The Public Sector, 1984 July 27

THE NATIONAL ELECTION
Labor supports the ticket

The Democratic convention nominated a presidential tick-
et American workers can enthusiastically support while adopt-
ing a party platform that offers workers clear alternatives to
the policies of the Reagan administration.

Following the nomination of Democratic presidential
nominee Walter Mondale and his vice presidential running
mate, Rep. Geraldine Ferraro of New York, AFL-CIO Presi-
dent Lane Kirkland sent the following telegram to Mondale:

“Congratulations on your outstanding victory. We look for-
ward to marching at your side through the general election cam-
paign and on to victory in November. The Mondale-Ferraro
team represents and stands for the mainstram of the best ideals
and aspirations of this country. You are going to win.”

Four CSEA members were among the 108 AFSCME mem-
bers elected as delegates and alternates to the Democratic na-
tional convention. In all, 801 of the delegates and alternates to
the convention were members of union affiliated with the
AFL-CIO.

Sub lire

* Official Publication of The Civil Service Employees Association Local:1000,
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

Managemen Services Administrati
nference. The purpose of the pre-ele
ich will be hess inthe

] Plaza, Albany,
terested are urged to attend. Members who ar
€ may submit their written comments, su;
Q the United

than e gas continues —
to plague Smithtown

THE MONDALE-FERRARO TEAM

“Vol. 5, No. 47

AFL-CIO. Friday, July 27, 1984

The ‘Forms, Independi
‘Forms, and Independent. Nomination Petition Fi
ix regional offices begi

six ginning on Aug.
Independent Nominating Petition coe

oo lbcet ogee on ea 10, 1964.

Meetings will be hel
. at the six region
for the Statewide Nominating

aie (2) years. Each region executive ard ae elec
Q) members from We nominees, no more than two

SMITHTOWN — The pre ce of methane gas at Smithi :
Citizen Center has forced the town to close the facility f out. four

_ and forced the layoff of nine parttime workers.

_ Methane a ee a the bo

_ Nine fulltime woes and “4 ane Ww
limited services to senior citizens during the :
The workers are all members of the town Smithtown bargaining unit

_ of Suffolk County CSEA Local 852,

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR TWO BOARD SEATS — See page 17

BILL MACCARO SR., Smithtown CSEA unit president,
voices a number of concerns at the Safety Committee meet-
ing held earlier this month.*Listening are, from left: Michael
Lanzarone, Smithtown councilman; Peter Prunka, town per-
sonnel officer; Ken Brotherton, CSEA occupational safety and
health representative; John Cuneo, CSEA field represen-
tative; and Ira Block, Smithtown councilman.

comply with Labor
w violations

SMITHTOWN — Previously strained relations between the town of
Smithtown and its CSEA bargaining unit appear to have taken a turn for the
better following a recent meeting of the safety committee to discuss ways
toimprove health and safety conditions at the town’s Municipal Services Fa-
cility.

Relations reached a low following a serious methane gas explosion at the
facility on May 4 which injured four employees, all CSEA members.

“The town started cooperating with us after an early morning safety com-
mittee meeting on Friday the 13th,” said William Maccaro, Sr., president of
the Smithtown bargaining unit of Suffolk County Local 852. “I’m pleased that
the town and CSEA seem to be working together to solve problems at the
MSF.”

Maccaro said that the most important part of the committee’s discus-
sions is the methane problem.

“We have provided the town with information about the methane haz-
ard, and we expect the town to provide information on methane test results
and possible solutions in return,’’ he said.

The town already has corrected five potential problems raised at the
safety meeting on July 13:

¢ There had been no telephone available for a lone worker who watches
the facility from midnight to 7 a.m. A phone has been installed in the gate-
house for his use.

* Most outdoor lights at the facility had failed. They have been fixed.
» Highway department trucks parked overnight in an area of the facili-

BROOKLYN — When an agreement establishing an Employee Assistance
Program at the Downstate Medical Center was signed recently, the occasion
turned out in part to be a tribute to a respected late CSEA officer.

“We held the luncheon ceremony on the birthday of Frances Dubose Batiste,
our late region president and former local president, because she was the driving
force behind EAP becoming a reality here at the center,” said Joan Phillips.
“Frances is remembered with a lot of love and respect for her persistence on
behalf of her members.”

Phillips, a member of Local 646, was the original representative for the CSEA
EAP program at Downstate in 1981, and is now coordinator of a joint
labor/management EAP program. EAP now offers confidential referral serv-
ices to more than 3,500 center employees who are members of CSEA, PEF,
Council 82 and UUP as well as management.

Phillips is anxious to get the word on EAP out to all of those workers. “A
lot of people don’t fully understand that they can receive assistance with marital,
legal, mental health, financial and budget problems, as well as substance abuse
problems. Some people think we are here for only the latter, but nothing could

SEWANHAKA — CSEA has won an important decision against the Sewan-
haka Central High School District on Long Island.

The New York State Public Employment Relations Board recently upheld
CSEA’s argument that the school district must negotiate in good faith on health
insurance premiums for employees who have retired or may do so during an
existing collective bargaining agreement.

CSEA members working for the district belong to Nassau County Educa-

Page 2

~~ THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

Downstate Med expands EAP, honors Frances

ty closed due to the methane hazard have been moved.

« MSF employees have had to use portable, unsanitary bathrooms since
the explosion. The town now is providing access for all employees to the office
bathroom facilities.

¢ Drinking and washing water, formerly provided by wells, will be provid-
ed from water authority mains. :

The town must still comply with five methane hazard-related violations
of the New York State Labor Law before the MSF can be reopened. In the
two months since the methane explosion, the town has failed to make public
how it intends to deal with the problem.

CSEA demanded that permanent methane detection devices and alarms,
effective ventilation systems and on-going training programs be utilized at
all Smithtown facilities built on or near landfills. The union also wants physi-
cals given to all members who have been exposed to methane gas. CSEA sug-
gested the town provide personal methane detection devices to all MSF
employees.

Three CSEA members — Bill Maccaro Jr., Frank Detelich, and Vito
Lasurdo — were severely burned in a methane explosion at the MSG on May
4th. Another CSEA member, John Landauer, was also injured in the blast.

Maccaro and Detelich remain in the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical
Center burn unit. Lasurdo and Landauer are recovering at home.

Contributions to help pay the uninsured expenses of the four men should
be sent to: Smithtown Employee Burn Fund, Bank of Smithtown, One East
Main Street, Smithtown, New York 11787.

be further from the truth,” Phillips said.” And we can’t emphasize enough that
all referrals are strictly confidential, with no exceptions.”

She noted that another little-known fact is that family members of an
employee with a problem affecting work performance can seek assistance with
the same confidentiality.

Phillips said employees may gain EAP aid by several methods, including
stopping by her office, room 180-c of the Basic Science Building in the
employment area of the center.

Employees may also phone the EAP coordinator for an appointment at

cline or write to Joan Phillips at P.O. Box 1218, 450 Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn,

The members of the center’s EAP committee are Barbara Moore and
Oswald Lawrence representing CSEA; Marty Nathanson, PEF’; Ozie Thorton,
Council 82; Jerome Stempak, UUP; and Gloria James, Leslie Rogowski, Yosett
Johnson, Randee Fishbeck, Susan Heimerdinger and Audrey Williams,
management.

PERB upholds health insurance for school district retirees

tional Employees‘CSEA Local 865.

The district had provided retirees with the same health insurance as it
provided employees. In July 1983, however, the district reduced payment of
health insurance premiums for retirees.

“PERB’s decision prevents school districts from forcing takebacks on
retirees who retired under an existing contract without negotiating with the un-
ion,’”’ said CSEA Field Representative Harold Krangle.

ATLETCHWORTH
DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER

CSEA members
raise funds,
donate time

to send clients
to camp

LETCHWORTH’S CHIEF RECREATIONAL THERAPIST Audrey Holsapple (below right) discuss-

es some of the activities in which clients will participate at Camp Kanawauke this summer. With

CAMP KANAWAUKE — More than $1,000 _ her are Local 412 Shop Steward Steve Edwards, Secretary Micki Bimbo and Ken Krieser of the

was raised recently by CSEA Local 2412mem- _ Palisades Interstate Park Commission. The camp is located at Harriman State Park and was leased
bers at Letchworth Developmental Center to _ to the facility by the commission.

help equip and renovate a summer camp for
clients of the facility.

