Official publication of
as
AFSCME, AFL-CIO
CRS
See Page 3
NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF CSEA REGION OFFICERS
CSEA members help
Local
Government
those in need
HOLIDAY DONATIONS:
Mt. Vernon School
District Employees
collected food that was
donated to Sacred Heart
Rectory Food Pantry
during the holidays. From
left are: committee Co-
chair Marie Lewis, pantry
director Henrietta
Edwards, Co-chair Bill
Hughes and Unit
President Lou Roccuzzo.
The church's soup
News
INDEX
Page 3
CSEA members in Wayne and Ontario
counties fight privatization by letting
the public know where they stand.
| Page 4
A CSEA member dies a hero doing
more than his job in Syracuse.
Also, CSEA wins a grievance in
Albany County and fights Broome
County over bargaining in bad faith.
Page 5
CSEA members in Yates County fight
for a contract, while Onondaga
County retirees fight to preserve
health care benefits. School district
units in the Western Region fight for
contracts and to preserve their rights.
Page 6
A CSEA member becomes a county
legislator in Westchester County. The
story is part of CSEA’s continuing
kitchen serves 150 meals
a night, and CSEA
members volunteered to y #
help serve meals ‘ Page 7
throughout the year. The CSEA wins an overtime battle in
unit also donated toys for Delaware County.
children.
celebration of Black History Year.
CSEA TOWN OF NORTH CASTLE
UNIT in Westchester County
collected food for the St. Francis
AME Zion Church in Port Chester.
From left are members Joan Vetare,
Edith Sturmer and Unit Vice
President Ruth Barrett.
oo Pitan oe
CSEA ALBANY HOUSING AUTHORITY helps the Farano House have a
brighter Christmas for their AIDS babies. CSEA Albany County Local
801 President and AHA President Jack Rohl and members Janet
Benson, Donald Caruso and Mark Sharpe present a table full of gifts
to Sister Mary Grace of the Farano House in Albany.
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Official publication of The Civil Service es CC) MMUNICATION ASSOCIATES
Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000, SHERYL C. JENKS __ Region I RON WOFFORD
AFSCME, AFL-CIO, 143 Washington (516) 273-2280
Avenue, Albany, New York, 12210 LILLY GIOIA Region II
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\ of Communications
2 March 1993 g
DAN CAMPBELL
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS
Fighting ¢ Bivatoers My
in Wayne, Ontario Counties
‘we
By Ron Wofford
CSEA Communications Associate
LYONS - Activists in CSEA Wayne and Ontario county locals and
state CSEA Newark Developmental Center Local members have
mounted their own campaign-within-a-campaign against
privatization.
In an effort that parallels the current statewide CSEA movement,
the locals are making their case on six billboards throughout the
two-county area and are distributing anti-privatization brochures.
“We thought this would be an effective way of educating the
public against privatization,” said Labor Relations Specialist Pat
Domaratz, who is coordinating the effort. “The brochures are being
used to help inform neighbors who may not be acutely aware of the
negative effects of privatizing public services.”
Activists from the three locals agreed that the fight against
privateers has only just begun.
“Privatization is creeping into our traditional areas of public
employee work all too rapidly,” said Wendy Wedman, president of
CSEA Wayne County Local 859.
“I think it’s a good idea to inform the public that there would be
only more problems if the county began subcontracting services.
We know that our Board of Supervisors wants to privatize the
Highway Department, which would be a big mistake. So we're
going to go all-out to prevent such a move, which would only
snowball and jeopardize jobs in other areas.”
In Ontario County, Local 835 President Steve Ernhout and
Finger Lakes Community College Unit President Dave Bloom have
chalked up a significant win against one subcontracting attempt
and are working to defeat another.
“We found out beforehand that our community college was
planning to subcontract the cleaning service for a new building to
a private contractor, work that is traditionally done by our
members,” Ernhout said. “But we beat them to the punch.
We wrote letters to the college Board of Trustees, we had the
CSEA Research Department work up cost figures, we got
county officials involved, even the new college president.
WAYNE COUNTY CSEA activists display CSEA anti-privatization
campaign brochures they are distributing to the public. From left
are Florence DeSanto, Bill Gutschow, Local 859 President Wendy
Wedman (seated), Supervisor Unit President Jane Heidenreich
and County Employee Unit President Cyndy Herman.
When it was all over, they saw that we meant business in
protecting our members and that we can work just as cost
effectively as a private contractor.”
But Bloom and Ernhout say they are presently fighting the
same battle regarding maintenance of county offices. a
“They do things so secretly,” Bloom said, “Something can
become an accomplished fact without any input from the
union, if we don’t stay on top of things.”
Bloom said the county's maintenance workforce has lost
half of its jobs over the last two years, opening the door for a
potential for-profit vendor to edge in.
“Another way that contractors creep ifito the picture is
convincing public employers to place a subcontractor
employee as a supervisor over our members,” Ernhout said.
“This has happened in the Geneva Schools, where
Servicemaster supplies supervisors over our members. One
of their first acts was to abolish two positions,” Ernhout
said. “Our members have to be educated to their tricks.
There probably isn’t one school district that hasn’t been
approached by subcontractors seeking to capitalize on our
members’ jobs.”
Pat Martin, president of CSEA Newark Developmental
Center Local 417, is also concerned about how privatization
affects her members’ jobs.
“We're staying on the alert,” Martin said, “because with so
many of our members’ workplaces being isolated, group
homes, they (subcontractors) could be working under our
noses without anyone knowing until it's too late. We support
the statewide effort, and we'll continue to try to educate our
local citizens and officials against privatization."
Dave Bloom,
left, Finger
Lakes
Community
/ College Unit
\ president, and
Steve Ernhout,
Ontario County
Local 835
president.
“Management
does things so
secretly,”
Bloom said.
“Our members
have to be
educated to
their tricks,”
added Ernhout.
g ; March 1993 3
wEEER
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS
Shaun Casey: husband, father, public employee
By Mark M. Kotzin
CSEA Communications Associate
SYRACUSE - CSEA member Shaun
Casey died a hero and a role model to his
City of Syracuse co-workers.
Casey, 41, a city code enforcement
inspector and member of CSEA Onondaga
County Local 834, died of an apparent
heart attack at the scene of a house fire he
spotted while driving by.
According to news reports, Casey
collapsed after running around the
burning building, apparently trying to be
sure no one was trapped
inside.
Casey worked with the
city’s Team Oriented Police
Squad, (TOPS) Unit, a
neighborhood-based city
revitalization program, and
helped city police shut
down crack houses and
clean up troubled city
neighborhoods.
On his first day back to
work last spring following
heart surgery, he helped close down three
drug houses.
CSEA Central Region President Jim
Moore said Casey's final actions “should
be considered heroic.”
“He was a true hero and should serve as
a model for other CSEA members. Even in
his last moments, he exemplified the best
virtues of public employees - caring,
concerned, dedicated and willing to go
that extra mile," Moore said.
“Unfortunately, those virtues cost him
his life.”
“He was a true hero and should serve as a
model for other CSEA members. Even in his
last moments, he exemplified the best virtues
of public employees - caring, concerned,
dedicated and willing to go that extra mile x
- Jim Moore
CSEA member dies a hero on the job
CSEA City of Syracuse Unit President
Rick Rogala also praised Casey's work.
“He was very respected among his fellow
workers. His importance was in helping
others,” Rogala said. “He will be sorely
missed.”
In news reports, Syracuse Mayor Tom
Young described Casey as a role model for
other city employees, and called him “a
quiet but dedicated leader in the fight to
improved the condition of housing and
neighborhoods in the city.
“The people of the city of Syracuse have
lost a very dedicated public
servant, and a friend as
well,” he said.
Casey is survived by his
wife, Kathleen, and five
children. Co-workers have
established a fund for his
children’s education.
Donations may be sent to
the Shaun Casey Fund, City
Hall Commons, 120 E.
Washington Street,
Syracuse, NY 13201.
Albany County can't change schedule unilaterally
By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate
ALBANY - Albany County violated its
contract with the CSEA Highway Unit when
it changed the workers hours from a day-
shift schedule to a split-shift schedule, an
arbitrator has ruled.
The arbitrator ordered county officials to
return to all unit employees to day shifts
and directed them not to unilaterally
institute any additional schedules.
For approximately 30 years, field
employees worked from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
during all but the summer months when
they worked from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop
employees worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In January 1992, over the objections of
CSEA, the county imposed a split-shift
schedule with half of the field workforce
scheduled to work from 3 a.m. to 11:30
a.m, and the other half scheduled for 3
p-m. to 11:30 p.m. A few shop employees
worked from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The change was imposed to save money
when snow plowing was necessary beyond
the normal work day, which required
overtime payments. After the snow season,
the county went back to its previous day-
shift schedule. At the time of the hearing,
the county intended to return to the three
shifts for the 1992-93 snow season.
With the arbitrator's decision, CSEA has
placed the concept of negotiated work shifts
and shift differentials on the bargaining
table.
“CSEA will continue to defend our
members rights and resist management's
attempt to remedy this crisis at our
expense,” CSEA Capital Region President C.
Allen Mead said.
“We, naturally, remain willing and
anxious to negotiate the impact of this
decision in the best interests of our
membership.”
Many CSEA highway department
employees are facing possible layoffs in late
March and with the county restrained from
unilaterally imposing split shifts to save
money, CSEA is hoping that an
understanding can be quickly achieved at
the bargaining table or through local labor-
management efforts. If those efforts result
in any savings, CSEA says the money
should be dedicated to saving jobs.
CSEA says Broome County Legislature
bargained in bad faith in contract dispute
BINGHAMTON -- CSEA accuses the
bargaining in good faith. The county had no
Broome County Legislature of bargaining in business giving their negotiators a top-
bad faith and is taking
the legislature to task
for rejecting a tentative
contract that had been
ratified by CSEA-
represented county
employees and agreed
to by the county
administration.
CSEA filed an
Improper Practice (IP)
charge with the state
Public Employment
Relations Board
(PERB) after
legislators rejected the tentative three-year
agreement that would have covered 1,200
CSEA-represented county workers. The
previous contract expired Dec. 31, 1992,
CSEA Broome County Unit President
Dan Lasky said the county and the union
had agreed to a contract that was within
parameters the previous county legislature
had established for county negotiators. But
county legislators, claiming the funding
was excessive, voted to reject ratification
“The issue has nothing to do with money,"
Lasky said, "It has everything to do with
dollar figure for our
contract and then
lowering that figure
once we came to an
agreement. That's
not playing by the
rules."
"We filed this IP to
send a clear message
to the county
legislature that we
won't stand for such
a mockery of the
process," CSEA
Central Region
President Jim Moore said. "If we have to
play by the rules, then so do they."
CSEA wants PERB to order the
legislature to ratify the already agreed-to
contract. The county executive is prepared
to testify on behalf of the union that the
contract offer was within the parameters
set by the legislature.
Moore said the legislature has changed
since ratification was denied and he is
hopeful the new legislature will work with
CSEA to put the previous agreement in
place.
4 March 1993 gZ A
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS
CSEA takes on Yates County Legislature over contract
PENN YAN - CSEA is fighting the Yates County Legislature
because it refuses to implement a contract it negotiated with the
union for the CSEA Yates County Employee Unit.
Unit members picketed the county legislature, which has
disobeyed an order from an administrative law judge (ALJ) to sign
the contract.
CSEA won an improper practice decision to force the county
legislature to sign the contract agreement made at the bargaining
table. A legislator who did not oppose the pact at the bargaining
table later voted against it in the legislature, where it was defeated
by one vote.
