STATE NEWS SECTION
PAGES 1-7
THE PUBLIC
September 1991
CSEA's negotiating
teams continue to work
toward a negotiated
fair settlement ...
AN
UPDATE
While the state
continues its tight-
fisted grip on funds
and seems unwilling
to negotiate ...
and the members work and wait
Page 3
Information on a number of important
issues impacting state workers,
including an update state negotiations.
Page 4
CSEA wins an important concession
from management at Manhattan
Psychiatric Center and protests putting
dangerous criminals in the Lakeview
Shock incarceration facility designed for
first-time, non-violent offenders.
Page 5
CSEA continues its protests against the
closing of Gowanda Psychiatric Center
Page 6
Annual SEFA campaign is launched.
Binghamton Psychiatric Center Local
441 hits 100 percent membership.
Page 7
Important news about your EBF
prescription benefits.
Members at Bronx Psychiatric Center
protest contract violations.
General news is on pages 8 to 17.
State news is on pages 18 to 24.
Middletown Local 415
voter registration
MIDDLETOWN - CSEA Middletown.
Psychiatric Center Local 415 members
registered 129 persons to vote during the
recent Orange County Fair. Local President
Grace Ortiz said the voter registration
booth was fully staffed by members taking
four- hour shifts throughout the fair week.
PEOPLE
IN THE NEWS
ter
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS - Shown here are George and Marylou Murphy, Renee Murphy,
and his mother Sondra Deane.
CSEA Wassaic Developmental Center Local 426 President Tom LeJeune, Gabriel Deane
Wassaic Local 426 presents two with scholarships
WASSAIC - Two children of Wassaic
Developmental Center Local 426 members
are winners of scholarships donated by the
local this year.
Local President Tom LeJeune presented
Renee Murphy and Gabriel Deane each
with a check for $1000 to help pay for their
education. LeJeune said this is the first
year of the local scholarship program.
Ballots due
Sept. 10 for
CSEA Board's
Universities seat
Ballots for a special CSEA Board of
Directors Election for the Universities seat
are due at 8 a.m. Sept. 10.
The ballots will be counted that day.
Three candidates are seeking the vacant
seat. They are, in the order they appear on
the ballot: Joseph McMullen of Oneonta,
Jean I. Alverson of Delhi and Robert
Vincent of Liverpool.
Ballots were sent to eligible Universities
members last month.
Murphy, the daughter of Marylou
Murphy, ‘a three year Wassaic employee, is
a 1991 graduate of Webatuck High School.
Renee plans to attend Delhi College.
Deane, the son of Sandra Deane, a nine
year employee, is a graduate of Pawling
High School. He plans to attend Dean
Junior Colloege in Franklin, Massachusette.
Civil Service Employees Association, inc,
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
ie THE
Official publication of The Civil Service
Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000,
AFSCME, AFL-CIO, 143 Washington
Avenue, Albany, New York, 12210
cana vnioa aoa cnateosueEaa arse NREL
MICHAEL P. MORAN, Publisher
ROGER A. COLE, Editor
KATHLEEN DALY, ociate Editor
STANLEY HORNAK, Assistant Director
of Communications
The Public Sector (445010) is published monthly by The Civil Service Employees )
Association. Publication Office: 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
Second Class Postage paid at Post Office, Albany, New York.
Address changes should be sent to: Civil Service Employees Association, Attn:
Membership Department, 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
———E_mmams COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATES
SHERYL C. JENKS Region I
(516) 273-2280
LILLY GIOIA Region II
(212) 514-9200
ANITA MANLEY Region III
(914) 896-8180
DAN CAMPBELL Region IV
(518) 489-5424
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(315) 433-0050
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BOR COMMUNIC»
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2 September 1991 Octo ay
STATE NEWS SECTION
CSEA keeps on negotiating,
state seems unwilling to bargain
Union's team works for tentative pact as mediation continues.
CSEA negotiators blame the deadlock in
state contract negotiations on
management's unwillingness to bargain.
As this issue of The Public Sector went
to press, the CSEA state negotiating team
was in Albany working toward a negotiated
settlement in mediation sessions.
“A negotiated settlement is best for
everyone. It is best for our members and it
is best for the people of New York state,”
said CSEA President Joe McDermott. “But
to reach a negotiated settlement the state’s
management must be willing to bargain and
make an offer that our members will ratify.”
The state broke off negotiations and
declared impasse in March. The Public
Employment Relations Board (PERB)
appointed a neutral mediator.
Since April the CSEA negotiating team
has been meeting with mediator Tia
Dennenberg and state negotiators. The
union's team is working to hammer out a
tentative agreement that would go to
members for a ratification vote. But the
CSEA negotiators want to get to the bottom
line soon.
“Our members need and want a
resolution to this process. If we don't see -
real movemenit on the state’s part soon we
will be forced to move this process to the
next step,” the union president added.
The next step under the Taylor Law,
which governs public sector collective
bargaining in New York, would be for PERB
to appoint a fact-finding panel.
That panel listens to both the union and
management's justification for their
positions on unresolved issues. After
listening to both sides the panel
recommends a settlement. Both the union
and management may reject part or all of
the fact-finding report.
If all or part of the recommended
settlement is rejected the dispute goes
before the state legislature which may
impose terms and conditions of
employment for a one-year period.
Federal Court decision
invalidates first OCA lag
ALBANY — CSEA President Joe
McDermott predicted that "time is running
out on the lag payroll scam imposed on
state employees.”
He made the prediction after a federal
court decision which ruled that a lag payroll
imposed on state Unified Court System
employees violates the U.S. Constitution.
CSEA currently has a similar lawsuit
before federal court on behalf of 105,000
CSEA-represented executive branch
employees who had a similar lag imposed
on them.
The decision, handed down by the
Second Circuit Court of Appeals, affects all
court employees. It was brought by the
Association of Surrogates in New York City.
CSEA appeared in the lawsuit as amicus
curiae, or friend of the court, on behalf of
the court employees it represents in other
parts of the state. CSEA already has won a
similar lawsuit in state Supreme Court.
The ruling included a stinging
denunciation of the lag payroll as a
violation of Article 1, Section 10, of the
Constitution which says “No state shall ...
pass any law impairing ... the obligation of
contracts.”
The court noted: “The lag payroll has the
effect of withholding 10 percent of each
employee's expected wages over a period of
20 weeks and postponing their payment
indefinitely. For instance, a 25-year-old
employee would not be repaid her lagged
wages until she Ieaves the state’s employ —
perhaps 45 years, should she devote her
entire career to governmental service. The
affected employees have surely relied on full
paychecks to pay for such essentials as
food and housing. Many have undoubtedly
committed themselves to personal long-
term obligations such as mortgages, credit
cards, car payments, and the like —
obligations which might go unpaid in the
months that the lag payroll has its
immediate impact."
The court added that “Were we to uphold
this lag-payroll legislation, one wonders if
the employees would ever receive their
lagged wages, or whether another of the
state’s perennial ‘fiscal crises’ would justify
deferring again, or even cancelling the
lagged wages when they eventually become
due. If a state government could so
cavalierly disregard the obligations of its
own contracts, of what value would its
promises ever be?”
The court's action, which reversed a
decision handed down previously by Judge
Robert P. Patterson of the Southem District
Court for the District of New York,
concluded, “New York's lag payroll violates
the contract clause of the United States
Constitution” and orders “restitution of the
lagged pay for all affected employees.”
The judges referred back to the district
court the issue of whether in making
restitution the state should also pay
interest on the restored wages.
CSEA has filed a class action grievance
on behalf of all its state members’ seeking
the immediate payment of increments and
longevity pay retroactive to April 1.
The grievance could not be filed until the
state budget was adopted because until
then the state had no legal authority to
spend money.
Paychecks before the budget was
adopted were issued under special
emergency appropriations designed to
simply keep the government functioning.
CSEA filed the grievance as soon as the
state budget became law. The issue is
scheduled for arbitration.
“Withholding the increments and
longevity from state employees is just
another example of the state’s penny-wise
and dollar-foolish approach to dealing with
its budget crisis,” CSEA President Joe
McDermott said. “People are demoralized
enough — it’s time the state stopped
playing political games with its employees.”
CSEA contends that under the law, all
terms of an expired contract, including
inerement and longevity payments, must
CSEA files grievance over longevity, increments
remain in effect until a new contract is
reached.
There has been some confusion about
payments made to PEF members. Those
payments were not the same as CSEA’s
increments and longevity pay. They were
payments due to PEF members for last
year's work which the state failed to pay at
the end of the fiscal year in March as
required.
CSEA will continue to press for its
members’ rights as the state continues its
irresponsible actions.
¢g ” September 1991 3
STATE NEWS SECTION
MPC agreement means MHTAs
don't have to dispense drugs
WARDS ISLAND — Calling an agreement
with Manhattan Psychiatric Center
management a “great victory for CSEA,”
Local 413 President Mohamed Hussain
announced that mental hygiene therapy
aides will no longer be assigned to pour
medications for
)) patients.
“Hopefully, this
decision will set a
precedent and
encourage other
CSEA locals to
negotiate similar
agreements with
their managements,”
Hussain said.
CSEA has fought
to have only
licensed
professionals
charged with the responsibilities of taking
blood pressure and vital signs like pulse
and body temperature, and distribution of
psychotropic drugs to clients, said Labor
Relations Specialist Barton M. Brier.
“This is the work of licensed practical
nurses and registered nurses,” Brier said,
“and work in their job descriptions should
not have been assigned to employees
without professional training.”
Working closely with patient advocate
and community groups, CSEA testified in
1987 as a friend of the court in a lawsuit,
arguing that strictly medical duties should
be performed only by licensed
professionals. A federal consent decree
later agreed with CSEA’s position.
The accord reached with Manhattan
Psychiatric Center management will take
effect before the time mandated by the
federal magistrate, thanks to diligent labor-
management efforts.
CSEA Local 413 member Carl Sirmon, a
secure care treatment aide with 23 years of
Carl Sirmon
state service, was charged with
insubordination and failure to comply with
a direct order for refusing to pour
medications.