The camp, located in Harriman State Park
and leased to the facility by the state, was in
need of renovation and equipment before the
clients could make use of it. In addition to fund
raising, many CSEA, PEF and administrative
employees volunteered their own time to reno-
vate and clean the buildings and grounds.

During a recent grand-opening reception,
Letchworth Director Albert Robidoux praised
the employees for “‘pulling together and mak-
ing this all possible.”

Dorothy Gasman, president of the Letch-
worth Board of Visitors, commented: ‘The
spirit here is wonderful. You see the employees
leading the clients in activities and you can see
they get as big a kick out of it as the clients.”

Gasman added that despite staffing
problems, “‘the employees do everything they
can to keep the clients from suffering.”’

_a LETCHWORTH DI-
RECTOR Albert
Robidoux _ praised

| CSEA Local 412 mem-

_ bers for helping to
raise funds for a sum-
mer day camp for
Letchworth clients
during an open house
reception recently at
the camp. Here he §
talks with Local 412
Secretary Micki
Bimbo.

New Port Chester School pact ‘best in yours

PORT CHESTER — Port Chester School District em-
ployees recently ratified ‘‘one of the' best contracts in
years” according to Region III Field Representative Lar-
ry Sparber.

The three-year contract for the more than 100 teacher
aides, parttime bus drivers, and clerical and custodial
employees provides for a 7.5 percent wage increase ef-
fective July 1, 1984; 8 percent as of July 1, 1985; and 7.25
percent effective July 1, 1986.

Sparber said the contract also provides for an in-
crease in dental premium payments by the school dis-
trict; a 40 percent retirement incentive for the first two
years of the contract; improvements in the overtime pay-
ment procedure for custodial employees; an increase in
life insurance; increases in rates for 37.5 hour clerical em-
ployees; and improved contract language covering terms
and conditions of employment.

In addition, the school district will change from a
30-year to a 20-year retirement program.

Sparber commented that the “long overdue” contract
provides for improvements “‘in all aspects.”

Unit President Gloria Furano credited her negotiat-
ing team with ‘‘a job well done.” Members of the team
included Vincent Lagano, Stella Lund, Vi Esposito and
Ludovico Truini.

PORT CHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICT Unit President Gloria Furano (seated, second from
right) signs the three year contract for 104 employees who are members of the unit. Also
seated are Assistant Superintendent Joseph Stamegna, Superintendent Dr. Harry Mix and
Region III Field Representative Larry Sparber. Standing are Vincent Lagano, Stella Lund,

Vi Esposito and Ludovico Truini, all members of the negotiating team.

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27. 1984 Page 3

Official publication of

The Civil Service Employees Association
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO

33 Elk Street, Albany, New York 12224

The Public Sector (445010) is published every
other Friday by the Civil Service Employees
Association, 33 Elk Street, Albany, New York
12224.

Publication office, 1 Columbia Place, Albany,
New York 12207.

Second Class Postage paid at Post Office,
Albany, New York.

MICHAEL P. MORAN — Publisher

ROGER A. COLE — Editor
TINA LINCER FIRST — Associate Editor
BRIAN K. BAKER — Assistant Editor

Address changes should be sent to Civil Ser-

vice Employees Association, The Public Sector, -
33 Elk Street, Albany, New York 12224.

Ge ay

TRYING TO SCREEN
THE DATA FOR POSSIBLE
ERROR MESSAGES...

WHO...
LITTLE OLD
USER-FRIENDLY

(-

HERBERT FORCE THE MOVING FORCE FOR HIS BELOVED NIAGARA FALLS

NIAGARA FALLS — Herbert C. Force has
devoted much of the last 13 years to a project that
has become almost an obsession — “‘It’s some-
thing I’ve been sidetracked on for many years”
—and when it finally does reach fruition he thinks
a fitting conclusion would be to send the whole
thing over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

Force is a CS9EA member and a custodian for
the Niagara Falls Board of Education. That’s his
job. But his hobby is photography, and his obses-
sion is to get a night photograph of Niagara Falls
ona commemorative stamp. For well over the last
decade he’s been urging the United States and
Canada to issues such stamps individually, and
he’d love to see the two countries in a joint ven-
ture stamp since Niagara Falls borders on both
countries.

Force took up photography seriously in 1962, and
today has “‘shoeboxes full of slides I’ve taken of
Niagara Falls.” His favorite photo, he says, is of
a night shot of the falls with fireworks bursting
overhead, and it is that photo which he would like

to see on a commemorative postage stamp.

And why not, argues Force. The first U.S. stamp
of the falls was a 5-cent issue in 1901 that mostly
featured a bridge between Canada and the Unit-
ed States, and the last was issued in 1922 and fea-
tured a close-up of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
That, he notes, was a 25-cent stamp used on par-
cel post. As for Canada, Force says the only
Niagara Falls stamp that country sold was a
20-cent issue of the American Falls in daylight is-
sued on June 1, 1935.

Last month Force wrote New York Gov. Mario
Cuomo, asking his help in getting one of the state’s
premier attractions featured on a U.S. postage
stamp.

Force suggested that the commemorative first
day covers of his night shot of the falls could be
sealed in waterproof containers inside a barrel
and sent over the falls on the first day of issue. His
favorite photo, he notes, was taken on July 4, 1976,
and suggests that the stamp be produced and sent
over the falls on July 4, 1985, the 209th birthday
of the United States. Force also feels the covers

His effort to capture Falls on a stamp becomes
‘something I've been sidetracked on for years’

could bear an inscription such as ‘This cover went
over Niagara Falls in a barrel on (date).””

A few days before, this idea was also proposed
in writing to the Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Com-
mittee of the U.S. Postal Service in Washington
by a major stamp collector in New Orelans.

Force himself is well-known throughout the
area for his prolific letter writing to newspapers,
virtually always using the opportunity to push
for his Niagara Falls stamp proposal. He has
sent about three letters a week for years to the
Buffalo Courier-Express newspaper, as well as
virtually every other paper within miles of the
area.

Still, his efforts and those of others as well, have
not met with success. Force says anyone who feels
his stamp idea is a good one should write or con-
tract the Postal Service. ‘I’ve been bombarding
them for years, but I can use all the help I can
get.

“It’s one of the greatest tourist attractions for
both the United States and Canada. It deserves to
be honored this way,”’ says Force resolutely.

4 CSEA STAFF OPENINGS

EAP rep position open

ALBANY — The statewide Employee As-
sistance Program (EAP) is seeking candidates to
fill the position of Employee Assistance Represen-
tative in the Buffalo area.

Candidates should have background and ex-
perience in social work or in alcohol/drug abuse
counseling.

Resumes must be submitted by Aug. 10 to:
Director of Employee Relations and Personnel,
CSEA Headquarters, 33 Elk St., Albany, N.Y.
12207.

The position is part of a joint labor-management
project and is funded by New York State with

\ negotiated monies. oO:

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

Page 4

Region VI negotiators to be chosen

BUFFALO — Region VI members in the
ASU, ISU and OSU bargaining units interest-
ed in serving on the statewide negotiating
teams should mark Aug. 17 on their calendars.

Candidates to represent the Western Region
on the three collective bargaining teams will
be selected at a meeting at 8 p.m., Aug. 17 at
the Treadway Inn.in Batavia.

Region VI President Robert L. Lattimer an-
nounced that members will have five minutes
in which to present their reasons and qualifi-
cations for serving on the teams. Following a

question and answer session, a vote will be
taken to determine the Region VI recommen-
dations.

Four candidates will be selected for each bar-
gaining unit. CSEA President William L.
McGowan will make the final bargaining team
selections, from the members recommended
by-each region.

Talks are expected to begin late this year.
The current ASU, ISU and OSU contracts with
the state expire on March 31.