The legislature reluctantly voted to ratify the contract after
ordered to do so by the ALJ. However, the county has failed to
execute the contract.
CSEA has asked the Public Employee Relations Board to enforce
the ALJ’s decision.
“The legislature has thumbed its nose at you and the negotiation
process,” Western Region President Bob Lattimer told unit
members, who picketed outside before jamming the legislature
meeting room. “But I am sure this will not stand up legally. It’s
important that you stay together, because a unified front will be
needed as we fight this through the legal process. Your local and
unit presidents (Carol Thornton and Carol Conley) deserve your
support. They're fighting for you.”
Local 862 President Thornton said that average starting pay for
county workers is $15,000, with 15 percent of them single mothers
CSEA Yates Cae Unit members piskat ims county legislature.
and sole supporters of their families. Some are eligible for food
stamps, she said.
“Can't we end it and put it behind us?” Unit President Conley
said. “I hope you know how bad we're hurting.”
Onondaga County retirees fight erosion of health benefits
SYRACUSE - Onondaga County, plagued
by budget shortfalls and deficits, is trying
to take money from those who can least
afford it - county retirees. And CSEA is
fighting them every step of the way.
The county legislature doubled health
insurance deductibles for county retirees
and required them to pay 10 percent of
their premiums.
Individual health coverage now costs
nearly $250 a year - a huge amount for
county legislators.
School
retirees who haven't seen an increase in
their pensions in as long as 10 years.
CSEA Syracuse Area Retirees Local 913
activists are fighting the changes, sending
letters to all county retirees and lobbying
“Some retirees have told us they'll have to
cut back on such basics as heat, food,
phone service and medications,” Committee
Co-chair Sue Smith said.
“When we retired from county service, we
did so under the assurance that we would
be able to take our benefits with us,” Co-
chair Pat Callahan said.
“We earned those benefits while we worked,
and even sacrificed larger wage increases in
lieu of those guarantees. Now the county is
trying to break their promises and take
away what we earned.”
The retirees have made progress. Two
bills have been introduced to stop the
increased benefit charges.
District Affairs
‘Newark schools unit picket for contract
NEWARK - CSEA Newark Schools Unit members picketed their
school board over contract delays.
“We hope we don't have to go to impasse,” Unit President Jim
Foster said. “Our members deserve a contract we can live with.”
More than 30 unit members, some with their children and
spouses, picketed for an hour in frigid weather , then filed into the
meeting room, The employee contract was not on the agenda.
The 100-member unit is comprised of non-instructional school
workers who have been without a contract since July 1, 1992.
CSEA Collective Bargaining Specialist Debbie Lee said the
_| Negotiating Committee will meet soon to decide whether to file for
CSEA Newark School Unit members picket over contract delays.
mediation or seek further negotiations.
The unit's picketing was also supported by Newark Teachers
Association members who are also without a contract and at
impasse.
CSEA defends contract rights for Lackawanna School Unit members
hou
said
LACKAWANNA - An evening recreation
program in a Lackawanna School sounded
, but what's fair is fair,” Canestrari
“We have a contract that spells out
union. They were trying to contract out our
members’ work by using one of our own
members.”
like a great idea until CSEA discovered the
city was trying to skirt the CSEA Schools
Unit contract.
Now the program is on hold until the city
agrees to follow the terms of the contract,
Schools Unit President Theresa Canestrari
said.
“We'd love to see the schools used after
what should happen under these
circumstances. And we've been without a
new contract for two years.”
1e city wasn’t honest, CSEA Labor
Relations Specialist Don Wood said.
“They tried to hire a city employee at $5
an hour,” Wood said. “And they falsely told
our members it had been approved by our
After CSEA filed an improper practice
charge, the city suspended the program.
“We didn't know about it until the
program was four days old,” Canestrari
said. “We'd love to have the kids back in
school after hours, but we have to protect
our membership.”
silica tain
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS
Member beco
By Anita Manley
CSEA Communications Associate
WHITE PLAINS - When the
Westchester County Republican
Party needed a capable person to
fill a vacant county legislative seat,
they turned to then-CSEA member
Pearl Quarles.
Active in the party and well
known for her years of community
activism in Westchester County,
Quarles was a CSEA member and
staff assistant in the county
Department of Finance and
Administration for the Department
of Social Services. She had to
resign from her job to take the
legislative seat.
Quarles has been active in the
community since she was 15,
organizing a group to give
teenagers healthy social outlets.
At 18, Quarles worked on a
political campaign for Joseph
Evans, the first African American
elected to the New Rochelle City
Council.
“I really got involved,” she said.
“Here was someone running for
office who looked like me!”
Quarles became a district leader in 1984
and continued to work on campaigns. She
later ran for the New Rochelle City Council,
losing by just 50 votes.
Quarles has also been active in other
organizations. She has been president of
the Westchester Black Women’s Political
Caucus, a member of the National
Association of Negro Business and
Professional Women, on the Board of
Directors for the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs,
president of the New Rochelle School Board,
on the County Executive Advisory Board on
Members take pride
NEW WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGISLATOR and former CSEA
member Pearl Quarles, left, and CSEA Westchester County
Unit President Cheryl Melton.
Criminal Justice and was the first black
woman in Westchester to hold a white-
collar banking position.
Now Quarles is the first African American
woman to serve on the county legislature.
She feels her background has prepared
her to make the rig]. decisions as a
legislator, she said.
“Having served in the Department of
Social Services, I can see the needs not just
of my constituents, but of the clients I have
served,” she said. “I also have a background
in finance and human services and
tremendous outreach experience.”
mes legislator
Quarles’ first concern is
children.
“Our children are so important to
me,” she said. “Drugs have taken
so much from them. It's a horrible
situation.”
Quarles has already visited many
of her constituents.
“I was sworn in on a Monday,”
she said, “and I was out in the field
the next day.”
She also keeps in touch with former
Legislator Audrey Hochberg, whose seat she
is filling. Hochberg was elected to the state
Assembly.
“This is truly our year,” Quarles said.
She plans to run for the seat in November
with the support of her husband, Ernest, a
retired county employee. She also has two
adult children.
Quarles plans to work hard as a
legislator.
“My first responsibility is to my
constituents,” she said. “I can do the best
job for them by being a full-time legislator.”
in Hispanic heritage
NEW ROCHELLE - Pride in Hispanic heritage is the
goal of a new committee in Westchester County.
Sandra Franco, employed in Westchester County's
Department of Social Services, said it all began last fall
when she learned about Hispanic Heritage Month,
celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
“It wasn’t well publi
ized, but when I heard about it, it
lit a light in my head,” Franco said. “I decided I had to
get this going.”
Franco recruited some of her Hispanic co-workers and
they organized a luncheon with the theme “Not all
Hispanics are Puerto Rican.” They displayed flags from
21 Hispanic countries. Employees from Chile, Cuba,
Columbia, Guatemala and Puerto Rico made
presentations. They distributed a brochure on
contributions of Hispanics throughout history and
displayed posters.
“People don't realize there are so many Hispanic
countries,” committee member Iris Rivera said. “We're
usually a quiet group. We need to speak up for ourselves.”
“Passing on Hispanic culture to second and third
generations is also important,” Franco said. “We don’t
want to lose our heritage. Educating people about our
heritage takes away racism and stereotyping.”
The committee is looking for ideas, projects and new
members. Anyone interested in joining or contributing
ideas may contact Franco at (914) 667-4218.
CSEA WESTCHESTER COUNTY Hispanic Pride Committee members are
trying to build pride and awareness. They are, from left: Sandra Franco,
Nery Madrid, Iris Rivera, Blanca Velasquez and Luz Vargas.
6 <March 1993 Z ’
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS
lalla ARBITRATIONS
CSEA wins
overtime battle
in Delaware
County
DELHI - Thanks to CSEA, workers in the
CSEA Delaware County Unit who receive
overtime will now have
more money in their
paychecks because the
union stopped the
county from reducing
the hourly overtime
rate.
The county changed
the 1992 overtime pay
rate to reflect an
additional work day in
the leap year, effectively reducing the
hourly rate for calculating overtime.
CSEA Infirmary Shop Steward Tina Spry
recognized the inequity it would cause, and
CSEA filed a class action grievance.
Although the CSEA members are working
under an expired contract - their contract
expired on Dec. 31, 1991 — the union
argued that under New York's Taylor Law,
the hourly wage rate for overtime had to be
continued from the expired contract and
could not be changed. The arbitrator
agreed, ruling that the county must
continue the hourly rate established for
1991.
As a result, the county must now pay all
future overtime at the higher rate, and will
have to repay the difference for all workers
who received overtime at the incorrect rate.
CSEA will push to make sure that all the
workers receive the appropriate amount.
County
must pay
overtime
at higher
rate
Editor's note: This magazine ad is part of a series of print ads
and television and radio commercials sponsored
by CSEA as part of the union's ongoing statewid:
anti-privatization campaign
ae
In a million dollar failed
experiment in Florida, one county’s
jails were privatized. One prisoner
escaped twice in one day, and an
employee helped another prisoner
escape. As the county took back
supervision of the jails, a
commissioner said he would never go
for privatization again.
Privatization is fraught with
danger. A study that privateers
themselves use states that *...100
percent of all cities, counties and
special districts surveyed complained
about some component of work
quality.”*
Before you decide on privatizing
state, county or local services in New
York, consider the facts. Consider
these questions:
PRIVATEERS CONNED FLORIDA.
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT WON'T HAPPEN IN N.Y.?
What happens if the private
company won't take total
responsibility for all services?
Who'll do the job if private
companies move on to more
profitable customers when the
economy is healthier?
The best course: keep public
services public. Capitalize on the
experience that’s already in place. No
one has more experience than CSEA
members.
For more information, call toll-free:
1-800-836-CSEA.
CSEsé
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO Joe McDermott, President
*
Rise James L., The Mercer Group, ine, 1990 Privatization Survey. The Mercer Group, Ine, Avante, Georgia, October, 1890
Elmira Water Board pact approved
ELMIRA - It’s been a rough 18 months for members of the CSEA Elmira Water Board
Unit, but they can finally breath a sigh of relief.
After working for a year under a contract extension with no raises, and six months
with no contract at all, they have ratified a three-year contract covering 1991 through
1994.
The contract highlights include annual raises retroactive to Jan. 1, 1992, for the 45
members, an increased uniform allowance, an increase in allowable sick leave
accumulation, a new co-payment for their health plan and the establishment of a new
Employee Assistance Program and Labor-Management Committees, CSEA Labor
Relations Specialist Shawn Lucas said.
The agreement also calls for meal reimbursements, new evaluation procedures and
maintains health insurance benefits.
¢Z és March 1993 rf
THE PUBLIC GENERAL NEWS
A message from
CSEA President
Joe McDermott
It is possible
to achieve
Quality
through
partnership
In just about every workplace these days bosses are tossing
around buzzwords about quality and high performance.
GA
AT
The proposed state Office of
Mental Health (OMH)
budget calling for employee
layoffs combined with
downsizing and closing of
psychiatric centers
continues the state's
dangerous policy of eroding
the mental health care
system, See page 21 to see
how the state's policy is
impacting on several OMH
facilities.
ATA oe FATTY
CSEA members know just how hard it is to deliver quality
public services while fighting against budget restrictions,
understaffing and bureaucratic red tape.
Knowing that management has caused many of these
problems, it is sometimes difficult to take this commitment to
quality seriously.