“I was brought up on charges three
different occasions and fined, but I still
refused.” Sirmon said. “I was not properly
trained to pour out medications and
believed management should send me to
school to become a nurse if they wanted me
to handle medications.”
CSEA Local 413 member Melvin B.
Gilbert, who also refused to pour
medications as a therapy aide, agreed
things had to change.
“They just lied to people all these years
saying it was OK to pour medications,”
Gilbert said. “They said I had to go to
medication class, but if something
happened to a patient, that piece of paper
ain't worth a thing!”
Gilbert said he
refused to go around
“pretending to be a
nurse.” and instead
enrolled in nursing
school. He is now
dispensing
medications as a
licensed practical
nurse.
“I thought it was
illegal all the time
and I'm really ha:
to still be here to see Melvin B. Gilbert,
this change,” he added.
Region II President George Boncoraglio
credited Hussain and the members of Local
413 for their perseverance to win this
victory for quality patient care.
a
CSEA LOCAL 413 and union officials after signing an agreement that therapy aides will
not longer have to pour medications.
State uses
Lakeview
shock
incarceration
facility
for
dangerous
inmates
PORTLAND -- The state Department of
Correctional Services (DOCS) sent
dangerous criminals to the minimum-
security Lakeview Shock Incarceration
Correctional Facility despite pledges to
send only minimum security risk inmates.
A "mistake" transferred 32 inmates
convicted of violent crimes, including
murder and rape, to the facility and it took
several weeks to get them moved out.
Shock incarceration facilities are for
first-time offenders of non-violent crimes.
CSEA represents about 80 Lakeview
workers.
But CSEA Labor Relations Specialist
Dick Maggio said DOCS apparently tried to
solve overcrowding problems elsewhere by
moving prisoners to Lakevie without regard
to their criminal records.
“We feel our members as well as the
public were put into unnecessary jeopardy
by putting these dangerous prisoners
here,” Maggio said.
DOCS administrators admitted to CSEA
Contract Administrator Jim Martin in
Albany that the 32 worst-offender convicts
were “mistakenly” transferred to Lakeview
and promised to move them quickly. But it
took several weeks to remove the convicts,
said CSEA Local 189 President Pete
Pinkowski.
“We had a couple of disturbances in the
mess hall and the yard and a lot of
weapons have turned up in a search,”
Pinkowski said. “Our members haven't
been trained to work with worst-offender
types, so we're very concerned about their
safety.”
The facility administration has no
control over the transfers, Martin said.
“These transfers are controlled by the
central DOCS administration,” Martin said,
“and we urge the state to live up to its
promise to the community and our
members to make a permanent
rectification, so this problem does not
balloon into a full-blown tragedy.”
4 September 1991 Octo 4
STATE NEWS SECTION
its worst
gene slams sialep |
elected
Center.
CSEA is blasting state actions involving
the closing of Gowanda Psychiatric Center
by Oct. 31 as cynical politics at their worst.
It’s the latest salvo in the union's
continuing campaign against the
systematic destruction of the mental health
system.
“CSEA said from the start that the
Gowanda situation was purely political and
a prime example of everything that’s wrong
with state Office of Mental Health policy,”
CSEA President Joe McDermott said. “The
way the politicians played games with the
lives of patients and staff stinks. Closing
Gowanda is disgraceful and the state's
elected officials and the Office of Mental
Health share the responsibility.”
“I'm overwhelmed by the reality that this
is coming to pass — it’s a crime, a political
injustice,” said CSEA Gowanda Psychiatric
Center Local 408 President Wayne Jones.
According Jones, the main building at
Gowanda -- worth millions of dollars -- is
scheduled to be padlocked and left to
deteriorate.
“At the same time there's a desperate
need in the community for the services we
provide and those needs won't be met
under the plan that OMH is following,” he
said. He called plans for maintaining a
small admissions unit at Gowanda “a set-
up.”
“That unit is being set up to fail so that it
they eventually decide to close it,” Jones
said,
In his original budget proposal earlier
this year, Gov. Cuomo proposed closing
Gowanda by 1992 . CSEA then mounted an
urgent effort on behalf of Gowanda that
included the release of No Compassion, No
Care: Abandoning the Mentally Ill, a report
that focused on serious deficiencies in
state mental health practices and detailed a
plan for utilizing the Gowanda campus and
workforce for better delivery of mental
health care.
_|PREPARING FOR THE WORST -- CSEA OMH-OMRDD officers
from CSEA Region VI meet in West Seneca to learn about the fall-
out effects of the state's plan to close Gowanda Psychiatric
But the state Legislature slashed
mental health funding even deeper than
the Governor proposed. As a result,
OMH accelerated its timetable for the
Gowanda shutdown. Initially plans were
also developed for the shutdown of
Elmira Psychiatric Center, too. But a
restoration of some funds and a change
in plans has apparently protected Elmira
for the time-being. OMH is however,
proceeding with the Gowanda closing.
“OMH is wringing its hands about how
terrible it is that they're being forced to
do this, but they created the monster,”
McDermott said. ““They’ve been running
the system into the ground for years and
now the governor and the Legislature are
simply making them do it faster.”
Although the legislature insisted on a
written plan from OMH explaining how
mental health needs will be met in the
wake of the Gowanda action, CSEA has
dismissed that plan as nothing more
than “window-dressing.”
“It's not much consolation for the
people at Gowanda but this fight is far
from over,” McDermott said. “We're not
giving up on a fight that’s about basic
human dignity.”
CSEA MEMBERS continue to confront OMH
across the state. At right, Anne Maywalt, right, a
retiree from Binghamton Psychiatric Center and
member of CSEA Retiree Local 902, joins CSEA
recently.
Commissioner Richard Surles wherever he appears
Binghamton Psychiatric Center Local 441 members
in demonstrations when Surles visited the facility
Keeping pressure on OMH
CSEA is urging its locals to help in the
fight against the systematic destruction
of the state mental health system by
documenting and challenging actions
that cost members’ jobs.
As one of many tactics the union is
employing in the fight, locals have been
contacted about the contracting out of
mental health services at state employees
expense.
“If the state is discharging geriatric
patients to nursing homes, downsizing
admissions units and diverting
admissions to community hospitals at
the same time they're laying off
employees, there's a strong case to be
made that they're violating the
contracting-out provision in our
contract,” said CSEA Deputy Director for
Contract Administration Mark Lawrence,
Locals should keep close tabs on these
and similar actions at their centers,
identify the staff who get hurt by these
actions and pursue grievances.
“We have to keep the pressure on using
every tactic we can,” Lawrence said.
Qoctor September 1991 5
STATE NEWS SECTION
A full roster for Local 441
Hard work, education give local 100 % membership
BINGHAMTON — The phrase “strength in
numbers” has new meaning for CSEA-
represented employees working at the
Binghamton Psychiatric Center — CSEA
Local 441, representing nearly 600
employees, has achieved 100 percent
membership.
The local reached the important
milestone through a combination of
perseverance and outreach, said Local 441
President Keith Zulko. When he took office
should be able to vote.”
Some people aren't aware they don't
belong to the union, while others accidently
let their memberships expire, Zulko said.
Stores Clerk Joan Dunlop wasn't aware
her membership had expired during her
maternity leave. When employees are off
the payroll for four weeks, they are removed
from CSEA membership as well. Dunlop,
who represents the union at the facility's
day care center, signed back up as soon as
she said. “In the long run, being a union
member helps me with my job.”
Zulko said the active membership and
top enrollment should send a message to
management.
“This should show our administrators
and the state that we have the number:
behind our voice and that we are together,”
he said. “The days of apathy here are over.
Our members won't sit idly by and watch
as the state’s fiscal crisis continues to get
two years ago, the local was about 30
people short of 100 percent. Zulko and the
executive board made contact with the non-
members and by the beginning of the year,
only seven eligible employees had not
joined the union.
He contacted each of those non-members
personally.
“It didn’t take much to convince most of
them,” Zulko said. “By letting them know
that they weren’t members, and by showing
them the benefits of belonging to CSEA, we
signed them all up pretty quickly.”
Zulko attributed part of the stronger
membership support to the negative
impacts of the state fiscal crisis on state
employees, especially in the mental health
system.
“With all the layoffs, people have been
coming out of the woodwork to seek the
union's assistance and protection,” he said.
Therapy aide Brian Standish said he
never joined union in his 10 years at
Binghamton Psychiatric Center because he
thought it was ineffective. Then the union
won an out-of-title back pay award for his
wife, another BPC employee, and he
realized the union did work. He wanted the
chance to vote in union elections, too.
“When I tried to vote, I found I couldn't
as a non-member,” he said. “Since I was
paying an agency shop fee anyway, | felt I
she could.
“I value the benefits the union provides,
so I immediately wanted to sign back up,”
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER -- CSEA Local 441 President Keith Zulko, left, and Local
Vice President Mark Mandyck advertise their local's success: 100 percent membership in
a local representing nearly 600 Binghamton Psychiatric Center employees.
worse — we're going to get stronger and
fight back.”
The annual State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) drive
is under way, and it’s more important than ever, -
“When you give to SEFA, you're helping your community,
your neighbors and even your own family,” said CSEA
Executive Vice President Danny Donohue, CSEA’s labor
representative to the SEFA campaign.
“Times are tough for everyone, and that makes SEFA even
more important — more people than ever need help.”
CSEA President Joe McDermott also urged CSEA members
to give to their favorite charities in their own communities.
where your contributions are going and that they are being
used for in your community or area,” he said. “In this way, we
are all working together to help our communities.”
All state employees will receive their SEFA pledge form from
their agencies,
SEFA is a statewide fundraising associated with the United
Way.
"Please give to SEFA," Donohue said. "It's a convenient way
to help your community."
“When you designate specific charities or agencies, you know
Annual SEFA campaign begins
Geol Twant to help those who need oy sefyport.
Please deduct the amount checked below from each of my paychecks during 1992.
$2000 010.00 $500 $300 MOthe$_o Ss
understand | may revoke or madity this authorization at any time by written notice to the State Comptrotier.