ALBANY — To most, it’s mid-summer. But if
' you’re on the committee planning the 1984 Labor

It's time to get working on.
Albany Labor Day Parade

Unions, other groups invited to participate

left without a chance to participate in this year’s
Labor Day celebration,’’ Funiciello said.

| Day parade and picnic celebration, it’s getting Wood added, “Because the summer is so short,
| late. i we want to contact people now so they can plan
The once-traditional Labor Day parade in Alba- ahead to be in the parade and at the picnic.”
ny was revived last year after an absence of sever- Current plans call for the parade to start at 10:30
al decades, and just as it was a year ago, CSEA a.m. on Sept. 3 at Central Avenue and Partridge
will be heavily involved in the event this year. Street, and to proceed to Capitol Park for a noon
Barbara Charles, vice president of Department rally. The picnic will be held in Corning Park
of Labor CSEA Local 670 in Albany, is serving a8 preserve on the Hudson River after the rally.
co-chair of the celebration along with Doug Bul- Several bands and community groups have al-
lock, treasurer of the Albany County Central Fed- ready applied to march in the parade down Cen-
@ eration of Labor. Teamsters Local 669 Vice tra) and Washington avenues, Wood said.
President Irv Wood has been designated parade aa e
chairman. Noted Funiciello: “There are lots of reasons for
|) ~ Charles said she expects large numbers of un- Working men and women to participate in Labor
ionized public employees to participate, and Wood Day this year. Given what is going on with the
said, “We already have commitments from sever- economy, the labor market, the courts and other
al unions and community groups to participate in Parts of our lives, it is appropriate for us to gather
the parade and picnic program, and we’re look- together and show our support for one another.
ing for more.” : More than any: other time in history, our work
CSEA President William L. McGowan, who deli- 1S really more than our jobs. In modern times, we
f) vered the keynote address at last year’s Labor have forgotten the real purpose of the Labor Day
e Day celebration in Albany, has again pledged the holiday is to honor the contributions of working
full support of his union, according to John people. This is why we have revived the parade
Funiciello, chairman of the Solidarity Committee tradition after an absence of 100 or so years.”
of the Capital District which is sponsoring the 1984 Funiciello said any union who has not received . an :
program. Funiciello is a staff member of notification of the parade or any group who wants BARBARA CHARLES, vice president of CSEA ©
AFSCME/New York. to participate in the celebration should contact Local 670, is followed by John Funiciello, chair-
This year the Albany area labor movement is him at (518) 465-4585 or (518) 462-1388. Wood can man of the Solidarity Committee of the Capital
promoting the event as a regional affair to include be contacted at (518) 279-9389 or (518) 438-8912. District, during recent labor demonstration out-
smaller communities in the greater Albany area Those interested may also write to the Solidarity side city hall in Albany. Charles and Funiciello |
too small to have their own Labor Day programs. Committee at 191 Amsterdam Ave., Menands, both have key roles in organizing the 1984 Labor
“We want to make sure that no trade union is N.Y. 12204. Day parade and picnic celebration in Albany.
@ — oP PEST IE IESE PRE Ta OR Ss es
Ganeco OLIDARITY CENTER —
r > MHI.
Texaco, 9u INFORMATION OF INTEREST Lele A cited
: ressed TO UNION MEMBERS for outstanding serv’
strikes press AND FRIENDS OF LABOR =) :
by Oil Workers
e ement demands for
Demet — tggetins. and oer, Se, Boycott Texaco,
sharp W . ikes against 2
backs ae caus Gp, thoi, CoEmIEH Sunoco products
ante Workers charged. companies,
wThese two PrOSPETEAE in spite of The executive board of the Oil, Chemi-
which are immenscly ones are using cal & Atomic Workers union has called for
current economic 6 aber climate to Te a consumer boycott of Texaco and Suno-
the present day ani SO". g standards, co products until the union can reach a
write work | Fe eeatl Misbrenner said settlement with the two oil companies.
OCAW President ke by 1,400 OcAW In Pennsylvania and Ohio, 1,400 OCAW
® The Sunoco stn Cooks Pa., and T0- members have been on strike against
members at Moe Mar, 21. Instead of Sunoco since March 21. Meanwhile, some
edo, Ohio, beat industry seulemnen 700 members are striking Texaco at a
agrecing 10 2 Paving to its demand 1% number of locations for the past five
the come Ay up to $4.70 an hous a months.
wane a the seniority system 4! In both cases, the union reports the
Wenbel Seca can companies are seeking heavy wage cuts
AR accused mTexaee OA eel and serious weakening of the seniority
i es up to $5 an AEE system.
slashing Ye clause and co ano Until a settlement can be reached, let’s
we cine i Texaco a aan Beach, pass by the gasoline pumps of Sunoco and
e Srorkers at Wilmington ONT y egan Feb: Texaco and exercise our rights to refuse
Calif and Anacortes; © "7 to purchase their products.
24 ans have been at a And members holding credit cards
OCAW said nee ve hardline position from either company can write to the s eres eee 4
standstill because © i ne P company involved, threatening to cancel EDWARD GAMER, right, a mental health therapy aide
taken by both compan peer the ? the card if the company continues to at Elmira Psychiatric Center, is congratulated by CSEA
In an effort Ce ; es called for & maintain a hard line against its unionized Local 437 President Tom Ward for being honored for out-
nion’s executive pens mereo and Sunoco workers. standing service by the New York State Office of Mental
doncumes hoycott of ere Health, Gamer, a 10-year veteran of state service in adult
until a fair settlement \ and geriatric mental health care, was one of 34 statewide
Ae 178 OMH employees cited by their peers for service achieve-
® Fain f ments in 1983.
— a
Pd
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984 Page 5

Horseheads school employee
reinstated with pay, benefits

HORSEHEADS — Alan Madison, a custodian for the
Horseheads Central School District and a member of the HCS
Custodial Unit of Chemung County Local 808, is back on the
job following an American Arbitration Association (AAA) de-
cision he be reinstated with full back pay and benefits from
September 1983,

The case began Sept. 20, when Madison was given a no-
tice of termination. He immediately filed a grievance which
carried through procedure steps and, with CSEA legal as-
sistance aid, to the arbitration hearing.

The school district claimed Madison was terminated for
unsatisfactory work and other violations.

CSEA Regional Attorney Carl Hayden argued that the
standard applied to Madison’s work was not applied to the
supervisor’s two relatives who also worked in the same
classification. CSEA also called attention to the fact that
Madison’s immediate supervisor and the supervisor of
building and grounds were committed to the firing in a
memorandum dated Sept. 16, written before inspections of
Madison’s work the evening of the same date.

Hayden also raised the issue of “fair treatment” by call-
ing attention to the school district’s denial of Madison’s re-
quest for a work schedule change afforded other custodians.

Throughout the hearing Horseheads Central School Dis-
trict contended there is no ‘‘just cause”’ provision in the con-
tract limiting the employer. However, in her decision, the
arbitrator cited article and section of the contract which re-
quire that ‘the employer shall administer the contract in a
manner which will be fair and impartial to all employees.”
The arbitrator concluded that the district had not borne its
burden of proving that it treated the grievant (Madison) fair-
ly when it discharged him.

f

a

A hearty welcome for new unit

NEW MEMBERS of the brand new town of Shawungunk CSEA Unit were welcomed
recently by Ulster County Local President Sean Egan, third from left. According to
Region II Organizer Richard Blair, left, the unit consists of eight “very enthusiastic
members.” From left are Blair, unit member Ed Eignor, Egan, and members Kevin
Brieger, Joe Bayne, acting president, Robert Rysdyke and Frank Hadden. Not shown
are members Tom Weed, Bill Austin and Bob Mara.

CSEA wins on-call retro pay for hospital employees

SIDNEY — A settlement of more than $720 in

retroactive pay will be shared by 12 Sidney Hospi-.

tal employees following a recent decision by the
American Arbitration Associatio (AAA) concern-
ing their grievance over on-call pay at the health
facility in Delaware County.

According to Richard Burden, president of the
hospital unit, which is affiliated with CSEA Dela-
ware County Local 813, the grievance was filed in

December after the hospital installed a separate’
time clock for on-call employees and started pay-.

ing them by the minute worked.
“Previously, on-call employees had been paid

for-at least one hour of work if they were required
to drive from home to answer an after-hours call,”
Burden said.

“Through our CSEA representative, Jerry Phe-
lan, we requested and were later granted legal as-
sistance to take the grievance to arbitration,”
Burden continued. “‘And the case was very ably
handled by Robert Bullis, our CSEA attorney in
Binghamton.”

The AAA decision agreed with CSEA that
changing the on-call reimbursement procedure
violated accepted past practices.

The retroactive pay settlement will be dispersed
according to hours accumulated by 12 employees
in the respiratory therapy, laboratory, chemistry,
X-ray and maintenance departments.

“The action taken by our legal department
(CSEA Legal Services) and the professional way
the case was presented ‘to the AAA mediator,
proved once again we have a solid union to be

‘proud of,” Burden said. “Although the settlement

in terms of actual dollars did not amount to a large
sum, it sure indicated how far CSEA will go to cor-
rect a wrong — in this case, a flagrant violation
of past practice.”’

