SEPTEMBER 1999
See Page 3
ocal 830 Nassau Express newsletter is enclosed
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Few words are needed to express what’s on the minds of Capital Region members during
their recent open house at the Capital Region Headquarters in Latham.
CSEA slams Pataki veto Erie County, West Seneca
of DOT sign shop bill units settle contracts
ALBANY — CSEA has slammed Gov. George Pataki’s recent veto BUFFALO/WEST SENECA — New contracts for the giant Erie
of a bill that would have saved taxpayers’ money and rewarded the County Employees Unit and the Town of West Seneca Blue
initiative and hard work of state workers. Collar members recently were reached.
The legislation would have allowed the state Department of Both county Unit President Mike Bogulski and West Seneca
Transportation (DOT) Hamburg Sign Shop to expand its Unit President Mike Pinnavaia said they were pleased with the
capabilities and produce signs for other entities than just the state © CSEA teamwork involved in completing negotiations for their
DOT. respective 4,000 and 100-member units.
It would have meant cost-effective, money-saving production for “We had a good team going in, and we came out with a four-
municipalities and other operations such as the state Thruway year contract that raises wages, adds a longevity step,
Authority. Many municipalities send this work out of state. safeguards our one dollar drug co-pay and provides for future
“This legislation was in the best tradition of good government retiree health insurance,” said Bogulski.
and the governor’s veto is disgraceful,” CSEA President Danny “Feedback from the members has been fabulous. Many have
Donohue said. said they are very appreciative of their union,” he added.
CSEA members at the shop came up with the idea for the West Seneca blue collar members are also pleased with their
legislation after receiving numerous inquiries from municipalities contract, said Unit President Pinnavaia.
about production. The DOT Hamburg Sign Shop employs 12 “We kept our health insurance package, with traditional care
workers who produce up to 75,000 signs annually. intact, we got a five-year plan with retro pay of seven months,
“The veto is an insult to the governor’s own state workers who and we avoided a lot of concessions,” Pinnavaia.
showed initiative to keep work in New York and save taxpayers “The health care plan was especially important to us, in the
money,” Donohue said. “The governor added insult to injury in his current medical insurance atmosphere, and our members have
veto message by saying he was more concerned about the told us they are very happy with the agreement,” he added.
prisoners working in Corcraft and the Seneca and St. Regis Indian Bob Lattimer, Western Region president, said the agreements
nations.” are symbols of CSEA’s high standards in behalf of its
membership.
“This is the bread and butter of what we’re all about —
improving the working life of our members,” Lattimer said.
— Ron Wofford
Photo by Ken Koopman,
Local 688
Labor parades, events schedule
. CSEA members across the state will participate
in these labor parades, rallies and events in late
August and throughout September:
Sunday, Aug. 29
Buffalo Labor Parade CSEA contingent will
assemble at Harlem Road and Walden Avenue
near Redlinski’s Meats by 12:30 p.m. For
information call Marlene at the Erie Local office,
(716)896-1640,
Wednesday, Sept. 1
New York City Labor March and Rally
CSEA contingent will assemble at 3:30 p.m. on
Central Park West between 66th and 68th streets.
Rally will feature AFL-CIO President John
Sweeney and big-name musical entertainment.
Contact Ann Carroll at (212)406-2156.
Sunday, Sept. 5
Jamestown Labor Festival
Contact Jack Rudy at (716)962-5024
Monday, Sept. 6
Syracuse Parade and rally at the State Fair
Contact Mark Kotzin at (315)433-0050,
Rochester Labor Day Parade: CSEA contingent
will assemble at at 10:30 a.m. near Boy Scouts
Building at 432 East Ave. For information call
Monroe Local office, (716)328-5250.
Ithaca — Midstate Central Labor Council Picnic
11 a.m, Stewart Pavillion
Information: (607)277-5670
September 1999
Peekskill Labor Day Parade
Contact Charles Lyons at (914)248-5651
Thursday, Sept. 9
Central New York Labor Council Reception
5-7 p.m. 325 Bleeker St., Utica
Contact Mark Kotzin at (315)433-0050
Saturday, Sept. 11
Oneonta-Tri-County Central Labor Council
Concert and Street Fair
Contact Fred Miller at (607)436-2135
Saturday, Sept. 25
Capital District Labor Parade and Rally
Contact Dan Campbell at (518)785-4400.
CSEA school workers:
a Grade-A class act
While kids vacationed, more than 42,000 CSEA members in more than 370
school districts worked all summer to make sure students would be greeted
this month with clean buildings and grounds, safe buses and wholesome food.
CSEA members from Long Island to Buffalo work year-round making public
schools the kinds of places parents can send their children with confidence.
Busy before the bell
In Mt. Vernon, 280 school district workers kept busy not only preparing for
this fall, but also maintaining buildings during summer school sessions and
camps.
It’s a unique situation in Mt. Vernon where summer school was almost as
busy as the regular school year.
“I see the students all year long. It’s like it's 12 months of school — it
doesn’t change, Our summer school population is.45 percent of the regular
school population, said Lou Roccuzzo, Mount Vernon School District Unit
President.
“T've got 1,100 kids in the summer and 2,500 during the school year,”
he added. Things are busy on Long Island as well.
“While others are finishing their vacations, this is our busiest time of
year. We are getting the budget in force,” said June Zegel, a Sayville
School District account clerk.
“August is crazy; there’s so much to be done. We are busy
repairing, washiny walls, emptying the rooms and cleaning
everything and then putting everything back into the rooms,” added
“Fuzzy” Perkins, a Bayport/Bluepoint School District custodian.
Must be flexible
In the Waterford-Halfmoon School District just north of Albany, workers
perform a sort of shell game readying classrooms for class sizes that
remain unknown.
“Will it be four first grades, three seconds, three thirds, three fourths or
some new and different combination?” CSEA Unit President Timothy
DuBois, a maintenance supervisor, asked Joan Deconno, a 14-year veteran
who works as both a teacher's assistant during the school year and a
custodian during the summer.
“I don’t know,” DuBois said. “I do know that it’s a waiting game for
decisions to be made. The kids are back but we never left.”
Developing trust
Not all the work is waxing gym floors or slicing lunch meat.
Simmie Williams and Jim Blake have a personal stake in keeping
Fallsburg High School safe. Blake has kids who go to the school and
i) Williams grew up in Fallsburg. Both men are CSEA members and work in
the district also; Williams is a Village of Woodridge police officer
assigned to the school district and Blake, president of the CSEA
school district unit, is a custodian.
Williams, a youth officer for the police
department, has a rapport with the kids, a
relationship he has cultivated since he was assigned
to the school three years ago.
“The kids come with a lot of baggage,” Williams
said. “Some of them have fathers in jail. There are
alot of single parent families, kids living with
grandparents, pregnant teens, kids living alone. My
heart goes out to them — you do the best you can,”
he added.
Clockwise from top left: Madaline Miranda,
Waterford-Halfmoon; Charlie White, Mt. Vernon;
Steve Carey, Geneva School District; Lucy Toal and
Jeanine Bicknese, Mt. Vernon; Lou Roccuzzo, Mt.
Vernon; “Fuzzy” Perkins, Bayport/Bluepoint.
September 1999 THE WORK FORCE frre)
ate nennn ama
ISSN 1522-1091
Official publication of
CSEA Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
143 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12210-2303
Danny Donohue, President
STEPHEN A. MADARASZ
Communications Director & Publisher
STANLEY HORNAK
Asst. Director of Communications
RONALD S, KERMANI, Editor
LOU HMIELESKI, Assistant Editor
CATHLEEN HORTON
Graphic Design & Support Services
RALPH DISTIN, Graphic Artist
JANICE NUSBAUM
Communications Production Coordinator
ETH McINTYRE
Communications Secretary
The Work Force (USPS 0445-010) is
published monthly by The CSEA Publication Office:
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210.
Periodical Mail Postage paid at Post Office,
Albany, New York 12288.
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
CSEA, Attn: Membership Department,
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210.
CSEA on-line: The CSEA web site
can be accessed at www.cseainc.org
Send any comments, complaints, suggestions or ideas to:
Publisher, The Work Force, 143 Washington Avenue,
Albany, NY 12210-2303.
COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATES
SHERYL C. JENKS Long Island Region
(616) 462-0030
Metropolitan Region
(212) 406-2156
Southern Region
(914) 831-1000
Capital Region
(518) 785-4400
Central Region
(315) 433-0050
Western Region
(716) 886.
Headquarters
(518) 257.
ANN CARROLL
ANITA MANLEY
DAN CAMPBELL
MARK M. KOTZIN
RON WOFFORD
ED MOLITOR
‘The Committee
LONG ISLAND REGION Jolin C. Shepherd
METROPOLITAN REGION Lamont “Dutch” Wade
SOUTHERN REGION Diane Hewitt
CAPITAL REGION Marguerite Stanley
CENTRAL REGION Bruce Damalt, Chair
WESTERN REGION James V. Kurtz
BOR COMMUN ogy
RTERNATIONAG
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T*AFL-CIOICLS * areas SINS
rime THE WORK FORCE
In Touch with the
CSEA President Danny Donohue
here is no way to generalize about CSEA
members.
We are a union of 265,000 individuals doing every kind of job in every part of
this state. Our interests and perspectives are many and our diversity is a strength.
But we share so many common bonds and should use them to build better
understanding and tolerance among ourselves and others.
CSEA is based on the idea that we should care about each other and work
together for everyone’s benefit.
Not everyone in this world shares that outlook and generosity. In recent
months, we have seen too many despicable acts of violence carried out by alienated,
hateful individuals against innocent victims. While initially shocking, these acts don’t
seem to surprise us anymore.
We live in a dangerous world and should not take our safety and security for
granted. But we cannot become intimidated by selfish bullies to the point of living
our lives and pursuing our livelihoods in fear.
Our union will continue to make sure protections and precautions are in place
whenever and wherever possible. When it comes to worksite security, it has been
proven time and again that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
But even more important, CSEA and our sister and brother unions must
continue to serve as models for dignity and decency. We cannot advance the cause
of fairness and respect for working people without also respecting and appreciating
each other as individuals. That begins in our union and must be carried beyond.
Throughout September, CSEA will celebrate these ideals as we participate in
Labor events across the state. A listing of the various parades and activities is
printed on Page 2 of this edition.
There is no better way to stand up for what’s right and make a positive
statement than by joining your union brothers and sisters in these events. We all
need to stand tall and we all need to stand together.
eptember 1999
Dying ambulances leave
injured in the lurch
NASSAU COUNTY — While some people
are stressed out about their age, CSEA
members in the county’s ambulance unit
are distressed about the age of their
ambulances.
A string of mechanical breakdowns has
brought media attention to the aging
Nassau County ambulance fleet, but it’s a
continuing problem which CSEA and the
advanced medical technicians (AMTs)
have been trying to solve for more than a
year.
“The vehicles are falling apart,” said
CSEA AMT Unit President Frank Debobis.
“They need to replace most of the
ambulances for us to function at our best,”
he added.
Safety, response time at issue
In past months, ambulances have broken
several times on the way to emergency
calls, delaying precious response time.
Recently, a 2-year-old girl slashed her
hand on glass from a broken stereo
cabinet.
The original ambulance slated to
respond to the call was in the shop so
AMT Charles Mackie jumped into his
ambulance and rushed with sirens wailing
and lights flashing to the girl’s house.
Mackie was making good time until the
transmission seized three blocks from his
destination.
Fortunately, Mackie hitched a ride with a
police officer who was responding to the
call. The next ambulance arrived at the
SEA REPRESENTS
child’s home 12
minutes later and
rushed the girl to
a nearby hospital.
“I radioed for
another
ambulance and I was able to stabilize the
girl until the new (ambulance) arrived,”
Mackie said.
That ambulance promptly broke down in
the hospital parking lot.
“It’s been very frustrating. We have a job
to do and the last thing we should be
thinking about is whether we will make it
to the call,” Mackie said.
“We are extremely conscientious and
want to do the best job we can, but we
need the tools,” Debobis added.
CSEA has made a concerted effort to
have the ambulances replaced.
“We met with the commissioner, we did
a press conference and we’ve gone the
political route, but it’s been an uphill
struggle,” Debobis said.
The average ambulance has racked up
140,000 miles while some of the older
models have upwards of 250,000 miles.
Promises have been made to bid for new
ambulances, but none have been ordered.
60, ant
“200 Workens i THis WO
Crisis affects entire fleet
“This is a crisis that affects the entire
fleet because it is some of the newest
ambulances that are breaking down,” said
CSEA Nassau Local Vice President and
AMT Ron Gurrieri.
Nassau County AMT Unit President Frank
Debobis takes a patient's vitals inside the
ambulance.
“They are breaking down day after day
and odds are it is going to happen with a
patient in the back or when no other
ambulance is available to come,” said
Gurrieri.
Sometimes the AMT’s safety is
compromised, as in the case of the
ambulance with the driver door that would
not stay closed.
There are 170 AMTs in the unit who
drive 20 ambulances, and another 10
ambulances are used as backups.
A few months ago, 13 ambulances
awaited repair.
Unit Vice President Ron Kahl summed it
up: “Our concern and responsibility is to
the public. Having reliable equipment is a
necessity. We are medics coming to save
your life, but we need the means to get
there,” he said.
— Sheryl Jenks
BS of the Work Force )
66" | here's not enough time in the day. I don’t only transport patients — we're also
responsible for delivering payrolls and mail to different county buildings. It’s extremely
busy. It’s a job for 20 hours a day.??
Raymond L. Snyder, chauffeur — The Meadows (Otsego County Adult Care Facility)
September
1999 THE WORK FORCE Wore)
Youth melee spurs demand
for more worker safety
INDUSTRY — Union members continue
to press for safer working conditions,
hazard duty pay and counseling in the
wake of a recent bloody rebellion by a knot
of young criminals at the former state
Division for Youth facility here.
“The first punch hit me in the forehead,
and before I could recover from that blow, I
was hit again,” said Joe DeMaria, a youth
developmental aide who was attacked on
the job and unable to work for weeks.
Two teen-age terrors doing time at the
facility pummeled DeMaria, who got
“The first punch hit me in
the forehead, and before
I could recover from that
blow, I was hit again.”
— Joe DeMaria
youth developmental aide
stitches to close a gash on his forehead.
DeMaria now endures blurred vision and
headaches since the melee, which
eventually involved 12 staff members and
five residents.
Pushing for change
Local President Wilma Hasser said she
66
will ask managers to address the issue of
post-traumatic incident counseling, and
keep pushing for the state
to realize the youth
developmental aides work
in hazardous conditions
SEA REPRESENTS
craziness, and it could have been much
worse. But we are seeing more gang-type
activities from the
residents. It’s a reflection
of what's going on in
general in society, and
oS
D =
=)
and should be paid
accordingly.
“With the changes the
state has put in for the
transition to Child and
Family Services, and the
atmosphere of gangs and
more dangerous and
violent young residents, it should be
obvious that direct workers at these
facilities across the state deserve
hazardous duty pay,” Hasser said.
“This was the worst incident in my 10
years of working here,” youth
developmental aide Harold Milton said
about the attack.
“There have been other assaults on
staff,” said Hasser. “And we’re going to
continue to also push the state on
adequate staffing ratios, which also must
be addressed for the safety of our
members,” she noted.
Gang violence inside the razor wire
“When I first started here, this type of
attack was unheard of,” Milton said.
“There was a lot of swinging and
iy " at
200 WorKens iy THs WO
especially prison society,”
Milton added.
Larry Minter, a 22-year
department veteran, said
the agency needs to
recognize and understand
the tensions created by
gang rivalries.
“There needs to be recognition of what
these various gangs stand for, and how
their stances clash, which could lead to
fights, or how they mesh, which could lead
to other scenarios,” said Minter, who has
seen the growth of gangs escalate during
his tenure.
“It’s much more now than just the
Bloods and Crips. There’s also the Latin
Kings, Nyetttas, Five Percenters and more.
And the residents are younger and more
prone to violence. Many are in here
because of assaultive behavior,” Minter
said.
Since the agency’s name change about
two years ago, a high-security, barbed wire
fence encircles the facility and creates a
prison-like atmosphere, workers said.
5 of the Work Force
DAS
— Ron Wofford
have been a dental assistant in both the public and private sector, they are different, but
they are both good. With the state, there is not the pressure of production, but it gets
difficult dealing with the attitudes of the inmates. They are always demanding and wanting
more than the guidelines entitle them to. They don't always listen when you explain to them
what they are entitled to.??
Maria V. Resto, dental assistant —
page 6 THE WORK FORCE
OCA
Sie BUN wef
Queensboro Correctional Facility, Long Island City
1999
; RNS
PAN AA AAS cis
Fee!
oe
Doreen McClintock hates paper so
much she’s started a crusade to
slay the paper dragon that for
years had devoured hours of
her time.
Frustrated with rifling through
office files to find information,
McClintock teamed with co-worker
Laurie Werneburg to create an internal Web
site containing often-used documents, facts and figures.
“All of us in the state Civil Service Department who have
contributed information on their department policies and
procedures, their forms and format, have created an
internal Web site that can help employees do their jobs
better and more efficiently,” McClintock, a union
member, said.