Even so, CSEA is willing to work cooperatively to improve the
efficiency and quality of government services. But in doing this
we must adhere to a set of principles to protect our members’
interests.
CSEA will work toward QUALITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP.
To accomplish this four critical elements must be included.
First, we must have a JOINT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. The
employer and CSEA must agree that it is in both parties’ interest
to improve the effectiveness of government services. The
employer must agree that some of the benefits resulting from
quality improvements will be shared with the workers.
Two, A PARTNERSHIP COMPACT. Both sides must commit
to work as full partners. CSEA brings an organized collective
voice to the workplace to make sure that workers have a real
voice in the decision-making process. The experience of many
private sector companies shows that union involvement in.
quality programs is vital. One research study of quality
programs at union and non-union tool shops showed that
unionized firms attained increases in productivity, enhanced job
security and greater worker control. The non-union shops
actually experienced reduced productivity and less job security.
Three, PARTNERSHIP TRAINING. Because managers and
union activists will have new roles, joint training is necessary to
make the process work.
Four, JOINT REVIEW OF PROJECTS AND PROCESSES.
Labor and management must review as equal partners changes
in the way work is done. We must protect our members’ rights
as we look for better ways of doing business.
These are important principles to keep in mind when dealing
with management onquality improvements. In each workplace
and with each employer there will be unique issues that must
also be considered.
CSEA has a real commitment to improving the quality of
government services. Improved quality is in the best interests of
our members and the public.
But for quality improvements to really happen, the employer
must make the workers and their union real partners. If
management fails to do that the process will not work.
8: March 1993 g A
General
News
INDEX
ie 10
Schedule of elections of officers for
CSEA's six regions.
Page 11
Some case histories of CSEA members
illustrate Womens History Month.
Pages 12-13
Nassau County DSS employees complain
about unsafe, unhealthy working
conditions. And CSEA continues its
crusade to improve workplace safety.
Page 14
Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
And a summary of the January statewide
Board of Directors meeting.
Page 15
Several scholarships now available to
children of CSEA members. And the
executive director of the Fiscal Policy
Institute calls for tax fairness.
Page 16
CSEA retiree activists lobby state
legislators for permanent cost-of-living
increases in their pensions.
‘Local 158 sets up
fund drive to help
member in need
STORMVILLE - Members of CSEA Green
Haven Correctional Facility Local 158 have
established a fund to help pay expenses of
a co-worker who is struggling to care for a
coma-striken daughter.
CSEA member Carolyn Miles travels 150
miles round trip each day to visit her
daughter, Stacy, in a Pennsylvania
rehabilitation hospital. Stacy, now 20, has
been in a coma since a car accident in late
1991, when she was on her way to class at
Dutchess County Community College.
“She's improving, but very, very slowly,”
Carolyn said. Carolyn's daily trips add up,
and the occasional ambulance trips back
and forth between home and the hospital
for Stacy are also very expensive.
Co-workers at Green Haven are helping
where they can. A fund has been
established to help with medical expenses,
and a variety benefit show is set for March
20.
To contribute to the fund or order tickets
for the benefit, write:
Committee to Assist Stacy Miles
c/o Darlene Evans
Post Office Box 213
Stormville, NY 12582
Thurgood Marshall remembered
for human, civil rights efforts
The life and career of Thurgood
Marshall should serve as an inspiration to
others to carry on his efforts to make
America a more humane and civil nation
for all its citizens, regardless of race, creed
or color, according to CSEA President Joe
McDermott.
“Thurgood Marshall dedicated his entire
adult life to expanding and protecting civil
and human rights,” McDermott said in
paying tribute to the retired Supreme
Court Justice who passed away recently.
“Justice Marshall was a great
humanitarian with an exceptional sense
of justice and fair play.”
Corrections, etc. —
Emancipation Proclamation
In the last issue of The Public Sector, the
incorrect anniversary of the Emancipation
Proclamation was printed.
New York state is celebrating Black
History Year during 1993, the 130th
anniversary of the signing of the
Emancipation Proclamation.
See page 6 of this edition for another
story celebrating Black History Year.
AFSCME Women's Conference
The date of the AFSCME Women's
Conference has been changed since it was
published in The Public Sector.
The conference is now scheduled for
June 11 to 13 at the Sheraton Boston
Hotel and Towers, Boston, MA.
Higher Wages
8-hour Day
Paid Sick Leave
Health Insurance
Pensions
Overtime Pay
Safer Workplaces
Paid Holidays
Organized labor was born out of the
trials and tribulations of oppressed
workers. Most of the protections workers
today take for granted had to be gained
with the muscle, sweat, blood and tears of
prior generations of working Americans.
away, erode or eliminate those hard-
earned protections and rights, there will
be the need for strong labor unions.
When the federal government was
wreaking havoc on the working and
personal lives of millions of Americans
over the past 12 years, one constant
hurdle stood in defiance - organized labor.
And on many issues the vanguard unit
was AFSCME, CSEA's international
affiliate and one of the largest and most
effective unions in the entire AFL-CIO.
Today's modern labor unions touch the
As long as there are those who try to chip
The preceding
Job Security
Paid Vacations
Maternity Leave
lives of working people in so many ways,
on and off the job, making the return on
your union dues a truly great bargain.
The bulk of your dues dollar supports the
work of CSEA on your behalf locally. A
portion of your dues goes to AFSCME and
helps the international union carry on
much of the national effort to protect your
interests as a working American.
In addition to the union's high profile
was brought to you by the
political involvements, AFSCME
rights, housing, education, children and
family issues, improved health and safety
standards, crime and closing the wage
gap between men and women.
AFSCME also returns a portion of your
dues back to CSEA in the form of grants
that support a wide variety of training and
education projects and other programs
that directly benefit CSEA members.
How to request refund from AFSCME
Members who object to AFSCME
expending a portion of their dues for
partisan political or ideological purposes
may request a refund of that portion of
their dues from AFSCME.
Under AFSCME's rebate procedure,
reimbursement requests must be made
individually in writing between April 1 and
April 16. Requests must be typed or
legibly printed and include the member's
name, Social Security number, home
address, AFSCME local and council
number.
The individual request must be signed
by the member and sent by registered or
certified mail by the member to:
International Secretary-Treasurer
AFSCME International Headquarters
1625 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
women and men of the Unions
of the AFL-CIO who won these
represents your interests in Washington The International Secretary-Treasurer
and many other benefits
at the bargaining table
and set the standard
for all working Americans
on such important subjects as the
faltering economy, the staggering public
debt, privatization, enactment of decent
and fair tax laws, pension improvement
and protection, employment and training,
national health care, the elderly, civil
calculates the per capita payment
equivalent that was used for partisan
political or ideological purposes during the
fiscal year and refunds that amount.
Requests to AFSCME must be renewed
in writing every year.
gZ ‘ March 1993 9
GENERAL NEWS
NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION
Schedule of elections of officers
for CSEA's
Elections will be conducted this year for officers of CSEA’s six
regions.
Under the union's open election procedures, any member in
good standing can have his or her name placed on a ballot by
obtaining signatures of a minimum of 500 CSEA members on
official petition forms. All signatures must be from the region
where the person is seeking office. Members who sign the petition
must be eligible to vote in the the election.
CSEA's statewide Election Committee will oversee the election
which will be conducted jointly by WM Applications, Inc. and
Federal Business Forms, Inc.
CSEA’s Board of Directors recently adopted the following
election schedule:
~ MARCH 1 — Start of petitioning period. Nominations open.
Nominating petitions available from CSEA regional offices, satellite
offices and CSEA Headquarters.
APRIL 1 — Deadline for nominating petitions to be received at
CSEA Headquarters. Deadline is 5 p.m.
CSE
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
PLEASE
NOTE there
are seven
regional
offices up
for election
in Region 0,
not six as
indicated in
the February
editon of
The Public
six regions
APRIL 14 — Deadline for declination of nomination. Deadline
is 8 a.m. Drawing for positions on the ballot, CSEA Headquarters
conference room. Candidates or proxies may attend as observers.
Deadline for receipt of campaign material by The Public Sector.
MAY — Names, photos and candidate statements printed in
the May edition of The Public Sector.
MAY 17 — Official ballots mailed to members eligible to vote.
MAY 24 — Replacement ballots available.
JUNE 7 — Deadline for return of ballots. Deadline is 8 a.m.
Ballots tabulated and results announced.
JUNE 17 — Protest period ends (10 days after official results
announced).
JULY — Election results published in the July edition of The
Public Sector.
In order to be eligible to seek office, a candidate must be at
least 18 years of age; a member in good standing of the region
since June 1, 1992; shall not have been a member of a competing
labor association or union since June 1992; and shall not
currently be serving a disciplinary penalty imposed by the Judicial
Board of CSEA. To be eligible to vote in the election a member
must have been in good standing as of April 1, 1993.
CSEA REGIONS
(1) LONG ISLAND
(2) METROPOLITAN
(3) SOUTHERN
(4) CAPITAL
(5) CENTRAL
Sector. The
Region 0
Executive
Board
recently
approved
the creation
of the
position of
Executive
Vice
President for
Region I.
he follow:
REGION 1 OFFICERS
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
3rd Vice President
4th Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
REGION 3 OFFICERS
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
3rd Vice President
Recording Secretary
Treasurer
REGION 4 OFFICERS
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
3rd Vice President
REGION 2 OFFICERS
President
Executive Vice President
1st Vice President
ng offices, by region, are up for election:
REGION 5 OFFICERS
President
Executive Vice President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
3rd Vice President
Recording Secretary
Treasurer
(6) WESTERN
REGION 6 OFFICERS
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
2nd Vice President Secretary 3rd Vice President
3rd Vice President Treasurer Secretary
Secretary Treasurer
Treasurer
10 March 1993 Z : 1
A GENERAL NEWS
I Activism is
all in the
family
LEVITTOWN - Barbara
Kleber’s enthusiasm for
her work, family and
union is immediately
apparent. An activist in
the School Crossing
Guards Unit of CSEA
Nassau County Local 830,
she has successfully
balanced all three.
“This is a great job for a
person who wants to raise
a family. It's a good job
with benefits and a lot of
flexibility,” Kleber said.
Kleber's daughter, Tricia
Shinnick, balances her
work schedule with the
demands of being a new
mother. A crossing guard
for more than a year, and
amother for four months,
she is back on the job.
Barbara Kleber, left, Geraldine Whitenack
and Tricia Shinnick, seated, with son
Eddie.
Kleber also recruited her sister, Geraldine Whitenack, to be
a crossing guard and CSEA member.
“I have three children, and this job lets me work
while still being a mother,” Whitenack said. What
she most enjoys about her work are the people.
“We're a close-knit group both here in the
precinct and within the CSEA Unit,” Kleber said.
“I love being involved in the union so I can
know what's going on, help to make changes
and keep everyone up to date.”
Union activism tied
to community work
ROCHESTER - For Lentory
Johnson, union activism is an
extension of her neighborhood
and community involvement.
“Activism starts with each of
us, wherever we happen to be,
in our neighborhoods or
communities,” said Johnson, a
24-year member of Rochester
Psychiatric Center Local 420
and Employee Assistance
Program (EAP) coordinator.
“It makes me feel good to do
something worthwhile for
someone else in need. We, our
society, have to
get away from so
much ‘me, me
mel!’
CSEA activism
began for
Johnson shortly
after she turned
to the union
after an unfair
disciplinary in
1977.
