established Hofstra Law School, 1993.