50, " "
200 worKens i ris WOO
Click here for the answer
“Our Web site has up-to-the-minute information on
exactly what the employee’s job calls for, right at their
finger tips,” McClintock added.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a question about
how to do the mail or how to respond to a
complex benefit calculation question, the
Web site has the answer. We don’t have to be
slaves to the paper dragon any more,”
McClintock said.
The department has benefited from the
pair’s volunteer and unpaid effort to improve
office efficiency.
Werneburg, a union member who loves
computers, designed the Web site for the
novice.
“Now we’re getting compliments from our
co-workers about how easy it is to use,”
Werneburg said.
Frustrated with rifling
through office files to
find information,
Doreen McClintock
teamed with co-worker
Laurie Werneburg to
create an internal Web
site containing
often-used documents,
facts and figures.
CSEA members Laurie Werneburg, at left, and Doreen McClintock have
set up an internal Web site so co-workers at the state Department of Civil
Service in Albany can retrieve important forms, documents and
information quickly.
Share the success
To gain some well-deserved recognition and
support, the women have submitted the internal
online Web site to the department’s employee
suggestion program.
“All of the efforts of the department employees
can be recognized that way,” Werneburg said,
adding they credit all their co-workers
contributions by listing their names like footnotes
at the bottom of the various pages of information.
“Leave it to CSEA members to help their
colleagues and go the extra distance for their
department,” said CSEA Capital Region President
Carmen Bagnoli.
— Daniel X. Campbell
€S
gy
of the Work Force )
66
e issue driver's licenses, register vehicles, enroll people in drinking and driving
programs and handle permits. We keep you legal and on the road. Essentially, we
give you your license and we take it away. The best part of my job is the different types of
people you get to interact with everyday. It makes my job difficult not having shield protection
from irate customers who are spitting at you and throwing papers and things. ”
Sharon Skinner, motor vehicle representative cashier — Springfield Gardens
September 1999 THE WORK FORCE Page 7
CLARKSTOWN —
CSEA activist Bob Caggiano
is a mean cleaning machine,
and the nooks and crannies in
this Rockland County township
are spit-polish bright because of
his elbow grease.
Caggiano and other union
members who work in the
Rockland County Highway
Department are on the prowl for
scrawlings, litter, and illegal
signs as part of a litter and
graffiti patrol.
“It’s amazing,” Caggiano said,
“You don’t notice litter until you
look for it.”
“You could clean a roadway
on a Tuesday and by the time
you come back the next
Tuesday, there's just as much
there as there was last week,”
he said.
“Some people do care,” he
added, “but I wish I had three of
me to do the job.”
Caggiano’s mobile office is a
refurbished ambulance that was
gutted and filled with rakes,
garbage bags, a power washer, a
paint mixer and paint brushes
to remove graffiti.
=
Kevin Stark, Derek Con!
highway as part of the Clarkstown litter patrol.
“We asked the
highway guys what
could they do with
it,” said Town
Highway
Superintendent
Wayne Ballard about %,99
the ambulance that was
spared from the auto graveyard.
“(Mechanic) Jim Pecoraro
gutted the truck and went
beyond our expectations,”
Ballard said.
Sign shop workers Rob Tiegen
and Charlie Caselli created a
SEA REPRESENTS.
Workers in THis WO
design with some
eye-catching graphics
which adorn the
outside of the truck.
Workers even
modified the fuel
si*' system so the van can
run on cleaner,
environmentally friendly
propane.
One popular service that
residents appreciate is the
power washing of bus shelters.
“We actually had someone
thank us recently after we
washed a bus shelter,” said
Nancy Willen, confidential
assistant to the highway
superintendent.
The program also includes a
patrol for illegally posted signs,
said Willen.
The illegal signs are removed
and the owners are told they
must pick them up at the
highway garage after they
receive a publication containing
the rules and regulations for
erecting signs in the town.
Some of the offenders include
real estate agents, painters,
landscapers and politicians.
The van is also used to
distribute brochures about the
anti-litter program, recycling
and environmental issues.
During the school year, the
van is used to promote
environmental causes with
children with the assistance of a
mascot, a kangaroo named
‘Pockets.’
CSEA and the Cornell
Cooperative Extension have
provided some of the handouts.
— Anita Manley
66 he best part of my job is working with plants and trees and nature. I like being outdoors.
But the worst part of the work is the constant trash cleanup that is necessary. The public
doesn’t appreciate the natural beauty here. They often take it for granted. ”
Page 8
THE WORK FORCE
Walt Barker, foreman — Monroe County Parks Department
September 1999
Every worker is involved in student’s school life
Niagara Falls school custodian
Bernie Linnane and other CSEA
members are bubbling with
enthusiasm about a program
that uses all of the elementary
school workers to help students
learn and grow.
“It’s great, because regardless
of job title, everyone is
involved,” Linnane said.
“For instance, there may have
been a time before the program,
when a custodian, such as
myself, might have been looked
down upon by others in the
educational process,” Linnane, a
14-year district employee, added.
“But after the initial training
we all took and a year of
practice, we’re all working
together as a team,” he said.
Back to the basics
The program includes a core
reading curriculum, teaching
strategies and a structure for
cooperative learning groups in
the classroom, as well as
mandated parental
involvement.
“The kids have
become familiar
and close to me, not
only as a person who
GSEA REPRESENTS
enue
"09 woncens IN THIS os
helps clean up the school, but
as a mentor and friend,”
Linnane said.
“T usually greet them as they
come into the school, and I walk
with them and talk to them as
they go to the breakfast room
for their cereal and juice.
“If they don’t seem to be OK,
or | hear something from them
that signals a problem,
I'll let a teacher or
someone else know
so they can follow
up.
“The kids even are
more aware of not
littering and helping keep
the school clean, because they
know that’s my job and they
want to help,” Linnane said.
Linnane said students often
compete with each other to
help him take garbage down the
hall or lower the school’s flag at
the end of the day.
He often uses his break time
to let students read to him and
showcase their reading
progress.
Everyone shares kids’
successes
Mary Donoughe, president of
the teacher aides unit who also
oversees lunch associates at the
school, is equally upbeat about
Mary Donoughe, president of
the teacher aides unit, serves
breakfast and lunch to
students.
everyone involved in the
progress that the kids make in
reading,” she said.
“That involvement naturally
overflows into the total picture.
Now all eyes work together.
There’s no more of the attitude
‘it’s somebody else’s job.’ We're
all just as proud as the parents
when they make progess,”
Donoughe said.
Her unit members work as
reading tutors, bus and
classroom aides, and serve
meals at breakfast and lunch.
“Every day is different and
promising,” Linnane said.
— Ron Wofford
Bernie Linnane, of the Niagara Falls School District, enjoys a
moment with Kathleen Donoughe, 6 and Sean Fowle, 8.
the program.
“The program really gets
66 he behavior of the children is our biggest challenge. It seems to be getting harder and
ees to enforce discipline on the school bus with the lack of training at home, and
society seems to be more permissive of how they let kids speak and treat those in authority.
Lack of respect for the driver — that's the biggest problem. ??
William Lighthall, bus driver — Mexico Central School District
September 1999 THE WORK FORCE aia
URKEE Be
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PPLE LBS LILA!
CSEA members on the job:
A sure bet in
Sports Illustrated recently rated the thoroughbred track at
Saratoga among the top ten sports venues in the world.
Hundreds of CSEA members work at or near the
track in jobs ranging from cook at the county
nursing home to laborer on a city highway crew.
Their daily lives don’t revolve around
the track’s “win, place or show” payouts for each race.
They show up for work, and this city hums.
ee
Greg Benton, the godfather of
blooms and foreman of the City
of Saratoga Springs flower crew,
has planted tens of thousands of
flowers during his 37 years with
the city.
Saratoga Springs parking
enforcement officer Denis
Butler makes sure the
Jaguars, Bentleys and
Mercedes-Benzes are
parked legally on the
city’s busy main drag.
Pre tie THE WORK FORCE September 1999
Saratoga
Greg Benton planted the word.
It shimmered and bloomed on his canvas of warm soil,
eight letters that smelled like the beginning of a summer flush
with high society, higher stakes and million-dollar horses.
For the last 37 years, Benton, a CSEA member who works
for the City of Saratoga Springs just north of Albany, has
tenderly planted the flowers that form and shout the city’s
name to the world.
This year, the world listened.
Sports Illustrated magazine recently voted the state-run
thoroughbred track at Saratoga as the 10th most exciting
sports venue in the world.
“Twelve months a year we keep this place going, and for
six weeks we’re on the d
world’s stage,” said
Benton as he weeded a
flower bed in a city
park.
“I'm proud to be
part of all this,” he
said, dirt-flecked
hands outstretched.
The 131-year-old
thoroughbred track is
a few hundred acres of
fantasy surrounded by
hard-working reality.
The backbone and
sinew of this fabled
horse racing town are
the shirt-sleeve efforts
of hundreds of CSEA
members in the
Saratoga area who
repair the roads, care
for the elderly in the
county nursing home,
keep the books at city
hall and make sure the
horse racing business
stays honest.
receipts at the ticket counter.
Meredith Wichelns, a pool attendant at
the Saratoga State Park, tallies the day’s
YOUR UNION
NEWSLETTER
yi ;
f
CSEA Ad Campaign Will
Set the Record Straight
CSEA will soon launch a media campaign in Nassau County with a
threefold purpose.
We will set the record straight relative to misinformation and
distortions of fact that have been disseminated in recent months on such
matters as our bargaining agreement with Nassau County and staffing levels
within the departments.
We will focus on the union in general and the positive influence we
have on county government and the community.
We will highlight individual CSEA members and groups of members
and the importance of the work they perform.
Needless to say, it’s disturbing and frustrating to read distorted
material, especially when we are denied any opportunity to respond. Our ad
campaign will allow us to present information that will correct half-truths
and what appeared to be carefully planned omissions of fact.
CSEA will use every means possible to educate the press and the public
about our union and the valuable work our thousands of members provide
county residents every day.
Simply put, when the media fail to be fair and balanced, we will set the
record straight.
I ask all CSEA members to look for our newspaper ads and to listen for
our radio spots. Show the ads to your friends and neighbors. The ads will
project our union and its members in a positive light. We are a proud
union and our members are proud workers, And the public should know it!
Yours in unionism,
Tony Giustino, President
CSEA Local 830
‘CSEA NASSAU
Catch Us Online
For up-to-date CSEA information and the
latest news from your union, be sure to
visit us online at
www.nassau-csea830.org.
J COUNTY
d A
LOCAL 830
y
Tickets Still Available for
Women’s Awards Dinner
There are still tickets available for CSEA’s
Women in Local Government Outstanding
Achievement Awards Dinner, scheduled for
5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Chateau
Briand in Carle Place. Tickets are $22 for
Nassau Local 830 Bargaining Unit members
and $32 for guests.
The keynote speaker is Bernadette Castro,
commissioner of the New York State Office of
Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.
Awards will be presented to CSEA women who Bernadette Castro
have achieved outstanding success at their jobs,
in their communities, in the labor union movement or in the field of
women’s issues. Award winners were selected from nominations
submitted by CSEA women.
Reservations can be made by filling out the form located on page 6
and returning it as soon as possible to Mary Green or Diane Russ at
CSEA, 400 County Seat Drive, Mineola, NY 11501. The dinner is a
program of the Nassau Local 830 Women’s Committee, chaired by
Executive Vice President Jane D'Amico.
CSEA Heroes
Keith Hill, right, and Larry Egan, employees of the Department of
General Services, point to spot in front of the County Office Building at
240 Old Country
Road in Mineola
where an automobile
came crashing over
the sidewalk and
through the bushes
during their lunch
hour recently, The
two rushed to the
spot, called 911, and
helped extricate a
woman and four
frightened children
from the car, which
had rolled onto its
side. They also assisted and comforted a pedestrian who had been struck
by the wayward car as it jumped the curb. Hill is a systems analyst and
Egan a central programmer analyst for the Bureau of Purchase and
Supply, which is located about 100 feet from the accident site.
Work Force Gade
Be
September 1999 « Vol. 4 No. 9
A Monthly Publication of CSEA Nassau County Local 830
ANTHONY P. GIUSTINO, President
‘Tony Panzarella, Editor
(616) 571-2919 Ext. 15
Ronald G. Gurrieri, Chair, Communications Committee
Sheryl C. Jenks. Communleations Associate
EA Long Island Region Office, (516) 462-0030
NASSAU LOCAL 830
Executive Officers:
Jane D'Amico, Executive Vice President
Les Eason, Ist Vice President
Noreen Lingham, 2nd Vice President
Robert Cauldwell, 3rd Vice President
Raymond Cannelia. 4th Vice President
Jewel Weinstein, 5th Vice President
Barbara Jones, 6th Vice President
George Walsh, 7th Vice President
Ron Gurrieri, 8th Vice President
Martin Stamile, 9th Vice President
DelMare, 10th Vice President
Bobby Elsgrau, Secretary
Kathleen Vitan, Treasurer
Unit Presidents/Executive Board:
John Aloisio Ill, Treasurer's Office
Stanley Bergman, Comptroller's Office
‘Tim Corr, Recreation & Parks Department
Ken Dash, Administrative Unit
James Davis, Assessment Department
Mary Delmare, School Crossing Guards
Les Eason, A. Holly Patterson Geriatric Center
Bobbi Eisgrau, County Clerk
Cynthia Hancock, Nassau Community Co
Ianson, Office of Drug & Alcohol
Debobes. Police Department AMTS
pee Department of General Services
Bileen Jones, District Attorney/County Attorney
Louis Minghinelli, Health Department
Lillian Neumar. Police Department Civilian
Richard Russ, Department of Consumer Affairs
Larry Schnurr, Deputy Sheriffs
Paul Simon, Fire & Rescue Services
Martin Stamile, Department of Public Works
Michael Timmons, Social Services Department
George Walsh, Nassau County Medical Center
Joseph Whittaker, Fire Marshal's Office
Peter Wrba, Probation
We welcome reader suggestions: Please address
your comments to Tony Panzarella, Editor, Nassau
County EXPRESS at CSEA Nassau Co. Local 830.
400 County Seat Dr., Mineola, NY 11501-4137.
Proud
Scholar
CSEA
Comptroller
Unit President
Stanley
Bergman is
brimming with
pride these days
over the
scholastic
accomplishments of his
daughter, Andrea. In photo
above, Andrea proudly shows her
trophy for first place in Nassau
County for Level V-Advanced
Placement in the National
Spanish Exam. The plaque she -
displays is for coming in second
place nationwide.
Health & Safety
Grievance Sustained
By Louis D. Stober Jr., Esq.
CSEA Regional Attorney
Recently, Stephen Walko of my office
arbitrated a case that once again demonstrates the
importance of grieving unsafe or unhealthy
working environments. In this case, an employee
at Nassau County Medical Center (NCMC) with
a history of asthma, grieved under Section 17 of
the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
various unsafe and unhealthy conditions in his
work site. The county denied any conditions were
unsafe or unhealthy so the matter went to
arbitration.
At the arbitration, testimony
showed the chemicals used in
the employee's lab caused
health problems because of a
lack of proper ventilation. In
addition, improper electrical
wirings were causing additional
hazards. Finally, while NCMC
is a smoke-free building, an
inspection of the stairwells and
landings near the work site
demonstrated that smoking was
being condoned. The smoke
and gaseous conditions were causing the
employee's asthma to flare up.
The arbitrator held: “It is beyond debate that
employers ... must do all that is reasonably possible
and practicable to ensure that its employees work in
-The Long Island Chapter of the March of
Dimes Birth Defects Foundation will honor
two of CSEA’s own at the organization's annual
dinner in October.
Nassau County Local 830 President ‘Tony
Giustino will receive the March of Dimes
“Salute to Labor Award,” honoring him for his
outstanding leadership and for CSEA’s work on
behalf of community causes.
The arbitrator
then made three recommendations to resolve the
a safe and healthful environment.”
grievance:
“1. NCMC should post a notice advising smokers
that they may not do so on penalty of discipline. In
short, they must do all of their smoking outside of
the building. Perhaps, some type of canopy can be
installed just outside the door so that smokers will
not need to take shelter ... inside the exit door. ...”
“2. ... security and other personnel should
accompany [the employee] ... to ascertain who, if
anyone, is smoking in prohibited
It is beyond debate seas.
that employers ... th
must do all that is
reasonably possible
and practicable to
ensure that its
employees work in a
safe and healthful
environment.
an electrician should inspect
and correct [electrical deficiencies] or
certify that it is proper. ... Further, as
to ventilation and other features of
the work area, an expert or a
representative from OSHA should
send a letter certifying that the
premises ... meets or exceeds OSHA's
standards ...”
In holding for the employee and
CSEA, the arbitrator reaffirmed the
importance of a safe and healthy work environment.
If you believe you are in a similar situation,
contact your union representative immediately since
your health and safety should never be
compromised.
Former AMT Unit President Tim Jaccard
will receive the Jack Moran Memorial
Volunteer Service Award. Jaccard is a founder
of the AMT Infant Burial Fund and has been a
driving force in its continued existence. The
fund provides dignified burials for tiny,
abandoned victims of adult abuse.
The dinner will be held on Oct. 14 at the
Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.