Ooor! have attached cash or check, payable to SEFA, in the amount of $_.
se
SIGNATURE DATE
Jenennennnnnonennneennnnnennenennennncenene NO KEY PUNCH BELOW THIS LINE ---=---n-e-0n0nnnnnewaennan
YOUR SEFA DESIGNATION OPTIONS
You may wish to direct your SEFA CONTRIBUTION (WMPORTANT NOTI
gift to one or more SEFA |__AGENCY NUMBER PER PRICHEDK ‘No matter what county you work in,
agencies. Please write the to SEFA |
paar a a
lethin} Abrochure ‘Area. Please consult the ‘List of SERA
listing the SEFA agency (on the back of this form.
numbers is available from
your SEFA Coordinator. tenga nadowervarmason ee tne eg
JADM 393.1 (3/81) Part One—Audit & Control Copy
THE WAY TO GIVE -- Above is part of the SEFA form state employees
will receive from their agencies as a way to give to the fund drive. It
shows the portion where you can designate your favorite local
charities that you want to receive your donation,
6 September 1991
ClO.
STATE NEWS SECTION
Bronx Children's
mandatory overtime
policy angers MHTAs
By Lilly Gioia
CSEA Communications Associate
BRONX — Simmering humidity and heat-wave
temperatures did not discourage infuriated CSEA
Local 401 members from picketing the main gate at
Bronx Children’s Psychiatric Center. Tempers of
mental hygiene therapy aides reached the boiling
point over constant and flagrant contract violations
by Nursing Director Karen Herman.
“Karen Herman is a tyrant who has broken every
regulation in our contract since she became nursing
director last October,” said Evelyn Foxworth, a
LOCAL 401
President C.
Daniel Plumey,
right, is
surrounded by
CSEA
members
protesting
contract
violations.
therapy aide at Bronx Children’s P.C. for 12 years. "She's not
dealing with the union in good faith."
CSEA Local 401 President C. Daniel Plumey accused Herman of
gross and inexcusable disregard for the employees and of their
rights under the union contract in assigning mandatory overtime,
lunch periods and vacations.
The local filed a class action grievance as a results of “glaring
mismanagement of staff,” Plumey said.
“In order for an institution to run right, labor and management
are supposed to work in a cohesive manner, but Ms. Herman
refused to work with labor from the very beginning,” Plumey
added.
“We never had this type of problem with prior nursing directors,
said Local 401 First Vice President Iris Ayala. “Ms. Herman's
predecessors were all willing to work with the union.”
“If you have an emergency at home and leave after eight hours,
you are considered insubordinate,” Therapy Aide Robert Hill said.
“Mandatory overtime is supposed to be only for emergencies, but
we are regularly scheduled for 16-hour shifts here all the time.”
CSEA Region II President George Boncoraglio and Local 401
President Plumey called for an extensive labor-management
meeting following the informational picketing and petition drive.
As a result of this meeting, a six-month pilot project is being
initiated to determine if the mandatory overtime situation can be
eased.
“We expect to have another follow-up meeting with management
in September to assess what progress is being made,” Plumey said.
“But given the anti-labor environment in the Nursing Department,
we will continue to be very vigilant.”
CSEA EBF prescription drug program
modifications retain same low co-pay
The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund (EBF)
Prescription Drug Plan will undergo cost-
containment modifications soon to offset
escalating costs in the prescription drug
industry.
Participating CSEA members will
continue to enjoy the same low co-pay cost
for the popular benefit, however.
The changes will reduce operational
expenses in the face of rising prescription
drug costs to enable CSEA EBF to continue
to provide a sound health care program at
no increase in cost to CSEA members, EBF
Chairman Joe McDermott said.
The changes will: reduce the quantity of
pills available per prescription under the
EBF mail service program from a six-
month supply to a three-month supply;
exclude several classes of drugs readily
available without prescription over-the-
counter; and require that prescriptions be
written generically when a generic
substitution is available.
“These changes will allow CSEA EBF to
continue a high quality drug prescription
program with no increase in cost to our
eligible members by containing the
operating costs of the program itself,”
McDermott said.
Drug program expenditures to CSEA EBF
rose dramatically from $32 million in fiscal
year 1990 to $41 million in fiscal year
1991.
Despite cost-containment adjustments
last fall it is projected that expenditures
will exceed $39 million in the current fiscal
year.
EBF officials estimate requiring generic
prescriptions where available will save
about $3.5 million annually. Nearly all
prescriptions will be required to be generic
but seven therapeutic drug categories will
be excluded from the generic requirement.
Members who insist on brand name drugs
must pay the difference between the cost of
the brand name and the generic equivalent.
An appeals process will be available in
those cases where the physician insists on
prescribing a brand name rather than a
generic drug.
Excluding certain classes of drugs readily
available over-the-counter should save an
additional $500,000 annually. The
following classes of drugs will no longer be
included under the CSEA EBF Prescription
Drug Program: multivitiamins; smoking
deterrents, Rx; anti-obesity and other
preps; other ethical vitamins; anti-dandruff
preparations, anti-obesity, schedule II; B-
complex vitamins; oral cold preparations,
OTC; and vitamin-K and related.
Reducing to three months the quantity of
pills available per prescription by mail
order is expected to save $200,000 per year
while reducing waste, ensuring freshness
of drugs and making it more economical
and efficient for long-term prescriptions to
be changed if needed.
The modifications will become effective
Nov. 1, 1991. Additional reminders of the
pending changes will be published in
future edition of The Public Sector.
Frank Martello retires
after 25-year career
serving CSEA members
Frank Martello, who held several top
staff administrative positions within the
union, has retired after a quarter of a
century with
CSEA.
“Frank served
the members of
his union
faithfully for 25
years in several
key positions,”
CSEA President
ae 987 and was
the CSEA. Bares oe Fund in ho
Qctor September 1991 i
THE
PUBLIC
A message from CSEA President Joe McDermott
GENERAL NEWS
Building partnerships
A recent article in the Harvard Business
Review of all places provides encouraging
news for American Labor as we celebrate
Labor Day 1991.
The article offered impressive evidence
that, far from impeding competitiveness
and productivity, unions can and should
play a key role promoting it. It's no surprise
for labor activists, but flies in the face of
anti-unionism that’s all too common among
business and the general public.
The article, titled What Should Unions
Do?, pointed out that America’s major
economic competitors have much higher
levels of unionized workers. Additionally,
unionization is on the rise in those
countries fueled in large measure by the
unions’ effectiveness. The article linked the
trend to the forging of labor-management
partnerships to involved workers in
workplace decisions. The result: more
dignity for the workers, better productivity
and profit.
Of course none of this just happens — it
requires both labor and management to
redefine their roles and work together to
meet specific needs without
the traditional adversity.
All of this is particularly
relevant against the
backdrop of the anti-
union animus now
rearing its ugly head
among public
employers beset by
fiscal crisis.
Public employees
and their unions
have become the
scapegoats for
short-sighted
political
decisions and
excesses.
Blaming public
employees —
particularly
those on the
frontlines providing essential
services such as the care’ of
the mentally ill and retarded,
ensuring the safety of our
roads and taking care of our
schoolchildren — for the state
and local government budget
shortfalls is ludicrous.
What makes it even more
8 September 1991 Soctox
ironic is that public employee unions like
CSEA have long been in the forefront of
developing cooperative labor-management
relations to improve the quality of worklife
and the delivery of services. For years
CSEA has worked with state and local
government on labor-management
initiatives aimed at ensuring a stable and
involved workforce for competitive
excellence. The importance of this approach
was underscored in a 1989 report on The
New York State Workforce in the Year 2000
prepared by the Governor's Task Force,
comprised largely by private sector
business leaders.
That report emphasized that government
faces increasing challenges in attracting
and retaining qualified and capable
employees. It stressed the value of working
closely with the public employee unions for
cooperative problem-solving. Yet, in the face
of fiscal crisis, state and local government
management have reverted to a
counterproductive, top-down, authoritarian
approach.
Public employers have demanded
concessions from their employees, but the
employees have not been asked for
constructive ideas to save money and better
ways to get the job done.
Employees have
been fired even
though workforce
reductions could
have been achieved
through attrition without wreaking havoc
on people's lives and disrupting the
workplace.
Slash and burn budget balancing also
has its price by demoralizing and
overburdening the remaining workforce and
often leaving them without the ability and
resources to adequately perform. At the
same time cutbacks do not make needs go
away; they just make them harder to meet
and at a higher cost.
Certainly labor-management problem-
solving yields better results in the long-
term than in an immediate crisis. But
spurning this approach except when there
is no external pressure undermines the
credibility of the commitment to the
process.
As America’s economic competitors are
discovering, effective labor-management
partnerships must be based on trust and
shared responsibility. CSEA is one public
employee union prepared to work with
government to address the
challenges it faces. But
a true labor-
management
partnership requires
ongoing
antive
dialogue and
real
involvement in
the decision-
making, It
cannot
succeed if it is
4
Y constantly
Z
Z
yg } subject to the
uncertainties
g of political
expediency.
General News
News stories, articles and items of
interest to all CSEA members
INDEX
Page 10
CSEA members risk their lives for a
stranger. Plus important scholarship news.
Pages 12 & 13
CSEA celebrates Labor Day with an ad to
honor public employees.
Page 14
AFSCME stands up for public employees in
the national press.
Page 15
Important workshops on Long Island and in
Central New York.
Page 16
New York Works Because We Work!
And CSEA's legislative round-up.
Page 17
CSEA's benefits for you!
State government news is on pages 1 to 9.
Local government news is on pages 18
to 24.
Columbia Greene Medical Center signs EAP Biooan
CSEA was instrumental in developing
an Employee Assistance Program for all
unionized and management employees at
the Catskill and Hudson divisons of the
Columbia Greene Medical Center.
In photo at right, CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Aaron Wagner and Columbia
Greene Medical Center President Ramon
Rodriquez review the program. Rodriguez
praised CSEA's efforts in helping
implement the program.
PEOPLE
IN THE NEWS
News and information about
RETIREMENT
and RETIREES
Still more CSEA locals paying retiree dues
The list of CSEA locals helping their
retirees join CSEA retiree locals continues
to grow.