—— Member appointed fo Private Industry Council —

3

ene

HUDSON — Jaymar Edwards, second vice
president of the Columbia County Unit of the
CSEA, has been appointed to the Private Indus-
try Council for the Columbia-Greene County Joint
Training Partnership Act Service Area.

JTPA is the federal government’s new program
replacing the Comprehensive Education and
Training Act (CETA) program which has been
phased out.

The aim of JTPA is to train workers for jobs in
the private industry sector. The sponsoring firms
receive various tax and training benefits from the
public sector and federal government.

John D. Corcoran Jr., CSEA Region IV direc-
tor, said: “Jaymar Edwards will bring to this im-
portant position a fresh and new outlook on
cooperation between the public and private sec-

EDWARDS ON PIC — Jaymar Edwards, seated second from right, shows her letter of appointment to
the Private Industry Council of the Columbia and Greene County Joint Training Partnership Act Service
Area to CSEA Capital Region Director John D. Corcoran Jr. Looking on from left to right are CSEA Field
Representative Greg Davis, Columbia County CSEA Unit Secretary Terry Wallace, Unit Third Vice Presi-

dent James Palen, and Unit President Gloria Rutkey.

Page 6 THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

tor. Her accomplishments as a public employee
and as a union officer have prepared her well for
the new task of representing the interests of labor
on the Columbia and Greene County PIC.”

WASSAIC — Ruth Gordon, a housekeeper at the
Wassaic Developmental Center, had just shaken
out her dustmop on the porch of a building that
houses facility employees and offices. Although it
was a clear, sunny day, no one was sitting on the
porch.

As she started back inside the hallway, she
heard a loud crash. When she turned around to
find out what had happened, she was shocked to
discover that the heavy stucco that decorated the
ceiling of the porch had fallen on the very spot
where she had been standing.

“T still shake when I think about it,” says Gor-
don. “It was amazing that no one was hurt.”’

Following the incident, Wassaic’s Acting Direc-
tor Peter Lasher said he called in state officials
immediately to inspect the ceiling. It was deter-
mined that while the buildings were structurally
sound, the decorative stucco would have to be re-
moved from all the buildings as a precaution.

Wassaic Local 426 President Harold Ryan said
that since the inspection six porches on similarly
designed buildings on the campus have been
boarded up by maintenance crews.

While they are pleased with Lasher’s quick ac-
tion, Ryan and Region III OSHA Specialist Linda
Siccardi are concerned about the structural sound-
ness of the 40-year-old buildings‘and both have
asked for an inspection by someone who is
familiar with the original blueprints of the
buildings.

Speaking with Lasher following a recent tour of
the buildings, Siccardi asked if there are routine
maintenance and inspection programs to prevent
similar incidents from happening.

“There probably will be now,” Lasher said.

Ae er is
CSEA FIELD REP Jim Walters tells members of the Huntington Public
Library CSEA unit they have obtained a good contract in part because
members of the unit stood solidly together during difficult negotiations.

SIX BUILDINGS on the
Wassaic campus have been
boarded up like this one
since the decorative stucco
ceiling in one of the porches
fell recently.

WASSAIC LOCAL 426
President Harold Ryan
shows Region III OSHA
Specialist Linda Siccardi,
right, one of the boarded up
porches on the Wassaic
campus. Siccardi has sug-
gested a complete inspec-
tion of the buildings in order
to prevent similar acci-
dents. With Ryan and Sic-
cardi is Ruth Gordon, a
housekeeper who first no-
ticed the problem.

Library contract OK'd;
membership stood tough

through long bargaining

HUNTINGTON — “The unit’s ability to stand together’’ after three
months of impasse conditions preceeded by months of negotiations is credit-
ed with helping CSEA’s Huntington Public Library unit with obtaining a new
three-year contract. i

CSEA Field Representative Jim Walters, pointing out bargaining began
last October and reached an impasse stage three months ago, said ‘‘the unit’s
ability to stand together and PERB Mediator Karen Kenny’s proposal com-
bined to resolve the impasse”’ and lead to a settlement.

CSEA’s budget analysis capabilities to locate funds within the library’s
budget to support gains in the contract also was a key factor in reaching the
settlement.

The new pact, which took effect July 1, 1984, revamped the old salary
schedule. Members will get a 7.5 percent increase, including the increment,
in the first year; a 5.5 percent increase, plus increment, in the second year;
and a six percent increase, plus increment, in the third year.

The library will pay a greater percentage of increases in members’ health
insurance costs each year, The contract also provides an additional personal
leave day, time-and-a-half holiday pay for Christmas Eve ¢ nd New Year’s
Eve, a longevity increase and earlier use of vacation.

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984 Page 7

EAP pact signed at correctional facility

Group life insurance
refunds being distributed

ALBANY — Refunds are being issued by the
CSEA Basic Group Life Insurance Plan to more
than 65,000 eligible CSEA members.

To be eligible, CSEA members must have
participated in the Basic Plan on both Nov. 1,
1982, and Nov. 1, 1983.

Refund checks will be mailed the week of July
16 directly to the insured member’s home
address on file. with CSEA.

The refund is made possible due to favorable
experience and the Special Experience Rating
Account, according to CSEA’s Director of
Insurance Tim Mullens.

The Basic Group Life Insurance Plan is one of
several insurance plans endorsed by CSEA and
available only to members. Most state
employees who have voluntarily enrolled in the
plan have premiums deducted from their
paychecks under Code 305.

Questions concerning the refund should be sent
in writing to the CSEA Insurance Department, 33
Elk Street, Albany, N.Y. 12207. Inquiries shquld
include Social Security number, name of
employer (agency or political subdivision), and
former address if there has been a recent change
in mailing address.

CAMP GABRIELS, a new correctional facility in the North Country, has signed an Employee Assistance
Program agreement. Pictured penning the contract is Camp Gabriels Supervisor John Towmey. Others
who participated in the signing are, seated from left, Isabelle McManus, PEF; Bill Hoffnagle, AFSCME
Council 82; and Howard Grant, CSEA. Standing are Bruce Sawyer, EAP Committee member; John Sipe,

Council 82, advisor; Peter Nardiello, statewide EAP representative; and Shirley Chichester, a manage-
ment confidential representative.

Ellenburg trio wins reinstatement, back pay

ELLENBURG — Three CSEA members arbitrarily terminated by the town
of Ellenburg highway superintendent have been ordered reinstated with back
pay by the state Supreme Court.

Henry Minkler, Louis Smith and Steve LaClair, the court agreed, were ille-
gally terminated by newly-elected Highway Superintendent Larry Moore on Jan.
3, who said he found the highway department’s equipment “‘all broken and fall-
ing apart.” Saying they failed to properly maintain the equipment, he fired them
without benefit of a hearing into the charges.

CSEA Field Representative Charles Scott viewed the situation as “‘politi-

cians attempting to break our contract and use our members’ positions as bar-
gaining chips in an ongoing game of old-fashioned political spoils.”

Scott filed various charges against the town with the state’s Public Employ-
ment Relations Board, and also moved the illegal termination of the workers
without a hearing to the courts. Two of the workers, Minkler and Smith, were
entitled to hearings due to their veterans’ status, and LaClair also was entitled
to such a hearing under civil service law.

PERB ruled in favor of CSEA in its action representing Smith and Minkler,
and the Supreme Court followed shortly with a positive determination and ord-
er of reinstatement for all three.

“This is a great victory for CSEA in the North Country,” Scott said. “It shows
the local politicans that we’ll protect ourcontracts and our members’ rights.
This should end the pork barrel games that used to go on up here every
election.”

Gloversville employees join union

GLOVERSVILLE — Fourteen city of Gloversville employees in clerical,
dispatcher and related titles have selected CSEA as their collective bargain-
ing representative and have joined with blue collar city workers already
represented by CSEA to form the largest bargaining unit in city government

ere.

“These workers were interested in what CSEA could do for them at the
bargaining table, and they had ample time to see CSEA in action represent-
ing the needs of the blue collar workers, who joined CSEA in 1981,” said un-
ion Organizer Michael Sheldon,

Sheldon noted that Gloversville Mayor Eugene Rappenhagen and other
city officials were very cooperative once they realized the idea of organizing
had come from the workers themselves.

Unit President Alex DiGiacomo welcomed the new members into his
CSEA unit and promised to address their needs in the next contract. Negoti-
ations on a new contract covering all unionized city workers will get under-
way in the fall.