“Geraldine
(Wiggins, local
president) was
grievance
chairperson,”
Johnson said. “I
was very
impressed with
her, the way she
would give me straight
answers, or get back to
me as promised.... She
demonstrated for me the
importance of the union and
being active it it.”
Johnson has served as a
steward, chaired the local's
Grievance Committee, served on
the EAP and Women’s
committees and spearheaded
annual donation drives of gifts
and time to local charities.
The mother of three and soon
to bea
grandmother,
Johnson takes
human services
# courses at
Monroe
Community
College and
plans to take
more labor-
oriented
courses.
“It’s very
rewarding to be
really involved
in your union,”
Johnson said. “I
y recommend it
for all our
members.”
A mother-daughter team
STATEN ISLAND - For 10
years, mother and Anna Parese
and daughter Jennifer DuKolf
have been members of CSEA
Institute for Basic Research
Local 438.
Parese’s eyes light up when
she talks of DuKolfs stint as
Miss Piggy on CSEA’s float in
the 1992 New York City Labor
Day Parade.
“I was so surprised when
Jennifer said she was going to
be Miss Piggy,” she said.
DuKolf, CSEA Local 438
secretary, volunteered to show
that privatization leads to
patronage, payoffs and pork.
“I'm not a very out-going
person but | really wanted to do
photographed float.
Both women have long been
active in CSEA. Three years ago
when management selectively
awarded CSEA-negotiated
upgrades, DuKolf and Parese
went to work.
“At first people were afraid to
speak up and everybody was
angry,” Parese said.
“We were very vocal and we
got other CSEA members
organized to write letters and go
to the union for help,” DuKolf
said. Finally, every eligible
secretary was upgraded.
“With team work we'll always
be able to do a really good job,”
DuKolf said.
this,” DuKolf said.
Parese and the
rest of DuKolf's
family cheered
Miss Piggy while
she hammed it up,
the hit of the
parade’s
most
Parese,
left, and
Jennifer
DuKol:
=
Three generations
of union activism
SYRACUSE - Union activism runs deep in the Fannetti
women. Activism and women’s issues are themes in three
Angela Greco, Gertrude Fannetti and
Saliy Heater
generations.
Gertrude Fannetti, her
daughter Sally Heater
and granddaughter
Angela Greco, belong to
CSEA Onondaga County
Local 834.
Fannetti, a
Department of Social
Services (DSS) employee,
joined CSEA in 1974.
“I think everyone
should be an active
union member if they
want to get what they're
looking for,” she said.
Heater, a county
Health Department employee, is third vice president of CSEA Local
834, chair of the local’s Political Action Committee and is on the
CSEA Central Region Women’s Committee.
“We as women need to stand together,” she said. “It’s been a
man’s world too long. It needs to be a people's world.
Greco, a clerk in DSS, became a union activist when she was six
years old, helping her mom stuff envelopes for CSEA. She is now
on the local’s Women’s Committee, A single mother, she said the
union has helped her to cope.
“By meeting other single mothers at union functions, I've seen
what they can do, and it makes me feel like I can do it, too,” she
said.
Unionism is important, she said.
“If you're not going to be active,” she said, “you have no right to
complain.”
iA efor March 1993 d 1
MINEOLA - Seven months with no
hot water, even more months of
roaches, mice, broken toilets,
dangerous elevators, dirty, dusty walls
and floors and an invasion of pigeons,
drove CSEA Nassau County
Department of Social Services (DSS)
members out into the cold to demand a
thorough building clean-up.
CSEA Nassau County Local 830.
President Rita Wallace met with county
officials prior to the DSS informational
picketing and received assurances that
the county would remedy NYS Labor
Department violations.
The county failed to meet a Jan. 22
deadline for extermination and repairs
of the hot water system, CSEA Safety
and Health Specialist Dan Morra said.
A dozen CSEA members have been
injured in broken elevators. CSEA
Probation Unit President Jane D'Amico
suffered back and neck injuries when a
DSS building elevator fell, for instance.
During January, two of the three DSS
elevators caught fire, one with a CSEA
member trapped inside.
“I'm tired of saying my prayers every
time I get into an elevator,” an angry
picketer shouted.
“We are the black sheep of the
county,” said Lisa Gilman of the
Medicaid Department. “Our clients are
“The conditions in this building are
intolerable because of cutbacks, layof!
and privatization of the cleaning
services,” Wallace said.
CSEA demanded immediate remov:
of a pigeon colony that has taken up 1
residence on the third floor and an
immediate clean up of any bird
droppings that are known to cause th
lung infections histoplasmosis and
aspergillus.
Histoplamosis symptoms range fro
a mild flu-like illness to severe
symptoms of fever, chest pain, cough
and tuberculosis-like profuse,
sometimes blood-tinged sputum.
Aspergillus infection may lead to
asthma, fever, severe allergic reactions
and sometimes causes serious middle
ear problems. |
Persons who have a history of
asthma, chronic respiratory disease or
serious lung problems may be
especially sensitive to aspergillus. Case |
connected to exposure at worksites |
should be documented for Workers’ |
Compensation. |
“On every floor of this building we
worry about safety hazards,” DSS Unit
President Bob Cauldwell. He criticized i |
management's foot-dragging on
construction of protective partitions an
lax building security.
humiliated enough coming here. They
shouldn't have to put up with this. I've
been to many county offices, but none are as
filthy as DSS.”
Medicaid worker Debbie Hankowich works
overtime when privately contracted cleaning
crews come in.
i
1 2 March 1993 $
“They do not disinfect the toilets,” she said.
“They never vacuum!”
When toilets don’t function, management
tells employees to drive to a nearby
department store and use those facilities.
Social Service workers are too |
vulnerable to attacks by angry clients,
he said.
“After the murders in Schuyler County
Social Services, people he: e more anxiou:
than ever about the security,” Cauldwell
said.
“Employees
budgets. They are
living, breathing,
loving mothers,
fathers,
Since the murder of four CSEA-
represented social services workers in
Watkins Glen last fall,
CSEA has tried to help
put into words the fear
and horror public
employees feel under
must not be made such circumstances.
CSEA efforts cannot
expendable even approach the
heartfelt expression of a
because of afew _ letter written by David
Miller, father of 28-year-
dollars in the old Denise Miller
VanAmburg, one of the
Watkins Glen victims.
In response, CSEA
President Joe McDermott
wrote Miller: “It is a
beautiful and direct
testimonial to your
daughter that expresses
our shared concerns
better than I or CSEA as
Father of Watkins Glen victim writes about his daughter and her co-workers
‘No one should have to endure the pain...'
payments, recorded them and passed
them on. She did not benefit in any way
from the money. Denise was merely
performing the job she was hired to do
and earn an honest day's pay to help feed,
clothe and house her family. Yet she and
three others paid the ultimate price for
politicians and management who could
not or would not be bothered to provide
security. They couldn't even lock their
doors from inside their offices!
“Denise had experienced many threats
and tirades from irate people. Some of the
threats had frightened her. When there
was enough time and sufficient cause to
alert them, the Sheriffs Department
would respond. There were requests for
more security but the answer was that
there were not enough funds for it... They
couldn't afford to try to protect the life,
health and safety of the mother of two
small children, wife to her husband and
my daughter! They couldn't afford
dollars in the budgets. They are living,
breathing, loving mothers, fathers,
daughters, husbands and wives.
Politicians, executives, managers and
supervisors have no right to play God with
the lives and well-being of their hired
help. Their benevolence in allowing
subordinates to be employed in these
hard times does not justify allowing
perilous working conditions. They are not
tools to be used and thrown away. They
are the ones who deal with everyone, the
good and the bad, the sane and the
insane, the docile and the irate on a daily
basis. They hear and feel the anger from
those who feel they have been wronged.
They are usually the buffers for policy
makers.
“No one should have to endure the pain
and sorrow of losing a loved one when
reasonable steps to prevent a tragedy
could be taken.”
daughters,
could.”
letter:
an organization ever
husbands and The Public Sector is
5 honored to present
wives.” excerpts of Mr. Miller's
“Denise had nothing to
do with the order for (her killer) to pay
support money. She did not enforce the
order. She sat at her desk, collected the
to protect the other three women
either. I guess the county
politicians had more politically
glamorous things on which to
spend their money. I guess we
can afford to take the chance of
this sort of thing happening
occasionally. After all, most
threats are without substance...
“Employees must not be made
expendable because of a few
While CSEA's campaign for improved
worksite security is making progress in
localities across New York, the union
continues working to be sure the
localities follow through and make
security recommendations reality.
Worksite security has long been a
CSEA priority, but the union initiated a
comprehensive statewide push following
the murder of four Schuyler County
social service workers in Watkins Glen
last fall. The four women, all CSEA
members, were shot to death by a “dead-
beat dad” whose wages were garnished
because he failed to pay child support.
“The Watkins Glen tragedy
demonstrated that public employees are
vulnerable to attack no matter where
they work,” said CSEA Director of Local
Government Steve Alviene. “Public
employers can’t ignore reality. They must
take precautionary measures to prevent
crises.”
CSEA has published a booklet on
workplace security suggesting ways to
Still pushing hard on workplace security
protect people on the job. These range
from improving training on dealing with
difficult people to establishing common-
sense safety procedures to building
physical barriers to limit access.
The response to the booklet has been
phenomenal, Alviene said. CSEA mailed
copies to public managers across the
state, and a national publication
reported on the booklet. Since then,
CSEA has been deluged with requests for
the booklet from all over the country.
Alviene and CSEA safety and health
specialists have been meeting with
county officials statewide to discuss
security, assess worksite risks and
develop local action plans.
“We're making good progress out of
these meetings but our biggest concern
is to see the commitments translated
into action,” Alviene said.
“There's no such thing as 100 percent
security,” he said, “but at least they
recognize the problem and we're working
together on improvements.”
(-——----
Please send me the booklet(s) indicated.
[__] Security in the Workplace
{__] Indoor Air Pollution
{__] Heating, Ventilating and Air Condition Systems
I “Security in the Workplace” is one of three booklets produced
! recently by CSEA as part of the union's campaign to make
workplaces healthier and safer. Other booklets are “Indoor Air
Pollution” and “Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning
1 Systems.” All three were produced under grants from the NYS
| Department of Labor. To obtain a copy of these booklets, fill out
I this coupon, clip it and send to:
Civil Service Employees Association, Inc.
CSEA Occupational Safety and Health Department
Attn: Ronald P. Nielsen
143 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210
Madison County - a model response
One county in Central New York has been a
model in how to deal with the issue of workplace
security - a model that CSEA leaders wish other
counties would follow. —
Madison County, in CSEA’s Central Region,
was quick to respond with increased security
measures in the wake of the Schuyler County
tragedy. But follow-up action aimed at securing
county worksites has been the result of ongoing
discussions between CSEA and the county.
According to CSEA Madison County Unit
President Betty Jo Johnson, many steps have
been taken to make the Department of Social
Services (DSS) worksite safer,
Within the week following the tragedy, Johnson
said construction started on new walls in the
lobby of the DSS building. The walls, now
finished, have plexiglass windows and a locked
door, A full-time sheriffs deputy controls access
to the door leading to the DSS offices.
Combination locks were also put on the outside
employee doors, which, Johnson said, was
important,
“Prior to that, anyone could walk in the
employee doors,” she said.
Panic button alarms were installed to alert
sheriffs deputies in the building of-problems, and
employees now use identification badges. DSS
client work-crews are now Bers. screened
NAME.
Address
City.
State. _ ZIP.
Home phone.
CSEA Local
GENERAL NEWS
CSEA Nassau County Local rSMisHine 's Dr.