CSEA Again a Flagship Sponsor of
Making Strides Against Cancer
¢ §
The CSEA Women’s Committee is
once again putting together a team to
participate in a five-mile charity walk
called “Making Strides Against Breast
Cancer,” set for Sunday, Oct. 17 at
Jones Beach. Last year’s CSEA team
surpassed all expectations while raising
more than $30,000. Because of CSEA’s
commitment to the cause and its
outstanding participation in the past, it
is one of the few organizations with the
title of “Flagship Sponsor.”
Women’s Committee Chair Jane
D'Amico, executive vice president of Local
830, said she hopes to recruit as many as
300 members for the walk. “It’s a day of
fundraising for a very important cause,” she
said.
The walk starts and ends at Parking Field
No. 5, proceeding along the Jones Beach
Boardwalk and circling back to the starting
point. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. at the
CSEA members have a great opportunity to take trips
at discounted prices through CSEA’s in-house travel
program headed by Alice Groody. These photos were
taken of CSEA members at a recent trip to Nova
Scotia. Groody advises interested members to book
early because the trips fill up quickly, She can be
reached Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (when
she’s not off on a trip) at 571-2919, ext. 22.
EXPRESS 3
CSEA tent. All members of the CSEA team
who submit a complete sponsor sheet to the
CSEA office before the walk date will
receive a specially designed commemorative
T-shirt containing both the race logo and
the CSEA logo. In addition, the two CSEA
members who 1) raise the most
contributions, and 2) sign up the most
sponsors will receive valuable prizes and will
be featured in an upcoming article in The
Express.
According to D’Amico, an estimated
2,000 Long Island women will be
diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
Money raised through the walk will support
scientific research into causes of breast
cancer and other important programs and
facilities for Long Island residents.
CSEA Nassau County Local 830
President Tony Giustino said he has
committed the union to the fight against
breast cancer.
He pointed to the union’s mammography
screening program with the county, which
allows members time off from work for
breast cancer screening at no out-of-pocket
expense. (A similar program has been
negotiated for prostate screening.)
Giustino urged all members and their
families and friends to join the CSEA team
for the Oct. 17 walk. Persons wishing to
participate or who desire additional
information.can call Jewel, Mary or Kathy
at 571-2919. Sponsorship pacl
available through your unit president or at
the Local 830 office in Mineola.
Proposed amendments to CSEA’s
Constitution and By-Laws
The Constitution and By-Laws Committee has met four (4) times
since the Annual Delegates Meeting in 1998. The meeting dates were
December 11, 1998; May 17, 1999; June 16, 1999 and July 14, 199%.
The Consitution and By-Laws Committee has, amongst its functions,
»mmendations to the De
vendments tothe CSEA Constitution and By
we by individuals and Loc
es and Bo Di
¢ Committe can init
interests of the Associ
Committee revi nit
cepts referrals from the Del
¢ proposals which it deems to
on, All rece
he Delegates,
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE PRESENTED TO THE
DELEGATES FOR A SECOND READING. IF PASSED BY A
TWO-THIRDS VOTE, THE AMENDMENT WILL BECOME
PART OF THE CONSTITUTION,
allowing prop ke Febraio, Local
Timm Juccar Chery! Melion
Local 860; Steven Sayles, Local 4 0, Local 836 and
Mary E. Sullivan, Loc
ARTICLE IL
id Policy
is organized and exists to promote the
organization ral and public
its members with re
and conditions of employment, to uphold and extend the principles of
‘merit and fitness in employment, to maintain and promote efficiency in
public service, 1 advance the interests ofall employees and to foster
and advance the interests of its retiree members. It is dedicated tothe
principle that Government i the servant and not the master ofthe
people, that its objectives are to be attained by truly democratic
methods, without regard (0 race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex,
physical challenges, marital status, political affiliation or sexual
orientation.)
to represent a pect to all terms
EXPLANATION: The justification presented wit the proposal
is as follows: “The creation of a new mission statement, ulizing the
input from the delegate body, was a great first step on the long road
we'll ll travel to change out Union,
‘Asa second slep, we submit the attached language to replace
Aicle Il Purpose and Policy ofthe CSEA Constitution.
The curent language refers to CSEA as an “Assocation” CSEA
is Union and the Constitution should stipulate that,
Language suchas ..the principles of merit and fitness..; “10
maintain and promote efficiency in public service.” no longer reflect
‘our membership and excludes our brothers and sisters in the Private
Sector Division.
Finally, if we are trly « Union of members organized to
represent ourselves and each other, without regard to who we work for
cor where we work; if we are truly a Union of members united to
support working people in their continuing struggle fr a living wage
and benefits for themselves and ther families, and a safe and heathy
workplace; if we are truly a Union of members committed to ensuring
that working people have a right to participate in the political process,
then the Purpose and Policy Article of our Constitution should say so”
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS
AMENDMENT,
The following proposal tp amend the Constitution is submitted
by President Donohue as necessary housekeeping as result of the
Delegates’ approval last year of new election language in our
By-Laws
ARTICLE IV. Organization of the Association
Section |, DIVISIONS. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. TEXT REMAINS THE
SAME
Section 3, TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
Section 4. DIRECTOR'S COMMITTEE. TEXT REMAINS THE
SAME
Section 5. OFFICERS, The officers of the Ass
an Executive V
Presidents, the Se easurehy.
ion shall be
ce President
nd shall by
Preside be the
Virtue of their office be designated as I meet
of the Association.)
{(a) ELECTION. DELETE ENTIRE SECTION.)
[(b) NOMINATION, DELETE ENTIRE SECTION, }
{(c) ELIGIBILITY, DELETE ENTIRE SECTION}
{(d) DELETE ENTIRE SECTION.)
[SECTION 6, OATH, DELETE ENTIRE SECTION]
ARTICLE VI. State Divisior
Section 1, STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, Th
ulority to trast fusiness relating 10 st
in a Ste Ex
ive Committee shal
power and
employe
ommittee. The
hall, except
as provided herein
State Exe
ative (
sist of the ofl
and one nt. The
front Commission and state
d State Departments, The
Retirement System shall be deemed a State Department
Each State Department with more than 3.00) members as of [January}
September 1 of the flection} year preceding the election shall, for
the term of office beginning the following [July] March, be entitled to
cone representative on the State Executive Committe foreach 3,000)
members or majo fraction thereof. The members of the Department of
Mental Hygiene shall be elected by Region. in all other departments
entitled to more than one representative on the Board of Directors,
members shall be elected from the departments on an at-large basis,
The State Executive Committee shall elect from its membership one
member to be known as the Chairperson ofthe State Executive
Committee and one member to be known asthe Vice Chairperson of
the State Executive Commitee. The State Executive Cofnmitee may
create one or more subcommittees to perform such duties asthe State
Executive Committee shall delegate. Each department representative
shall be elected by ballot by the members in that person's department
in the manner prescribed in the By-Laws. [No person shall be eligible
for nomination unless that person shall have been a member in good
standing ofthe CSEA since June | ofthe year preceding the election
‘They shall hold office fora term of three (3) yeas or unt their
successors shall have qualified, except that] {s}Solely for the term
‘commencing July 1, 1998, their term shall be for two (2) years.
Vacancies in the office of the State Department representatives
including termination of employment with the Department may be
filled forthe remainder of the term by the President ofthe Association,
from name(s) submitted by the affected Local(s), without an election
With the approval of the State Executive Committe, No statewide
‘officer shall be eligible to be «candidate for any position on the State
Executive Committe. Ifthe office of Chairperson becomes vacant, the
Vice Chairperson shall succeed tothe office of Chairperson and a new
Vice Chairperson will be elected by the State Executive Committee at
its next scheduled meeting, Failure to assume the higher office will
result in automatic removal from the office currently hel.
[Section 2, DELETE ENTIRE SECTION}
Section (3]2. LOCALS. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
sentative ftom each State Dey
Judiciary, the State University the W
public authorities as one unit, shall be deem
Teach
ARTICLE VIL. Local Government Division
Section 1, (a) LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE, The power and authority to transact business relating
to.employees of the political subdivisions of the state shall, except as
otherwise provided herein, be vested ina Local Government Executive
Committee which shall consist of the officers ofthe Association and
‘one representative from the Local Government County Locals of each
county having 100 or more members as of the preceding January}
Seplember Ist, and one Local Goverment Educational Local
representative from each CSEA Region elected by the Local
Government Educational Local members within each Region, One
‘xkitional member ofthe Local Government Executive Committee
shall be elected by the members ofthe Local Government Executive
‘Committee to represent Local Government County Locals which have
membership of less than 100 on the preceding [January) September
1st: Araddition tothe foregoing, Local Government County Local(s)
ny county having more than 10,000 members as of [January]
ptember | in the year fof] preced
ction shall, forthe tem of office beginning
the following {July} Mareh, be entitled to
‘one additional representative. The Local
Government Executive Com:
create one 0
perform such duties a the Local
Government Executive Committee
shall delegate. The representatives of
Local Government County Local(s)
frocua
shall be elected by such Local(s) fora
three (3) year term of office to be
coincidental with the term of office for
members of the State Executive
Committee, includin wo-year
lerm 0
1908, The Local Governmy ive
ct from its
atfice comme
ship one member to be known is
of the Local Gov yeni
nmitee and one member tb
known asthe Viee Chairperson
Government Executive Committe
the Local
ances in
the office of Local Government representative
including termination of employment with the political
subdivision muy be filled forthe remainder of the tem by
the President of the Association, from name(s) submitted by
the affected Locals), without an election with the approval of the
Local Government Executive Committee, No statewide officer shall be
eligible to be a candidate for any position on the Local Government
ecutive Committee, Ifthe office of Chairperson becomes vacant, the
Vice Chairperson shall succeed tothe office of Chairperson and a new
Vice Chairperson will be elected by the Local Executive Committee at
its next scheduled meeting, Failure to assume the higher office will
result in automatic removal from the office currently held.
{Section 2, DELETE ENTIRE SECTION]
Section (3]2. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
EXPLANATION: In 1998 the Delegates’ approved changes to
the By-Laws to establish four year terms for Associaton officers and
to establish a concurrent elections cycle for the ten Association officers
and for the Board of Directors’ positions. Based on those actions, these
Janguage changes are needed to eliminate conflicting and unnecessary
language,
‘THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF
‘THESE AMENDMENTS.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE PRESENTED TO THE
DELEGATES BY THE COMMITTEE AS PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. THE
PRESENTATION TO THE DELEGATES AT THIS MEETING
CONSTITUTES A FIRST READING OF THESE
AMENDMENTS.
‘The following proposals were submitted by Sister Betty Lennon
cf Local 612 and Brother Thomas Jefferson of Local 654
ARTICLE VI, State Division
Section 1. STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. TEXT
REMAINS THE SAME,
Section 2. (a) NOMINATIONS, Nominations for members of the
State Executive Committe shall be made by official petition, Upon the
‘written request of any member, offical petition forms shall be
provided by the Chairperson ofthe Statewide Election Committe or
designated employee of the Association, When nominating petitions
ae given out, the name ofthe candidate and the office that candidate is
seeking must be typed or clearly printed at the top ofthe petition. A
recond must be kept of al petitions distributed, A member who is
otherwise eligible may qualify as u candidate forthe State Executive
Committe by submitting « nominating petition carrying the signatures
‘and social! security numbers of not less than ten percent (10%) ofthe
‘members in good standing eligible to vote inthe election provided,
however, that in no event will more than [450] 200 valid signatures
‘and social security numbers be required, Any member submitting the
required number of valid signatures to the Statewide Election
Committee at CSEA Headquarters in a timely manner shall be placed
‘on the ballot asa candidate for the State Executive Commitee
Write-in votes are prohibited.
CSEFS (00M. 1000
(b) ELIGIBILITY.
TEXT REMAINS
THE SAME
Section 3. LOCALS
TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
EXPLANATION: The proposers provided the following
justification with the proposals: “The number of signatures to run for
the Board of Directors is more inline with the numberof signatures
required for individuals to run for Region and Statewide office”
‘The Commitiee does not agree that ths change is appropriate. A
Board member serves an organizational role with each Board member
focusing on the interests ofthe union as a whole and not on the
particular imerest of hives local or unit. Each State Division Board
seat represens atleast 3000 members, usually extending beyond an
inividua’s local. These factors make Board seats comparable to other
statewide postions in terms of focus, scope, responsibilty and
fiduciary relationship, The requirement to secure 10% ofthe eligible
volership, with a maximum of 450 signatures and social security
numbers, was designed to protect the Board candidates from th very
Jarge locals. Examples of such situations are the larger county locals
‘which have over S000 members, In these instances the maximum of
450 signatures was set to ease those candidates’ burden which, without
the maximum, would requir them to secure 500, 600 or even more
signatures, Having to use a network of supporters o secure signatures
reflects the true nature ofthe position. The elected Board member will
have to communicate with and act on behalf ofa significant number of
‘members scattered over a large geographic area, in several locations,
and across numerous shifts. The Committe believes that lowering the
maximum required numberof signatures to 200 diminishes the role
and te responsibility of Board members, It would also increase the
Jack of conection, real or perceived, between Board members and
their constituencies. The proposal also seeks the inclusion ofthe
reference to social security numbers a second time inthe textto make
it consistent in wording with the coniparable language forthe Local
Government Executive Committee, The omission ofthis reference was
an inadvertent error in the numerous revisions of language over the
years, The Committee wil insure as a matter of housekeeping that
these words ate restored to te text in the appropriate postion atthe
time ofthe next republication of the Constitution and By-Laws
ARTICLE VIL Local Government Division
Section 1. LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
Section 2. (2) NOMINATIONS, Nominations for members of the
Local Government Executive Committee shall be made by official
petition, Upon the written request of any member, offical petition
forms shall be provided by the Chairperson of the Statewide Election
Committe or designated employee of the Assocation, When
nominating petitions are given out, the name of the candidate and the
office that candidate is seeking must be typed or clearly printed at the
top of the petition. A record must be kept ofall petitions distributed, A
member who is otherwise eligible may qualify asa candidate forthe
2 Proposec
Local Government Executive Committee by submitting a nominating
petition carrying the signatures and social security numbers of not less
than ten percent (0%) ofthe members in good standing eligible to
Yote inthe election provided, however, tha in not event will more than
[450] 200 valid signatures and social security numbers be required.
Any member submiting the required number of valid signatures to the
Statewide Election Committee at CSEA Headquarters in a timely
manner shall be placed on the ballot as a candidate for the Local
Government Executive Commitee, Writ-in votes are prohibited,
(b) ELIGIBILITY. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 3. LOCALS. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
EXPLANATION: The proposers provided the following
{usiication with the proposals: “The number of signatures to run for
the Board of Directors is more inline with the numberof signatures
required for individuals to run for Region and Statewide offi
This is the same proposal asthe preceding one which addressed
the maximum number of signatures forthe State Division Executive
‘Committee, The Committe does not suppor this proposal forall the
reasons set fort in opposition tothe earlier related proposal. A Board
member serves an organizational role, focusing on the interests of the
union as a whole and not on the particular interests of a given local or
unit. County locals having atleast 100 members have one Boa sea
Each Region has one Education Local Board seat as well. Board seats
are comparable to other statewide positions in terms of focus, scope,
responsibility and fiduciary relationship. As such, the requirement to
secure 10% of the eligible votership, with a maximum of 450
signatures and social security numbers, protects the candidates from
the lager county locals that have over $000 members. In these
instances the maximum of 450 signatures eases the task of securing
nominating signatures, For example, in the case of Nassau County, as
‘many as 1100 signatures or more would have to be secured if there
was no 450 signature cap. Having (0 use a network of supporters to
Secure signatures reflects the true nature of the Board position,
‘herein th elected Board member has to communicate with and ect
on behalf of many members scattered over a large geographic area in
several locations, and across numerous shifts, The Committee believes
that to lower the maximum required numberof signatures to 200
would diminish the role andthe responsibilty of Board members. I
would also inerease the lack of connection, real or perceived, between
Board members and their constituencies, The proposal also seeks the
deletion ofthe reference to subdivision (a) at Section 1, This deletion
is appropriate a there are no subdivisions in this Section, The
‘Committee will insure as a matter of housekeeping that this reference
is removed when the Constitution and By-Laws are next republished
‘THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
‘THIS AMENDMENT,
The following proposals were submitted by Brother James Kurtz
of Local 807.