Training catalog for ASU members

ALBANY — The fall 1984 edition of the ‘“Transition Training Catalog”
will be ready for circulation next month, according to Betty Kurtik, coordi-
nator of the Clerical and Secretarial Employee Advancement Program
(CSEAP),

It lists job-related courses open to state Administrative Service Unit em-
ployees. They are held during daytime hours at 11 different sites across the
state.

Catalogs and registration forms will be available early August by con-
tacting CSEA state local presidents or by going to state personnel, training
and affirmative action offices.

Additional information is available by calling Kurtik at (518) 473-0667.

Page 8 THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Frida

, July 27, 1984

Some healthy reading
ae

REGION II CSEA OSHA REP Mitchell Braithwaite, left, shows a C0EA mem-
ber literature on occupational hazards at recent health fair at Manhattan Psy-
chiatric Center.

By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

LAKE GEORGE — Marc Whitney spends his summers in Lake George
and his winters on Gore Mountain. He’s not independently wealthy or a sports
bum — he’s just an energetic state employee who works on two separate,
seasonal jobs to make ends meet — almost.

“T really love outdoor work,” said Whitney about the common bond his
two positions share. ‘‘When I’m working at Gore Mountain, I love the moun-
tain, and when I’m down here at the park or on the beach, I love that. And
the people I work with and meet at both places are just fine.”

At Lake George, Whitney is a grade 2 park recreation aide, and a mem-
ber of CSEA’s Environmental Conservation Local 116. At Gore Mountain, he
has been employed as a ski lift operator, grade 1. If recalled by the new
management of Gore, (the Olympic Regional Development Authority took
over the operation of the mountain at the end of last season) Whitney will
belong to CSEA ORDA Local 059.

“Whitney’s a great guy and one heck of a worker,” Robert Clark, seasonal
En Con recreation supervisor at the Lake George beach facility, said. ‘‘He’s
responsible for maintaining a large section of the lawns which surround the
beach area down here, and he’s got other responsibilities up in the park area.
When he’s not down here mowing the lawn, clipping or picking up trash, he’s
up in the park area seeing that both look like a million for the tourists who
are visiting the lake and park and using the facilities. He’s a worker.”

“Everybody who knows Marc likes him,” Penny Cleveland, another
seasonal employee, said. ‘‘He’s that kind of guy who goes along and gets along
and yet is a real fine individual.”

“T’ve been real fortunate,” Whitney said. “Last year, I was out of work
for only six weeks and this year I’ve only been off for about four weeks. I
just hope that the new management at Gore calls me back when this job is
done.”

Whitney has been jumping back and forth between seasonal jobs for the
past three years. Typically, he works at Lake George from late May or early
April until early winter. Then he is usually called up to work at Gore Moun-
tain until the state’s ski season budget runs out on March 31. Then the cycle
begins again.

TWO JOBS — Mare Whitney is a member of CSEA Local 116 — or Local 059,
depending on the season. He puts two seasonal jobs together to equal full-
time work. In summer it’s recreation aide at Lake George park, in winter,
ski lift operator at Gore Mountain.

“T’d like to work at either facility all year long,”’ Whitney said. “It’s a
short ride from my home to the lake and a little longer to the mountain. But
you do what you have to do to make a living. It really doesn’t matter to me
where I’m working as long as I’m working and doing a good job for a good
employer.”

Some summer faces: Seasonal jobs add spice to their lives

Happiness is a summer job that offers added income, an outdoorsy en-
vironment and the chance to meet and mingle with all sorts of people. For
some CSEA workers at the Lake George Beach and park facility, that’s
just what they’ve got. Life would be sunnier, they agree, if they knew their
jobs were permanent, but for now they’re enjoying their moments in the
sun, A few thoughts:

“T’ve got a young growing family and this job is just right for me,”
says Penny Cleveland, an office worker. ‘‘But I’d like to know that I’d be
returning to this job each year.”

For Robert Clark, EnCon recreation supervisor at Lake George,
seasonal work is just the thing after working as a school teacher from Sep-
tember to June.

HENRIETTA RYDER
and talking to the tou

“This is just the type of job I need for summer employment,” he says.
“Tt lets me continue to work with children, teens and young college stu-
dents. Maybe it helps keep me young, at least mentally.”

And for Henrietta Ryder, who has been selling admission tickets tu
the beach for the past 14 years, the work is ‘“‘just enough.

“T like the people here. We're like one big happy family,” says Ryder,
who has become famous for her banana cream pies — she’s baked one for
her co-workers every week since she’s been there.

“On some days we can have 5,000 to 7,000 people on the beach and it
can be hectic,” she says. ‘“‘But then there are other days when you have
a chance to talk to the tourists, to help out other workers.”

a ‘ Es

ROBERT CLARK, right (with Penny Cleveland and

Marc Whitney) :..
working with young people

keeping mentally stimulated

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984 Page 9

‘ hee
MARSILIO (MARK) LANGELLA, third from left,

ners in Region III. Mark, son of Frank and Tina Lan-
gella, is a graduate of Saunders High School in
Yonkers. Mrs. Langella is a teacher’s aide in the
Yonkers City School District. With the winner is

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCHOLARS

~. CSEA/WESTCHESTEF

‘
Region III President Pat Mascioli, Mrs. Langella,
is one of three Irving Flaumenbaum Scholarship win- scholarship committee member Diane Lucchesi,
past Region III President Raymond J. O’Connor, and
Frank Langella. Mark plans to attend Manhattan
College where he will major in chemistry.

TWO $1000 AWARE

L 860,

CHRIS RUBINO OF NEW WINDSOR is also an
Irving Flaumenbaum Scholarship winner in
Region III. Chris is the son of Salvator and Maria
Rubino. A graduate of Newburgh Free Academy,
Chris plans to attend Syracuse University where he
will major in business administration. Mrs. Rubino
is a CSEA member, employed by the Newburgh Ci-

THREE IN EACH REC

% @ ___1wo$1,000 scholarships have been awarded this year by the Black River

Zimmerman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Zimmerman of Watertown.

Valley Local 015 in northern New York. The large awards have gone to Dawn
Robbins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Robbins of Dexter, and Stephanie

School District. Shown here with the winner is
Diane Lucchesi, a member of the scholarship com-
mittee; Salvatore Rubino, Field Representative

arry Natoli, Chris Rubino, Maria Rubino;
arianne Nelson, first vice president of the School

District, and Frank DeLauri, president of the
lewburgh City School District.

GET $500 EACH

Fl enaersenralpe
® fe)
aiding 18's

CSEA scholarship awards named in memory
of the late Irving Flaumenbaum, former Long Is-
land CSEA president, have been presented to
eighteen college-bound children of CSEA mem-
bers. The 18 winners, three from each of the un-
jon’s six regions, were previously announced in

factors as financial need, academic pertor-
mance, class ranking, scores on standardized
tests, and involvement in school and extra-
curricular activities.

The Irving Flaumenbaum Scholarships consist
of a one-time $500 award to each of the 18 chil-

KAREN MACHNIAK is another

Dawn plans to attend Jefferson Community College and Stephanie will be at-
tending St. Lawrence University.

other Irving Flau- ber, works for the Rockland County department of

menbaum Scholarship winner from Region III. Erik, probation. Shown here with the winner are Rockland
the son of Gloria Klein, is a graduate of Tappan Zee County Unit President Florence Kimmel, scholarship
High School in Orangeburgh. He plans to attend committee member Diane Lucchesi, GloriaKlein,
SUNY Binghamton where he will major in account- and Rockland County Local 844 President Frank
ing and computer science. Mrs. Klein, aCSEA mem- Bosco.

TIMOTHY J. STRUBLE
received his scholarship award

REGION 4 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS are congratu-
lated by C. Allen Mead, CSEA region president.
From left are Bonnie Cummings of Scotia, whose
mother, Margaret Cummings, is a member of Law

McDermott of Stephentown, whose father, John, be-
longs to Schenectady County Local 847; and Brian
Mormile of Amsterdam. His mother Kathryn Mor-
mile is a member of Montgomery County Local 829.

The Public Sector.

Presentation ceremonies have been condu@
ed throughout the regions in recent weeks since
the winners were selected on the basis of such

winner from western New York.
She is the daughter of Mildred
Machniak of Tonawanda, a mem-
ber of Buffalo State Employees
Local 003.

BONNIE GODSEY is also an
award winner from Region 6. Her
mother, Diane H. Godsey of
Marion, is a member of Wayne

recently from CSEA Western
Region President Robert L. Lat-
timer. Struble is the son of Ger-
aldine Struble of West Seneca, a

dren of CSEA members. Shown here are nine of
thqgwinners at awards ceremonies. Photos of
other winners will appear in a subsequent
edition.

