Former Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) activist Greg Szurnicki who died recently at age 83. Szurnicki began his public career as an attendant at the now defunct Kings Park Psychiatric Center in New York City. He went on to become president of the CSEA local there and the union became his passion. He is particularly remembered for the many years he served as chairman of the Statewide Election Committee.
Salamanca, New York, Police officers Chris Hutchison and Jeffrey DaHill and Chief Troy Westfall are members of a police department that makes twice as many arrests as departments in bigger cities and towns, but with half as many officers. Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members in the department were part of an investigation that led to a major drug bust in predominantly rural Cattaraugus County in Western New York, taking a large amount of crack cocaine off the streets and serving 21 federal arrest warrants.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member, Pathological Lab Worker and Licensed Mortician Clayburn J. Powell cleans and adjusts equipment in the autopsy room in the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office. He and his co-workers played a role in the response when Continental Flight 3407 crashed into a home in the close-knit community of Clarence Center, killing 49 people. CSEA members from Clarence, the Erie County Unit and other nearby towns responded.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member and Manlius Highway Department Heavy Equipment Operator Dave Hale shows a student how to operate his snowplow during a visit to the Enders Road Elementary School. Hale visits local schools every year to talk about snowplow safety and show the kids whats involved in keeping town roads clear and safe. The town of Manlius is in Onondaga County, New York.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) slams Governor Paterson's budget. Services, jobs and communities will all be hard hit and middle income New Yorkers will bear the brunt of the cost under Governor Paterson's proposed 2009-10 state budget.
Jerry Knapp of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Cortland County Local agrees with his local's decision to bargain for the Strategic Benefit Trust's prescription drug buying program. Negotiating the trust's benefits into a contract can be a more cost-efficient way to provide health benefits for some public employees and could in some cases, be the only way to get benefits to the private sector.
Unidentified Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members demonstrating at the Peru School District because the district refused to pay retiree health benefits to Ken LaMoy, a former co-worker who is battling cancer. Nearly 100 North Country members turned out for the demonstration, held before a board of education meeting at which the grievance was heard.
A Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member proudly displays a whistle bearing the CSEA and AFSCME logos during a rally preceding the March for Main Street on January 7, 2009, at the Times Union Center in Albany. The whistle, one of several giveaways marchers received upon arriving in Albany, was just one of the many ways union activists made themselves heard to challenge Governor David Paterson's state budget proposal.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members chanting "Main Street, not Wall Street," thousands of working New Yorkers converged on the state Capitol in Albany, January 7, 2009 to participate in the March for Main Street.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Metropolitan Region State Employees Local member Will James keeps the crowd fired up at the Times Union Center. Thousands of working New Yorkers converged on the state Capitol to March for Main Street to tell Governor David Paterson that his budget priorities should lie with Main Street, not Wall Street.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)'s cartoon depicting Flotsam and Jetsam: New York taxpayers drowning in a flood, waving a flag for help, while Governor Paterson offers to cut more services and programs and add more fees and taxes. CSEA (lifeboat) offers to throw a life preserver (Revenue-raising ideas).
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members get fired up at the pre-march rally at the Times Union Center. Thousands of working New Yorkers converged on the state Capitol to March for Main Street to tell Governor David Paterson that his budget priorities should lie with Main Street, not Wall Street.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) President Danny Donohue leads the march for Main Street. Thousands of working New Yorkers converged on the state Capitol to March for Main Street to tell Governor David Paterson that his budget priorities should lie with Main Street, not Wall Street.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) advertisement "Working New Yorkers Deserve Better!" CSEA members speak out about Governor Paterson's proposed state budget.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members are fired up in cold, icy weather during the rally. Thousands of working New Yorkers converged on the state Capitol to March for Main Street to tell Governor David Paterson that his budget priorities should lie with Main Street, not Wall Street.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member, Schaunderlon White, right, serves Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance clients with the same dedication as she serves her union. The agency provides services for individuals who have been injured, have a disability or are unable to work and provide for themselves or their families for other reasons.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)'s Hudson Valley DDSO Local President Nancy Hueben is fired up at the March for Main Street. Thousands of working New Yorkers converged on the state Capitol to March for Main Street to tell Governor David Paterson that his budget priorities should lie with Main Street, not Wall Street.