ARTI State Division
Section |. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 2. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 3, LOCALS, (a) [A Local may] Locals will be formed by
the members in the State Division in [any department or) a
ocality/countyties), or in any Region containing one or more
‘counties, upon the approval by the Board of Directors. One Local for
Health Care Services, Education Support Services, Waste
Management, Maintenance & Infrastructure, saci Services &
Adminis vices, or Corrections a nfo
may be pee in each local ios) ar ny Region
provided fifty percent (50%: eae
Education Support Services, Waste Management-Maintenance &
Infrastructure, Social Services & Administrative Services, ot
Corrections and Law Enforcement, in no event less tham 200
‘members shall request formation thereof, In the event that a [Unit]
Department of slate government is transferred to the government of
politica subdivision and provided thatthe employees of such
government (Unit) Department transferred would not be eligible for
membership in another Local, such [Unit] Department may be
afited with the Local (0 which the employees of such government
{Unit} Department belonged prior to becoming employe
political subdivision. Each such Local shall make available to the duly
authorized representative of the Association atthe request of the
President or the Board of Directors at reasonable intervals, all Local
records for inspection by the Association, It shall be discretionary for
cach Local to establish Units witin its Local where mon
(b) The member
ited, if they have
cl or fifty percent (50%)
members within the division as members, whichever is smaller,
imum of 7S mem formation ou
Units may be organized as the Board of Directors or Executive
Board of the Local may determine is in the best interest of the
‘members involved, Each Unit shall be entitled (o elect its own Unit
amendme
officers and to establish its own progress,
ARTICLE VIL Local Government Division
Section 1. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
Section 2, TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
Section 3. (a) LOCALS. [A Local may} Locals will be formed by
members in the Local Government Division in any {county}
ocality/county(ies), or in any Region containing one or more
counties, upon the approval by the Board of Directors Sees ir
vices, Educatic rt Services, Wi
Mfaacemmt Malisanse nasa Schl eke &
Administrative or Corrections and Law Enforcement, may be
formed in each locality/county(ies), or in any Region provided fifty
percent (50%) ofthe eligible Health Care Services, Education
Support Servi N ent- Maintenances 3
Social Service, or Corrections and Law Enforcement, in no event
Jess than 200 members, shall request formation thereof. [One Local
fornon-teaching employees of schoo districts may be formed in each
county provided fifty percent (50%) ofthe eligible school district
Units but in no event less than 200 school disriet members, shall
request formation thereof] Each such Local shall make available to the
duly authorized representative of the Assocation atthe request of the
President or the Board of Directors, at reasonable intervals ll Local
records for inspection by the Association
(b) The members employed in each politcal subdivision in a
Local shall be entitled, if they have 200 members o fifty percent
(50%) of the employees within the division as members, whichever is
smaller, with 2 minimum of 75 members, tothe formation of a Unit
Other Units may be organized as the Board of Directors or Executive
Board ofthe Local may determine is inthe best intrest ofthe
members involved. Each Unit shall be entitled to elect its own Unit
officers and to establish its own progress.
ARTICLE VII, Private Sector Division,
Section 1. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 2. LOCALS.
(a) [A Local may] Locals will be formed by the members in the
Private Sector Division in any bargaining unit represented by CSEA,]
any Jocality/county(ies), or in any Region containing one or more
counties, upon the approval by the Board of Directors. One Local for
Health Care Services, Eisen Supper Ses, ae
Management-Mai
Administrative Services or an and
Units may be forn
fifty percent (50%) of the eligible Health Care Services, Education
Support Services, Waste Management-Maintenance &
Infrastructure, Social Services & Administrative Services, or
Corrections and Law Enforcement Units, in-no event less than 200
members, shall request formation thereof, Each Local shall make
available tothe duly authorized representative of the Association at the
request ofthe President or the Board of Directors, at reasonable
intervals, all Local ecords for inspection by the Assocation.
(b) [Any private sector Local existing as of the implementation
ofthe Private Sector Division hall continue as a Local and shall be
assigned (0 the region in which its located. The members in each
‘Local shall be entitled, if they have 200 members or fifty percent
(60%) of the members within the division as members, whichever
is smaller, with a minimum of 75 members, to the formation of a
unit. Other units may be organized as the Board of Directors or
Executive Board of the Local may determine is in the best interest
‘of the members involved. Each Unit shall be entitled to elect its
‘own Unit officers and to establish its own progress
EXPLANATION: The Committee does not suppor this
proposal. The proposer provided the following justi
In. andthe Organizing Departnent has doped the philosophy o
ganizing workers by industry. The target industries are grouped into
the following
Health Care Services
Education Support Services
Waste Management, Maintenanee, Infrastructure
Social Services & other Administrative Services
Corrections & Law Enforcer
hilosophy into the CSEA
re needs to be a
In order to integrate the organia
id Units,
rcorganization of State Locals from “department” and Private Sector
structure of Divisions, Locals a
Locals from “bargaining units” to locality/county(ies) or in any Region
‘containing one or more counties. Its the intent of this change to have
State Division Locals, Local Government Division Locals and Prwvate
Sector Division Locals be by locality/countyies) “locality” (ie
formed from more than one county if needed forthe 200 members) or
“ovher reasons as needed, Units of State Locels can be organized by
Departments” and Local Government and Private Sector Units can be
ining Units.” This propos is simed at giving each
SEA member, membership ina Unit and a Local in the State, Local
onstitution
Government and Private Sector Division’
‘The Committe interviewed the proposer by conference call. The
proposer indicated that he was looking forall divisions to be the same
so that each CSEA member would belong to a unit, a local and a
region, By providing the opportunity for units inthe State Division and
Private Sector Division, the proposal aims to achieve this equity. The
Committe also sought input from the Charter Committe, the CSEA
Officers and the Statewide Elections Committee. Based on allthis
input and its own deliberations the Committee believes thatthe
proposal is not workable for many reasons
The Charter Commitee feedback disagreed with the premise that
the “philosophy” of organizing should dictate the organization of
CSEA. The philosophy of CSEA is embodied within the constitution
What we have done isto adopt a workable organizing strategy which
does not, however, warrant « massive overhaul of our structure. The
Charter Committee feedback suggested further that proposed language
for te state division is unworkable, Locals formed by State
Department is more desirable to the offices and members and more
functional forthe organization,
‘The Committee also received feedback from the Statewide
Election Committee. The SEC also does not support the proposal. The
SBC sees that a direct result of the proposal would be additional Loca
elections reflecting the additional industry based focal created in each
region, Given the SEC's experience as recently as 1998, additional
local elections would pose a great problem tothe union, As tis now,
many Locals and Units face the difficulty of geting members to run
for ofice or to serve on election committees. The SEC believes that
this proposal would inerease this problem. A Local without members
willing to run as officers is placed in an administratorship. This act
removes autonomy from the membership. The union does not look
upon the act of placing loals into administratorshp lightly, Given the
number of administratorships resulting from the recent 1998 election
cycle, some of which sill continue, the SEC feels that addtional
elections would serve only to aggravate this problem. The SEC also
suggests that this proposal would have an adverse impact on the
nomination process. By allowing locals to form by industry.
region-wide, candidates could encounter difficulty in obtaining the
required signatures needed to qulify asa candidate for local office.
Poieatial candidates for office in an industry hased local would be
faced with the prospect of traveling or networking throughout a Region
in order to obtain the necessary signatures. Such a structure would also
‘make campaigning by interested candidates dificult, The futher
breakdown or altering of curent Locals also could, in the SEC's
experience, end to confuse the members as t0 which Local they
belong to and which election they should be voting in, Under the
proposal, it would be possible to have members of two locals working
Aone worksite, for example an Administrative Services Local and a
Maintenance Local, Some members, after previously belonging to the
me local may be confused as (o which of the two new To
theirs, This confusion could lead to members attempting to vote in the
‘wrong election and their vote would be invalidated, Where one local
‘on campus” had an on-site eletion and the other, a mal ballot
election, more confusion would occur. ll ofthis would serve to
disentranchise members. Voting is one ofthe greatest privi
union membership. The SEC does not wish to encourage the potential
{or disenfranchising the membership. The SEC agrees with the
proposal to the extent that some mechanism for members to develop
more industry-based identity would benefit the union, The SEC does
not believe that this approach is the answer, For all these reasons, the
SEC does not support the proposal
The Statewide Officers also offered input It was thei informal
‘consensus that while a review of our structure may be warranted and
isin fact, taking place as part of our transformation efor, this
particular proposal is not an appropriate approach, The question of
appropriate union structure for the next century warrants a longer
study and debate on all the options. The Officers believe that a more
comprehensive review and analysis of option is necessary before we
undertake any major structural changes
In the Private Sector Division, the applicable law requires that
there be a separate local foreach ba unit. The Commitiee
believes that further dividing a private sector local into units would
serve no meaningful purpose and would create a useless bureaucracy
that would further remove the officers from the members Similarly
nits for the State Division Locals would remove the officers
ank and file members and make servicing, mobilizing, and
members more difficult and less effective Adaitionlly
¢ elected positions would be created, we already se inthe
from th
organizi
while m
Local Gov
who are
nment Division how dificult it can be to find meabers
illing and able to run for and serve as union officers, This
problem would only be inereused ifthe State Division was to spin off
unis ina manner similar to the Local Government Division,
The Committe agrees that focusing on indusris for organizing
purposes and for program development is a sound idea anda priority
for the Union, However, there are other ways to achieve the
industry-based identity sought by this proposal Industry focused
committees, workshops and traning programs, newsletters, and
regional meetings would goa long way towards developing this
consciousness and the opportunities for shared experiences. The
Committee agrees withthe underlying assumption that we need to
address some of our structural problems. However, the Committee also
strongly believes that such an undertaking requires extensive study and
review before any particular approach is offered for consideration by
the delegates, The Committee believes that this particular proposal is
both unworkable and premature.
‘THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
THIS AMENDMENT.
‘The following proposal was submitted by Brother Charles
Peritore of Local 922.
ARTICLE IX. Retiree Division
Section 1, RETIREE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
(a) POWER AND AUTHORITY. The power and authority to
transact business relating to retired members shall, except as provided
herein, be vested in the Rete Executive Committe. The Retiree
Executive Commitee shall consist of [two representatives (except the
Metropolitan Region which shall have only one representative) from
each CSEA Region elected by the presidents of the Rettee Locals in
that Region, a representative from the State of Florida elected by the
presidents of the Retiree Locals in the State of Florida, and the retired
‘member appointed by the President of CSEA to serve on the Statewide
Political and Legislative Action Committee, In those Regions which
have two representatives, one representative shall be a member who
has retired from employment with the state of New York and the other
representative shall be a member who has retired from local
government employment] one representative from each retiree local
who shall be the Local President of each such Local. The
‘Tepresentative shall serve on the Executive Committee for a term
of three (3) years to be coincidental with the term of office of
higher presidency. The Retiree Executive Committee shall elect from
its membership one member to be known as the Chairperson of the
Retiree Executive Committe, a Vice Chairperson and a Secretary. The
Retiree Executive Committee may create one or more subcommitices
to perform such duties as the Retiree Executive Committee shall
designate, Terms of office of Retiree Executive Committee members,
shall be coincidental with the terms of office of members ofthe Board
of Directors of CSEA.
(b) DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS. TEXT REMAINS THE
SAME.
(©) NOMINATIONS AND ELIGIBILITY. TEXT REMAINS
THE SAME,
EXPLANATION: The proposer provided the following
jsification: “We are requesting that the Retiree Executive Commitee
be restructured so that itis made up of all Retiree Local Presents
(structure to mirror the Private Sector Division). As you are aware, the
current make-up requires two representatives from five Regions (one
being a State Division Retiree and the other being a Local Government
Division Retiree), and one from Region 2, We feel tha it really does
not matter what division the person was in when they were employed,
What matters is who is dealing with the members on a daily basis and
that is the Local President. In addition, are moving more
toward increasing our Private Sector Division, it does not seem fir to
limit representation only 10 members who retired from State or Local
Government. This change would increase our communication with all
Locals and hopefully with our membership.” The Committee
forwarded this proposal 1 the Statewide Offers for their review and
the officers have expressed their support
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS
AMENDMENT,
The following proposal was submitted by Brother Charles
Peritore of Local 922,
Section 2, DELEGATE DUTIES. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 3, RETIRED MEMBERS, TEXT REMAINS THE
SAME
Section 4, RETIREE DIVISION MEETINGS
(a) Delegates to the Annual Meeting of the Retiee Division shall
consist of ome delegate from each Local and one additional de
additional 1,00 members oF major fraction
thereof. [The members ofthe Retiree Executive Commitee and] The
officers ofthe statewide Assocation shall be delegates, All such
delegates shall attend at the expense of the sitewide Assocation
{b) Members of each Local shall elect from their membership
‘one or more delegate to represent the members ofthe Local a all
meetings ofthe Division, except that the Local President
Virtue ofthat office, automatically be designated asa dee
olfcers ofthe Local as set forth in Article IV, Section 1 of the Retiree
from each Local for
Local Constitution, shall, by virtue oftheir office, be automatic
delegates to CSEA Retiree Conventions, provided that the Local is
entitled 19 more than one delegate. It isthe responsibilty of each
Local to notify the office of the Statewide Secretary of any change
affecting te status ofthe delegate listing at the time of such change,
Such delegate or delegates shall have one vote for each one hundred
(100) members o fraction thereof in such Local, based upon the paid
membership in the Association on the frst day of June preceding the
‘meeting, The number of votes each Local is entitled to cast shall be
determined by the Membership Committee
(6) A report from the Retiree Division, including any motions
passed by the delegates tothe Annual Meeting of the Retiree Division
with regard to items affecting solely the Division, shall be presented to
the CSEA Annual Delegates Meeting by the Chairperson ofthe Retiree
Executive Committe for informational purposes only
,ANATION: The proposer provided the following
Since Local Presidents will make up the Retiree
Executive Committee, there will be no additional reimbursement to
Local for REC attendance. Reimbursement is limited to one Local
delegate per 1,000 members or major fraction thereof
This language to be deleted is no longer necessary, as all Retiree
Executive Committee members will be delegates by virtue of being
Local Presidents The Commitee forwarded this proposal tothe
Statewide Officers for their review and the officers have expressed
theirsupport
THE COM
AMENDMENT,
ITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS
The following proposal was submitted by Statewide Treasurer
Maureen Malone,
Section |. DELEGATE STATUS, Members of each Local shall
elect from their membership one or more delegates andlor alternates to
represent the members ofthe Local a all meetings ofthe Associaton,
except thatthe Local Presiden, Vice Presidents in ranking onder,
eeretary and Treasurer, shall, by virtue of their offices, automaticaly
be designated as delegates and/or alternate delegates. It isthe
responsibilty of each Local to notify the Office ofthe Statewide
Secretary of any change affecting the status ofthe delegate listing at
the time of such change. Such delegate or delegates shall have one
‘ote foreach one hundred (100) members or fraction thereof in Such
Local, based upon the paid membership in the Association on the first
day of June preceding the meeting. The numberof votes each Local or
Department is entitled to cast shall be determined by the [Membership
Commitee} Office of Statewide Secretary. ll members of the Board
‘of Directors who are not elected delegates shall have all the rights and
privileges of delegates at meetings ofthe delegates except the right to
vote
When State and/or Local Government Division andor Private
Sector Division Delegates meet in official session, the motions passed
with regard to items affecting soley their respective divisions and not
the Association general policy shall be presented 0 the delegate body
by the respective Chairpersons for informational purposes only
Region officers notin the capacity of Local Delegates shall be
‘delegates a all delegate meetings of the Association, They shall have
all rights and privileges of delegates at meetings except the right to
vote, provided, however, that Region Presidents may vote
meetings of the Association. Allowed expenses may be paid by the
Region
EXPLANATION: The justiticaton provided with the proposal is
4s follows: “This funetion of the Membership Committee may have
been necessary to perform before the era of computerization, At this
point in time, the Membership Conumittee must meetin June of ach
Year to review computer generated reports, This function, delegate
umber certification, is being done by the office ofthe Statewide
Secretary for eredentiling purposes. This js where this function
belongs.”