UNIONDALE - They sat in the last row of the auditorium at
Nassau County Medical Center (NCMC) during a ceremony to
honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., flanking their
mother, CSEA Nassau County Local 830 member Dorothy
Montgomery.
Lattesha, 10, and April, 13, came to the union meeting directly
after school to honor Dr. King. They sat respectfully, listening to
AFSCME staffer Johanna Williams sing a haunting old spiritual.
They also heard what the adults had to say about what yet
must be done to realize Dr. King’s dream. The meeting focused
on Nassau county’s “glass ceiling.”
The glass ceiling exists as a real barrier when it comes to
opportunities for minorities and women at county health
facilities, CSEA A. Holly Patterson Geriatric Unit President Les
Eason said.
“The spirit of Dr. King lives on in each of us every time we
unionists try to right a wrong,” CSEA NCMC Unit President Sue
Duffe said.
Representing a new generation honoring Dr. King, Lattesha
and April each summed up his contribution simply and directly.
“He was a civil rights leader,” Lattesha said.
“He was for freedom and he helped people,” April said.
“I think bringing young people to a union meeting like this is
something Dr. King would have approved of,” CSEA Labor
Relations Specialist Claude Ferrara said. “It’s up to us to teach
our children about union values because we are also about
freedom and helping people.”
CSEA MEMBER Dorothy Montgomery, center, with her daughters
Lattesha and April at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.
Although Martin Luther King Jr. Day has
been a federal holiday since 1986 and was
celebrated in all 50 states for the first time
this year, apparently not all local
governments are that enlightened.
For instance, members in the CSEA
Garden City Unit of Nassau County CSEA
Local 830 worked on the holiday again this
year because the village refuses to
designate the day as an official holiday.
And members of the Saratoga Springs
City Hall Unit of CSEA Saratoga County
Local 846 also worked because the city
refuses to add the day to the official list of
holidays. Ironically, the city hall unit is the
only one of seven unions of city workers
that has not been granted the day off as a
paid holiday.
CSEA will continue to work to obtain the
holiday for all workers the union represents.
Some local
governments still do
not designate
Martin L. King Jr. Day
an Official holiday
Summary of actions taken at January CSEA Board meeting
Editor’s note: The Public Sector regularly
publishes a summary of actions taken by
CSEA's Board of Directors at the Board's
official meetings. The summary is
prepared by CSEA Statewide Secretary
Irene Carr for the information of members.
In official actions at the January meeting,
the Board:
* Approved maximum miscellaneous
allowances for delegates attending the
union's State Workshop April 16-18 in New
York City, Local Government Workshop
June 11-13 in Melville, Long Island, the
Retirees Convention Aug. 30-Sept. 2 in
Saratoga and the Annual Delegates Meeting
Nov. 15-19 in Washington, D.C.;
* Approved a CSEA Investment Policy;
* Approved a program to recognize CSEA
Locals that have been in existence for 50 or
more years;
* Approved dates and locations for Local
Government Workshops as follows: June 2-
4, 1995, at Bolton Landing, June 7-9,
1996, in Albany and June 6-8, 1997, in
White Plains;
* Approved of CSEA President Joe
McDermott informing AFSCME President
Gerald W. McEntee and all appropriate
elected officials of CSEA’s unalterable
opposition to any taxation or limitation of
health care benefits as part of any proposed
health care system reform that will have a
detrimental effect on CSEA members;
* Approved dates and locations for State
Workshops as follows: March 31-April 2,
1995, at Albany, April 26-28, 1996, at
Rochester and April 11-13, 1997, at
Saratoga;
* Approved a report of the Standing Legal
Committee;
* In personnel matters, approved of
creation of an additional Associate Counsel
position; approved of a revised job
description for the position of Organizer;
approved of funding for two newly-created
Organizer positions; approved of
suspending the Law Clerk Intern Program;
and approved of funding for newly-created
position of Project Director in Field
Operations;
* Approved additional funding to cover
costs related to settlement of the FSA
contract and management salary increases;
* Approved holding the 1996 Annual
Delegates Meeting Sept. 29-Oct. 4 in New
York City and the 1997 Annual Delegates
Meeting Sept. 21-26 in Buffalo;
* Approved selection of the following
members to the Western Region Political
Action Committee: Flo Tripi, Sharon
Jacobs, Charlene Rankin, Judy DiPaola,
Robert Leonard, Martin DeSanto, Karen
Spotford, Mary Cartwright, Charles Parson,
Wilma Hasser, Diane LaRocca, James
Brand, George Growney, Bruce Norton,
Nancy Hurlburt, Bob Button, Mark Gillette,
Art Howell, Dan Murphy, Richard Miller,
Thomas Warzel, David Celani, Barbara
Smith, Barbara Biniecki, Elaine Mootry,
Tom Patterson, Kathy Berchou, Richard
Jakubczak, Tom Finger, Sally Smith, John
Case, Tim Anderson, James Kurtz, Barbara
Gradzewicz, Marijean Nichols, Marie Prince,
Bonnie Lawrence, Chris Covell, Sandie
Boyd, Mary Lettieri, Dorothy Kothen, Gerry
Prince, Richard Termer and alternates
Sharon Pettengill, Debbie Dennison, Judith
Onderdonk, Duane Wilcox, Larry Clark,
Steve Ernhout, Edward Blodgett, and
Charles Peritore;
* Approved selection of the following
members to the Central Region Political
Action Committee: Robert Goeckel, Betty
Kinch, Daryl Mulwane, Shirley Tracy,
Marianne Waffle and Margaret Winchell;
* Approved the election schedule and
election agency for the 1993 election of
CSEA Regional Officers;
* Approved amendments to the CSEA
Standing Election Rules and Regulations
Relating to the Conduct of Elections;
* Approved amendments to the Region,
Local, Unit and Retiree Local Constitutions.
Questions concerning this summary of
actions taken by CSEA's statewide Board
of Directors should be directed to CSEA
statewide Secretary Irene Carr, CSEA
Headquarters, 143 Washington Avenue,
Albany, NY 12210, 1-800-342-4146 or
518-434-0191.
14 eS = : a 2
GENERAL NEWS
$14,000 in CSEA scholarships
available; deadline April 15
Twenty CSEA scholarships totaling
$14,000 are available to graduating
high school seniors who are children of
CSEA members.
Applications must be filed by April
15 to be considered. Applications are
available from CSEA Local presidents,
secretaries and Unit presidents, CSEA
Region and Satellite Offices and CSEA
headquarters.
CSEA will award 18 Irving
Flaumenbaum Memorial Scholarships
valued at $500 each. Three
Flaumenbaum Scholarships will be
awarded in each of CSEA's six regions.
The Jardine Group Services
Corporation is sponsoring a $2,500
scholarship, the Jardine Award in
memory of Charles Foster, to be
awarded to a high school student
entering the state SUNY system.
The Travelers Insurance Company is
sponsoring a $2,500 scholarship, the
Travelers Award in memory of Joseph
D. Lochner, which is not limited to a
student entering SUNY.
Students who apply for the
Flaumenbaum Scholarship are
automatically considered for the
Jardine and Travelers scholarships as
well, according to Diane Lucchesi,
chairperson of CSEA’s Memorial
Scholarship Committee. The committee
also includes Willie Allen, Nevada
Solano, E. “Sam” Rockefeller, Helen
Fischedick, Sandra Delia and Thomas
Finger.
High school seniors who are children
of CSEA members are eligible to apply
for the scholarships.
The Irving Flaumenbaum Memorial
Scholarships are named in memory of
the CSEA Long Island Region president
and long time union activist. The
Jardine Award honors the memory of
Charles Foster, a long time CSEA
activist from the 1930s who was the
first business officer of the SUNY
system. The Travelers Award is named
in memory of Joseph D. Lochner,
CSEA’s first employee and former
executive director, whose career
spanned more than 40 years of service
to the union.
Deadline March 15 for
AFSCME scholarships
totaling $100,000
The deadline is March 15 to apply
for scholarships totaling $100,000 to be
awarded through the AFSCME
Advantage Union MasterCard
Scholarship Award. The individual
awards will range from $1,000 to
$4,000.
All AFSCME members of at least one
year of continuous good standing and
their spouses and children are eligible,
including foster children, step children
and adopted children.
Call AFSCME at (202) 429-5066 for
an application.
Winners will be notified by June 30.
6 Members encouraged to participate in a
MS Society Super Cities Walk March 27-28
CSEA and AFSCME are encouraging members
and staff to participate in the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society (MS) Super Cities Walk fund-
raising project the weekend of March 27-28.
AFSCME is endorsing the Super Cities Walk as a
partner with the National MS Society.
Contact your local MS chapter for details and
ae local chapter's walk date.
You may be eligible to
Get Up to $2,211
In Two Simple Steps
Did you work during 1992 - and did your family earn less than
$22,370? Did a child live with you for at least half the year?
It so, you may be eligible for up to $2,211 from the Eamed Income
Credit. It's a federal benefit for both married and single parents.
Getting your Eamed Income Credit takes just two simple steps:
file a federal income tax return (Form 1040A or 1040)
THE 1993
EARNED (2 | fill out "Schedule EIC" and attach it to your tax return
INCOME :
CREDIT If you're eligible, you'll either owe less in taxes ~ or the government
will mail you a check! You can get the Earned Income Credit even
GN
if you don't owe income tax.
For more information, call the IRS toll free at 1-800-829-1040
FPI calls for fairness in tax system
ALBANY - The Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) continued its campaign for a more
progressive tax system in New York at recent legislative hearings on the proposed
$57 million state budget. CSEA is a member of FPI.
“New York has suffered continuous revenue shortfalls ever since the reform of
personal and corporate income taxes was enacted in 1987,” FPI Executive Director
Frank Mauro said.
“And, most importantly, these shortfalls have caused vital services to be cut or
repeatedly threatened with cuts.”
As a result of tax reform, the wealthiest 5 percent of New York residents paid
about $1 billion less in state personal income taxes in 1991 alone.
At the same time the tax burden of the wealthy is eating up less of their incomes;
the top 1 percent of wage earners with a family of four pay less than 12 percent of
their incomes in taxes.
A family of four in the poorest 20 percent spends 14 percent of its income on
taxes. That means that those who can least afford it have to spend a larger share of
their meager incomes on taxes than do the wealthy.
Meanwhile, corporations receive more than $500 million in tax cuts each year.
Other tax revenue is lost as corporations use techniques that allow them to avoid
paying their fair share of taxes.
“The personal income tax reductions enacted in 1987, together with longer term,
structural changes in the sales tax and corporate income tax resulted in a tax
system that has lost its responsiveness,” Mauro said.
To restore that responsiveness so that revenues will rise as the state's economy
rises, New York must increase the progressivity of its personal and corporate income
tax structure so that individuals and big business pay their fair share based on their
ability to pay.
FPI recommends that New York do away with scheduled income tax cuts, increase
the top personal income tax rate, reform corporate tax laws to close loopholes and
broaden its sales tax base to include business services used primarily by the
wealthy.
“The system that we have has lost an essential element of fairness,” Mauro said.
“We want the state to consider more progressivity.”
ig
| FPI Executive Director Frank Mauro
E g ; March 1993 15
GENERAL NEWS
CSEA retirees tell legislators:
It’s time for permanent COLA
Members of the CSEA Retiree Division took on the state Capitol
last month, lobbying for legislation that would give New York state
public employee retirees permanent cost-of-living adjustments
(COLA) in their pensions.