A resolution passed at last year’s CSEA
annual delegates meeting encourages locals
to pay the first year's retirees dues for local
members who retire,
The following CSEA locals are the latest
to offer to pay retiree dues for their
members:
Syracuse State Employees Local 013
Donna Murray, president
Allegany State Park Local 107
Joseph C. Milbrandt, president
Rome Developmental Center Local 422
Jon J. Premo, president
SUNY College at New Paltz Local 610
Diane Y. Lucchesi, president
Livingston County Local 826
Tammy Macomber, president
Onondaga City-Baldwinsville Academy
and School District Unit
Phil Doucette, president
Seneca County Local 850
Paulette Barrett, president
Yates City Employees Unit
Carol Thornton, president
Erie County Educational Local 868
Mary Lettieri, president
Suffolk County Educational Local 870
Tom Corridan, president
Chautauqua County Local 807 is
continuing a practice it began long before
the delegates’ resolution by paying for its
retirees to join a CSEA retirees local.
Local 807 President Jim Kurtz notes
that the local was one of the first CSEA
locals to encourage its retiring members to
stay active in the union by offering a
retirees dues incentive.
CSEA Calendar
Central New York tebor Sala Solidarity Parade, Utica.
Assemble at CSEA Utica Satellite Office, 9 a.m.
Locals who want to march should call Region V
Eee Secretary Bob Timpano, (315) 724-
6372,
iber 13
Region 0 Safety andrea Committee meeting,
1 p.m., Region II office.
September 19
Town meeting on Universal Health Care, 7:30
p.m., Albany Hid School, 700 Washington Ave.
tember 24
New York City Retirees Local 910 meeting, noon,
Region II office.
September 25
Local 010 Department of Transportation, Long
Island City, Lunch and Learn, noon. Call Chris
Rodriguez, (718) 482- oak
Region Il Delegates uae i 10 a.m., Region II
ce.
October 1, 2,3
CSEAP Training, full day, Region Tl office. Pre-
registration required for ASU employees.
October 7-11
CSEA Annual Delegates Meeting, Niagara Falls.
CSEA Locals or Units should send calendar items
to The Public Sector, CSEA Headquarters, 143
Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210. Include
date, location, time and contact person with
phone number. Allow at least 60 days to ensure
timely publication.
Florida Retirees Local 950
loses two pioneer activists
Florida State CSEA Retirees Local 950
lost two of its pioneer activists with the
deaths of Douglas E. Werley on May 5 and
Salvatore Cossentino in late May.
Werley, who retired from the state Office
of Mental Hygiene in Rockland County,
died from a heart attack in LaFargeville.
Werley was founder and organizer of
CSEA Unit 1 Citrus County in Inverness,
Florida.
Cossentino, who retired from the Town of
Hempstead on Long Island, was the first
unit president of Unit 1 Citrus County.
Socto &, September 1991 9
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
Heros on the highway
CSEA members chase down car with
disabled driver on busy expressway
PLAINVIEW — Out of scores of motorists
who passed the scene, it was two civil
service employees who risked their own
safety to rescue an unconscious motorist
whose car was idling along in the fast lane
of a high-speed expressway.
Keith Gurlides, a member of Nassau
Local 830, and Mike Padilla, a member of
state Department of Transportation (DOT)
Local 508, teamed up to stop the car,
administer emergency first aid and call for -
police and an ambulance.
The two chased the victim's car on foot to
catch and stop it. Padilla reached inside to
steer while Gurlides got in the passenger
door and hit the brakes.
During their efforts, traffic whizzed past
them at high speed on State Route 135, the
Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway.
Gurlides, who is an ambulance medical
technician with the Nassau County Police
Department ambulance corps and a
lieutenant with the Plainview Fire
Department rescue squad, revived the
victim with first aid.
Meanwhile, Padilla, a laborer with the
state Department of Transportation,
returned to his state truck and used its
two-way radio to call for an ambulance.
The motorist apparently had suffered an
attack of epilepsy. He was treated and
released at a nearby hospital.
Padilla, who is 22 and has been with
DOT for two years, said he sprang into
action without a second thought.
Gurlides, a veteran of many rescues with
the police ambulance corps and fire
department, received a departmental Life-
Saving Award last year after doctors
reported that a heart-attack victim would
have died except for the expert medical
attention Gurlides provided on the way to a
hospital.
Both were awarded citations by the Town
of Oyster Bay for “acting quickly and
courageously when a fellow citizen was in
need.”
Qreeses
=
Scholarships through CSEA:
Your union helping you and your family
Send now for applications
for AFSCME's annual
Family Scholarships:
Deadline Dec. 31
Applications for the 1992 AFSCME
Family Scholarship Program for the
children of AFSCME members are now
available.
The program awards scholarships of
$2,000 each to 10 college students whose
parents are AFSCME members, The
scholarships will be renewed for $2,000 for
up to four years, providing the student
remains enrolled in a full-time degree
program at an accredited institution.
The application deadline is Dee. 1, 1991.
For information and applications, write to:
AFSCME Family Scholarship Program
Education Department
1625 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Completed applications for the 1992
scholarship must be postmarked no
later than Dec. 31, 1991.
The scholarship winners will be
announced by March 31, 1992.
New scholarships through
CSEA, Jardine and Travelers
The first CSEA Jardine/Travelers
Scholarships have been awarded to the
children of two CSEA members.
The $2,500 scholarships have been
established as part of a 10-year program
created in recognition of the longstanding
business relationship CSEA has with
Jardine Group Services Corp. and Travelers
Insurance Company.
The Jardine scholarship for students
who attend SUNY colleges was awarded to
Deborah Upton, daughter of Diane Upton, a
member of CSEA Nassau County
Educational Local 865. Deborah will attend
SUNY at Binghamton.
The scholarship is given in memory of
Charles Foster, a longtime CSEA activist
who served as the first business officer of
the SUNY system.
The Travelers scholarship has been
awarded to John Besemer, son of Richard
Besemer, a member of CSEA Suffolk
County Educational Local 870. John will
attend Villanova University.
New Flaumenbaum scholarship awarded in Region |
CSEA is awarding an Irving
Flaumenbaum Memorial Scholarship to
Jonathan Weiss, son of CSEA Suffolk
County Local 852 member Marsha Weiss.
Weiss is a graduate of Half Hollow Hills
High School.
The union awards the $500 scholarships
to 18 graduating high school students
whose parents are CSEA members.
The son of a CSEA member has won the
first Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship from
AFSCME.
David Holland, son of CSEA Nassau
County Local 830 member Daniel Holland,
will receive $10,000 per year for his junior
and senior years of undergraduate study in
political science, He attended Nassau
County Community College and is enrolled
CSEA Special Memorial Scholarship
Committee Chair Diane Lucchesi
announced Weiss’s award. Weiss is
replacing a student who received one of the
1991 CSEA Jardine/Travelers
Scholarships.
The other scholarship winners were
announced in the July issue of The Public
Sector.
‘CSEA member's son wins AFSCME's first Clark scholarship
at SUNY at Binghamton, The award also
includes an internship at AFSCME
International Headquarters in Washington.
Clark is the late director of AFSCME
political action; the scholarship is a tribute
to his outstanding contribution to
AFSCME's political action program and to
his deep and abiding commitment to the
labor movement.
1 0 September 1991 Octo a
Ce ee ee ll
ay state legislators alike that CSEA will never let its members down.
GENERAL NEWS SECTION At CSEA we have always taken our responsibility seriously becausé we know that at any
given moment more than 265,000 members and their families are counting on us.
1 Labor Day finds public employees under attack on many fronts, but CSEA is there
abor * fighting for you with the intensity that has always been our hallmark. Even after 81 years,
the last 24 under the jurisdiction of the Taylor Law, our battle to protect your rights is not
over - it never will be. The full-page advertisement below appears in the current edition of
The Legislative Gazette newspaper in Albany as a clear message to management and
is
pr
oS |
1967 was a landmark for public employees, and for CSEA.
That year, public workers in this state won the right to bargain collectively
and negotiate contracts.
This finally gave them the fundamental right private employees have long
had ... and enabled CSEA to represent them as a true labor union, and enforce
the provisions of those contracts.
But today, that right is challenged as it hasn’t been in 24 years. Budget
problems and cost-cutting severely threaten to undermine their contract rights
... witness the lag pay for public employees, and layoffs and rollbacks across
the board.
Clearly, negotiating binding contracts, and seeing that they are honored, is
essential to fair labor relations.
We will not see that right eroded PR m
as a way out of a budget squeeze. aera)
Our members are counting
on us to fight for all they’ve won
over the years. We will not let
them down.
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
Joe McDermott, President
The battle isn't over.
September 1991
11
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
When governments try to balance budgets by cutting
public employees....
State and local governments and school
districts engaged in a frenzy of budget cuts
this year as a slash and burn solution to
fiscal difficulities. Experience has shown
that when governments try to balance budgets by cutting public employees, valuable public services are also lost. CSEA
launched a Labor Day advertising campaign to remind ei ais hab and the public that.....
Getting the ir
Hair is pense out the message that "New York
by using adve: on cable cable televiia and radio
pee is that public employees provide vital
CSEA members are featured in the cam)
Saratoga counties appear in the tel
protect the
environment.
And ... they
protect your
JOHN SICKLES takes water samples at the
City of Troy water filtration plant, helping
protect the public and the environment. A
film crew member provides reflected light.
|They care for
your children...
-- SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD
Theresa O'Clair of the Stillwater School
District.
DEPUTY SHERIFF
WILLIAM MARSHALL |
Hil | They serve in
everyone loses! |
|
the courts ..
COURT STENO
Stephen Thurm
under glare of
camera lights.
maintain
= the parks...
PARKS WORKER Michael
Callahan poses for the
photographer.
TOWN OF BRUNSWICK employee Randy
(| Southwick gets ready for the camera.
Public employees. They
do the jobs we take for
and for the
4 mentally ill.
- MHTA John K. Adams
NURSE Ruth Connors
helps a county nursing
home patient.
granted ... days, nights,
weekends, even
holidays.