This change has been reviewed by the statewide officers and has
their support, The Committee believes that this change is inorder, a it
reflects both the curent practice and the appropriate alignment of
responsibilities. All membership information is maintained on data
ttumbers and breakdowns are determin
programs. The role of the Membership Committe
determining del voli
bases and by computer
nthe past in
say, Hence the
Comittee believes that this proposal is clearly warranted
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS
AMENDME!
rength is no lo
ETING, THESE AMENDM NTS WILL "BECOME
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,
‘The following proposal was submitted by Sister Jocasa Relf of
Local 192
ARTICLE IL. Meetings
Section 1. ANNUAL MEETING,
(a) ASSOCIATION. The Annual Meeting ofthe Association shall
be held on call ofthe President between the [Sth day of September
and the ISth day of November in each year. The President shall give
notice ofthe date of such meeting to the President ofeach Local,
Region and members ofthe Board of Directors before April Sth in
cach year Each year the Amnual Meeting shal last for five days. Prior
to the convening ofthe general session, meetings shall be conducted
which shall be consistent withthe internal makeup of CSEA with
direction toward bargaining unit seminars and Stale Department
aeetings forthe State Division delegates and appropriate workshops
for the various components ofthe Local Government und Private
Sector Divisions. Standing Committees, which are submitting reports
to the delegate body, shall conduct an open forum during the first two
days of the meeting. Separate sessions ofthe State Division, Local
Government Division and Private Sector Division shall be held prior to
the general meetings. Necessary business appropriate tothe separate
divisions shall be conducted at these separute sessions, while business
pertaining tothe Association asa whole shall be conducted atthe
General Business meetings. Subsequent dates shall be devoted to an
agenda fully prepared, described and distributed to Local Presidents,
Region Presidents and delegates, thirty days prior to the Annual
Meeting, The President may call a meeting ofthe Board of Directors
for the day prior to the first day of the Annual Meeting
Any resolutions which are to be submitted for action by the
delegate body concerning uny subject matter must be submited to the
etary of the Association by May {5 of the year of the Annual
Meeting at which te resolution wil be considered. The Secretary will
forward the resolution to the Resolutions Committe for study and
recommendation to the delegate body, The Resolutions Committee will
publish the resolutions together with its recommendations in the
official newspaper of CSEA at least fifteen (15) days prior to the
beginning ofthe Annual Meeting at which the resolutions wil be
considered, Any resolution which does not comply with this provision
canbe presented for action o the delegate body only upon the
affirmative vote of two-thirds ofthe delegates present at the delegate
meeting
The Resolutions Committee will be appointed on or before July
15 in each year as follows:
Two fone} delegates to the convention from each Region to be
appointed by {the President of CSBA, and one delegate to the
convention irom each Region to be appointed by the respective Region
Presidents] nbers af large ofthe regi
be rep ‘The Committe will review all resolutions submitted
in accordance with the procedure described herein and will make the
necessary recommendation tothe delegate body regarding action 10
be taken onthe proposed resolutions, The Committe should use
appropriate resources within CSEA so that itis fully knowledgeable of
the issues regarding each proposed resolution and can make an
informed decision and recommendation tothe delegate body
(b) RETIREE DIVISION, TEXTT REMAINS THE SAME
EX TION: The proposer provided no justification for this
propos
The Committee cannot support this proposal, The cost and time
involved in annually electing members fo the Resolutions Committee
is self evident, The gain from such a procedure seems limited, if any at
all, The current procedure allows for any member to submit resolutions
for the Delegates to consider and resolutions are reported out to the
ates at the Annual Meeting, The
purpose served in having an elected Resolutions Committee, That
Committee’ role is to gather information regarding the resolution
proposils it receives and to report to the Delegates on those proposals,
along with a recommendation as to what action the Delegates should
e. The De
even in the event of an
le yote on the resolutions and this would not change,
ad Resolution Committe, n wtion,
Commitee appointments are the prerogative of the union President
and there i no reason to tret the Resolutions Committee differently
from other union conimittees
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
THIS AMENDMENT,
The following proposal iy submitted by Brother Fred Geoff
President of Local 015,
Article IIL. Statewide Blections
ion I(a) ELECTION PROCEDURE. The Election Commitice
shall have the responsibility for supervising elections ofthe officers of
the Association, members ofthe State Executive Committee, members
of the Local Goverament Executive Committee, and members ofthe
Retiree Executive Committe, who shall be elected by secret ball.
Persons running for office may petition and appear on a ballot as a
slate or individually, Where candidates run as a slate there must be an
‘opportunity for members to vote forthe whole slate andor individuals,
‘The Election Committe shall supervise the distribution, receipt, and
verification of nominating petitions, and the drafting, distribution,
‘verification and counting of the ballots. The ballot must clearly recite
the date, place and time for the return of ballots and must be
accompanied by instructions as to how a seeret ballot may be cast. The
names of the candidates shall appear on the ballot in the order in
which they were drawn by lot. Such drawing shall be conducted by the
Election Committee upon notice to all candidates, Commencing with
the year 2000 election cycle, balloting isto be conducted for al
elective offices between January 15 and February 15 of the election
year. The distribution of ballots and the ret of completed ballots
shall be accomplished in a manner which wil assure each member in
good standing a fir opportunity to vote. [Only CSEA members in
‘00d standing as of April ofthe election year willbe eligible to vote
in the election] All candidates or their designees may be present to
observe at each stage ofthe election process, including the ballot count
and tally processes, The memiber receiving the greater number of votes
forthe office shall be declared elected. The Board of Directors of the
Association shall establish rules and regulations concerning the
conduct of the election, Such rules and regulations shall be adopted by
simple majority of the Board of Directors and may be amended
thereafter. Printed copies ofthe rules and regulations shall be mailed to
any potential candidate upon request at any time and Local Presidents
on or before Decemiber | of the year preceding the election, Write-in
votes ae prohibited
b) VOTER ELIGIBILITY. Only CSEA members in good
standing as of the applicable eligibility date for the election year
will be sia (o vote inthe election. For CSEA members who
work
vt er's written certification of his Ws
embership st i
welve months immediatel the:
Ss anil of si
‘membership status for at least the i
(SEA eaten tained wslae sca caskec Sk
certification is subject to verification by membership records of
the Association,
EXPLANATION: Several members hold yearly seasonal jobs
‘which do not commence each year until after April |. These members
return to these jobs year after year and participate actively in CSE
when they are working in these jobs. However, they do not get to vote
in our elections because of the April | eligibility date, Seasonals do get
to-vote in a contract ratification vote if they are on the payroll as of
the eligibility date for that vote, Upon receiving a request on behalf of
‘our Black River Valley State members who work seasonal jobs, to find
‘way to allow these members to partake in the membership right to
Vote in their union election, the Commitee investigated possible
options, The simple option of changing the eligibility date does not
‘work. No matter what date is chosen, somewhere in our union some
seasonal employees will be disenfranchised. There are additional
problems for our Membership Records Department due to the
incomplete information contained in most payroll information received
from over 900 local government employers. Accordingly, the
‘Committee looked for a different type of approach and decided that the
best approach would be one that reflected the nature of seasonal work.
Generally, seasonal work is short-lived, fixed in time and place
depending upon the nature ofthe work, and tends to be repeated y
after year. By imposing upon the seasonal members who seek to vote
the responsibility of certifying and documenting their own work
history in order to be able ro exercise their vote, our Membership
Records Department will be spared an insurmountable burden, In
Addition, to preclude the situation of seasonal employees voting in
elections and having no true continuity of membership, the Committee
believes that some demonstrated continuity of past seasonal
employment would serve to indicate a sufficient expe:
continued future seasonal employment to justify a vote in union
ded uroughout its deliberations on
«Fight to vote isan important right of
elections. The Committee was
ths issue by the principle that
union menjbership
‘THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS
AMENDMENT,
The following proposal was submited by petition of rank and file
embers of Local 844
Article IV. Finance
Section |, TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
Section 2, DUES AND SHOP FEES,
{1 Effective January 1, 1995, the annual membership dues,
agency shop fees and union shop fees ofthe Association shall be as
follows:
SALARY RANGE
Upto $5,000 $82.16
$5,000-59,999
$10,000-15,999
$16,000-821,999
$2,000 and higher
(a2) Effective January 1, 1996, and thereafter, those earning
between $10,000 and $12,999 shall be ina separate te fom those
earing $13,000 to $15,999 as follows
$10,000-$12,999 $169.65
$13,000-815,999 $215.28
(@\2\ii) Effective January 1, 1996, and annually thereafter, those
caring under $28,000 are subject to the annual AFSCME minimum
lus adjustment, Those earning $28,000 and higher shall be subject
the following schedule:
$28,000-$29,999
$30,000-$31,999 $310.00
$32,000 and higher $328.00
(a)(3) Effective January 1, 1997, and annually thereafter, those
caring under $34,000 are subject to the annual AFSCME minimam
dues adjustment, Those earning $34,000 and higher shal be subject to
the following schedule
$124.02
$215.28
$290.00
1997 1998 -
$339.00 $350.00
$649.00 $370.00
$38,000-$39,999 $359.00 $390.00
$40,000 and higher $364.00 $400.00
(a)(4) Effective January 1, 1999, and annually thereafter, all rates
shall increase by the annual AFSCME minimum dues adjustment.)
(a)(1) Effective January 1, 2000, the annual membership dues
I i ¢ of $10.0
of their income,
(a){(5)]2) An annual amount of three percent (3%) ofthe dues or
agency shop fee or union shop fee paid by an individual shall be
appropriated by the Association for political or ideological purposes.
Such annual amount shall be collected and set aside on «bi-weekly
basis inthe same manner as dues are collected,
(4)((6)K3) The State Treasurer shall promulgate rules establishing
an agency shop fee or union shop fee refund procedure which satisfies
the requirements ofthe United States and New York State
Constitutions and of §208 of the New York State Civil Service Law
and of Section 14(b) of the National Labor Relations Act as applicable
in that persons choosing not to belong to CSEA shall not be compelled
in CSEA’s support of activities or causes ofa political or
nature only incidentally related to terms and conditions of
employment, The rules shall specify procedural details relating to
notice, dispute resolution and distribution of agency shop fee and
union shop fee refunds,
(b) NEW MEMBERS,
$34,000-535,999
$36,000-$37,999
dues of new members who join the
Association for the first time in any year may be prorated at the
discretion of the Board of Directors, and in such case, the refunds to
locals provided in Section 3(a) herefor shall be prorated in proportion
to the dues received by the Association from such members
(¢) RETIRED MEMBERS, Effective October |, 1991, the annual
membership dues of retired members shall be twelve dollars ($12.00),
fifty (50) cents of which, exclusive of rebates, shall be put in the
political ation fund
(@) DISABLED MEMBERS, A member in good stunding who
becomes incapacitated by accident, illness, matemity or paternity and,
asa resul of such incapacity, is placed on a leave without pay, upon
proper notification to the Membership Records Department of CSEA,
will be granted a gratuitous membership forthe duration ofthat
member's leave without pay, otto exceed one year. Such gratuitous
membership shall no satisfy the member in good standing
nts for purposes of running for or continuing in elected
office. A disabled member wishing to remain in elected office or to run
for office must arrange withthe Membership Records Department for
the direct payment of ther full dues forthe duration of that member's
eave without pay
(c) LAID OFF EMPLOYEES, A member in good standing who
is laid off from employment and placed on a preferred
cherwise qualifies as such, upon proper notification to the
Membership Records Department of CSEA, shall ted status as
an Associate Member, the frst year of which
() ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. The an
an associate member shall be fifty-two dollar ($52.00),
Section 3. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
EXPLANATION: The proposers provided the following
justification; “We feel that sine all benefits are the satne no matter
‘what the income level, a lat rate should be charged. We suggest that a
biweekly rate of $10 would be appropriate since this is an average of
what all members current pay.” The Committee cannot support this
proposal, The suggested $10/biveekly dues would yield an annual
thes income of roughly $260 per full-time employee (12 month.
Assuming all ative members were fulltime employees, this proposal
‘would generate roughly $52 million, which is far short of our current
embership dues of
dues income. Besides greatly limiting the Union's ability to fulfil its
current obligations, such a reduction in income is totaly at odds with
the need fr future growth in membership and expansion in union
services and programs, By relating dues rates to salary levels,
Auldresses its income needs along progressive lines that allow fora
‘uniform dues structure. The current structure levels the impact of dues
eson the membership, with those at ether end ofthe
onsidered, based on ability 4 pay factors,
A
| dues incre
proach has been shown to be the most equitable
way of assessing dues and the Committee believes it remains the better
alern
itself
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
THIS AMENDMENT
for both the dues paying members and the organization
The following proposal is submitted by Brother Frank Forte of
ARTICLE IV; Finance
5 TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
Section 2(b) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
Section 2(¢) TENT REMAINS THE SAME
Section 2(d) DISABLED MEMBERS. A member in good
apacitated by accident, ln
f such incapacity, is placed on a leave
upon proper tification to the Mem
iment of CSEA, will be granted a gratuitous p
that membe ithout pay, not t0 ex
us membership shall {not} satisfy the member in good
tier
member wishing to remain in elected office or to run for office must
arrange with the Membership Records Department for the direct
payment of their full dues for the duration of that member's leave
without pay.)
Section (¢) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
‘Section 2(f) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
EXPLANATION: The justification presented withthe proposal
isas follows: “Tam aghast atthe thought that gratuitous membership
serves only one purpose, to allow members to continue their insurance
coverage while out of work, Gratuitous membership isa misnomer, as
it currently exists and is sorely in need of corrective action by the
delegate body. Let metry to explain: Let's say you've labored in the
Public Service and faithfully supported and paid dues to this great
Union for 20 years. Let's say you gt injured onthe job. You complete
4 gratuitous membership and it gets you te right fo continue to obtain
Union sponsored insurance. That's good brothers and sisters. What's
not good, what’s not fair, what's not equitable, what's offensive to me
is that you can’t sign nomination petitions, you cant vote in Union
cleetions and on your own contracts, You're an outcast that your input
is no longer valid and is unwanted. Doesn't anyone ever come back—1
think they do, I think we are doing a disservice to those members who
need us most, Te fact i that we need to respect and value their input.
Only a change can assure us ofthat. Thank you in advance for
listening and for your kind support.”
The Committe restates is positon from lst year when a similar
proposal was defeated by the Delegates, CSEA By-Laws allow for
gratuitous membership satus for upto one year in instances involving
the member's disability due to accident, illness, maternity or paternity
leave, and in situations of layoff. The purpose ofthis free membership
status is to allow for those on unpaid leave to remain as members to
continue their insurance coverage during the term of thei leave
without pay Regular reminders that gratuitous membership status does,
not constitute “good standing” for election elated purposes, along
With the value of continued full membership, have been appearing in
each edition ofthe union newspaper for more than two years. In other
unions, to keep all membership rights, one must pay full union dues
regardless of whether one is on or off the payroll. The Committee
remains of the belief that the day-to-day business of participating in
Jocal or unit activities, including union elections, cannot be done
effectively by one who is not at work on a regular basis or one who
chooses not to continue paying their dues during unforeseen time off
the job. The proposal would eliminate this opportunity for those in
ed office to maintain their positions while on disability by direct
cle
dues payment
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
THIS AMENDMENT.
‘The following proposal was submited by Brother Allan Teitle of
Local 010
ARTICLE IV. Finance
Section 3, REFUND AND REIMBURSEMENT,
(a) REFUNDS TO LOCALS. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
(b) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
(c) REFUNDS TO UNITS. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
(@) REFUNDS TO REGIONS, TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
(ec) REIMBURSEMENT OF DELEGATE EXPENS!
(1) ANNUAL DELEGATE MEETING, TEXT REMAINS
THE SAME
(2) SPECIAL DELEGATE MEETINGS. TEXT REMAINS
THE SAME.
(3) Local reimbursement of delegate expenses shall he
based upon the total membership in the Association on the fist
day of June preceding the meeting.
NATION: The proposer provided the following
justification; “At the present time there are no guidelines for
rsement based upon
mbursement 0 In addition, 1
for the purpose of re
“TOTAL” membership as
because delegates and officers uttendin
el with the duny of representin
whether they may be des
‘conventions are cha ll members,
embers or agency-shop members.
playees and
‘or both cla ees
d 10 pay the expense of represent
employ a This should not in any wa
refleet on d strength while in convention which is
anct
The Committee does not believe that this proposal is necessary or
appropriate, The voting strength for the Annual Delegates Meeting is
determined by the June 1 n red by the
acting on behalf of thei individual
acting on bell
There is little, amy,
at the Annual
ig rather the Annual Meeting focuses on the union's business as
‘union and on its internal policies, needs and programs. Fee payors
have no say in these afais and their way tobe heard is to become
CCSEA members themselves Lastly, the Committee believes that
reimbursement based on fee payors Would serve as a disincentive to
infernal organizing efforts by elected leaders
‘THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
‘THIS AMENDMENT,
This proposal was submited by Brother Les Eason of Local 830.
ARTICLE V. Judicial Board
‘Section 1. MEMBERS. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
‘Section 2, JURISDICTION. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
Section 3, PROCEDURE
(4) Charges agunst individual members.
(I) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
(2) Each complaint must be filed ith the Judicial Board,
143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210, by certified mail,
return receipt requested, and copy ofthe complaint must be served
on any person against whom the complaint is made by certified mail,
return receipt requested, In addition a check for $50.00 made
(3)(14) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
(b) Trusteships. TEXT REMAINS THE SAME,
EXPLANATION: The proposer provided the following
jstfication with the proposal: “During the past year Ihave been
subjected to three judicial board complaints, None ofthese complaints
were found tobe valid and was ultimately dismissed, In answering the
complaints, not only sit time consuming, the out-of-pocket expense
for photocopies and postage (cetifiedretum receipt) could pose a
financial burden on the person the complaint has been made on, The
amendment | am posing is forthe sole purpose of cuting down on
frivolous and unsubstantited allegations, The modest fee of $50.00
should not deter anyone that fel he/she has a legitimate complaint
against another, because tis fee would be returned to them ifthe
complaint is found valid, On the other hand an activist that takes
leadership roles, should not have to incur (personal expenses) when
he/she is defending themselves on issues raised from their leadership
role especially when the complaint is found tobe unsubstantiated,”
‘The Committe understands the intent behind this proposal and is
well aware of the posiilties for misuse ofthe Judicial Board
complaint process to further personal political agendas, However, this
great union has along history asa democratic union, where any
imbursement
ular and special
rember may bring atention to conduct heshe believes to be in
violation of the Union's constitutions and polices, The Committee
believes thatthe imposition of a filing fee, even if refundable, would
«chilling effect on members exercising ther right to challn,
they perceive to be wrongful conduct by others, The annoy
of frivolous complaints is understandable and the misuse ofthe
process for personal political advantage is deplorable, However, the
Committee ses a far greater negative in imposing a filing fee. The
Committee believes that the Judicial Board's authority to throw out
frivolous complaints shouldbe a sufficient det
misuse of the proc
THE COMMITT
THIS AMENDMENT:
2 to any wholesale
RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
The follow Board of Directors
and the ten Statewide OF
ARTICLE VI. Committees
Section 2. BOARD COMMITTEES
) tthe of
s submitied
the Statewide Board
Budget and
ational meetin
committees shall be
Finance; 2>Charter; 3, Committe to Study the Cost of Operating
Group Lite Insurance; 4. Personne; S, Directors; 6. [Public Sector]
Publications Committee. No offic
Committe the Directors’ Committee.