In 2004, New York's farmworkers stopped to rally at the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) headquarters on their way to the Capitol, winding up a 10-day, 200-mile walk for equal rights. CSEA members and staff joined them and showed support, handing out water to the thirsty and tired workers. CSEA is a longtime supporter of the Justice for Farmworkers campaign, led by the Rural and Migrant Ministry, committed to overcoming prejudices and poverty. CSEA urged members to join a May 12, 2009, rally in Albany to show state lawmakers that farmworkers cannot be forgotten for another 70 years.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) President Danny Donohue is pictured with Emily Armbruster of the American Red Cross at CSEA's recent Annual Delegates Meeting in Washington, D.C. CSEA has made a significant contibutin to the National Disaster Relief Fund in support of all Red Cross chapters in New York state. Armbruster spoke to CSEA delegates about Red Cross hurricane relief efforts.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) cartoon illustrating how Wall Street (a beaver) is biting into New York's economy (a tree) while New Yorkers (a sweating bird sitting on a branch) watch savings and investments (leaves shaken from a branch) blow away. A broken branch on the tree shows manufacturing decline. The state motto, "Excelsior" (Ever Upward) is crossed out and replaced with "Caveat Emptor" (Buyer Beware).
The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) cartoon depicts former Governor Mario Cuomo filling a crack with piles of dirt representing state services. Governor Cuomo proposed massive mid-year budget cuts that included thousands of layoffs, deep cuts in state services and sharp slashes in aid for local governments and school districts. Governor Cuomo also called for mandatory, five-day furloughs in pay for all state employees that would cut workers' salaries by 2 percent.
Members of Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Capital Region's newly formed library work group take a break from their first meeting to pose for a photo. The group is comprised of CSEA members employed at six area libraries. It will meet regularly to discuss issues of relevance to library workers. Discussion at the November meeting included topics such as negotiations, political action, workplace safety and proposed continuing education requirements. Joining the work group members are Capital Region President Kathy Garrison, back row, far left, and Capital Region Director Kate Luscombe, back row, far right.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Chemung County Unit 4th Vice President Joe Coletta and his Department of Social Services co-workers have been spearheading a collection of used cellular phones to be donated to the Salvation Army Safehouse Program, a domestic violence shelter program for Chemung and Schuyler counties. The program has already collected more than 100 phones that have been given to victims of domestic violence so they can always call 911 in an emergency.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members, Joe Kevlin, center, of the state Education Department Local, his son Patrick Kevlin, a College of St. Rose student, and Jim Dunden, also of the state Education Department Local, work to get out the vote on Election Day in the Capital Region.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member and State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities aide John Normile stands with a framed New York Times sports section front page. He took the photo of Drew Bledsoe getting sacked.
Nearly 40 Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members under the age of 35 from around the state attended a workshop in Rennsselaerville to be a part of Next Wave; a new program designed to encourage younger activists to take an active role in building and maintaining the strength of CSEA by passing along the torch of activism to the next generation. CSEA President Danny Donohue addresses the attendees of the weekend program.
Nearly 40 Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members under the age of 35 from around the state attended a workshop in Rennsselaerville to be a part of Next Wave; a new program designed to encourage younger activists to take an active role in building and maintaining the strength of CSEA by passing along the torch of activism to the next generation. Shannon Wade, right, from Guild for Exceptional Children, with Scott Gould from Health Research Inc. Local in Buffalo.
Nearly 40 Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members under the age of 35 from around the state attended a workshop in Rennsselaerville to be a part of Next Wave; a new program designed to encourage younger activists to take an active role in building and maintaining the strength of CSEA by passing along the torch of activism to the next generation. Guadalupe Johnson, Nassau County Local Administrative Assistant, enjoys a light moment with other members at the weekend workshop.
Nearly 40 Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members under the age of 35 from around the state attended a workshop in Rennsselaerville to be a part of Next Wave; a new program designed to encourage younger activists to take an active role in building and maintaining the strength of CSEA by passing along the torch of activism to the next generation. The weekend program began with labor history and transitioned to a series of collaborative, free-flowing brainstorming sessions where the young activists could focus on issues, specifically targeting younger CSEA members.
Nearly 40 Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members under the age of 35 from around the state attended a workshop in Rennsselaerville to be a part of Next Wave; a new program designed to encourage younger activists to take an active role in building and maintaining the strength of CSEA by passing along the torch of activism to the next generation. Michael Nelson, right, executive secretary, Kingsboro Psychiatric Center Local with Kevin Norwood from Suffolk County Municipal Local during one of the weekend workshops.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) activists from eastern Long Island spoke out against Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale's posposed 2009 budget, particularly his plan to eliminate funding for public safety dispatchers in the town's Police Department. Riverhead Public Safety Dispatcher Melissa Breitenback, with her daughter, addresses the town board in opposition to the supervisor's plan to eliminate her position.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members, officers and staff hit the streets to protest proposed layoffs in Lewis County. At the head of the line is Lewis County Local President Cal Farney, followed by CSEA Central Region President Colleen Wheaton.
Across New York, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members are reaching out to their communities to help make the holidays brighter for New Yorkers who are facing tough times. CSEA members in the CSEA Oyster Bay Local recently made the holiday season happier for disadvantaged children in their communities. Chris Baranski, left, and Joe Damico work on a bike. At right, Chris Dane, Tim Brown and Jim Ort donated their time to the cause, along with several other local members.