Department CSEA Local 672; Mead; Maureen

LOWVILLE — When the Board of Directors of CSEA Lewis County Local
825 voted in 1976 to award one two-year scholarship of $300, even the most op-
timistic among them would have been amazed to know what that decision would
accomplish in less than 10 years.

From that modest start, a scholarship fund has grown to rival many pro-
grams throughout CSEA. Last month, with the naming of five 1984 award win-
ners, Local 825 scholarships reached $13,200, a level that merits the admiration
and pride of all CS9EA members.

James Freeman, president of Local 825, credits much of the program fore-
sight to Fred Tabolt, former president, and other active members of the Local.

Lewis County Local 825 has distributed $13,200 i

“The Board of Directors wanted to show our members that their dollars
could be used wisely — for the future education of their children. We star@d
with one $300 scholarship and the program has grown to five awards of $500 each
this year,” Freeman explained.

The 1984 award winners include: Susan Allen, daughter of David and
LaVonne Allen, and a recent graduate of Beaver River Central School, who plans
to attend Longwood College, in Virginia. LeVonne Allen is a Registered Nurse
at Lewis County Hospital.

Jacqueline Archer, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Archer, graduated last

Jeffrey Myers

Page 10

Jacqueline Archer Katrina Liendecker

scholarship awards

month from Lowville Academy and Central School. She hopes to continue her
edi@ation at Canton ATC or Alfred University and become a medical laborato-
ry technologist. Her mother is also employed at Lewis County General Hospital.

The third award went to Katrina Liendecker, a graduate of South Lewis Cen-
tral School, and daughter of Paul and Catherine Liendecker. Katrina plans to
major in psychology at SUNY Brockport. Catherine Liendecker is a Registered
Nurse with the Lewis County Public Health Nursing Service.

Jeffrey Myers, son of Homer and Pauline Myers, completed his last two
years of school at Eastern Mennonite High School. He is interested in music
and business and plans to continue his education at Eastern Mennonite College.
Pauline Myers is employed in the dietary department at the Lewis County Gener-
al Hospital.

© cal 825’s fifth award went to Suzette Woolschlager, daughter of Lowaine
and Dorothy Woolschlager. She is a graduate of Lowville Academy and Central
School and plans to pursue a career in nursing after completing studies at SUNY
Morrisville. Dorothy Woolschlager is employed as a bus driver for Lowville
Academy and Central School District. s

Commenting further about the 1984 awards Freeman added, “‘As president
of Lewis County Local 825, I want to personally thank the scholarship commit-
tee for its dedication and effort. We owe each of them, and to CSEA officers who
had the foresight to begin this worthwhile program in 1976, our deepest grati-
tude. By working together in the true spirit of unionism, I am certain we will
conginue to help deserving students with their future education and maintain
a proud Local 825 tradition,” he said.

member of Erie county Local 815. | County Local 859.

Town of Yorktown Unit awards
will assist students attending
UofR and Cornell University

YORKTOWN — The Town of Yorktown Unit of Westchester County Local 860
has awarded two $100 scholarships, it has been announced by Unit President
Lawrence Greene.

The awards have gone to Laura Kozelouzek of Lakeland High School and Robin
Lyons of Yorktown High School for their involvement in community work.

Laura, who is a member of her schools’ senior class government and leader-
ship group, helped to run a Halloween carnival last year for the Putnam Valley
Department of Parks and Recreation and the school district. The $500 which was
raised was donated to Putnam Community Hospital.

Amember of the National Honor Society and a volunteer tutor, Miss Kozelou-
zek plans to attend the University of Rochester, where she will major in engineering.

Miss Lyons, a member of the National Honor Society and co-captain of the var-
sity volleyball team, has worked as a volunteer at Northern Westchester Hospital
for the past four years. She is also her school’s yearbook events editor, and a mem-
ber of the key club, the pep band and the student senate.

She plans to attend Cornell University, where she will major in engineering
and computer science,

Greene said monies for the scholarships were raised through various fund-
raising projects by members of the unit.

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984 Rage jl

SUN REFLECTING from row of solar panels give a strong indication of the amount of energy that the

By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County’s “solar” building in the office build-
ing complex here may finally live up to its name, thanks to CSEA Local 846
members who are putting the “sol” back into ‘‘solar’’ and are saving tax dol-
lars by doing the work themselves.

In 1979, in the middle of the national energy crisis, Saratoga County
opened its ‘‘solar’”’ building — a modern three level,structure built to house
several county departments, and supposedly to be heated, for the main part,
free of charge by the sun.

Originally, the 140 solar absorber. panels which cover the building’s
streamlined south facade were supposed to collect enough solar energy to
heat the top two floors of the building, while a standard boiler provided heat
to the basement and served as a back-up for the collector system shoudl it
ever fail.

But the best laid plans of private contractors apparently spring leaks,
several leaks in fact. After less than two years of operation, the building be-
came “‘solar” in name only.

This summer, members of the Saratoga County Public Works Depart-
ment are using their skills to make the solar system operational once again.
The workers are members of CSEA Saratoga County Local 846.

The matter of the failure of the system to operate correctly is in the courts,
and no one would comment on the exact reasons for the system’s various
problems.

However, sources close to the project indicated that the absorber panels
were coming apart internally, possibly due to the type of solder used in their
initial construction and installation.

“The sun’s heat melted the solder which was holding the water-filled cop-
per tubing next to the absorber plate. When the tubes separated from the plate,
the unit lost its collecting power,” one source explained.

“We're basically rebuilding each panel from top to bottom,” Fred Snyder,
a county employee, said. Snyder and a few other county employees have spent
the past several weeks soldering the units back together one-by-one.

“Tt’s a piece-by-piece, unit-by-unit, tube-by-tube job,” Tom McCall, fore-
man, said.

For the past few days, however, he and Snyder have been up in the air
over the solar project. They have been working very carefully from a scaffold-
ing platform 12 feet up in the air. This precarious work position has allowed
them just enough room to solder the specially built draining pipe sections,
12, 15 and 18 feet in length, to the bottom drain tubes on each absorber panel.
The drain tubes connect the whole collector system to a 5,000 gallon holding
tank for the solar heated water. Gordon Derby, another worker, has been as-
sisting from the ground.

“This (the drain connection) and the installation of the central control
solar unit are the two major steps left in the project,’’ McCall said.

“Last year, a consultant with the Ballston Spa High School solar project
came in and redid 28 of the units,”’ Rick Gardner, another county worker in-
volved in the renovation project, said. ‘This summer we've redone the re-
maining 112 panels and the internal operation system.”

“The county’s got to be saving money doing the job this way,”’ McCall
said. His claim was strongly supported by Saratoga County Public Works
Commissioner Joseph Ritchney, who noted ‘‘We’ve already saved $10,000 by
not having to put the renovation project out for bid. Because of that alone,

we didn’t have to spend money to draw up plans, specs or buy ads to get bid- »

ders. We're also saving money based on the rates of our workers versus pri-
vate contractor rates. We also have complete quality control over the project.”

Saratoga County spent about $8,000 last year for gas used to heat the three
levels of the “‘solar’’ building. With the renovation project, the county expects
to realize a 50 per cent savings in that area alone, plus perhaps $2,000 annu-
ally in hot water heating costs.

Page 12 THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

system was expected to produce. But the Saratoga County “solar” building system failed after a couple of
years. Now, public employees are working to restore the system to operational status.

rd ™ ry ot
FRED SNYDER installs drain pipes for the solar system panels on

Saratoga County’s “solar” building that didn’t quite live up to its name.
Now county workers are getting the system back to operational form.

GORDON DARBY puts finishing touches on Some solar system drain
pipes he helped construct as part of the restoration of the system in
Saratoga County.

* |CSEC works forus!

GEORGE CLARK, Security Monitor
Connetquot Central School District
Suffolk Educational Local 870
“CSEA won a night differential grievance for me and the
e other security monitors here. We got a retroactive settlement
that never would have happened without CSEA.”

* the city have been increased by $25 in each year of the agreement.

Schenectady white collar
pact approved two-fo-one

SCHENECTADY — After 10 months of bargaining, the members of the city
of Schenectady CSEA white collar unit have approved a new three-year con-
tract by a two-to-one margin.

The new pact features a 7 percent salary increase for the 250 workers in
the first year, retroactive to Jan. 1, and 5 percent salary increases in each of
the following years.