(b) TEXT REMAINS THE SAME
EXPLANATION: The name of our major publication has
changed from the Public Sector to The Work Force. Asa rsa, the
Boar and the Statewide Oificers have reviewed the question of wh
should be the appropriate name ofthe Public Sector Commitige, now
that our newspaper no longer bears that name, The Boon
recommended that a new name be considered and the officers
supported this idea, Since the Committee will have continued oversight
of the newspaper as well us some additional oversight responsibilities
for ether union publications, the officers’ recommendation i thatthe
Committee be renamed the Publications Committee
‘THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS
AMENDMENT.
Directors, the followi
shall serve on uny Bo:
The following proposal was submitted by Brother William
Stodolski of Local 508
ARTICLE VI. Committees
Section 1. STANDING COMMITTEES, TEXT REMAINS THE
SAME,
Section 2. BOARD COMMITTEES, TEXT REMAINS THE
SAME.
Section 3, STATE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES. There shall
‘exist the following negotiating committees: 1. Operational; 2.
Administrative; 3, Instttional, in ation to any other duly cenitied
slate bargaining unit or units which CSEA may represent. All
‘appointments tothe Negotiating Committe shall be made by the
President upon the advice and consent of the appropriate Region
Executive Board, When, as the result ofthe collective bargaining
process, a tentative agreement or contract is reached between CSEA,
Inc. and the State of New York on behalf of any duly certified
bargaining unit or unit, «full and complete copy of such additions
and deletions to the contract by section shal be sent to each member
of the affected unit or units and a reasonable amount of time fr
reading and discussion shall be allowed prior to the taking ofthe
ratification yoe. ill provi
Section 4. SPECIAL AND AD HOC COMMITTEES. TEXT
REMAINS THE SAME,
Section 5. COMMITTEES, TEXT REMAINS THE SAME.
EXPLANATION: The proposal seeks to ensure that State
negotiations are handled by « person.with no other dealings with the
State, By using an “outside negotiator” the proposer believes that the
negotiating process would be protected from “outside influences
stemming from the on-going day-to-day labor relations and contract
administration activites that takes place between the Labor Relations
Department and the Governor's Office of Employee Relations. The
Committee does not support this proposal forthe following reasons,
The Committee believes thatthe underlying issue is one of trust, In the
past, the State Division negotiating process has been handled primarily
by the appointed negotiating committee, the CSEA President, and the
CSEA Chief Negotiator. This year negotiations resulted in a tentative
agreement thatthe members did not like and which they defeated. This
was the first ime that a State Division agreement was defeated in over
thiny years. As a result, the parties went back to the table; only this
time the CSEA negotiating process changed drastically. Asa result of
feedback from the membership, the negotiating process became an
‘open and inclusive process, State Division members were informed of
both sides’ proposals A day long program focusing onthe proposals
and on our members’ demands was held in Lake Pl
revised demands were drafed by the State Division N
Committee and throughout the process.
been provided to State Division members. Th
roposals were included on the CSEA.
ackouts was eliminated, Th
Web Page and all input from State Division members was referred to
tating Committee for review and response. Th
of the dissatisfaction with the proc lated tothe frst proposed
and when the CSEA negotiating committee
ler membership
n
al Tepe
went back to the
patticipation, This n
ble, they had the benefit
approach is restori
contract problems, or the State's vulnerobit
hip than our own me
better lea
wegotiators. In addition, outside ne ive away things
without ever reali
oth impact of their actions, simply because they
sof a conte
ell as do those who Ii work under it every day. Outside
Jo of mioney, as much a $500 10 $1000 a day. Su
1 financial commitment is no assurance of a better, quicker, or fairer
result, And, as a union, we must also understand that we cannot
provid ices to one group of members without cx
He implications and costs as relate tothe remainder of the membership
in the Local Government Division andthe Private Sector Division. For
all these reasons und given the very basic premise ofall CS
ons, Which i tl
Kors in
omey$ are not necess
the labor relations context, the Commitee does not support
proposal
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF
THIS AMENDMENT,
UNFINISHED BUS
(1) Proposal from Broth Joc! Schwartz of Local 446 seeking to
amend By-Laws Article VI (Committees), Section 4 (Special and Ad
Hoe Committees)
(2) Proposal from Sister Jocasa Relf of Local 192 seeking 10
amend By-Laws Article VI (Committees), Section 3 (State Negotiating
Committees).
ALL CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING RESOLUTIONS
AND/OR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS RECEIVED BY THE
COMMITTEE AS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEADLINE OF
MAY 15, 1999 HAVE BEEN REVIEWED. APPROPRIATE
RESPONSES HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO THOSE
INDIVIDUALS.
Respectfully submitted,
Tony Bailows, Chair
Sabina Shapiro, Vice-Chair
Jim Wall, Region |
Lester Crockett, Region If
Gail Hansen, Region IV
Dominick Grasso, Region V
Donna Dobbler, Region VI
Sam Mogavero, Retire Division
Mary E. Sullivan, Officer Liaison
Nancy E. Hoffman, Staff Advisor
C&BLIANN'
VAL DELEGATES REPORTS/#416
4 EXPRESS one
CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
‘CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS 007%
Police Civilians Perform YJmportant
Support for Law Enforcement
Above, senior Hostler Geraldine
Camirand brings a horse from
paddock to stable where he'll be
groomed and readied for use by the
mounted patrol.
Below left, Unit President Lillian
Neumar (standing) and Vice
President Debbie Imperatore discuss
a union matter.
Aboye, Hostler Lawrence Sokolowski grooms
a horse inside the mounted patrol stable at
Eisenhower Park.
Above right, Unit President Lillian Neumar
takes a call at'the CSEA office at Police
Headquarters in Mineola.
Right, Shelter Officer
‘Tom Lippman
Right, Rose Ann
Cotilletta, a clerk typist
for Chief of Support, at
the copy machine.
What comes to mind
as in Local 830’s “Police
In a way, that’s a trick}
when you hear the term “Police Civilian,” such
Civilian Unit?”
question because if you really knew about the
unit, you would know that no ONE thing could possibly come to
mind. That's because thq
of titles and perform so
County Police Departm
To most people, “Poli
workers who aren't poli
describe these CSEA me
In every possible way,
duties that support the Ij
force. Whether it be the
the police cars and amby
the horses for the moung
dozen police buildings, d
department in which pa
police: civilians ‘who kee}
members of this unit hold such a wide variety
many different functions within the Nassau
pnt.
e Civilian” would probably mean simply
F officers, That’s true, but a better term to
bers might be “Police Support.”
the men and women of this unit perform
w enforcement function of the police
9-1-1 operators, the mechanics who keep
lances on the road, the hostlers who tend
fed patrol, the laborers who maintain over a
r the clerical support that is so vital to a
erwork can be measured in tons, it is the
the department moving.
For this story, The Express toured, many of the Police Department
facilities to. get‘on-the-jqfb photos of our CSEA Police Civilian Unit
members in action. Leadfling the way were Unit President Lillian
Neumar and Vice Presidfent Debbie Imperatore.
A Wide Range of Jobs
ce Polide Civilians
> following areaff are comprised of CSEA Police
ans Unit menf&bers:
Jommunications Hureau
Detention Aides
Building Maintenaffhce Unit
Fleet Service Bureafly
Shelter Officer
Hostlers
Laborers
Clerical Personnel
Surgeons
Police Case Offensdf Transcribers
Multi Keyboard Ojfkerators
Above, Rudy Watson, left, helps workers at
Fleet Service repair an ambulance.
iia een EN PRESS 5
Far left, CB
Operator Ginger
Holmes is a
Certified Shop
Steward.
Left, Rudy
Kaufman (CSEA
Unit Treasurer)
goes about her
duties as Clerk
Typist I in the
Sealed Records
office.
Above, Pearl Press, left, and Lorraine Bloom
are Transcribing Machine Operators.
Frank Hopkins is a
Laborer I but is also
grievance trained and a
Certified Shop
Steward.
WomMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
RECOGNITION DINNER
he "GZ. tibl, " Castro
A Woman's Transition from Private Industry to Public Service
Featuring Guest Speaker
BERNADETTE CASTRO
Commissioner, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
Thursday, September 23, 1999 — 5-10 p.m.
CHATEAU BRIAND, 440 Otp country Rp., CARLE PLACE
Join the Women’s Committee in honoring outstanding women from the ranks of
CSEA for their achievements in the field of women’s issues.
$22 - BARGAINING UNIT MEMBERS $32 - GUESTS
RESERVATION FORM
UNIT/ORGANIZATION.
PHONE NUMBER (WORK). (HOME).
Enclosed please find my check in the amount of $. which represents payment of reservations at a cost of $22 per
bargaining unit employee and $32 per guest.
Make checks payable to: CSEA NASSAU LOCAL 830 and retum to CSEA, 400 County Seat Drive, Mineola, NY 11501
Attn: Mary Green or Diane Russ
Retiring in the Next 5 Years?
CSEA to Sponsor
Pre-Retirement Seminar
A pre-retirement and financial
planning seminar that will focus on
long-range and short-term planning for
members in all tiers will be held on
Friday, Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at
Nassau Community College in Garden
City. The seminar will also deal with
special retirement plans.
The full-day program, sponsored by
CSEA Nassau Local 830, will feature
representatives from the New York State
Retirement System, Social Security
Administration, Deferred
Compensation and an insurance
representative.
The program is free and will be held
in the multi-purpose room of the
College Center Building. (Use
Hempstead Turnpike entrance.) Lunch
will be served. Seating is limited so early
registration is suggested by calling Judy
or Jewel at 571-2919, Because the
program will be held on a workday,
members who wish to attend must take
an entitlement.
Thorsen Honored
By Molloy College
CSEA member George Thorsen, who
serves as assistant to the director of the
Nassau County Department of
Probation, has been honored by Molloy
College for “outstanding and dedicated
service” to the college's Department of
Criminal Justice.
According to Esther Rister, the
department chairperson, Thorsen
“brought his vast knowledge and
experience in law enforcement to the
classroom, He has been an inspiring role
model to students and an esteemed
colleague on the criminal justice
faculty,”
The oldest annual event on Long Island will be
back in October, and CSEA members will once
again be making it happen. It’s the Long Island
Fair, which traces its roots to the 1840s and has
been running an unbroken string at Old Bethpage
Village Restoration for the past 30 years. This year’s
Fair will be held Oct. 8-11 and 14-17 from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
The Museum Services Division of the Nassau
County Department of Recreation & Parks
administers the fair, but CSEA members from all
Rec 8 Parks Divisions are enlisted to ensure its
success. They will be performing a wide range of
jobs, including some in costume of the mid-1800s.
The theme of the 1999 Long Island Fair is a
Above, a stilted Uncle Sam fascinates children at the Long Island
Fair.
Below, children study lion diorama at “Cats in the Wild” exhibit
at the Sands Point Preserve.
return to the old Mineola Fair of 1899 in
celebration of Nassau County's centennial. A
popular visitor to the fair that year was Gov.
Theodore Roosevelt, who will be brought to life
this year by renowned impersonator James Foote.
Teddy's mounted cowboy soldiers, the Rough
Riders, will perform riding demonstrations and
daring cavalry maneuvers.
The fair is held on a 12-acre recreation of the
old Mineola fairgrounds at Old Bethpage Village
Restoration, which depicts a typical pre-Civil War
Long Island farming community. The fair features
entertainment, contests, exhibits, demonstrations
and much more. Admission is $8 for adults and $5
for seniors and children.
Another Parks Program
Cats Take Over Sands Point
In addition to the Long Island Fair, County Museum Division workers are
also presenting a unique exhibit ts in the Wild,” which provides a wealth
of information on members of the cat family, both large and small.
The exhibit includes displays on cat biology and behavior, cats as hunters,
cat stories and superstitions, endangered wild species such as tigers, cheetahs
and leopards, and a skeleton of the extinct saber-toothed cats.
“Cats in the Wild” will run through Nov. 14 at the county-operated Sands
Point Preserve and is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children (3-12). For more
information and directions call 571-7900.
Garden Building
CSEA activist Tim Jaccard of the AMT Unit levels a path through a
garden he built for the new Healthy Heart area outside CSEA offices at
400 County Seat Drive, Mineola. Jaccard, a professional floral designer
and landscape artist, single-handedly landscaped the area with railroad
ties, posts, shrubs and flowers. He even installed a sprinkler system. Says
CSEA Executive Vice President Jane D’Amico, who serves as Healthy
Heart Project Director: “Tim's talents and toil have created a beautiful
garden surrounding our program area and we all deeply appreciate his
efforts. Tim is a credit to our union.”
8 EXPRESS
A Message from
Long Island Region
President
Nick LaMorte
his summer has drawn to a close —
unlike the budget deficit in Nassau
County.
As the county executive and his administration
look for ways to close the gap, the county work
force continues to be offered up as a sacrifice by
the media.
Newsday has offered to reopen your contract
— something CSEA would never consider. That
same editorial staff has suggested layoffs, despite
the fact that CSEA has repeatedly shown layoffs
don’t work.
It's time for you to write some letters to the
editor of Newsday and tell them your stories.
You are not only hard-working county
employees, you are taxpayers as well. Many of you
saw your departments all but decimated in 1992
and have struggled to continue to provide services.
And what about all the money the county
flushes in private contracts?
No one can tell your story better than you.
So as you send your children off to school, (staffed
predominantly by your CSEA sisters and brothers)
take pride in your union and the vital services its
members provide.
And don't be afraid to speak out!
Fraternally,
Nick LaMorte
Long Island Region President
SEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
Halloween Costume Party
Is Theme for CSEA Dinner
CSEA members can save $10 off the price of a ticket by wearing their best Halloween
costume to the 51st Annual Dinner Dance of CSEA Nassau Local 830. It’s set for 7 p.m.
at the Crest Hollow Country Club on Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury.
The CSEA Social Committee has made “Halloween” the theme of this year’s dinner,
according to Chair Beth Luttinger. Tickets are $60 for people who don’t wear a costume
and $50 for those do. Prizes will be awarded for the best three costumes. Luttinger has
reminded members that reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis so early
reservations are suggested.
Reservation forms can be obtained at CSEA headquarters in Mineola or by calling
571-2919. Checks should be made payable to “CSEA Nassau Local 830” and sent to 400
County Seat Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501, attn. Beth Luttinger.
Space will also be available in the souvenir journal at rates ranging from $75 for a
quarter of a page, $100 for a half page, $160 for a full page and higher prices for premium
placement, such as $500 for the back cover.
Get Your Tokens ASAP
For CSEA Picnic Set For Oct. 2
Admission tokens are still available for the CSEA Annual Picnic and Informational
Fair, set for Saturday, Oct. 2. Advanced sale price for bargaining unit members is $3.
Family members and friends pay $5. Children under 5 years of age are admitted free.
Members are advised to get their tokens in advance because the price is higher at the
gate. Tokens purchased at the picnic will cost $5 per person for members and $7 for family
and friends.
The picnic will be held in the Lindens Area of Eisenhower Park near Parking Field
6A. It will run — rain or shine — from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The event will feature games for adults and children; dancing to the music of DJ Joey;
informational booths, raffles, prizes and giveaways. Food will include hamburgers, hot
dogs, corn on the cob, barbecued chicken, potato salad, watermelon, soda and punch,
Admission tokens may be purchased at the CSEA Nassau Local 830 Office, 400
County Seat Drive, Mineola, or through your unit president. Persons wishing additional
information may call Social Committee Chair Beth Luttinger at 571-2919, ext. 11.
Stay Informed. Tune in to
Thursdays at 7 p.m.
repeated Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. on
WGBB, 1240 AM
“Twelve months a year we keep this place going,
and for six weeks we’re on the world’s stage.”
“If CSEA doesn’t show up for work, the
city closes,” said Denis Butler, a parking
enforcement officer, as he strolled among
six-figure cars legally parked on Broadway.
Working in this summer Mecca for
celebrity and cash has its paydays and bad
days for union members.
The city doubles in size, traffic
congestion triples, workers eat lunch at
work rather than jockey around the racing
crowd in town.
“Does any other town of 25,000 people
look or act like this?” exclaimed Leah Ploss,
a union member and custodian at Saratoga
Springs junior high school.
“We're fortunate to have tens of
thousands of tourists come here every day,”
she added. “If we didn’t have the celebrity
and notoriety, people wouldn’t come and it
wouldn’t be Saratoga.”
And they’re off
For two decades, CSEA member Jim
Froehlich has endured the pilgrimage from School custodian Leah Ploss cleans a Racing inspector Chris Bany
New York City to Saratoga as part of his job hallway wall. She’s one of hundreds inspects a sealed container of horse
as an inspector with the state Racing and of CSEA members who keep this city urine. The top three horses in most
Wagering Board. of horses running in August. races are tested for drugs.
(See SARATOGA on page 16)
New license plates are displayed by CSEA member
Jane Hudman, who works in the Saratoga County
office building.