But when we try to
balance budgets by
= |cutting public
employees ... these vital
services could simply
disappear. Where would
we be without them?
"Something we allishould think about!"
19 nner mi egap TS
GENE
RAL NEWS SECTION
When Forbes magazine
ran this ad insulting to
public employees ....
CSEA/AFSCME
responded with
th
is hard-hitting
ebuttal in the
New York Times!
FORBES THINKS OUR JOBS ARE A JOKE.
DALE AND HER 15 AIDS PATIENTS
AREN'T LAUGHING.
: At New York's Nassau County Medical Center
fa Dale Considine runs from room to room chang-
ing the bedclothes of 15 AIDS patients. With
her medication duties, taking vital signs every
-@ two hours and four hours of daily charts and
paperwork, there is too little time to provide
> Ea _j emotional support to those on her wing.
Dale works on the AIDS floor from 7pm to 7am. Ina
12-hour shift she can ease physical pain but not all of the
mental anguish.
Dale is an RN. A supervisor by
county definition, a nurse by profes-
sion and sole care-giver by necessity.
B
Forbes magazine recently ran an ad saying that there are
too many public employees. Tell that to Dale. Tell that to cor
rections officers who face risk and abuse in our prisons. Or,
to social workers whose case loads have doubled or tripled.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees represents 1.25 million workers who nurse,
nurture and tend to the needs of all who require public
services. They have tough and demanding jobs. They are
often overworked and underpaid.
Forbes thinks public service
is a joke.
Dale's patients and America’s
® public employees don't.
How the AFSCME/CSEA ad evolved
When CSEA President Joe McDermott saw the
outrageous Forbes ad in a national publication, he
immediately conferred with AFSCME President Gerald
W. McEntee to plan a CSEA/AFSCME response. CSEA
Nassau County Local 830 member Dale Considine,
R.N., who works at the bustling Nassau County
Medical Center, was ultimately selected to represent
all CSEA/AFSCME members in the union ad as an
example of all public employees and the invaluable
services they provide.
In addition to RN Dale
Considine, two other
CSEA Local 830
members were also
considered for the union
ad. All three were ideal
examples. Also
Deborah Bailey, right,
and RN Patrice McKenna,
ar right.
14
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
Importance of
unity, lobbying
for minorities
stressed during
LI workshop
HAUPPAUGE—The CSEA Region I
Minority Committee recently sponsored a
workshop which addressed the importance
of minority unity and gaining strength
through lobbying.
The speakers, Daniel Krimmer and
Howard Batzar, both vice presidents of
Suffolk's Anti-Defamation League, were
chosen by Minority Committee Chairperson
Barbara Jones because she had been
impressed after hearing them speak at the
Bi-county Symposium on Bias.
“One of the most important things that
happened at the seminar was that the
speakers made us aware of the anti-bias
bill" which was then pending, Jones said.
“They encouraged us to write and call our
legislators,” she added.
Jones agreed with CSEA Region I
President Gloria Moran and CSEA
Statewide Secretary Irene Carr that the
seminar stressed the need for minorities to
join together and realize their strength.
CSEA REGION 1 MINORITY COMMITTEE members are, from left, Barbara Jones,
chairperson; Long Island Developmental Center Local 430 President Gene Haynes, Local
430 Activist Cheryl Keels, Stony Brook Local 614 Activist Alfredo Carlo, Parks and
Recreation Local 012 activist Bob Dorsey and A. Holly Patterson Geriatric Center Unit
President Helen Dupree.
“We learned we should all help one Browning and John Labriel attended the
another, Black, Hispanic, Jewish, whatever. seminar and said it was “a good learning
We should pull together and have the experience."
strength of a large group,” Jones said.
Moran said that similar to the union's "We learned we should all
iew, th kers discussed th iti :
impact of bebying demonstrating and. help one another...We
boycottting as ways to force change. should pull together and
have the strength of a
large group."
Jones said another seminar is planned
for September which will discuss bias in the
workplace and how to deal with it.
CSEA Labor Relations Specialists Cynthia
Don't rely on rumors. Keep yourself informed by calling
CSEA's toll-free current issues update 1-800-342-4146
Central Region
summer conference
CSEA activists from Throughout central New York were updated
recently on the status of local and state Rov crument and school
district union affairs during the annual CSEA Central Region
summer conference. Region President Jim Moore said the
conference highlighted CSEA's emphasis on safety, health
awareness and political action.
\CSEA STATEWIDE TREASURER MARY
SULLIVAN, left, talks with Oneida County
ONONDAGA COUNTY CSEA Local 834
activist and unit president Joe Alcaro
celebrates his team winning CSEA t-shirts
during a political action program.
Local 833 President Dorothy Breen, center,
and recently retired regional first vice
president Patricia Crandall during Region 5
summer conference.
Octo rn September 1991 1 5
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
bn &
CSEA MEMBER Ron DuCharme
CSEA progresses in legislative session
ALBANY — CSEA weathered a very
difficult legislative session this year, but its
determination and hard work paid off in
several areas.
The union successfully salvaged several
essential budget restorations and a number
of significant legislative items.
“Our success this year despite the
seemingly insurmountable difficulties is a
tribute to our members who actively wrote
and talked to legislators to let them know
where CSEA stood,” said CSEA President
Joe McDermott. “When we work together as
a union, CSEA is a force to be reckoned
with, even under the toughest
circumstances. We proved it this year.”
A summary of legislation and budget
items follows.
BUDGET
State restorations
* $21 million for Department of
Transportation ;
* more than $7 million for Office of
Mental Health (OMH);
* $9.5 million for Office of Mental
Retardation and Developmental Disabilities;
* $3.3 million for Department of Parks
and Recreation;
* $15.3 million for Department of Tax
and Finance;
* $2.6 million for Division for Youth
* $582,300 for Department of
Environmental Conservation;
* $3 million for Department of Health;
* $16 million for SUNY; and
* $7 million for Department of Motor
Vehicles,
Local Government restorations:
* $1.9 million for Office for the Aging;
* $18.2 million for services to the
mentally retarded and developmentally
disabled;
* $10.6 million for youth services;
* $10.8 million for probation and
He saves history a piece at a tim
By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate
WATERFORD — CSEA member Ron
DuCharme literally keeps history from
falling apart.
As a conservation technician in the
furniture lab of the state Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation’s facility at
Peebles Island, Ron has spent the last 15
years of his 20 years of state service
stabilizing the history of New York.
“ There are 34 state historic sites,”
DuCharme explains.
“We are responsible for maintaining those
sites and the furniture and articles within
them.”
For the past several days, DuCharme has
been cleaning a munitions wagon from the
War of 1812, slowly bringing out the hidden
beauty of the coffin-like container.
“We don't do anything to an article that is
not reversible," he said. "We stabilize
articles so that no further damage is done
to them and we maintain them in that
conditions so that at a future date, if the
need exists, conservation may continue.”
The state budget crisis has been felt in
the busy hallways of the quiet state
correctional services alternatives;
* $31.8 million for social services Title XX
* $6.7 million for community colleges;
and
* $92.1 million for aid to cities, towns
and villages.
Education restorations:
* $442 million for public schools;
* $18.3 million for BOCES
transportation; and
* $30 million for handicapped aid.
LEGISLATION
CSEA supported the following
legislation that has been signed into
law.
Retirement benefits:
* Pension supplementation: continues
benefits for two years;
* Local government early retirement
incentive: allows local governments and
school districts to offer employees
incentives to retire early;
* Retiree earnings: raises maximum
earnings for retirees employed in public
sector to $9,720 without decrease in public
pensions;
* Loanability: removes age limit for
borrowing on pensions by Tier I and II
members. (Tier IV has no age limit.); and
* Active duty contributions: provides that
state and local government employees
called to active military duty on or after
Aug. 1, 1990, receive non-contributory
retirement service credit.
Office of Mental Health:
* Gowanda closure language: requires
the OMH commissioner to outline the
closure procedure in a detailed report,
including alternative service programs and
measures to help plan for the future of the
state workforce.
Workforce legislation:
* Agency shop: extends agency shop for
state employees for two years; and
worksite,
DuCharme
has just
learned that
his boss, Civil Service Employees Association, Inc.
the former ‘Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
furniture
conservator, has resigned, and while that
means a little extra job security for
DuCharme, it also doubles his normal
workload.
“We pick up and deliver items from all of
the state sites to insure their proper
transportation, etc.” DuCharme said.
“It’s really a great job to see an item go
from poor condition where it could not be
displayed to a stabilized item that can not
only be shown but also can convey the
history of the state to interested tourists,
historians, scholars, etc.”
If his position were to be cut, the
thousands of items of historical value
currently at the historic sites would
continue to be displayed and maintained.
“That means dusted, “ DuCharme noted.
“If items were damaged they would be put
into storage and the state would lose
another piece of its history one item at a
time.”
* Lag Pay: guarantees that a state
employee whose pay has been lagged will
receive no less than the amount lagged
when leaving state service;
Health and related issues:
* Replacement of assistive devices:
provides that the state will repair or replace
any assistive device at no cost to the
job; and
* Rights of cancer victims: prohibits a
person from being disqualified for public
employment based on a history of cancer.
CSEA opposed the following legislation
and successfully stopped it from
becoming law.
* Mechanical recording devices: would
have authorized mechanical recording of
testimony in city courts in cities with
populations of 50,000 or less. This would
have been the first step to adding those
devices to other areas in the judicial
system, jeopardizing more than 400 court
reporters’ jobs.
* Court reporters: would have made
transcripts the property of the state and not
that of CSEA-represented court reporters.
* Privatization: would have required
Governor to make recommendations to
transfer state services to the private sector
in the executive budget proposal.
* Drug testing for school bus drivers:
would have required applicants for school
bus driviers to submit to drug tests and
bus drivers to submit to drug testing in
biennial exam until a random testing
system was in place.
* Optional method of appointment for
deputy sheriffs: would have allowed for
local civil service requirements to be set up
for each county sheriffs department and
would have caused inequity among deputy
sheriffs based on the county they work in
and jeopardize their employment status.