Across New York, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members are reaching out to their communities to help make the holidays brighter for New Yorkers who are facing tough times. Town of Patterson mechanical equipment operators, from left, Joe Tresca, Russell Goff and Jason Kinash work inside a Santa's Workshop float the Highway Department entered in the Putnam Lake Fire Department's annual holiday parade.
Across New York, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members are reaching out to their communities to help make the holidays brighter for New Yorkers who are facing tough times. CSEA members in the CSEA Oyster Bay Local recently made the holiday season happier for disadvantaged children in their communities. Chris Dane, Tim Brown and Jim Ort donated their time to the cause, along with several other local members.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member, Basil Townsend of the Hudson Valley DDSO (Developmental Disabilities Services Office) Local is PEOPLE (Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality) Recruiter for the month of November. He recruited 38 new PEOPLE members at the MVP level. CSEA's PEOPLE program protects and improves our jobs, benefits and pensions in Washington, Albany and in your community.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Onondaga County Local President Phil Graham, giving Santa a hand with his visiting duties, gets a visit from Kara Rice. Rice is the daughter of Central New York DDSO Local member Rebecca Northrup. Graham was helping Santa during Onondaga County's Lights on the Lake Festival.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members in the union's Madison County White Collar Unit are wearing buttons to protest the county's lack of a wage proposal in contract talks.
The Polar Plunge raises funds that directly benefits Special Olympics athletes and gives access to families that otherwise couldn't afford to send their special needs family members to Special Olympics. Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)'s Polar Plungers in Rochester during the 2007-08 season.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members campaign in downtown Albany for Sen. Hillary Clinton on New York's Super Tuesday. CSEA's efforts helped Clinton carry New York.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members, Grace Perez, left, president of the Central Islip Library Unit and Jackie Scannella are shown in front of a voting machine used by community residents in a recent vote that approved construction and renovation project for the library. Perez and other unit members played a key role in gaining public support for the project that would allow the library workers to provide better services to the community, with the unit sending postcards to registered voters and placing an ad in the local newspaper. The project will include a children's activity center, new computer lab and a quiet study/local history room.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member, Police Dispatcher Steve Robinson and other CSEA Batavia Unit members are fighting a plan to consolidate the city's dispatchers with the county. Removing the city's dispatchers would close the police station to the public for 16 hours out of every day. Police officers would also be removed from patrol to handle some of the work currently completed by dispatchers.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member, Dean Seyler fields a call at the Erie County Command Center following the crash of Flight 3407. Seyler is a senior medical emergency radio systems coordinator for Erie County. During the emergency response he served as assistant emergency operations center manager after Continental Flight 3407 crashed into a home in the close-knit community, killing 49 people. CSEA members from Clarence, the Erie County Unit and other nearby towns responded.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member, Medical Examiner Carraugh Reilly Nowak, left, and Administrative Coordinator Karen Biel Costantino review emergency plans in the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office. Workers from the Erie County Medical Examiner's Office and Health Department set out to bring families back together after Continental Flight 3407 crashed into a home in the close-knit community of Clarence Center, killing 49 people. CSEA members from Clarence, the Erie County Unit and other nearby towns responded.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Long Island Region Bathing Beauties gather at the CSEA booth immediately before the plunge at Bar Beach on Hempstead Harbor. Across the state, CSEA members have been braving freezing water to take the Polar Plunge, raising money to help send athletes to the New York Special Olympics Summer Games. CSEA members this winter raised more than $10,000 to help support the summer games.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) member Viola Rauff with two dogs rescued after a Jericho veterinary technician noticed the same woman repeatedly brought in sick and injured animals over the course of several weeks. The technician alerted authorities and more than 100 animals were removed from the house. Thanks to CSEA members employed at an animal shelter in Oyster Bay, in Long Island, NY, the animals now have a second chance at a healthy, happy life.
Unidentifed Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members and staff joined correction officers and other union members as well as concerned citizens at a recent rally to save Hudson Correctional Facility from closing. A state plan to close Hudson and three other upstate New York correctional facilities has met with strong opposition from workers, political leaders and community members.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Veterans Committee Chair Len Beaulieu, left, and Ron Mironchik, both SUNY New Paltz Local members, were part of a group of local veterans who helped get a monument to veterans that has been installed in the new Ulster County Veterans Cemetery.
Charlotte Wallace, a Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Cortland County Local member, uses the CanRX Alternative Prescription Plan offered by the Strategic Benefit Trust. Negotiating the trust's benefits into a contract can be a more cost-efficient way to provide health benefits for some public employees and could in some cases, be the only way to get benefits to the private sector.