Duane Valentine, an inspector for the state Racing and
Wagering Board, spends six weeks at the thoroughbred track in
Saratoga testing horses for drugs.
September 1999 page AL
POUGHKEEPSIE — HRA
Although some drivers
liken them to a
highway slalom course,
those plastic orange
safety cones dotting
the roadways may be
the difference between
life or death for CSEA
members working on
the road.
As state and local highway
repair crews take to the pavement, CSEA
members here are polishing their highway
safety skills with training sponsored by
CSEA and its international affiliate, the
American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Rules of the road
There are rules of the road for drivers
and separate, federal safety regulations
for highway repair crews, CS9EA members
working in the Town of Poughkeepsie
highway, sewer and water departments
Keeping safe beyond
the orange CONneS <=
Pat Brown and his co-
demonstrated how a safety zon i
up. Bill Plass ml
toa)
learned at a daylong training
session on highway safety.
The federal Department of
Transportation has rules governing how a
highway construction site should be set
up according to the width, length and
speed of the road.
“It was one of the best trainings we ever
had,” said Pat Brown, president of the
Town of Poughkeepsie Unit.
Brown, a sewer maintenance mechanic,
and his co-workers often have to block
traffic on busy roads so his crew can flush
sewers.
“We were doing pretty
Lifting Safely
large box, fill two smaller boxes.
sharp edges; wear safety shoes and
when necessary.
hand, platform or shelf trucks, desk
movers.
safe materials handling.
© Engineer your load — instead of filling one
_) Make sure your travel path is clear.
1 Size up the load — tip it to one side to
see if it can be handled; check for nails or
(J Use mechanical aids whenever possible:
appliance dollies, drum trucks or panel
CJ Make sure your employer provides proper
training and OSHA-approved equipment for
good,” Brown said. “We had
the equipment — now we
have the knowledge.”
Impressive training
Dutchess County Local
President Ken Monahan, the
Safety and Health
Committee chairman for the
Southern Region, said he
was impressed with the
training.
“This is a perfect
example of the resources we
have available to us from
AFSCME,” Southern Region
President Carmine
DiBattista said. “I
wholeheartedly urge all the
locals and units to take
advantage of it.”
gloves
movers
u — Anita Manley
Bill Marquardt of
AFSCME shows how a
safety zone is mapped to
protect workers and
motorists,
Turning orange to green:
Gov. urged to OK
hazard duty pay for
highway crews
The men and women in orange vests
may be seeing more green if Gov. George
Pataki signs a CSEA-sponsored bill which
would give hazardous duty pay for
CME » ap,
“Yo some state Department of
Transportation (DOT)
employees.
Many DOT employees who
work on bridges, highways and
other state roads are at constant
risk of falls, being struck by traffic,
and other serious threats to their health
and safety.
The bill, which has passed the Senate
and Assembly, allows DOT, with approval
from the Division of Budget, to pay a
hazardous duty differential to employees
who work in close proximity to traffic and
are at unavoidable risk of injury.
The differential would not be added to
the employees’ basic annual salary, but
would be included for purposes of
calculating retirement benefits,
CSEA President Danny Donohue said
CSEA has been fighting for years to get
this high-priority legislation passed.
“Too many DOT employees have
already faced life-threatening injury and
even death as a result of the dangerous |
nature of this job,” Donohue said. “These | |
employees are entitled to a differential for
putting their lives on the line every day,”
he added.
CSEA members may call the governor
toll-free at 1-877-373-7920 and urge his
support for hazardous duty pay for DOT
workers.
Ss sTpone
— Ed Molitor
These volunteers are special
Father-son team raise
cash, awareness for
Special Olympics
ROCHESTER — Al Gundy is
an unofficial ambassador _ ¢seh*
for the Special Olympics
as a parent-volunteer, a
certified coach, and
all-around booster.
A Monroe County Parks
Department worker, Gundy
works closely with his son, Brian, a
23-year-old Special Olympics athlete who has been
the top fund-raiser for the Monroe County chapter
four of the past five years, through pledges raised
for an annual 4.5-mile walkathon.
“Working with Special Olympics is really
rewarding, and I'd be saying that even if my son
wasn’t a Special Olympian,” said Gundy, a parks
ground equipment operator and member of the
CSEA Monroe County Unit.
“But I’m especially proud that he was the best
individual fund-raiser in his category again this year,
raising $1,626 in four weeks,” he added.
Gundy and his son were joined on the trek by 835
other area volunteers, who helped raise nearly
$60,000 for the Special Olympics and other youth,
sports, civic and church groups throughout the
county.
“Besides being such a good fund-raiser, Brian is an
eight-sport athlete, participating in baseball,
basketball, soccer, volleyball, track, bowling and
poly hockey,” Gundy said about his son, who
suffered traumatic brain injury at birth.
“He has completed high school and is living proof
that obstacles can be overcome,” Gundy said.
Gundy, known at work as a tireless advocate for
the Special Olympics, has worked for the parks
department 20 years, with the first 10 years as a
part-timer.
“Al has been a stalwart for CSEA in several
campaigns, like our fight to keep the county golf
courses publicly operated,” said Florence Tripi,
Monroe County Unit president. “And we're all very
proud of him and Brian, and Brian’s grandmother,
Josephine. They make a good team.”
“l urge all CSEA members to find the time to help
the Special Olympics,” said Western Region
President Bob Lattimer. “Once they participate,
they'd be surprised how much enjoyment they’d get
from being involved,” he added.
LOCAL 1000 AFSCME « gp)
“Cig
Family,
Friends ana
Neighbors
265,000 memans St?"
— Ron Wofford
State government members:
ave money on child care,
dependent care
CSEA members who work for New York State
are raving about a negotiated employee benefit
that can save them thousands of dollars in taxes if
they pay for child or dependent care.
Members sing praises of DCAA
“I save about $700 per year in child care, preschool costs,”
Debra Marie Valenti, a state Health Department employee from
Albany, said.
“Child care is very expensive,” said Valenti, a union member and
mother of two, noting she could spend $965 a month on day care,
preschool and baby sitter costs without the Dependent Care
Advantage Account.
In Rochester, state worker Debbie Burke has used the Dependent
Care Advantage Account for several years to help with child care for
her two children.
“Tl take any tax advantage program that benefits me. This one
works,” Burke said. “The program is very flexible and works with the
participants. I’ve recommended it to my co-workers.”
John Peden, a developmental aide, said the program “is found
money. It’s a great program and a very simple process to enroll.”
State government workers enroll now
State government workers are eligible for the program and may
enroll from Sept. 1 to Nov. 19.
The Dependent Care Advantage Account can be used by CSEA
members who work in state government to pay for eligible child care,
elder care or disabled dependent care by setting aside up to $5,000 in
pre-tax dollars to cover the costs of such care.
For more information, call 1-800-358-7202 or visit the Web site at
www.albany.net/~ccac/.
A presentation on the pre-tax reimbursement account for groups of
15 or more can be arranged by calling Regina Pollack at 518-473-8091.
“IT highly recommend this program to others seeking child care,”
Valenti said. “It really works. This program has really helped lift a big
burden off my shoulders,” she added.
Many CSEA state members use this program, and each save about
$1,500 annually. It is possible to save up to $2,400, depending on total
family income and cost of care.
“This program can ease the financial burden for our state members
who currently pay for child care, elder care or disabled dependent care
in order to work,” CSEA Secretary Barbara Reeves said.
— Daniel X. Campbell
September 1999 THE WORK FORCE [eoRmm Bc}
REGISTER
JOPAN
hj
YOU HOLD THE POWER — REGISTER AND VOTE!
REGION OFFICES/POLITICAL ACTION COORDINATORS
Whether you're a member of CSEA’s local government, private
sector, retiree or state government division, your voter registration
and the votes you cast provide a unique opportunity to not only
maintain what we have achieved but to enhance our lives as
well. Every day, politicians make decisions that affect our lives
and those of our families, friends and neighbors. So register to
vote and vote!
Long Island Region: Ed LaPlante (516) 462-0030
Metro Region: Max Neuberger (212) 406-2156
Southern Region: Jason Haenel (914) 831-1000
Capital Region: Adam Acquario (518) 785-4400
Central Region: Gerald Fidler (315) 433-0050
Western Region: Bill Benfanti (716) 886-0391
page 14 Baa es September 1999
AFSCME women nee down with the power of politics
fe =, 4000 AFSCME
4
Pop hit “We
Got The Power”
blasted on the
loudspeakers
as hundreds of
union members
formed a conga
line around a New
York City hotel
conference
room
recently and
really
whooped it
up.
It was not
a union-
sponsored
aerobics
program, but
the annual regional women’s
conference sponsored by the
American Federation of State,
County and Muncipal Employees
(AFSCME), CSEA’s national affiliate.
“AFSCME Women, We've Got the
Power,” was the theme of this
year’s two-day program which
featured workshops to teach
activists to harness that power.
CSEA participants crammed into
workshops on topics that ranged
from women’s rights in the
workplace to effective lobbying.
“A lot of the focus this year was
on women in politics,” said
Catherine Barretta, chair of CSEA’s
statewide Women’s Committee.
In addition to workshops on
mobilizing activists and running
political campaigns, there was also
emphasis on encouraging union
members to run for public office.
“When Rep. Nita Lowey
addressed the crowd, the audience
really went wild. It was great to see
a politician who started out in the
PTA and now represents the
interests of working men and
women in Congress,” Barretta
said.
“The power of working men and
women is needed in the state
Legislature to address some of the
issues discussed at the conference,
like privatization and pay equity,”
said CSEA Treasurer Maureen
Malone.
— Ann Carroll
Below left, U.S. Rep. Nita
Lowey tells CSEA women they
have the political power that
can make a difference in
elections.
Right, CSEA
Metropolitan
. #” Region
y President George
Boncoraglio,
Josephine LeBeau,
‘ president of District
A Council 1707, and
Executive Vice
| President Mary
Sullivan stir up the
crowd.
Union Plus Credit Card Scholarships awarded
Four children of CSEA members have been
awarded Union Plus Credit Card Scholarships
for 1999.
They are Margery Faville, whose father, Dain
Faville, is a probation officer for Herkimer
County, was awarded a $2,000 scholarship.
Diana Koutinas, whose mother, Susan
Koutinas, is a building security guard with the
William Floyd School District, was awarded a
$1,000 scholarship.
Jason Williams, whose mother, Patricia
Williams, is a clerk at the the SUNY College of
Environmental Science and Forestry in
Syracuse and whose father, Allen Williams, is a
mental hygiene therapy aide at Hutchings
Psychiatric Center in Syracuse, was awarded a
$500 scholarship.
April Huyck, whose father, Gary Huyck, is a
heavy equipment operator with the Town of
Union, was awarded a $500 scholarship.
Apply for next year’s awards
Scholarships totaling $250,000 will be
awarded through the Union Plus Credit Card
Scholarship Program in 2000.
Applications are available Sept. 15 and
winners will receive one-time awards ranging
from $500 to $4,000.
Completed applications for the 2000
scholarship must be postmarked no later than
Jan. 31, 2000. Winners will be notified on May
31, 2000.
Who's Eligible
Members, their spouses, and dependent
children are eligible. Graduate students are not
sipiple.
Members must have at least one year of
continuous good-standing membership in
CSEA/AFSCME. Members need not be AFSCME
Advantage credit cardholders to apply.
How to Apply
By the time the award is issued applicants
must:
* Be accepted into an accredited college or
community college or a recognized technical or
trade school.
* Submit their high school, college or trade
school transcript. Applicants who have taken
the SAT or ACT must submit their exam score.
* Provide one personal reference, a
verification of CSEA/AFSCME membership and
an essay of 500 words on the applicant’s
personal interests and aspirations, as well as an
explanation as to why he or she deserves a
union scholarship.
Members can obtain an application by
sending a postcard indicating they are from
AFSCME Local 1000, with their name, address
and phone number to:
Union Plus Credit Card Scholarship Program
P.O. Box 9389
Minneapolis, MN 55440-9389
Awards
An impartial committee of post-secondary
school educators will make the awards based
on such factors as academic achievement and
potential, character, leadership, social
awareness, career goals and financial need.
September
1999
CSEA gives Empire State Games
competitive edge
Union members rubbed elbows with
some of the state’s top amateur athletes
“We had double session practices and
it was very hot so that was tough. But
recently as Long Island hosted this year’s the competition itself was great and I
Empire State Games competition. loved everything about it,” the Miller
CSEA members who work for the state | Place High School senior said.
came from every town and county to “The best part for me was the opening
work the games, predominantly handling ceremonies. It was awesome,” LaMorte
merchandising and ticket sales for events _ said.
ranging from ice hockey to archery. “Everywhere you looked all the
Janelle Walter, a park aide from athletes were wearing the same thing and
Niagara Falls, said she was having a great everyone was so nice and you met so
time during the four days of competition. many great people. It was so much fun!”
“It’s been really fun to be part of the she added.
games. I'm really enjoying it,” she said. LaMorte said she has been wearing her
George Cotich, a secretary from Albany yellow and blue team jacket ever since
said, “It’s great to be here. It’s a real
change from work and the people have
been lots of fun. I’m really glad I came.”
One of the hundreds of Empire State
Games athietes has a direct CSEA
connection.
Field hockey player Alana LaMorte,
daughter of CSEA Long Island Region
President Nick LaMorte, competed in the
games and was one of five Long Islanders
chosen to compete in the upcoming
National Futures games in Maryland.
After three tryouts, LaMorte was
chosen for the Empire State Games field
hockey team representing Long Island.
the games.
“What a great
experience for me
to be able to
support an event
where my union
members are
working and see
my daughter
compete. We are
incredibly proud
of Alana,” said her
father.
— Sheryl C. Jenks
Brunell, left, and George Cotich
display Empire Game merchandise.
At left, Alana LaMorte handles the
ball during one of the Empire State
Games field hockey tournaments.
Saratoga (CONTINUED from page 11)
He and CSEA member Lori Furlani
help horse owners and trainers
complete the paperwork that must be
filed before a horse can run at the
track.
“No one can race without coming
to us first,” said Froehlich, a former
horse trainer. “We make sure all the
laws are followed.”
For Furlani, the change from the
boisterous streets of hometown
Brooklyn to the bucolic backstretch
at Saratoga is fantastic.
“This is summer camp for me,”
three summers working at Saratoga.
Away from the well-heeled and
grinned Furlani, who's spent the last
noisy action of the track clubhouse,
Chris Bany whistles while he works.
Bany must, if he wants to do his
job quickly.
The 77-year-old CSEA member is
one of several inspector technicians
who collect urine samples from the
top three horses in most races. The
samples are tested for drugs.
Bany cocks his furrowed, bald
head to the right and coos to the
1,000 pounds of sweating, snorting
horse flesh he has led into a
darkened stall.
Bany starts to whistle — a
melodic three-note lilt that fills the
barn.
The well-trained horse fills a
plastic test cup, held on a long stick
by the inspector, in a few seconds.
“My job is very important,” Bany
explained as he gently led the
winning chestnut brown
thoroughbred from the stall.
“Anytime you have lots and lots of
money involved — as you do here in
horse racing — it’s always good to
make sure everyone is toeing the
line,” Bany said, his eyes narrowing.
“The betting public has to be
protected.”
— Ronald Kermani
Pree THE WORK FORCE September
State budget buys 100
new OMRDD beds
The second-latest state budget in history held good news for
CSEA members, including the state’s commit
new state-operated beds in the state Office of Mental
Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD).
“CSEA’s statewide campaign to educate the public and state
lawmakers about the value and quality of services we provide
at OMRDD was a tremendous success,” said CSEA President
Danny Donohue.
In other important budget news:
Lawmakers rejected Gov. George Pataki’s plan to change the
Community Mental Health Reinvestment Act
savings from closing mental health centers would not have to
be used for staffing ratios.
eLawmakers also nixed plans to gut the Tuiti
Program (TAP) and cut jobs in the state Education Department.
All TAP money and programs were restored.
¢Plans to cut money to the Board of Cooperative Educational
Services (BOCES) program and phase it out were also rejected.
*Qverall, school aid was increased by a record $960 million.
*CSEA won its long-standing fight against legislative approval
for the state Office of Court Administration to use mechanical
recording instead of professional stenographers in court cases.
CSEA President I”
sector.
Southern Region
Sept. 15, Region 3 Office
735 State Route 52
. 2
State balks at big iss
State government contract talks
continued throughout the summer,
although the state has not budged on
CSEA’s demands for raises and extending
benefit coverage for 77,000 union members
beyond this month.
Benefits available through the CSEA
Employee Benefit Fund are set to expire
Sept. 30, but union leaders across the state
will continue to pressure Gov, George
Pataki to extend them again.
“Through the dog-days of summer, your
CSEA negotiating team has held firm at the
bargaining table. It is no easy task,” said
CSEA President Danny Donohue.
“We have only one goal: a contract that
i Talk with your union president at these locations
Donohue meets regularly with members
across the state to discuss important workplace issues affecting
workers in local and state government and in the private
Here is his meeting schedule for the rest of the year:
Beacon — For an appointment, call (914) 831-1000
ment to fund 100
so a portion of the
on Assistance
BUFFALOED IN BUFFALO — Western Region President Bob
Lattimer, second from left, confronts Gov. George Pataki at the
Buffalo Airport recently just before Pataki boarded a small
private jet to return to Albany. CSEA leaders and members have
been dogging the governor around the state, demanding he
show some respect at the state contract bargaining table.