1 6 September 1991 Qeto %
employee if the device is needed to do the |
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
AT YOUR SERVICE
YOUR UNION
A REFERENCE GUIDE TO CSEA MEMBER SERVICES AND BENEFITS
BENEFITS
eae
CSEA Toll-Free
The union’s toll-free telephone number— 1-
800-342-4146—is your direct link to CSEA
Headquarters.
When you call the toll-free number, a
recorded message describes the choices to put
you through to the right place for the help you
need.
You need a touch-tone telephone to
complete your call without operator assistance.
If you aren't calling from a touchtone
telephone, an operator will pick up and
complete your call at the end of the message.
If you know the extension number of the
individual that you're trying to reach, you can
press “O” plus the extension number on your
touch-tone telephone at any point during the
recorded message and be connected.
If you don't know the extension, the
message will give you the following choices:
* For Field Operations or the Empire
Plan/Health Benefits Committee, press
number 1,
* For disciplinaries, grievances and other
legal matters, press number 2.
* For Communications, the Executive
Offices or Political Action, press number 3.
* If you have a question concerning dues
membership or agency shop, CSEA group
insurance other than health or need to talk to
the Finance Department, press number 4.
* To hear CSEA’s Current Issues Update for
news of interest to CSEA members, press 5.
Employee Benefit Fund
The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund is a
CSEA-administered trust fund which provides
certain supplemental negotiated benefits for
state employees and participating local
government employees, It currently
administers Dental Care, Vision Care,
Prescription Drug, and Package 7 Benefits
Plans.
For questions regarding any of the benefits
or for assistance with negotiations, call:
1-800-323-2732 or (518) 463-4555 or write:
CSEA Employee Benefit Fund
14 Corporate Woods Boulevard
Albany, NY 12210
Education and Training
CSEA can help you prepare for civil service
exams with low-cost study booklets and free-
to-borrow video tapes.
CSEA also provides educational workshops
for union activists eager to learn more about
their union responsibilities.
To request booklet order forms or to obtain
information on union workshops, call CSEA
headquarters at 1-800-342-4146. For
information on videotapes, contact your CSEA
regional office.
Clip and save this
page for future
reference
Safety
To report unsafe or unhealthy working
conditions or serious accidents, call your
CSEA labor relations specialist. For
occupational safety and health information,
call CSEA headquarters at 1-800-342-4146.
AFSCME Advantage Credit Card
The AFSCME MasterCard has one of the
lowest interest rates around - 5 percent about
the prime lending rate. There is no annual fee.
To obtain an application form, call your
CSEA regional office.
The card is issued by the Bank of New York.
If you apply for a card and there is no response
within four weeks, call the bank toll-free at 1-
800-942-1977.
AFSCME Advantage Legal Services Program
The AFSCME Advantage Union Privilege
Legal Service Program makes it possible for
you to easily obtain high quality, affordable
legal services for many personal legal matters.
For more details and a list of the participating
lawyers in your area, call the CSEA office in
your region.
Insurance
CSEA offers several insurance programs at
low group rates and provides the convenience
of automatic payroll deduction.
These voluntary group plans include: Basic
Group Life, Supplemental Life, Income
Protection Program, Hospital Indemnity Plan,
Family Protection Plan, Auto Insurance and
Homeowners Insurance. For more details,
call 1-800-366-5273 or (518) 381-1600.
Health Insurance
For health insurance questions concerning
Empire Plan coverage, call the appropriate
following telephone number:
EMPIRE PLAN
Blue Cross Claims-1-800-342-9815 or (518)
465-0171
Metropolitan Claims-1-800-942-4640
Participating Providers-1-800-537-0010
Empire Plan Health Call-1-800-992-1213
(Hospital admission approval/surgical
review)
Retirement
If you are retiring soon, it's important that
you select the proper option from the
Employees’ Retirement system.
By using the services of a CSEA-provided
retirement counselor, you'll be able to plan for
a lifestyle in your retirement years that takes
into account your anticipated expenses.
For more information, call 1-800-366-
5273.
General retirement information and retiree
membership information are available by
contacting CSEA's Retiree Department at
CSEA Headquarters 1-800-342-4146 or
(518) 434-0191.
Technical retirement benefit questions (i.e.,
eligibility for service buy-back, transfer of
membership), requests for retirement
allowance applications, and requests for
retirement estimate applications should be
directed to the New York State and Local
Retirement Systems at (518) 474-7736.
State employees over the age of 50 and their
spouses can attend DIRECTIONS, a two and
one-half day pre-retirement planning seminar
sponsored by CSEA. For information call
(518)486-1918.
United Buying Service
Get big savings on consumer products
through the union’s official discount buying
service. UBS combines the power of millions of
members to negotiate discounts on a whole
range of major name discount products.
Everything from automobiles to major
appliances, video to home furnishing and
more. The program is free to CSEA members
and carries no service charges. To place an
order or for pricing information, call 1-800-
336-4UBS or 1-800-877-4UBS. UBS has also
set up a hotline for information on limited
special monthly offers available only to CSEA
members. For a listing of specials, call the
hotline at 1-203-967-2980.
Grievances, Disciplines
If you believe you have a grievance,
immediately contact your local grievance
representative or shop steward. If they are
unavailable, contact your CSEA Unit or Local
President, or your CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist at the appropriated regional office.
Do not delay if you believe you have a problem;
grievances must be filed on a timely basis.
LONG ISLAND REGION | OFFICE
Hauppauge Atrium Building
300 Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
(516)273-2280
(516)435-0962
Rural Route 1
Fishkill, NY 12524
(914)896-8180
METROPOLITAN REGION II OFFICE
Suite 1500
11 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
(212) 514-9200
Suite 402
Albany, NY 12203
(518) 489-5424.
Box 34, Old Route 9
CAPITAL REGION IV OFFICE
1215 Western Avenue
CSEA REGIONAL OFFICES
SOUTHERN REGION II| OFFICE
CENTRAL REGION V OFFICE
6595 Kirkville Road
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(315) 433-0050
WESTERN REGION VI OFFICE
482 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 886-0391
CSEA STATEWIDE HEADQUARTERS
143 Washington Avenue, Albany, N.Y. 12210
1-800-342-4146 ( toll-free)
Press 5 for Current Issues Update
(518) 434-0191
Qctorx September 1991 1 7
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
Hempstead DPW Unit work
is right on
the target
VILLAGE OF HEMPSTEAD—CSEA members in
the Village of Hempstead Department of Public
Works (DPW) Unit of CSEA NassausLocal 830 hit
the bullseye recently when they worked with the
village police department to create a firing range
for law enforcement officials.
CSEA Village of Hempstead Unit Executive Vice
President Gary Kornova said approximately 25
employees worked on getting the pistol range up
and running.
“Our men did this work on top of their regular
DPW assignments,” said Kornova, “They definitely
deserve the praise they've been getting.”
The range, which opened on April 1, was built
for use by Village of Hempstead law enforcement
personnel but is also rented out for FBI training
and the Nassau County Police Department.
According to Village Police Officer Craig Copius,
the village asked for the help of the DPW unit
because “they couldn't afford to contract out the
whole job.”
The Nassau County Firing Range, where the
Nassau County Police Department used to train,
was built by outside contractors. It was closed
down recently due to problems with stray bullets.
CSEA Local 830 President Rita Wallace cited the in-house work
at the range as another example of how public employees can do
the job “better and cheaper than outside contractors."
“CSEA is extremely proud of the work the DPW Unit provided to
make this firing range become a reality. Another perfect example of
contracting out is not the answer,” she said.
The pistol range includes a brand new building with restrooms,
DESE! Danny | Maoae: Barry Saaee. Gary Kornova,
Davy O'Brien, Tony Simone and Jack Grella stand in front of the new
Fetes cage Suuding Gor tained eet The facility has hit the target
with the law enforcement officers who use it and the village which
saved considerable money by using the DPW workers to complete the
project. Kornova said other employees who worked hard at the range
but were unavailable for the photo include Bob Clark, Robert Salvati
and Ed Conroy.
conference rooms and a training center, in addition to the firing
range and backstop which is used to stop the bullets.
The DPW Unit provided the block concrete work, the backstop,
the sprinkler system and the landscaping at the range.
“Davy O’Brien and his crew were instrumental in the creation of
this range,” said Kornova, “Without their work this range would
never have been completed.”
According to Copius, approximately 1,500 people have used the
firing range for training already this year.
CSEA wins agreement to save Islip lunch program
ISLIP— Despite a multimillion-dollar
reduction in state aid and a deficit in the
cafeteria service in the Islip School District,
CSEA has won agreement to continue the
lunch program for at least one year while a
joint labor-management committee
Marsh, president of the Cafeteria Unit;
Carol Almberg, president of the Clerical
See Page 20 for additional school districts news
Unit, and CSEA Collective Bargaining
Specialist Jim Walters.
monitors reforms in an effort to whittle
down losses.
The agreement not only saved the jobs of
CSEA activist Vicki Burton loses battle with cancer
members of the Cafeteria Unit, but included
a contract renewal giving them a pay
increase of 15 cents an hour and a labor-
management review next March to see if a
further increase is possible.
The agreement was based on a plan to
reorganize cafeteria operations and services
in order to increase patronage and reduce
losses. The cafeteria reportedly showed a
loss of $80,000 last year. In addition, the
district suffered a loss of state aid
estimated at $6.5 million over the next
three years.
Despite the district's setback, CSEA
negotiators were also successful in securing
a contract for the Clerical Unit providing
annual pay increases of over the next three
years and improving the dental insurance
plan.
Suffolk Educational Local 870 President
Tom Corridan cited the leadership of Marge
1 8 September 1991 octo x
CSEA officers, members and staff are
mourning the loss of CSEA Rockland
County Local 844 President Vicki Burton,
who passed away on Aug. 6 following a
two-year battle with cancer.
“The entire CSEA family is deeply
saddened by the loss of Vicki Burton. She
was a tireless, dedicated union activist
who continued to work for her co-workers
to the very end,” CSEA President Joe
McDermott said. “She was an inspiration
to all who knew her.”