More than a dozen CSEA retiree activists met with legislators to
ask for their support of the legislation.
“Permanent COLA is necessary and fair,” CSEA President Joe
McDermott said. “As a union concerned about our retiree members
and the future of our employed members, it’s CSEA’s responsibility
to fight for this legislation. And we are fighting.”
The CSEA Legislative and Political Action
Department and the Retiree Division have planned a
schedule of lobbying events throughout the 1993
legislative session to build support for a permanent
COLA bill.
The bill CSEA supports would provide for COLA
increases of up to 5 percent a year
to help retired workers whose
incomes have failed to keep up
with the cost of inflation.
The last pension
supplementation law expired in
1988, and it didn’t apply to those
who have retired since 1983. That
means that most retirees haven't
had an increase in their pensions since 1988, and many have had
none over the last 10 years.
The state Employee Retirement System includes public employee
retirees from the state and local governments and non-teaching
employees from school districts.
“The retiree activists who are working to get permanent COLA
passed into law are an inspiration to all of us,” McDermott said.
“Activism is the key to getting legislation passed, and the retirees
are showing once again just how active they can be.”
LOBBYING FOR permanent
COLA: At right, CSEA
retirees Edna Aponte, Marie
Salvatore and Irene Hills
talk to state Sen. John
Marchi. At lower right, CSEA
Retiree Lee Pound talks with
Sen. Ceasar Trunzo. Below
left, Retiree Dorothy Kothen
meets with Assembly
Representative Sam Hoyt.
CSE
Please support a cost-of living adjustment for
retired public employees.
With an average pension allowance of $6,000,
Dear Sen.
retired public employees’ ability to make ends meet
has been diminished by increasing property and
school taxes and health care expenses. Plus our
pensions have been ravaged by inflation.
Please support CSEA’s permanent COLA
legislation that provides a permanent annual cost-of-
living adjustment to public employees who have been
retired at least ten years or age 55 and older or
retired because of a disability.
Remember that a pension fund exists for the sole
benefit of the covered workers, retirees and their
families — It’s Our Money!
Can we count on your support?
Thank you.
(address)
Honorable Mario M. Cuomo
New York State Governor
Executive Chamber
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
Honorable
New York State Senate
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Honorable
New York State Assembly
Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
16 March 1993 Qoctor
At left is a sample
message you can send to
your state Senator and
Assembly representative,
as well as to Gov. Cuomo.
At right are the addresses
where you can send copies
of the messages.
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GENERAL NEWS
Fiscal Policy Institute has new director
at the helm, FPI will make a difference in
New York state,” CSEA President Joe
McDermott said. “His knowledge of state
government and the Legislature will be
invaluable.”
“Frank Mauro will be an effective voice
for tax fairness in New York state,” FPI
Chairperson Joseph Puma said.
Since December 1989, Mauro has served
as deputy director of the Nelson A.
Rockefeller Institute of Government, the
public policy research arm of the State
University of New York.
From October 1983 through January
1987, he was secretary of the Ways and
Means Committee of the state Assembly. He
was the principal advisor to the Assembly
Speaker on budget and tax policy matters.
Frank J. Mauro has been named
executive director of the Fiscal Policy
Institute (FPI) .
FPI, formed by a coalition of labor,
religious and human services groups,
works to restore progressivity and stability
to New York state’s finances by advocating
alternative tax policies.
“The only way to have stability in the
state budget is to restore fairness to the
state’s tax system,” Mauro said. “Since
1987 when the state enacted deep tax cuts,
we have had an endless cycle of budget
deficits. If you don’t have a tax system that
generates sufficient revenue growth to keep
up with the increased cost of essential
services then each year the budget process
is going to have more conflict and anguish
work leading up to the enactment of the
Accounting, Financial Reporting and
Budget Accountability Reform Act of 1981,
the last major revision on New York state's
budget process.
Mauro also served as director of research
for the New York City Charter Revision
Commission.
He also holds an master’s degree in
public administration from the Maxwell
School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at
Syracuse University and is a distinguished
public service professor at SUNY Albany's
Rockefeller College.
“I look forward to the challenge of this
position.” Mauro said. “FPI will advocate for
restoring progressivity to the personal
income tax and for a corporate tax
than is necessary.”
Mauro began working at FPI in February.
“We can be sure that with Frank Mauro
As director of the Assembly Speaker's
Program Development Group (1979 to
1983), he was responsible for much of the
reporting and disclosure law to allow the
public to assess the fairness and
effectiveness of corporate taxation.”
PEOPLE power
CSEA members power efforts
Although we have just come through the largest economic
downturn since the Great Depression, the 1992 CSEA PEOPLE.
program year has been the most successful ever.
PEOPLE ( Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative
Equality) is the federal political action committee (PAC) of CSEA’s
international union, AFSCME. Because so much goes on in
Washington that effects the lives and working conditions of CSEA
members it’s important for them to join PEOPLE.
CSEA members make voluntary contributions to the PEOPLE
fund. Many can take advantage of a check-off, which automatically
makes their contributions from their paycheck.
CSEA’s top PEOPLE recruiter this year was Harriet Clark, a
member of Wassaic Developmental Center Local 426 in CSEA’s
Southern Region. She signed up 113 members. With the
assistance of the Statewide PEOPLE Committee and their hard
working regional committees, CSEA PEOPLE was involved in more
locals and sponsored more recruitment drives than ever.
Recruitment drives were also held at Manhattan Developmental
Center Local 443, West Seneca Developmental Center Local 427,
Yonkers School District Local 860, Kings Park Psychiatric Center
Local 411, State Insurance Fund Local 351, Tax and Finance Local
690, Roswell Park Local 303, Health Research Local 315, SUNY
x
to make legislative progress
Stony Brook Local 350, Department of Labor Local 350 and Ft.
Stanwix Local 422.
Last year, 2,135 members, including retirees, contributed to
CSEA's PEOPLE fund-raising drive which is a 29 percent increase
from the previous year. CSEA PEOPLE now has a total of 6,685
members.
CSEA PEOPLE raised $312,816 in 1992, more than in any other
year. The money was raised mostly from the automatic check-off,
but also from raffles and merchandise sales that were held at
CSEA’s Annual Delegates Meeting, State Workshop, Local
Government Workshop, Retirees Convention, region conferences,
local meetings and at the statewide Women’s Conference.
The members of the Statewide PEOPLE Committee — Patricia
Metzger, chair; Grace Roy, Long Island Region; Carolyn Backstrom,
Metropolitan Region; Diane Hewitt, Southern Region; Rose
DeSorbo, Capital Region; Doris Pratz, Central Region; Marie
Prince, Western Region; and Anne Maywalt, Retiree representative
— have had an extremely busy year not just in fund raising but
also in helping to elect President Bill Clinton who is willing to
listen to organized labor.
CSEA ranks third among AFSCME affiliates in PEOPLE fund
raising. The statewide PEOPLE Committee has set their goal to
make CSEA Number I.
Anyone wishing to join
PEOPLE or learn more about
the PEOPLE program can
contact their regional chair,
listed above, or Cheryl
Rosenzweig, statewide
PEOPLE coordinator, at CSEA
Headquarters,
1-800-342-4146 Ext. 404 or
518-436-8622.
RAISING MONEY FOR
PEOPLE: CSEA member
Corrine Mauldin of CSEA
Department of Labor Local
350 raises money for
PEOPLE, the federal political
action fund of AFSCME,
CSEA's international union.
gZ P March 1993¥ 7
STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Spring:
Spring is not far off
and our thoughts turn
to outdoor activities
and fun in the sun.
a good time
to lighten up
program so that your
body becomes strong
enough to handle long
stretches of exercise.
You can also
For many people,
those long winter days
increase the amount
leave their mark in the
of calories you expend
form of a few extra
pounds, shadowing
our enthusiasm for the
brighter days ahead.
The coming of
spring can be a great time to get your
exercise program off to a good start.
Assuming you've remained fairly
sedentary since November, you will want to
start out slowly with a program that will
promote weight loss. Following the basic
theory that in order to lose weight you
should expend more calories than you take
in, your exercise program should focus on
aerobic activities.
Promoting Weight Loss
Although any kind of movement uses
calories for energy, aerobic exercises use
the most calories and can be carried on for
relatively long periods of time. Walking,
jogging, swimming, and aerobic dancing are
some of the most popular aerobic activities.
You should start out with some
form of aerobic exercise at least
three times a week for a
minimum of 20 consecutive
minutes. Of course, if that is too
much at one time, start with a
shorter time span and gradually
build up to the minimum. Then
progress until you are able to
work aerobically for 30 to 40
minutes. If you want to lose a lot
of weight, you may want to do
your aerobic workout five or
more times a week.
Be sure to start each workout
at a slow pace to gradually warm
up your muscles. Taper off at
the end so that you safely return
to your pre-exercise level. It’s
important to add stretching and
inning
by adding physical
activity to your daily
routine. Recreational
activities such as
gardening, bowling,
family outings or social dancing provide
added exercise and also are fun. They can
be considered an extra bonus in your
weight-watching campaign.
Tips for Getting Started
¢ Check with your doctor first. Since you
are carrying around some extra “baggage,”
it’s wise to get your doctor's OK before
starting an exercise program.
* Choose an activity you think you'll
enjoy. Most people will stick to an exercise
program if they're having fun.
° Set aside a regular exercise time. Make
time for your exercise program and don't let
anything or anyone get in your way.
Set short-term goals. Keep a record of
your progress and tell your friends and
family about your achievements.
Make your goals realistic and
remember that weight loss takes
time.
¢ Vary your exercise program.
Change exercises or invite friends
to join you to help keep your
interest.
¢ Watch what you eat. If you
don't control the amount and
types of food you take in, exercise
for weight loss will be in vain.
we
Won't be Easy, But Worth It
Exercise and weight loss
won't be easy, especially at the
start. But as you begin to feel and
look better you'll enjoy a new zest
for life and all your efforts will
strengthening exercises to your
have paid off.
CSEA opposes
replacing OCA
court reporters
ALBANY — CSEA strongly opposed
replacing court reporters with tape
recorders in testimony before the joint
Judiciary Committees of the state
Legislature.
“Even a little knowledge of court
transcript production shows that the
idea is a bad one,” Warren Simonoff,
president of CSEA Local 330 said. “For
all the breezy assurances of some,
current technology is not capable of tape
recording proceedings in such a way that
an accurate transcript can be produced.”
New York state has been
experimenting with tape recording in
some courts since last year.
Simonoff cited courts in Kentucky,
New Jersey and Washington whose
experience prove that tape recorders are
not reliable substitutes for people.
Tape recorders fail; since they record
every sound, even shuffling papers can
interfere with speech that should be
recorded, he said.
“The tape is sent to an outside
transcribing service or handed to the
attorney,” he said, “and a transcript
generally comes back with the bracketed
phrases ‘inaudible’ or ‘indiscernible.”
Complaints that court reporters are an
anachronism with technology available
today are uninformed, Simonoff testified.
Court reporters’ stenographic machines
are tied to computers that provide real
time translation in which speech is
captured and converted to text on a
computer screen, he said. This real time
translation has many uses in the courts.
“It is unconsionable that the State of
New York is using taxpayers’ money to
purchase SONY tape recorders to
eliminate professional state employees
who do a far superior job than tape,”
Simonoff said.
“We ask you as our representatives,
when studying this issue, to keep in
focus the court system's place as the
bedrock of the foundation of our
democratic society,” Simonoff said. “The
citizens of our state do not deserve
anything less.”