40 Fulton St.
22nd Floor
Long Island Region
Dec. 9, Riverhead Ramada
Route 25 at Exit 72
Metropolitan Region
Nov. 9, Region 2 Office
New York — For an appointment, call (212) 406-2156
Riverhead — For an appointment, call (516) 462-0300
ues; talk
shows our state government members
some respect,” he added.
CSEA begins every negotiating session
by demanding the state roll back the
increases in co-pays and premiums
stemming from the state’s takeover of the
prescription benefit. u
State negotiators have refused. The
state tentatively accepted four of CSEA’s
demands, including travel and relocation
expense reimbursement, pre-tax
transportation program, leave donation
and holidays for employees who work
extended work days.
The state has made some proposals
involving day care and health insurance.
s continue on other contract items
A proposal — the state calls it Health
Option Program (HOP) — would allow
employees to voluntarily use some sick
leave credit to pay for all or part of their
health insurance premium,
Meanwhile, CSEA members continue to
confront Gov. George E. Pataki when he
travels on state business.
“CSEA’s demonstrations have to be
spontaneous,” said CSEA Executive Vice
President Mary Sullivan, who heads the
union’s statewide member mobilization
campaign.
“We will continue to let the governor
know we will not go away,” she
said.
‘ September 1999 THE WORK FORCE PEWS
€
Me,
Notice of nomination and election
Based on the actions of the delegates
at the 1998 CSEA Convention, our
election cycle has been changed.
Elections for statewide officers and
region officers, as well as for the Board
of Directors, will be held at the same
time. CSEA members are urged to
carefully read the election information
on this page and related stories in future
issues of The Work Force.
Elections for the following positions
will take place between Jan. 18 - Feb. 8,
2000.
Statewide Officers:
President, Executive Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer
Region Officers:
Region 1: President, Executive VP, Ist
VP, 2nd VP, 3rd VP, Secretary, Treasurer
Region 2; President, Executive Vice
President, Ist VP, 2nd VP, Secretary,
Treasurer
Region 3: President, Executive VP, 1st
VP, 2nd VP, 3rd VP, Secretary, Treasurer
Region 4: President, Executive Vice
President, Ist VP, 2nd VP, 3rd VP,
Secretary, Treasurer
Region 5; President, Executive VP, 1st
VP, 2nd YP, 3rd VP, Recording Secretary,
Treasurer
Region 6: President, Ist VP, 2nd VP, 3rd
VP, Secretary, Treasurer
Statewide Board of Directors:
Representatives of the State Executive
Committee and the Local Government
Executive Committee
CSEA Election Schedule for Statewide
Officers, Region Officers, Statewide
Board of Directors
Sept. 13: Start of petitioning period:
Nominating petitions available at CSEA
headquarters in Albany and all CSEA
region offices.
Oct. 15: Deadline for nominating
petitions to be received at CSEA
headquarters (5 p.m.)
Noy. 16: Ballot position drawing
Jan, 18: Ballots mailed
Jan. 25: Replacement ballots available
Feb. 8: Deadline for receipt of ballots
(8 a.m.). Ballots counted.
Any CSEA member who is
considering the possibility
of running for office may
obtain information about
the election process by
calling the Election
Committee at CSEA
headquarters
1-800-342-4146 ext. 1477
Pree em THE WORK FORCE
Election results will be announced
after the ballot count. Candidates will
be notified by mail of the results.
Election results will be published in the
March 2000 edition of The Work Force.
Availability of Petition Request Forms
and Nominating Petitions
Beginning Aug. 23, nominating
petition request forms will be available
from local presidents, CSEA
headquarters and region offices.
Petition request forms may be filled out
and returned to CSEA headquarters
and/or region offices at any time, but
the nominating petitions will not be
released until Sept. 13, the first day of
the petitioning period.
Individual or Slate Petitions
Persons seeking an office may
petition individually or as part of a
slate to appear on the ballot.
No person may be a‘candidate for
statewide and region office during the
same election year. No person may be a
candidate for more than one region
office.
In statewide elections, the slate must
contain a candidate for each of the
statewide offices listed herein.
In region elections, the slate must
contain a candidate for each of the
region offices listed herein for the
particular region.
For the board of directors elections,
slate petitioning is available in those
departments or political subdivisions
which, in accordance with the CSEA
Constitution and Bylaws, are entitled to
more than one board seat. In such
instances, to constitute a slate, there
must be a candidate for each of the
seats to which the department or
political subdivision is entitled in that
election.
Voting Eligibility Date
Only CSEA members in good
standing as of Dec. 1, 1999 will be
eligible to vote in the election,
Rules for Running for:
CSEA Statewide President, Executive
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer
To be eligible to seek office, a
candidate must be at least 18 years old;
a member in good standing since Jan. 1,
1999; shall not have been a member of
a competing labor association or union
since Jan. 1, 1999; and shall not
currently be serving a disciplinary
penalty imposed by CSEA’s Judicial
Board.
Any CSEA member who meets the
above criteria may become a candidate
-and have his or her name placed on the
September 1999
ballot for a specific statewide office by
obtaining on official petition forms the
signatures and Social Security numbers
of at least 1,000 CSEA members eligible
to vote in the upcoming election.
Signatures must be of CSEA dues-
paying members who are not serving a
suspension and who have no
delinquent dues.
The statewide president, executive
vice president, secretary and treasurer
terms will start July 1, 2000 and shall be
for a single term of three and three-
quarter years, ending March 1, 2004.
Rules for Running for:
Officers for CSEA’s Six Regions
To be eligible to seek office, a
candidate must be at least 18 years old;
a CSEA member in good standing of the
region since Jan. 1, 1999; shall not have
been a member of a competing labor
association or union since Jan. 1, 1999;
and shall not currently be serving a
disciplinary penalty imposed by CSEA’s
Judicial Board.
Any CSEA member who meets the
above criteria may become a candidate
and have his or her name placed on the
ballot by obtaining on official petition
forms the signatures and Social
Security numbers of at least 500 CSEA
members eligible to vote in the
upcoming election, All signatures:must
be from the region where the person is
seeking office.
Signatures must be of CSEA dues-
paying members who are not serving a
suspension and who have no
delinquent dues.
With the election year 2000, region
officers will serve four-year terms,
commencing March 1, 2000.
Within the next few weeks,
check the CSEA bulletin
boards at your workplace for
more election details.
Rules for Running for:
Statewide Board of Directors
To be eligible to seek office, a
candidate must be at least 18 years old;
a CSEA member in good standing of the
department, county or educational
local he or she seeks to represent since
Jan. 1, 1999; shall not have been a
member of a competing labor
association or union since Jan. 1, 1999;
and shall not currently be serving a
disciplinary penalty imposed by CSEA’s
Judicial Board,
Any CSEA member who meets the
above criteria may become-a candidate
for a board seat and have his or her
name placed on the ballot by obtaining
on official petition forms the required
number of signatures and Social
Security numbers of CSEA members
eligible to yote in the election.
Signatures must be,of CSEA dues-
paying members who are not serving a
suspension and who have no
delinquent dues.
The board of directors terms will
begin July 1, 2000 and will run for a
single term of three and three-quarter
years, ending March 1, 2004.
Election Oversight
The election process will be
overseen by the union’s Statewide
Election Committee. The balloting will
be conducted by an independent
election agency approved by the
union's statewide Board of Directors.
Ballots mailed
Feb. 18 (Fri)
March
AFSCME DELEGATES ELECTION:
YEAR 2000
In addition to our own elections, the year 2000 also has an ASFCME
Delegates election. The approved schedule for that election is as follows:
Region Nomination Meetings
Declinations deadline ‘
Local/Unit President mailing labels available
Campaign Literature deadline
Voter List Inspection period begins
Replacement ballots available
Ballots due/8 a.m.; Tally commences
End of protest period
Results published in The Work Force
Based on the actions of the delegates at the 1998 CSEA Convention, the
balloting for the AFSCME Delegates election will take place at the same time and
as part of the CSEA elections for statewide officers, region officers and board of
directors. Members are urged to carefully read the election information contained
in The Work Force throughout the year 2000 election cycle as well as the
instructions which will accompany each mail ballot.
‘America’s Son’
touched CSEA
members’ lives
To CSEA member Annabell Kendrick,
John F. Kennedy Jr. was more than
“America's Son,” the celebrity endlessly
pursued and photographed.
To her, the famous son of the president
was a mentor.
Kendrick, retired from the Staten Island
Developmental Disabilities Service Office,
was one of the first CSEA members to
receive a Kennedy Fellowship.
Kendrick shared her memories about
Kennedy and the fellowship that bore his
name shortly after Kennedy's death in an
airplane accident off Martha’s Vineyard.
The Kennedy Fellowship was established
in 1989 when, in conjunction with the City
University of New York, the young Kennedy
established the Reaching Up Foundation.
Over the years, Reaching Up selected
375 Kennedy Fellows from among those who
provide direct care to the developmentally
disabled in New York’s schools and agencies
and helped finance their education and
follow their career progress.
“On the day I was presented with the
fellowship, I had to make a speech.
Unfortunately, I become tongue-tied when
I’m nervous. The whole time I was giving my
speech, John was sitting nearby, whispering
‘you're doing good, you're doing good,” she
added.
“The Fellowship helped me a lot, even
beyond the grant,” said Kendrick.
Kendrick worked during the day and
took most of her classes at night. Entering
school for her certificate in developmental
disabilities in her late 40s was daunting at
first. *
“I kept saying ‘I can’t do it,’ but when
you make up your mind you can, especially
with the help and support I received from
other people,” Kendrick said.
“John Kennedy Jr. will be missed,” she
— Ann Carroll
* seeking or holding union office;
* signing nominating petitions for potential candidates;
* voting in union elections, and;
© voting on collective bargaining contracts.
Only members “in good standing” can participate in these activities. To be in
“good standing,” your dues cannot be delinquent.
If you go on unpaid leave or for any other reason have a break in your
employment status, your dues will not continue to be paid through payroll
y September 1999 THE WORK FORCE Peek)
sh LOCAL 1000 AFSCME. AFL
CLASS ACTION PAYS
OFF — Nearly 300
former Westchester
County workers will
be awarded back pay for
time they were laid off
previous to Dec. 31, 1995,
thanks to a class action lawsuit
filed by CSEA. The total recovery for
the affected workers could exceed more than
$1.5 million. The case has been in the courts since
1995 ... MENTAL HEALTH PROBE — An NBC TV
affiliate in New York City recently did an exclusive
investigation into mental health services for
children. It announced plans by the city of New
York to file suit against the state of New York for
failure to comply with the mental hygiene law.
The piece highlighted the 800 mentally ill children
currently in the foster care system who are unable
to receive desperately needed treatment because
of extraordinarily long waits for all levels of
service. The city already has the suit drawn up,
but it has not yet been filed ... PEOPLE PERSON
— The PEOPLE recruiter of the month for July is
Evans Quamina of Local 443 in the Metro Region.
Quamina recruited 13 new PEOPLE members.
PEOPLE is CSEA and AFSCME’s Federal Political
Action Committee, helping elect supporters of
working families to Congress ... IT’S WHO YOU
KNOW — The Town of Brighton Unit of Monroe
County has filed an improper practice charge
against the Town of Brighton for not promoting
the most senior qualified employee. The job went
to the least senior of four applicants, the nephew
of the foreman, according to CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Debbie Lee ... SAFE AND READY — A
state Transportation Department labor-
management program has recognized employees
in two CSEA locals for maintaining high standards
in equipment safety and readiness. Rochester DOT
Local members, at the Livingston County
residency, took first place, and Wyoming County
residency members of Local 513 placed second,
and Wayne/Ontario residency members placed
third ... NASSAU COUNTY WIN — CSEA recently
won the right to represent 75 workers who had
performed case management responsibilities for
mentally ill clients in Nassau County. The county,
through its Department of Mental Health, had
contracted with Federation Employment and
Break in membership affects eligibility for union office, voting privileges
} :
| A break in union membership status can have long-term future implications. Your
membership status affects your eligibility with respect to:
265,000 mempens STRON™
“Cig
Guidance Services (FEGS)
to provide these vital
services. CSEA proved at a
hearing that Nassau County
controlled the wages, hours,
fringe benefits and other
conditions of employment for the
workers, CSEA exerted pressure on
the county by pitching the FEGS story toa
local TV station. The county agreed to keep union
members on the job through the end of the year.
... LONG BEACH ELECTS OFFICERS — The newly
organized CSEA Long Beach Hospital and Nursing
Home Local has elected its officers. They are:
President Virginia Coad, Vice President Marcene
Sutton, Secretary Linda Robertson and Treasurer
Nancy Robertson. Meanwhile, CSEA Private Sector
Deputy Director Mark Higgins continues to meet
with the officers, CSEA staff and representatives
from the AFL-CIO to gear up for upcoming
negotiations. The negotiating team will be chosen
shortly ... GENEVA ON BOARD — The Geneva
Municipal Employees Unit has ratified its first
CSEA contract after having joined CSEA last year
... CLYDE, TOO — A tentative first-year contract
has been negotiated in the Village of Clyde, also
organized last year ... STATE EDUCATION
TESTIMONY — CSEA presented testimony
regarding the Comprehensive Public School Safety
Program. The state Education Department
regulations were amended as a result of this
testimony so that school district health and safety
committees would have representation from all
existing bargaining units (not just the teachers!) ...
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE — In the Village of Liberty,
CSEA’s Unit president avoided a layoff when it was
discovered that faulty record keeping was causing
a budget glitch. The village manager was
dismissed ... SCHOOL SAFETY — Recent school
violence and new guidelines from the New York
State Police have caused CSEA to issue updated
recommendations to staff and school district
bargaining units regarding bomb scares ... NYS
(UN)FAIR — Central Region President Jim Moore
has the State Fair at the top of his agenda. Moore
and local leaders will be turning out hundreds of
union members to greet Gov. George Pataki at the
fair's opening on Aug. 26. Other state employee
unions will join the protest over stalled contract
talks.
without pay status due to becoming disabled by accident, illness, maternity or
exceed one year,
paternity, you may be eligible for dues-free membership status for a period not to
Note, however, you must continue to pay dues to run for office. Dues-free or
gratuitous membership allows members to continue their insurance coverage while
out of work, It does not protect your right to run for or hold office.
You must notify the CSEA Membership Records Department at 1-800-342-4146,
Ext, 1327, of any change in your status and what arrangements you are making to
continue your membership in CSEA.
SEA to
deductions. You must make arrangements to pay your dues directly to C:
continue your membership status, If you are either laid off or placed on leave
[v7.7 Seman CAWSEY Ta
Come join ys
Clip one
coupon at right CSEA member or family member
for each CSEA Ls
member and ‘Coupon good for Saturday and
family member Sunday, Sept. 4-5, 1999, only
and bring
coupon(s) to Celebrate CSEA Weekend at the NAME
% New York State Fair Saturday and
any fair gate for Sunday, Sept. 4 and 5, 1999. ADDRESS
a two-for-one
admission on
Saturday, Sept. ® | PHONE
4 and Sunday, CSEA LOCAL
Sept. 5, 1999,
oo om FOR ONE _
Aaaralees Yasraataeis GIS) SAVESAVE \S
coupons
will not be
, accepted.
Center located off Exit 7 Additional y Buy one admission for $7, get one free Yr econesote sonnets UY To
of Interstate 690, 3 miles coupons will CSEA member or family member
west of Syracuse. be available Seen GUO I Samy aa] BAY one fat admission fr 37, receive
Hours of operation are at your Goupon goo for Saturday andl he seeand tre for ond CSEA mombro
: family member, Children under 12 free.
10. a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. CSEA region é
office. Celebrate CSEA Weekend at the NAME
Buy one fair admission for $7, receive
the second free for one CSEA member or
family member. Children under 12 free.
New York State Fair Saturday and =
CSEA will maintain a booth in the Center of Suna Sent SAIN ®, 1882. Cae
Progress Building on the fairgrounds throughout
the entire fair, so stop by and visit the CSEA PHONE
booth at any time. The two-for-one coupons CSEA LOCAL
above, however, are only good during CSEA
Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4 and 5.
Saturday, Sept. 4 and Sunday, Sept. 5, 1999, is CSEA WEEKEND at the New York State Fair in mevranios, CSEA members and
their families will receive two-for-one admission that weekend, compliments of CSEA and the
New York State Fair.
CSEA Members: Enjoy a Fun-Filled, Family-Oriented
Labor Day at the Beautiful Saratoga Race Course
CSEA members who present the coupon printed below will receive FREE grandstand admission to the track. (Four
admission passes per coupon)
wit Family-oriented activities and entertainment for children and adults
wit A full day of exciting thoroughbred horse racing. Gates open at 11 a.m. Post time is | p.m.
FREE GRANDSTAND
ADMISSION
Saratoga Race Course
Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6, 1999
CSEA members should present this coupon or their CSEA membership
card at the sponsor’s booth at the main gate. Up to four free
grandstand admission passes will be given per coupon’
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