Senior IT Associate Robert Ajaye ranks among CUNY’s most experienced and well-regarded technology professionals. Last July, fittingly, he was elected president of Local 2627—the union representing New York City Electronic Data Processing Personnel.
He also happens to be a BMCC graduate.
A road warrior comes home
Discharged from the military toward the end of the Vietnam War, Ajaye spent several years driving tractor trailers. “The pay was good, but my female companion was unhappy that I was always on the road,” he recalls. “I needed to find a way to make a living without being away all the time.”
It was 1983. Ronald Reagan was in the White House, E.T. won the Oscar for Best Picture, and computers were transforming the world. Ajaye found himself drawn to a career in technology but knew he’d need a college degree to get very far. The school nearest to his midtown apartment was BMCC, then located in the Times Square area, although by the time he enrolled, the campus had moved downtown.
As a student, Ajaye worked as the micro-labs coordinator of the college’s Learning Resource Center and later in the administrative computer center. Following his graduation in 1986, he earned his BS degree at York College and went to work for the city.
Rising trajectory
“I remember feeling that I needed a better understanding of my benefits package, so I started attending meetings of Local 2627,” he says. He soon became immersed in union activities and helping newcomers find their bearings; after being hired at BMCC, he was elected a shop steward.
“Back then, there were 11 members of Local 2627 at the college,” he says. “Now we have 25.” As Ajaye gained experience, visibility and broad support, his trajectory continued to rise. He was appointed the union’s executive board, was later elected a first vice-president, and became president last summer.
As president, Ajaye has an active role in all contract negotiations with the city and makes sure the rights of union members are protected. “I’ll personally represent union members at disciplinary hearings, or when they file grievances—typically when they believe their salary isn’t aligned with their title,” he says. From a professional standpoint, he adds, Local 2627 is the most diverse unit in all of DC37, the city’s 121,000-member municipal workers union. “We have members in 88 city agencies and at 314 locations, from transportation to environmental protection to the board of ed.”
Tangible rewards
A man of easy affability and good humor, Ajaye takes his responsibility to Local 2627 members very seriously. “When you work for an organization 30 or 40 years, you want to have something to show for it—good health benefits, a decent salary, and a defined pension plan that isn’t vulnerable to market swings,” he says. BMCC, he adds, has been an exemplary employer.
“Working conditions here are excellent,” Ajaye says. “The administration has shown itself more than willing to make sure that our members have the opportunity to grow—in terms of their knowledge, profession and salary. That’s something you don’t always see at other agencies.”