“There are other labor leaders in
Rockland County,” County Executive
John Grant said, “but no one will measure
up to Vicki Burton.”
Burton was a county employee for 15
years. She began her union career as a
CSEA shop steward at Rockland
Community College and later served as
chairperson of the local grievance
committee. She was elected unit vice
president in 1986 and became unit
president shortly after. She then was
elected Local 844 president and was re-
elected unit and local president in 1989.
She also served on the CSEA statewide
Board of Directors and the Constitution
and By-Laws Committee.
Burton spent countless hours lobbying
local politicians for improved pay, working
conditions, benefits and pay equity for
CSEA members. Despite her illness, she
attended numerous meetings and
demonstrations in recent months in
support of county employees.
Burton is survived by her husband
Murray, a daughter and two sons.
Donations can be made to the Vicki
Burton Memorial Fund, PO Box 569,
Monsey, NY 10952. The fund will further
the labor eduction of CSEA members.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
: . CSEA activists play big “A &
roles in the worl cl
EC) VICTORY Gi
By Sheryl C. Jenks
CSEA Communications Associate
NASSAU COUNTY—For the first time
disabled athletes from 49 states and five
countries merged together on Long Island,
overcoming disabilities ranging from
amputation to blindness to compete in six
days of sports events appropriately called
The Victory Games.
Over 2,000 world-class athletes
converged in Uniondale to compete in the
events, which ranged from wheelchair races
to wrestling. Many CSEA members
volunteered their time and effort to help
make it happen.
CSEA Nassau County Local 830
Administrative Assistant Tony Giustino
headed up games management under
Games Director Dennis Burden.
“The experience was unbelievable. The
games gave people with a variety of
CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 President Rita
Wallace is flanked by Local 830 Parks and
Recreation Unit President Tom Garguilo and unit
member Ellen Michaels. Back row, from left, are
CSEA Nassau Local 830 Administrative Assistant
Tony Giustino, Recreation and Parks members Paul
Giordano and Edward Hillman, CSEA Labor
Relations Specialist John Clahane, USODA Games
Director Dennis Burden and USODA Executive
Director George Navarro. The photo was taken at
the Victory Games grand opening ceremonies.
disabilities the opportunity to
strive for physical and personal
excellence through sports,”
Giustino said.
CSEA Nassau Local 830
President Rita Wallace, who sat
with the dignitaries on opening
day, commended Giustino and
credited the CSEA members and
staff who took time to get
involved.
Giustino gave special credit to
CSEA Labor Relations Specialist
John Clahane and to the CSEA
Parks and Recreation Unit for
their commitment to the games
and the athletes.
“Unit President Tom Garguilo and
his members did so much for the
games,” Giustino said.
People like Mary Schroeder, who
assisted the secret service in
checking passes on opening day
and was also instrumental in
getting and distributing the
equipment.
And Gordon Steele, who
coordinated transportation,
including the pickup of almost
900 athletes from area airports.
Then there was Town of Oyster
Bay CSEA member Mike Gambia,
who acted as sports coordinator
for the the weight lifting
competition.
Clzhane, a CSEA staff member,
volunteered his time as head of
the social committee, arranging
events to keep the athletes
entertained in the evenings and
daytrips to shopping malls and
cultural sights so they could take
a part of New York with them.
The Victory Games, conducted
by the United States Organization
for Disabled Athletes (USODA),
determined which United States
competitors will represent this country in
the 1992 International Paralympic Games
in Barcelona, Spain.
USODA brought five organizations for
disabled athletes
together to compete
in the Victory Games.
Those organizations
were: The Dwarf
Athletic Association of
America, The National
Wheelchair Athletic
Association, The
United States
Association for Blind
Athletes, The United
States Cerebral Palsy
Athletic Association
and The United Les
Autres Sports
Association.
Hofstra University
was the main site for
the games with some
events being held at
Nassau Community
College and the
Nassau County
Department of A
Recreation and Parks.
“CSEA members
contributed a lot to
the success of these
games,” Giustino
UNITED STATES
Vice President Dan
said. “But we did not
work alone. There
were other unions
who worked
Quayle opened the
games and took
time to greet the
athletes.
especially hard, like
Peter Dempsey, president of the
Transportation Workers Local and his
members.”
There was no monetary payment for all
the hard work. But watching the athletes,
many of whom spoke little or no English;
socializing, assisting each other, exchanging
team pins and bits of their culture, was
payment enough for the volunteers.
Although only some of the athletes wore
bronze, silver or gold medals around their
necks, every athlete left a true winner.
As Soviet athletes waved goodbye and
headed home sporting American flag pins,
Soviet athletic pins could be seen gleaming
on the shirts of their American friends. The
Victory Games clearly lived up to its name.
Qoctor September 1991 1 9
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NEWS SECTION
School District News
News stories, articles and items of information
about school district employees
Three share $2,000 Newburgh grievance settlement
NEWBURGH — Three Senior Account the time of the appointment.
f Clerks with the Newburgh City School Arbitrator John Sands recommended
& District who were shut out of that the school district settle the case by
consideration for a provisional paying the amount to Nelson, Kalfas and
appointment will split a $2,000 grievance _ Benedict.
settlement. “The thing that bothered us was that it
¥ i CSEA unit shop steward Marianna is a highly paid position and we had as
Arhitrations Nelson and co-workers Mary Kalfas and much right to the job as anyone in the
’ Roxie Benedict protested the hiring of an _ district,” Benedict said.
G 4 office manager in the local high school, “We wanted to send a message to the
TeVvances, contending they should have been administration to follow the contract,”
iG considered for the appointment. Nelson said. “It’s one of those games they
IPs Lawsuits Although all three were qualified for the (management) plays.”
U position, another applicant with less Nelson is also treasurer of CSEA
seniority was appointed provisionally to Orange County Local 836 and Orange
the job until a test could be given. No County representative on CSEA's
Civil Service list existed for the position at statewide Board of Directors.
Baldwin Unit members
protest contract impasse
BALDWIN — After nearly a year without a contract, CSEA
members of the Baldwin School District Monitors and Health Aides
Unit simply want to be treated fairly, according to Unit President
Betty Anderson.
“We want a fair and equitable contract. We're out here in the rain
to show the district we are united,” Anderson said during a
demonstration attended by more than 100 members in foul weather.
The unit has been without a contract since last August and
negotiations are in the superconciliation stage.
Members of the unit had accepted a factfinder’s report but the
district rejected it.
“These people are not asking for much,” CSEA Collective
Bargaining Specialist Larry Borst said. Borst and CSEA Labor
Relations Specialist Pat Curtin have been working closely with the
unit in an effort to win a contract settlement.
“The district doesn’t even want to approve agency shop, a clause
which would cost them nothing,” Borst said.
pu! (SEA salutes the men and women who
not open or
operate without h f h re | 4 1
meme orease the gears of the educational process
Doors swung open at schools all across New York state this Food service workers provide the nutritional products that
month, welcoming hundreds of thousands of pupils to another growing minds and bodies need.
school year. This September, at most schools, things are different from a year
CSEA takes this opportunity to recognize the unsung heros and __ ago. State and local budget problems have taken a toll. School
heroines who are as responsible as anyone for keeping the gears of employees, teaching and non-teaching alike, are under extreme
the educational process meshing smoothly — the non-teaching pressures. Some districts were far-sighted enough to adopt
school district employees. sensible early retirement programs endorsed by CSEA to help ease
While teachers and administrators may have taken the summer _ budgetary problems; others simply resorted to harsh layoffs and
off, there was no vacation for thousands of CSEA-represented reduced services and programs.
school workers who spent the dog-days of summer preparing the This school year there are fewer teachers, fewer courses and
school facilities for another school year. And once school begins, programs. There are fewer people working to maintain school
these same men and women are the first there early in the district buildings and grounds. Bus service is severely curtailed in
morning and the last to leave at night. some districts forced to operate under austerity budgets. In some
The first school employee most pupils see every morning, and schools food services have been contracted out or eliminated |
the last at the end of the day, is their school bus driver. CSEA- entirely.
represented bus drivers safely carry their precious cargo millions But the educational process itself continues. And thousands of
of miles. CSEA-represented non-teaching school employees, working harder
Teacher aides work hand-in-hand with teachers to help students than ever under difficult conditions, make it possible. |
reach their potentials. CSEA salutes you — well done.
20 September 1991 g . i
|
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
CSEA still fighting for overtime pay in Onondaga County
Five -year legal battle continues
By Mark M. Kotzin
CSEA Communications Associate
SYRACUSE - There was no celebration as
members of CSEA Onondaga County Local
834 recently observed a grim anniversary.
Instead, there was anger, frustration and a
tiny speck of hope for the union members
who continue to fight a five-year legal battle
against the county, which for half a decade
has not paid overtime correctly.
The battle started in May 1986 when the
county changed its payment methods to
comply with federal Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA) regulations. In doing so, they
changed the contractually-agreed upon
method for computing overtime — to
include paid leave and holiday time. CSEA
filed a grievance at that time, but the
county has been incorrectly paying workers
ever since, said Local 834 President Keith
Zulko.
When the case was brought before the
Public Employment Relations Board
(PERB), an arbitrator agreed and ordered
the county to correct their formula for
computing overtime, and to retroactively
compensate the workers who had not
receive the correct pay. The county “flat-out
ignored” that order, King said.
After several time-consuming attempts to
get the county to pay , CSEA took it to
court. Since 1989, the case has been in the
State Supreme Court under the jurisdiction
of Judge Bernard Regan.
The union is still seeking a contempt of
court order, but the county continues to
drag its feet. Still, King says, there is reason
to be optimistic.
Recently, the county sent out a directive
to start paying the workers the correct
overtime, in accordance with FLSA and the
previous contract agreement. While King
said he was pleased that the employees will
now be paid correctly, he says the battle is
not yet over. The union must still pursue
the retroactive money that the county owes
the workers, an amoung which the union
estimates could be in the six-figure range.