All 1992 Empire Plan basic medical claims must be submitted by March
31, 1993, to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, CPO Box 1600,
Deadline for
Empire Plan
basic medical
Kingston, NY 12401-0600.
Basic medical claims forms may be obtained from your agency's
personnel/business office or from Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company. Please be certain to have your doctor or other provider fill in
all the information asked for on the claim form and sign
it. If the form is not filled out by the provider, all bills
submitted must include all the information asked for
on the claim form. Missing information will delay the
processing of your claim.
Should you have any questions concerning
your claim, you may call the following toll-free
number at Metropolitan:
claims is
March 31
BERR Rees
8 March 1993 g P
(Within New York state)
1-800-942-4640
(Outside New York state)
1-800-431-4312
STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
CATSKILL - With a long history of
problems with management, CSEA
members in the state Department of
Transportation facility in Greene County
can thank intense labor-management
cooperation for real workplace
improvements.
CSEA members had recurring conflicts
with the dictatorial management style of
the resident engineer, resulting in a
series of grievances including sexual
harassment, favoritism and harassment
of a steward. Resolving the festering
problems became a priority when Milo
Barlow, then president of CSEA DOT
Local 676, and John Taylor, then DOT
regional director, decided to turn to the
Labor-Management Institute to try
intensive labor-managment techniques.
The problems were so complex and
severe that both sides agreed to have an
arbitrator sit on the panel to not only
mediate but also issue decisions on the
spot if needed.
The process has had positive results.
“We have finally entered the twentieth
century,” one DOT worker said. “We are
finally getting things we deserved 20
years ago and more. The kingdom is
crumbling.”
By using labor-management
cooperation, CSEA gained more than
immediate goals, Local 676 President Del
their contract.
Bell said.
to the union, now they do,”
Labor-Management talks produce
real improvements in DOT facility
Perrier said.
“CSEA could have grabbed a few local
newspaper headlines and certainly the
union would have won community
support for its various battles against
sexual harassment, favoritism, etc.,” he
said. “But we would not have left the
members with a working system to
resolve problems in the future.
“By biding our time and holding back
on venting our shared frustrations, CSEA
gained a real, workable labor-
management system that will be able to
resolve not only the problems of the past
but also those unknown challenges of the
future.” :
Alan Ross headed the Labor
Management Institute (LMI) effort,
assisted by Mary Ann Carney and
conciliator Mike Lewandowski. The CSEA
Greene County DOT Unit team consisted
of Walter Wernhammer, Wayne Hoeft,
Tina Anderson and Ed Vente. CSEA also
provided the assistance of Anthony
Campione, deputy director of contract
administration.
Perrier noted that with the resolution
of the Greene County DOT problems,
CSEA leader Milo Barlow and DOT
Regional Director John Taylor retired
while resident engineer Ed Legg
transferred to another county DOT
residency.
Liquidation Bureau Local
scores first arbitration win
NEW YORK - Members of CSEA NYS Liquidation Bureau Local 370, scored
their first arbitration victory, eliminating a sign-in procedure which violated
CSEA Local 370 President Nicholas Scourby was delighted not only
because management must end the offending practice, but under the
Liquidation Bureau contract, the losing party must pay all arbitration costs.
Bureau attorney and CSEA member Peter Beaton was elated.
“In my 25 years of experience as a professional person and attorney, I have
never been required to punch a clock and sign in at an office,” he said.
This victory will encourage other employees to pursue the grievance process
when contractual violations occur, CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Charles
“I feel this will have a positive effect on all the workers when they see that
the union can have an impact on their daily work lives,” Bell said.
He sees another positive result following the arbitrator's decision.
“Doors are opening,” he said. “Where before management didn't reach out
WARDS ISLAND - CSEA Manhattan
Psychiatric Center (MPC) Local 413 member
Janet Watkins is the first beneficiary of a
new labor/management agreement
providing alternate light duty assignments
for injured employees.
The local agreement expands upon the
mandatory alternate light duty policy
agreed to during the last round of CSEA-
NYS contract negotiations.
CSEA is urging locals to begin working
toward similar light duty agreements across
the state.
On Workers’ Compensation and plagued
by a lingering knee injury, Watkins applied
for a light duty assignment that would
permit her return to MPC to do clerical
work instead of her therapy aide work.
“I've been working in medical records
since Dec. 22,” Watkins said, “and I feel
very good about it.”
Labor Relations Specialist Barton M.
Brier said the light duty agreement breaks
new ground. It mandates formation of a
new committee to decide what type of light
duty work will be provided. The group has
strong union representation, he said.
“Negotiating for equal union
representation on this panel is a real step
forward,” he said.
“The policy guidelines give us this option,
now we have to take advantage of it,” Mark
Lawrence, CSEA deputy director of contract
administration, said.
“Janet Watkins read about our new
1991-95 contract light duty clause in The
Public Sector and came to the local for
help,” CSEA Local 413 President Mohamed
Hussain said. “Now employees can return
to work sooner based on a d ion of their
own physicians while continuing therapy.
Their own doctor is the one to determine
when they are ready to return to their
regular duty,” he said. “This agreement
helps both labor and management.”
Watkins is thankful for the union's efforts
to expedite a light duty agreement.
“I feel CSEA is like a family you can talk
to and confide in,” she said, “and if they
don't know an answer to a question, they
will find out.”
gZ P March 1993 1 9
t
STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
4% salary hikes in April
More than 100,000 CSEA-represented
state employees can look forward to larger
paychecks starting next month when
salary increases and increments kick in
under terms of the 1991-95 contracts
CSEA negotiated with New York state.
CSEA-represented state workers in full-
time employment status as of March 31,
1993, will receive a 4 percent salary
increase effective April 1, 1993. In
addition, increment payments will be
effective the same date for employees
eligible to receive them.
State workers on the Administrative
payroll will see their increases and
increments, if eligible, in the April 21
paychecks.
Employees on the Institutional payroll
will see their increases and increments,
if eligible, in the April 29 paychecks.
The increases cover state employees in
CSEA’s Administrative Services,
Operational Services, Institutional Services
and Division of Military and Naval Affairs
bargaining units.
Also effective April 1, the downstate
adjustment for eligible state employees in
New York City and Nassau, Rockland,
Suffolk and Westchester Counties will
increase from the current $701 annually to
$729 annually.
What's a salary increment? And who gets
them?
A salary increment is an annual salary
increase step that moves employees along
the salary schedule from the hiring rate, or
lowest starting salary, to the job rate, or
highest salary, of a pay grade.
Employees who begin at the hiring rate
and stay within that pay grade are eligible
to receive seven annual increment
advancements in addition to the negotiated
annual salary increases. The difference
between the hiring rate and the job rate is
divided by seven, creating seven equal
annual increments. Thus, barring
promotions or other salary adjustments, it
takes seven years to move from the lowest
to the highest salary of a pay grade. One
very important consideration is that an
employee must receive an annual
performance rating of at least “satisfactory”
or its equivalent in order to be eligible for
an increment that year.
Increments are payable to employees in
full-time status who complete a full year of
service in a particular grade and are rated
“satisfactory” or its equivalent. Increment
advancements are paid to eligible
employees effective April 1 of the fiscal year
immediately following completion of each
full year of service in the pay grade.
Employees who are otherwise eligible and
whose salary is below the job rate are
eligible to receive increments but an
employee's salary may not exceed the job
rate as the result of an increment advance.
«now your contract better
ibor contracts are complex legal
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STATEWIDE
TRAINING
SEMINAF
For tae propresenica state wien
Spring 1993
SAFETY AND HEALTH
APPLIED SKILLED TRADES
INTRODUCTION TO THE SKILLED TRADES.
Registration deadlines near on seminars
to enhance career,
Career and skills development
opportunities to help participants reach
and perform at higher skill levels are being
offered to CSEA-represented state
employees through a series of seminars and
workshops across the state this spring.
The seminar series are sponsored by the
NYS/CSEA Labor-Management Committees
and are made possible through sees in
the negotiated NYS/CSEA contrz
4 Seminars will be held during March, ‘April,
May and June.
Brochures detailing course descriptions,
schedules and locations are available from
your CSEA Local president and personnel
and training and education offices. You can
also contact:
NYS/CSEA Labor-Management Committees
One Commerce Plaza, Suite 1117
Albany, NY 12260
or by calling (518) 473-3428.
Safety and Health
Safety and Health seminars are designed
to provide CSEA-represented employees,
their supervisors, and members of labor-
management safety and health committees
with up-to-date information on
occupational safety and health issues.
Topics include safety for supervisors,
custodial practices, bloodborne pathogens,
and safety for employees in public contact
positions.
4,| Registration deadline: March 30.
For more information.contact
NYS/CSEA Labor-Management Committee
(518) 473-3428
skills development
Applied Skilled Trades
Workshops are offered for journey-level
employees who operate and maintain the
state’s physical plants and equipment. With
the addition of actual hands-on
demonstrations “in-shop,” the program is
significantly different from previous
seminars. Topics suggested by operators
and managers have resulted in courses
designed to enhance job-specific knowledge
and career potential. Topics include
masonry repair, landscaping, electrical
troubleshooting, automatic transmissions,
window unit air conditioner repair, and
planning, scheduling and supervising
projects.
Registration deadline: April 6.
Introduction To The Skilled Trades
CSEA-represented employees in salary
grades 3 through 9 can attend these
introductory workshops to develop skills
and broaden career opportunities.
Workshops provide a unique combination
of classroom and hands-on instruction for
employees in skilled trade areas such as
plumbing/pipe fitting, boiler and burners,
carpentry, locksmithing, and small engine
repair.
Employees in higher grade levels with
little practical experience in the subject
matter may also participate. Seminars are
held at SUNY Maritime College, Long Island
DDSO, Rockland PC and Middletown PC
and are offered to members in CSEA’s Long
Island, Metropolitan and Southern regions.
Registration deadline: three weeks
Bien to the seminar.
20= March 1993 Soe to.
STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Central Islip closing too fast, too costly
LONG ISLAND - The Long Island mental
health facilities — Pilgrim, Kings Park and
Central Islip — are particularly hard hit by
of Mental Health (OMH) budget.
But the slap-dash attempt to accelerate the
“relocation” of Central Islip into “interim”
housing at Pilgrim within a few months
clearly demonstrates
the budget-driven
tunnel vision that
pervades OMH
layoffs and downsizing in the proposed Office
STATE LEGISLATORS SEE FOR THEMSELVES — On a CSEA-sponsored tour of Central Islip
and Pilgrim psychiatric centers were state legislators, including Assembly Mental Health
Committee Chair Steven Sanders. From left are CSEA Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Local
ae
decisions.
OMH is insisting
the relocation be done by summer to
save money. In fact, the move carries a
huge cost and will be complicated by
extensive layoffs proposed for the Long
Island facilities.
Much of the disruption and cost
could be avoided altogether. OMH had
planned to move Central Islip into a
new, permanent facility on the Pilgrim
grounds in 1994. CSEA believes that
makes far more sense from a budget
and patient care standpoint.
But CSEA is extremely concerned
that simply delaying the Central Islip
relocation without restoring funds for
overall OMH operations will make a bad
situation worse systemwide.
“If the lawmakers consider what this
means for the affected people instead of
just looking at it as budget numbers,
President Mike Stekardis, CSEA Central Islip Psychiatric Center Local President Barbara Allen, +},.1 the issue is clear,” CSEA Long
Marjorie Bollar, president of the Central Islip Board of Visitors, Assembly Representative Bill
Bianchi, CSEA Long Island Region President Gloria Moran and Sen. Owen Johnson.