“We were trying to preserve what we have,” Jack Parisi, president of the
CSEA unit, said. ‘The city was trying to take away various items.”

While protecting the majority of existing benefits for the current workforce,
CSEA negotiated various improvements in the new agreement.

Longevity payments to workers with five, 10, 15 and 20 years of service to

Shift employees also will receive a differential. Second shift workers will
receive an additional 15 cents per hour and third shift employees will benefit .
by a 20 cents per hour increase. If CSEA’s sister union, AFSCME Local 1037,
negotiates a higher differential rate for its blue collar members, the higher rate
will be passed on to CSEA members also.

DMNA workers’ right to
organize upheld again

ALBANY — The war is over and CSEA is victorious: civilian employees
of the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA) have won the right
to union representation.

Ina unanimous decision, state Appellate Court judges ruled that DMNA em-
ployees are “public employees and not in the organized militia and, therefore,
are subject to the provisions of the Taylor Law.”’ They explained “The Military
Law makes separate references to the organized militia and to the civilian em-
ployees of the DMNA.”

Ever since the employees first attempted to organize in 1982, the state has
used every obstacle in an effort to stop them. DMNA has consistently argued
that the civilians are not public employees and cannot be organized under the
Taylor Law.

The argument has now been rejected four times — twice by the Public Em-
ployment Relations Board, once in state Supreme Court and on July 5 by the
Appellate Division.

CSEA Attorney Pauline Rogers Kinsella reports the only way the state can
now try to get the unanimous decision reversed is by seeking special permis-
sion to be heard by the Court of Appeals.

WASHINGTON — The AFL-CIO is mounting the
“most massive’’ registration drive in labor histo-
ry to ensure that several million more union mem-
bers will be able to vote in November, the
federation’s Political Education Director John
Perkins told reporters here.

The federation’s goal is to have about 75 to 80
percent of its more than 13 million members
registered by election time, Perkins said.

Perkins directs the Committee on Political Edu-
cation (COPE), which works with the federation’s
affiliated unions to update its highly refined com-
puterized voter lists. As unregistered members
are identified, local unions will carry the respon-
sibility of enrolling their own members since they

AFL-CIO
signing up
voters for

November
elections

know them best, he said.

Perkins said labor’s polls show that Walter Mon-
dale is running about 20 points ahead of Reagan,
about 55 to 35 percent, in union households.

Asked what Mondale can do to persuade union
members who voted for Reagan in 1980 to vote
Democratic this time, Perkins said Reagan al-
ready has done the persuading. Out of the 30 mil-
lion people who have been hit by unemployment
under Reagan, many have been union members,
Perkins said.

The Democratic candidate must point out ‘all
the misery and suffering” under Reagan and how
“a lot of that suffering has not been necessary,”
Perkins said.

TV series on how to
test to air in August

NEW YORK CITY — CSEA members in regions I, II and III will be able
to view the Civil Service Test Preparation Project, a four-part video series
designed for persons taking civil service tests. The series will be shown on
television at 6 p.m. Aug. 3, 10, 17 and 24.

Part I, to be shown on Aug. 3, is ‘‘How to Take a Civil Service Exam.”
Part II, to be shown on Aug. 10 is ‘‘How to Prepare for an Oral Exam.”
The third installment, scheduled for Aug. 17, is Part II of the oral exam
segment. The fourth installment is ‘‘How to Prepare for the Math Portion of
a Civil Service Exam,” to be shown on Aug. 24.

Members in Region! can view the series on UHL channel 31. Cable sub-
scribers in Islip, Babylon and Suffolk County should tune in channel 24.

In Region II, members can tune in the series on UHF channel 31 or cable
channel 3.

take Civil Service
in Regions I, Hl, Ill

Region III residents who are cable subscribers should tune to the follow-
ing channels:

In Westchester County: Group W Cable in Mt. Vernon, turn to cable chan-
nel 3; Adams Russell Cablevision, channel 16; Cablevision System Develop-
ment Corp., Yonkers, channel 19; U-A Columbia Cablevision, channel 12. In
Orange County, Orange County Cablevision Inc., Wallkill, channel 35; War-
wick Cable TV Corp., channel 16.

All other members should check their local cable guides for stations that
carry WNYC, channel 31.

Booklets to accompany the TV series are available to CS9EA members
at $1.50 each, including postage, from CSEA’s Education Department, 33 Elk
St., Albany, N.Y. 12207. Non-members can obtain booklets from Cornell
University at the same price and should write to the Cornell School of In-
dustrial and Labor Relations, 112 State St., Albany, N.Y. 12207.

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984 Page 13

BILL ON GOVERNOR'S DESK

In wake of tragic

mishap on waterway
Legislature OKs
more canal monies

By Charles McGeary
CSEA Communications Associate

SYRACUSE — A CSEA-backed bill to provide $650,000 for additional staff
and maintenance of the state barge canal system easily passed both houses
of the state Legislature recently and, at press time, was awaiting the
governor’s signature. But those funds will come too late for an elderly
Syracuse couple whose boat recently struck an unmarked metal naviga-
tional stake imbedded in the bottom of the Seneca River section of the canal
system.

Howard A. Badie, 68, was killed and his wife, Harriet, 70, was injured
in the mishap. The accident occurred at about 8:30 at night recently when
the couple’s 14-foot fiberglass craft struck the unmarked stake used to desig-
nate the edge of the channel.

Until about two years ago, a state official said, lights were affixed to the
stakes. The lights were removed to cut maintenance costs and replaced by
reflectorized red cans, some of which have been destroyed or removed since.
The unmarked stake involved in the Badie mishap is one of more than 1,000
navigational aids owned and maintained by the state Department of Trans-
portation along the 524-mile state barge canal system.

One unidentified state official said the maintenance budget has been cut
in critical areas, making maintenance of the canal system more difficult.

Assistant Waterways Maintenance Engineer Richard Aldrich said his
$75,000 to $100,000 maintenance budget for 1984 and his staff of 160 maintenance
workers is half of what it was in the 1960s.

According to a newspaper statement, Aldrich was quoted as saying, ‘“To
maintain (the canal system) at any higher level is difficult. You have to un-
derstand that the canal system has very little importance compared to the
highway system.” Aldrich added that the waterways department must con-
tend with ‘‘an awful lot of vandalism,” including the frequent theft of naviga-
tional reflectors.

Each of the stake lights formerly used along the 235 miles of the system
in the local region required eight lantern batteries a year ago and cost about
$5,000 a year to maintain, Aldrich said. He added the reflector on the stake
the Badies’ boat struck will be replaced.

John Jermano, statewide director of waterways maintenance, was also
contacted after the accident. He remarked that the reflectors presently be-

fewLhe mishap ottursed.\

* struck an unmarke den.
shi e le chan :
“Guomo i.

ids" for» more

ing used are an ‘‘adequate’’ means of warning boaters. ‘‘The change from
lights to reflectors was based on good information,” he said.

Residents along the river and other boaters disagree with Jermano.
Another boat was reported to have struck the same marker several weeks
ago, but the lone boater was unhurt.

For nearly two years CSEA has conducted a hard-hitting campaign to
“Save the Canal.” This latest safety-related accident emphasizes the lack
of adequate maintenance along the state waterway and why CSEA so strongly
backed the bill awaiting the governor’s signature.

Carmel contract ratified

TOWN OF CARMEL — A recently ratified contract for 40 town employees
who are members of Local 840 provides 14 percent in wage increases over the
next two years.

Region III Field Representative Diane Campion said the agreement

provides for 7 percent wage boosts for each of the two years, increases in
longevity and uniform allowance and decreases in the amount of service
required to be eligible for vacation.

In addition, workers may now accumulate up to 75 days of sick leave this
year and up to 90 days next year.
The new contract is retroactive to Jan. 1.

Members of the negotiating team included Unit President Peg Moore, John
Nesbitt, Marge Agor, Charlie Yobak, Jerry Doyle and Tony Rendino.

COUNT DOWN — Town of Carmel Unit member Marge Agor counts the ballots
following the ratification vote for a new two-year contract. Looking on are John
Nesbitt, a member of the neogotiating team, Field Representative Diane
Campion and Unit President Peg Moore.

Page 14

1¢ SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

DISCUSSING HAZARDS at |

4 Suffolk County Department of -

, Social Services Babylon Center are
Anne Muller, health and safety
grievance committee, CSEA’s DSS
unit, center, and Local 852 Acting

President Lynn Martins. Babylon
Center Assistant Director Michael
D. Jones listens.