The problem now, as it has been for some
time, is to get the county to audit payroll
records for the several thousand employees
affected. The county has argued the
feasibility of doing a full-blown audit over
the five-year period, but CSEA says it is the
only way to figure out what the employees
are owed.
“We need a full and complete audit of the
records for each employee over the past five
years to be able to determine how much
they are owed,” King said. “Each year, each
department and each employee will be
different. If we do not get a full audit, some
employees may not get what they deserve.
We won't stand for that.”
Currently the stalemate continues. The
county recently came up with a new partial
audit, which seems to fall far short of the
union estimates, CSEA will still pursue the
contempt charge, seeing the latest audit as
nothing more than a new tactic to slow the
process down in red tape. King said the
county employees deserve better than the
“smoke-blowing” tactics that the county is
using to delay the process and that the
union will continue the fight until they are
paid.
Ulster County members rally in support
of stroke victim Deborah Smith
KINGSTON - Deborah Smith needs your
help. A claims examiner and two- year
employee of the Ulster County Department
of Social Services (DSS), 30-year-old Smith
recently suffered a stroke. She cannot
move, hear or swallow and will need
extensive therapy.
Adding to her problems, Smith's leave
accruals have been exhausted and she will
have to pay for her own health insurance
family plan, a cost of about $400 per month
for herself, her husband and child.
Smith's co-workers have already begun
pitching in to help the family. Sandra
Niagara County
Local 832
INFO DAY
through CSEA representation.
CSEA NIAGARA COUNTY LOCAL 832 welcomed hundreds of county
employees to a recent union-sponsored Info Day program. CSEA
staff employees, union activists and program providers discussed the
wide range of benefits available to Niagara County employees
Reynolds, a CSEA unit shop steward in
DSS, said Smith needs help not only to pay
for her health insurance, but to help with
the everyday living cost that she
contributed to when she was working. To
that end, employees have started a weekly
50/50 club.
In addition, Reynolds said that anyone
wishing to help the family may send
donations to Smith, in care of :
Sandra Reynolds
Box 1800
268R Clinton Avenue
Kingston, NY 12401
THESE NIAGARA COUNTY EMPLOYEES enjoy
refreshments while attending one of four Info Days held
recently by CSEA Niagara County Local 832.
gZ ‘i September 1991 21
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
Help just steps away
By Anita Manley
CSEA Communications Associate
WHITE PLAINS - A co-worker suddenly
collapses. A laboratory technician is
splashed with a toxic chemical. A sewer
treatment plant worker is electrocuted.
Minutes count. An ambulance could take
precious time to arrive.
Recognizing the need for an immediate
first responder in such situations,
Westchester County has implemented
“CERT,” a County Emergency Response
af
Program Coordinator Laura Toso
Team, consisting of employees who have
been trained to respond to emergencies in
the workplace.
Program Coordinator Laura Toso, a
member of CSEA Westchester County Local
860, said 25 employees “graduated” from
the first 40-hour class which trains
individuals on how to handle and
administer care before an ambulance
arrives at the scene of an emergency.
Another class will be scheduled for the fall.
The workers are from various worksites in
the county.
All county worksites will eventually
receive instructions to call a phone number
that connects them with the county's fire
Control Center when an emergency occurs,
Toso said.
From the Fire Control Center, each CERT
member in or near the worksite will be
immediately contacted by pager to
respond to the accident or illn An
ambulance is called immediately also, but
with a first responder, those crucial first few
minutes are tended to by someone who is
trained in CPR and other skills that could
save a life.
“We hope to eventually train people in
every worksite in the county,” Toso said.
She noted that many employees have
shown an interest in the program.
Donna Popp, a senlor environmental
chemist who works in the county's
Environmental Laboratory in Valhalla,
graduated from the program.
“When I heard about the program, I
didn’t want to pass up a chance to learn,”
Popp said. “It’s knowledge you can always
use,
While Popp emphasized that lab officials
are “very strict” about occupational safety
laws, there is always a greater danger of an
accident there.
“We treat the chemicals here with a lot of
respect,” she said.
One of the most enthusiatic supporters of
the program is County Executive Andrew
O'Rourke.
“In life-threatening situations, every
minute is precious, any assistance given is
invaluable,” O'Rourke said. “With these
specially trained individuals literally down
the hall, help is just seconds away.”
The county's First Responder Course is
part of the state certification program which
requires 40 class hours.
O'Rourke encouraged other governments
to institute a similar program. Anyone
wishing to obtain information should
contact the county's Emergency Medical
Services office at (914 ) 285-8251.
"In life-threatening
situations, every
minute is precious,
any assistance given
is invaluable. With
these specially trained
individuals literally
down the hall, help is
just seconds away."
WHITE PLAINS — A federal court has
found White Plains Mayor Alfred Del
Vecchio guilty of violating the civil rights of
CSEA White Plains Unit President Joe
Roche and awarded Roche $25,000 in
punitive damages.
CSEA brought federal civil rights
violation charges against the mayor on
behalf of Roche after Del Vecchio barred
the union leader from any contact with
CSEA members on city property.
The mayor had brought Roche ‘up on
disciplinary charges stemming from a
physical confrontation between Del Vecchio
and Roche during a contract negotiating
session last November. The mayor
suspended Roche from his job as an
assistant engineer with the city and barred
Roche from any contact with CSEA
members on city property.
CSEA attorney Arthur Grae, who
represented Roche, said the restriction
deprived the union president of his right of
free speech and illegally restricted his
ability to function as union leader during
his suspension,
It is believed to be the first time in New
York state that a municipal official has
been convicted in a federal court of illegally
restricting a union leader's free speech
rights.
“It was a great privilege to have been
involved in this historic decision when a
federal court determines that a city mayor
cannot deprive a union president of his
right of free speech,” attorney Grae said.
“It is most gratifying that a jury of fellow
citizens saw fit to award Joe Roche
$25,000 and it is a classic example that
you can fight city hall. It's a momentus
decision.”
The federal court victory, which the city
is expected to appeal, was bittersweet for
Roche. The decision came a few days after
the city terminated Roche under the
disciplinary proceedings growing out of
charges from the negotiating session
incident last fall. CSEA said it expects to
Federal court finds White Plains mayor
violated civil rights of CSEA unit leader
appeal the termination.
“Joe would have received a fairer trial in
Kuwait,” Grae said of the disciplinary
proceeding. Grae noted the hearing officer
for the city was appointed by the mayor
over the objections of CSEA, which sought
a neutral hearing officer.
Roche and Del Vecchio got into a shoving
match during a negotiating session. The
mayor brought Roche up on disciplinary
charges, while Roche said the mayor
provoked the incident.
Just days before that incident the mayor,
a Republican, chasitsed Roche for
campaigning for a Democratic city council
candidate.
CSEA also has an improper practice
charge pending against the city based on
the mayor's actions during contract
negotiations and the effort to terminate
Roche.
22 September 1991 gZ of 4
Counties || Cities
School
Towns || Villages Districts
Local Government News
INDEX
Page 18
Hempstead highway workers were right
on target as far as the village police
department is concerned.
Page 19
CSEA members help make the Victory
Games a success.
Page 20
A roundup of CSEA school district news.
Page 21
CSEA continues its battle to force
Onondaga County to obey the law and
the courts.
Page 22
Help is just steps away for employees in
Westchester County, thanks to their co-
workers on the County Emergency
Response Team.
State news is on pages 1 to 7.
General news is on pages 8 to 17.
CSEA RETIREMENT COUNSELOR Jay
Soucie, right, at the Jardine Insurance
table at Local 830 health and benefit fair.
Local 830 health, benefit fair
EAST MEADOW - CSEA Nassau Local
830 held their annual Health and Benefit
Fair recently to give union members an
opportunity to learn more about the many
benefits available to them.
The fair provided information as well as a
full picnic lunch, soda and ice cream.
There were professional CSEA staff
representatives as well as various CSEA-
endorsed providers.
CSEA Retirement Counselor Jay Soucie
was also there making appointments with
members considering retirement.
CLARKSTOWN - Two CSEA Rockland
County Local 844 members were among
56 nurses statewide to be honored as the
recipients of the 1991 Northern
Metropolitian Regional Nurses of
Distinction Award,
Sponsored by the New York State
Two Rockland County Local nurses win statewide honors
Legislature, the award is given in
recognition of nurses who make
outstanding contributions to the nursing
profession and the field of health care.
The two CSEA members, Yolanda
Carroll and Eileen Greis, are employees
of the Clarkstown School District.
SHOW YOU BELONG -- CSEA activist Jeannette Pitts hands out CSEA T-shirts to members of the
CSEA Nassau County Parks Unit, from left, Louise Shinick, Ellie Camp and Eileen Maney.
Ooctor September 1991 2 3
PEOPLE
IN THE NEWS
i
Chemical
mishap injures
Hudson School
Unit members
HUDSON—Improperly mixed swimming
pool chemicals caused five CSEA Hudson
City School District employees to become
ill when exposed to the deadly mixture.
Richard June, who called for help even
while under the influence of the toxic
combination of chemicals, is being
credited with being a hero. He called the
fire department and the ambulance after
brief exposure to the fumes, said Unit
President Claudia Teator.
The fumes were created when two
chemicals, Aquanoxtain and chlorine
bleach were improperly mixed together.
The workers were cleaning the pool.
CSEA member Bruce Meicht was the
most seriously exposed worker and has
been hospitalized twice due to his
exposure.
“People assume that working in a
drained swimming pool is safe. However,
it’s really a confined space situation.
Chlorine gas is heavier than air. It settles
to the bottom of the pool. A drained pool
can be a death trap,” he said.
“Our members were lucky this time and
management should see that rules and
regulations are put into effect that will
prevent this situation from happening in
the future,” Meicht said.
“This is a perfect example of where a
lack of hazardous communications
training and improper work pract
created a potentially deadly situation.”
A safety investigation also found that
improper respirators were being used
during the pool cleaning process.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NEWS - Pages -18-24
THE PUBLIC Sg@g@4
Priecy RESPONDER DONNA POPP,
a senior environmental chemist for
Westchester County and CSEA
member. "I didn't want to pass up a
chance to learn."