CSEA fights for
Harlem Valley
WINGDALE — CSEA is
leading an uphill battle to
save jobs for Harlem
Valley Psychiatric Center
members.
The Office of Mental
Health (OMH), after
deciding to close the
facility a year earlier than
expected, has already
begun to transfer patients
and staff to Hudson River
Psychiatric Center 30
miles away.
“If the state honored its
commitment to close the
facility by 1994, it might
have been possible to
avoid layoffs ," CSEA
Southern Region
President Pat Mascioli told
employees at a local
meeting.
“It's really hard to
understand how the
Governor and (OMH)
Commissioner
can justify this
decision to
destroy a first-
rate facility and
the lives of the
people who live
and work here,”
CSEA Local 409
President Henry
Walters said.
State
legislators and
local government
Island Region President Gloria Moran
said.
CSEA focuses on
homeless mentally ill
: ALBANY — CSEA is continuing to fight further
erosion of the state’s mental health care system.
“The situation is so badly deteriorated that it's
come down to a matter of public safety,” CSEA
Executive Vice President Danny Donohue said. “If
they cut any further it can only mean more dumping
of more dangerous individuals into the community.”
CSEA is publicizing on two incidents of homeless
mentally ill individuals endangering the public.
The first is the murder of 80-year-old Bronx
resident Doll Johnson who was bludgeoned to death
on the street by a mentally ill homeless individual.
The second involves Larry Hogue, the “Wild Man of 96th Street,” who
terrorized a Manhattan neighborhood.
Only after these incidents received national media attention did OMH
Commissioner Richard Surles acknowledge any responsibility for the
homeless mentally ill.
“For years CSEA has made a strong case about the impact of
psychiatric center closures on the mentally ill, the workers and the
communities, but until now, state decision makers didn’t give a damn,”
Donohue said. “Maybe these incidents will finally make people realize
what needs to be done.”
Manhattan PC members protest cuts
MANHATTAN — Members of Manhattan Psychiatric Center is
officials also
attended the
meeting and
denounced
OMH's actions as
bad for mentally
ill people, bad for
the dedicated
workers and bad
for the entire
Hudson Valley
CSEA Southern Region President
community.
Pat Mascioli
CSEA Manhattan Psychiatric Center
Local 413 are pressuring lawmakers
over disproportionate cutbacks
proposed for their facility.
Nearly a dozen lawmakers or
their representatives met at the
local office to discuss the situation.
Under Office of Mental Health
(OMH) budget proposals, nearly 300
jobs would be cut. MPC is the only
New York City facility slated to lose
staff.
“We want to know why
being targeted,” Local 413 President
Mohammed Hussain said.
Admissions to MPC are
continuous and nearly every day
there are reports of problems
caused by seriously mentally ill
individuals who fall through the
cracks of the mental health system.
“The need for our services is real
and we have to have the staff to
take care of the very sick
individuals who are coming here,”
March 1993
Hussain said,
STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Another painful budget
CSEA biasts layoffs, mental health closings, privatization
ALBANY — CSEA criticized the proposed New York state budget
for fiscal year 1993-94 that calls for deep cuts in the state
workforce and fails to
address the critical
issue of raising tax
revenues fairly, saying
the budget promotes
poor public policy.
In testimony before
the joint fiscal
committees of the state
Legislature, CSEA
Legislative Counsel
Fran Turner said the
state is repeating past
mistakes.
“The proposed budget
continues the practice of
poor public policy
decisions that have
eliminated nearly
25,000 state employee
jobs. The loyal public
employees who filled
these jobs would
populate a city the size
of Lockport,” Turner
said.
“The Governor's policy of cutting employees who provide vital
services like so much dead wood has obviously failed, since the
state faces yet another budget full of increased regressive taxes
and fees, seemingly thoughtless budget cuts, and another round of
6,400 job eliminations.”
If a private sector employer threatened to eliminate more than
30,000 jobs, the state and local governments would make all kinds
of concessions to keep those jobs filled, Turner said.
ter
CSEA TESTIFIES on the Governor's budget proposal. From left, CSEA Director of
Legislative and Political Action Ed LaPLante, Legislative Counsel Fran Turner and
Supervisor of Public Policy and Budget Analysis Kathy Albowicz.
levels.”
CSEA also criticized the budget for failing to restore fairness to
the tax system by requiring the wealthy to pay their fair share
through restructuring
personal income taxes
and closing corporate
tax loopholes.
The state’s
determination to
accelerate closing of
Harlem Valley and
Central Islip
psychiatric centers
and the deep job cuts
have CSEA
questioning the
state's commitment to
workforce planning,
Turner said.
“We must have a
_ | pledge that the state
® will lay off no more
workers, and we must
be assured that
workforce planning
efforts will be a true
partnership,” Turner
said. “We need a
commitment from the
state to preserve state employment. We need adequate staffing
CSEA also strongly opposed any efforts at selling off state
services to for-profit vendors.
“The unquestioning acceptance that the private sector can do it
New program increases
leave donation options
UTICA -- The Moulton family has faced
serious difficulties lately, but the generosity
of co-workers and a new and improved
statewide leave donation program are
helping.
David E. Moulton, a safety and security
officer at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center
and member of Council 82, suffers from an
inoperable brain tumor. Late last year, he
was about to run out of leave accruals and
go on sick leave at half pay.
But his co-workers who are CSEA
members and management/confidential
employees have been able to join his seven
Council 82 co-workers in donating vacation
time to allow Moulton to receive full pay.
In fact, 150 co-workers donated 250 days
of leave accruals to Moulton.
Moulton’s wife, Pat Moulton, said the
overwhelming response has been uplifting.
“I just cannot tell you how much it
means to us,” she said. “Things are so
depressing now, and this is the one thing
that makes us feel so happy. There couldn't
be anything better. It's the greatest thing
going.”
Pat Moulton knows well the people who
are helping her husband. She is also an
employee at MVPC, where she is a therapy
aide and a member of CSEA MVPC Local
434,
The new leave donation program,
negotiated by CSEA, is an extension of an
existing leave donation pilot program. The
original program allowed CSEA-
represented employees to donate annual
leave time to other CSEA-represented
employees in their agency or facility who
are suffering from catastrophic illnesses
and who have used up their own accruals.
The new program allows members of
CSEA, Council 82 and Organization of
Management and Confidential Employees
(OMCE) to donate to each other without
regard to bargaining unit. It is available
statewide.
CSEA President Joe McDermott made
negotiating the program a priority just
because of such situations.
“When I learned about David Moulton, |
knew this was another case where CSEA
had to get involved,” McDermott said. “We
all work together in state service, and we
should be able to show our compassion and
offer our help whenever our co-workers are
in need.”
better, more efficiently, and more cheaply is simply wrong,” Turner
said. “If the state hopes to control cost and maintain quality of
services, it must retain control of those services.”
CSEA MEMBERS
WORKING TOGETHER
CSEA Local 434 President Edward “Bud”
Mulchy brought Moulton to CSEA’s
attention.
The outstanding response to help
Moulton was no surprise.
“It's a testament to our dedicated and
compassionate workforce and excellent
labor relations,” he said.
The Employees Assistance Program
(EAP), with managament cooperation, made
sure all employees knew they could donate
leave accruals to Moulton, said Local 434
Fourth Vice President and EAP Coordinator
Barbara Reeves.
“The thing that pleases me most is that
despite the adversity that our workers have
faced here in the past several years,
including downsizing and layoffs, they still
came together to help their co-worker,”
Reeves said.
22. March 1993 ¢ :
State News
INDEX
Page 18
CSEA fights tape recorders in the
court room. Also, information on
an important Empire Plan
deadline.
Page 19
CSEA works with management to
resolve problems in a DOT local,
and a new local wins its first
arbitration. And a local labor -
management agreement allows for
light duty assignments for injured
workers.
Page 20
State employees get their CSEA-
negotiated raises in April. Plus
information on training programs.
Page 22
CSEA testifies on the state
budget. And information on an
expanded version of the leave
donation program for state
employees.
DANGER ae
WORKPLACE!
A
Rockland Psychiatric Center Therapy Aide Elijah Brown, right, shows Local 421
President Jim Broadnax where a patient cut his face with a razor blade recently. Brown
could have been killed, he said. The patient, who just six months ago attacked another
worker with a knife, was able to obtain the razor blade because the state has laid off
barbers who used to shave patients who were not trusted with sharp instruments,
Newark DC
Local 417
fights privateers
in western
New York
A state division CSEA Local has
combined with two CSEA local
government locals to fight privateers
in western New York.
Newark Developmental Center
Local 417 joined forces with CSEA
Wayne County Local 859 and CSEA
Ontario County Local 835 to
sponsor billboards throughout the
two-county area and distribute anti-
privatization brochures.
Local 417 President Pat Martin
said the localized effort parallels
CSEA's statewide anti-privatization
campaign. Martin said contracting
out is an ill-conceived scheme that
threatens public services and public
jobs.
"We support the statewide effort,
and we'll continue to try to educate
our local citizens and officials
against privatization," Martin said.
For details on the campaign in
Wayne and Ontario counties, see
page 3 of this edition of The Public
Sector.
CSEA, DMNA agree that
civilian employees will
maintain state armories
It’s traditional in the military to leave an
area “as you found it:” cleaned up and in the
same condition as when the military
personnel arrived. It’s also a tradition to
“make work” to keep military personnel busy.
But when military traditions clashed with
the rights of civilian employees in the state
Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA),
CSEA stepped in with a tradition of its own
—protecting the rights of its members.
CSEA and DMNA reached an agreement
before the state Public Employment Relations
Board (PERB) that prevents National Guard
unit personnel from doing work at state
armories normally done by civilian
employees. In exchange for the agreement,
CSEA withdrew a pair of improper practice
(IP) charges the union had filed against
DMNA. CSEA Associate Counsel Paul
Bamberger handled the case.
The settlement stipulates that
“maintenance work exclusively performed by
(CSEA DMNA bargaining) unit members will
continue to be performed by unit members.”
CSEA had filed the IPs because National
Guard unit members were doing extensive
maintenance work and repairs to state
armories as part of the Guard's weekend
training schedule.
Under the agreement, military personnel
are now limited to maintenance work
required to leave the facility in an “as you
found it” state. Military personnel will not
perform any significant repair work or
“anything more than touch-up painting.”
If an armory requires emergency
maintenance repairs while a National Guard
unit is in attendance, CSEA-represented
DMNA civilian employees will be called in.
Military personnel also are not to make
emergency repairs to armory heating systems
or perimeter doors,
“CSEA DMNA officials and members must
remain vigilant to effectively enforce this
excellent settlement,” said CSEA Deputy
Director of Contract Administration Tony
Campione, who filed the original IP.
“CSEA officials should immediately notify
the appropriate CSEA staff representative if
military personnel perform any work
traditionally done by the civilian employees,”
Campione said.
gZ 4 March 1993 23.
Official publicationof |
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO |.
Vol. 16 No.3 MARCH 1993
STATE NEWS SECTION PAGES 18-24 VERNMENT SECTION PAGES 1-7
|) AGREEMENT |
BETWEEN
THE CIVIL SERVICE
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC.
and ;
THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Institutional
Services Unit
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE CIVIL SERVICE
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION,
and
Operational |
Services Unit :
SER
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
: i 1991-1995
“ NOTICE OF NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF CSEA REGION OFFICERS...PAGE 10
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