The central message at Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)'s recent Women's Conference was CSEA women ? and men ? have the power to win the battle against unprecedented attacks on workers by politicians, corporate interests and the media. Nearly 500 activists from across the state attended. In this photo several young Capital Region Girls, Inc. members perform poetry and other readings honoring labor history.
Twenty nursing instructors employed with Eastern Suffolk BOCES (adult/continuing education) recently decertified their union with UPSEU (United Public Service Employees Union) Local 424 to join the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). New BOCES Nursing Instructors Unit officers being sworn in by CSEA Suffolk County Education Employees Local President Maria Navarro, left are President Jim Van Tassel, Vice President Chris Villaneuva, Treasurer Christine McNally, and Secretary Kathleen Parente. The nursing instructors left their former union to get better representation with CSEA.
VOICE/Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) moves into next chapter: More than 200 VOICE/CSEA representatives from across New York State met in Albany where they reminisced and celebrated, retracing Local 100A's roots. They met with public officials and CSEA leaders and ratified an Action Plan moving Local 100A into 2012 with ambitious goals. In this photo, VOICE providers listen to speakers at the VOICE in our Capital conference.
CSEA Village of Rouses Point Unit President Jason Juneau stands by a flooded boat ramp in Rouses Point. As devastating floods swept through Clinton, Essex, Warren and parts of Saratoga counties, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members put their personal lives on hold as they scrambled to help residents and businesses and went into action on a moment's notice, staffing a pumphouse around the clock, delivering and laying sandbags and leading a relief effort that netted 15,000 sandbags.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members filled the room to capacity in a workshop focusing on state contract talks with the Cuomo administration. CSEA members from across the state met at the union's annual Spring Workshop to unite, build and mobilize New York's Leading Union. Activists in attendance learned about the fight ahead to protect the Triborough Amendment and to tell the governor no tax breaks for his rich millionaire friends. In addition to the plenary and mobilization sessions, workshops focused on state government negotiations, on CSEA's "Don't Zone Out" campaign, Working People's History, the CSEA Next Wave movement, and "Uniting for Today, Building for Tomorrow."
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members participated in 2011 Workers Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies across the state to remember those who have passed away or sustained serious injuries while doing their jobs, including the members who have passed away during the past year. These empty chairs represent fallen workers at a Workers Memorial Day ceremony at the state Department of Transportation's Jefferson Residency in Watertown.
Sheri Ambuske, an account clerk typist for the Department of Community Services and Mental Health in Olean, is using social media tools like texting, Twitter and Facebook to recruit new members and post current news for PEOPLE in the mostly rural area. She has already recruited 22 new members. PEOPLE is the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and AFSCME's political action program which protects and improves jobs, benefits and pensions in Washington, Albany and in your community. Sheri Ambuske, left, discusses PEOPLE with her co-worker, Maureen Krueger, at the Cattaraugus County office building.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Statewide Secretary Denise Berkley recently told state lawmakers the majority of employees who care for people with developmental disabilities have been inaccurately portrayed in a series of New York Times articles alleging systemic abuse in the state developmental disabilities system. Berkley, who has more than 30 years of experience in the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities system as a direct care worker, said CSEA represents 18,000 workers who care for nearly 40,000 individuals with developmental disabilities. She said only a tiny fraction of those employees have ever been brought up on disciplinary charges of any nature, let alone client abuse.
Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA -represented state Executive Branch employees ratified a contract with New York state that keeps people working and protects rights and benefits. From left, CSEA Statewide Treasurer Joe McMullen, Statewide Secretary Denise Berkley, Executive Vice President Mary E. Sullivan, President Danny Donohue and Director of Contract Administration Ross Hanna take part in a news conference announcing CSEA's state contract ratification.
A photo of Bill Howard, a front line coordinator of the state's response to the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, used in the Special Section of the September 2011 edition of the Work Force, Always Remember: A commemorative 10th anniversary retrospective. In 2001, Howard worked as a deputy director of state operations for then-Governor George Pataki. Today, Howards is the director of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)'s Employee Benefit Fund.