WATER WINDS ITS WAY out of
these hoses from the Babylon
Center basement at the rate of
8,000 gallons an hour. Taking note
of the situation is, from left, Jim
Piersanti, Local 852, acting first
vice president; Michael Jones,
assistant director of the Center;
Lynn Martins, Local 852 acting
president; and Ron Minichiello,
county staffer. .

TAKING STEPS to assess the flooding problem are,from |
left, Ken Brotherton, CSEA occupational safety and health |
representative; Local 852 Acting First Vice President Jim |
Piersanti; Michael Jones, assistant director of Babylon
Center; and Ron Minichiello, county staffer.
By Joel Bruinooge
CSEA Communications Associate victim down the poorly lit stairway,” said reached within inches of the building’s
BABYLON — CSEA Suffolk County Local Delaney, who filed the grievance about the electrical circuit boards. If the water reaches
852 has warned the county that life- inoperable elevator. the circuit boards, the building’s electricial
threatening hazards plaguing nearly 100 “While the elevator is certainly the critical system will fail.

e Department of Social Services workers at hazard in the building,” pointed out Martins,” The building also suffers from erratic air
Babylon Center must be immediately it is only one of many serious problems caused conditioning. This creates a health problem,
corrected. Clients and CSEA members by the flooding. This is not a situation that can because the building does not have an air
currently must climb the five-story building’s be solved by applying a band-aid. exchange system. The air is recirculated, and
stairs to conduct their business because “The elevator can’t. be fixed until the by late afternoon the carbon dioxide level
nearly a foot of water in the center’s basement flooding is stopped. The flooding results from rises, reducing the oxygen to breathe.
has knocked out the elevator. the area water table rising,” Martins said. “I The heating gas had to be shut off at the

“Thave told Department of Social Services don’t know if that problem can be solved. street, because the water rusted boiler valves
Commissioner Anita Romano that the Presently, 8,000 gallons of water are being in the basement. The building’s boilers sit in
situation must be made safe for clients and pumped out of the basement each hour the water.
our members immediately,” said Local 852 without substantial drop in the water level.” Martins says other problems at the Babylon

e Acting President Lynn Martins, “or the Specialists say the stagnant water could Center include bugs, leaks, torn carpets and
center’s operations must be moved to a safe create serious health problems, allowing the possibility of exterior brick facing falling.
facility.” mosquitoes and other insects to breed and Commissioner Romano told Martins the

One CSEA member must climb the stairs possibly spread disease. The New York State county will withhold rent if the landlord fails

| _ to his office on the fifth floor every day. The Department of Environmental Conservation to correct the problems. Repairs were
i man suffers a heart condition, says Shop is treating the water periodically, but the expected this week.
|| Steward Beverly Delaney, and it takes him 20 water is being pumped so quickly that the The union will inspect the building daily, | -
| minutes to complete the climb. effect is questionable, according to CSEA and Brotherton will monitor the repairs. }
“Tf someone had a heart attack climbing the Occupational Safety and Health “Tf the building is not made safe,” said |
| stairs, it would take precious minutes for Representative Ken Brotherton. Martins, “our members must be moved to |)
e emergency medical personnel to carry the During the heaviest rainfall the water another facility that does not endanger them.”

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984 Page 15

By Ron Wofford
CSEA Communication Associate

' lations at the Creedmor Psychiatric Center have
deteriorated to the point that ‘they can’t get much
worse,” according to Local 406 officers and CSEA
field staff.

“Management at Creedmoor has been totally ig-
noring CSEA’s contractual rights, and has
neglected its employees’ and our members’ dedi-
cation to their jobs,” said Local President Mick-
ey Cruz.

One of the most recent problems, Cruz said, was
the closing of the secure unit at CPC without notifi-
cation to CSEA or any attempt to negotiate the
move.
| Field Representative Marcia Schiowitz said an
! improper practice charge has been filed with the
| Public Employees Relations Board (PERB)

regarding the secure unit’s closing. This is in ad-
| dition to a previously filed IP relating to move-
| ment of staff within Building 38 under the guise
| of opening and closing of an additional unit and
| anew policy directive that also was not negotiat-
{| ed with CSEA.
1] “We won’t allow them to get away with these
| violations,” vowed Cruz, charging several succes-
sive CPC administrations with harassment and
' threats against employees at the facility.
| “They have created horrible working conditions
| for the staff, which only naturally, is going to have
adverse, or less than optimum effect on the
clients,”’ Cruz continued. ‘‘How can they expect
to get the highest productivity out of employees
who know they are being unfairly treated,
harassed and disciplined?” ‘‘The bottom line is
that management is seeking to obtain productivi-

| QUEENS VILLAGE — Labor/management re-
|

ALBANY — “Do your homework” is the advice
experts are now giving workers who expect to find
a secure place in tomorrow’s job market.

Educators are now warning that many jobs now
being created by technological developments and

rf

TOM QUIMBY ... ‘Even high school grads in
the workforce do not have adequate basic skills

.. in reading, math, science, reasoning and
speaking.’

‘They have created horrible working conditions’

ty through harassment and threats of disciplinary
action rather than the team concept and any form
of positive reinforcement.”

Cruz and Schiowitz said several management
teams have continued tactics that have made
labor/management relations ‘‘absolutely de-
plorable.””

Cruz said the large majority of his fellow em-
ployees have shown a willingness to do their job

‘How can they experct to get the
highest productivity out of employees
who know they are being unfairly
treated, harassed and disciplined?’
—Mickey Crux

“at the highest level, but management seems to
want to create confrontation, instead of improv-
ing the labor/management situation.

“The team concept that used to include the
MHTA along with the doctor, nurse and other
specialists has been thrown out the window, and
the client, once again, is suffering for it,” he said.

Cruz noted management has threatened to deny
employees promotional opportunities if they did
not pass the medication certification examination
after two unsuccessful attempts.

Schiowitz said the facility’s actions constitute
a change in terms and conditions of employment,
and are subject to impact negotiation before such
amove is made. ‘““They think they can operate un-
der their own rules rather than those dedicated by
law and contract governing the state and CSEA,”’
she said.

Basic skills vital to enhancing job opportunities

by the shift away from a manufacturing economy
will require higher skills of language and math
skills than many workers now possess.

Tom Quimby, director of CSEA/LEAP (Labor
Education Action Program), points to recent fed-
eral studies that suggest today’s workers would
be wise to return to the classroom.

“People often get the wrong idea when we talk
about ‘literacy,’ ” Quimby explains. ‘‘A function-
ally literate person is someone who has the essen-
tial knowledge and skills to perform effectively in
daily situations. These skills include reading, writ-
ing, and basic arithmetic and problem-solving
capabilities.”

Under this definition, he points out, approxi-
mately 26 million people in the U.S. are function-
ally illiterate, and an additional 46 million persons
are not functioning proficiently.

U.S. Department of Labor analysts estimate
that more than half the nation’s eight million un-
employed lack the basic skills that would enable
employers to train them for jobs that will open up
in the next few years.

There is a direct link between education level
and earnings, Quimby emphasizes. Americans
who do not finish high school have only two-thirds
the lifetime earning capacity as those who gradu-
ate. Those who do not complete grade school can
expect to earn only half the amount earned by high
school grads.

“Whether or not you get the diploma is not the
only factor,” Quimby explains. ‘We're seeing
studies showing that even high school grads in the

Page 16 THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

“Ne

MICKEY CRUZ ...
want to create confrontation instead of improv-
ing the labor/management situation.’

‘Management- seems to

According to Cruz, management has taken the
time-worn tactic of saying, ‘file a grievance,’
whenever there are complaints about their failure
to live up to the terms of the agreement.

“Tt’s not the everyday problem we have here,”
he said. ‘And the only way I see the situation im-
proving is for the Office of Mental health to get
their act together and appoint an administrative
staff that cares, and understands what a collec-
tive bargaining agreement and labor relations are
all about. It’s a contract, and they have to live up
to it whether they like it or not.”

Cruz urges all his fellow Creedmoor co-workers
to call Local 406 officers to register any complaints
regarding these matters so that we will “‘be unit-
ed in fighting management’s unjust practices.”

workforce do not have adequate basic skills. They
don’t have the abilities in reading, math, science,
reasoning and speaking that are required in som
many job situations today.”

Help is available to CSEA members who fear
their basic skills will not meet the challenge of
tomorrow’s job market. One source of that help
is LEAP, a joint CSEA/New York state effort
funded under the Administrative, Institutional and
Operational bargaining unit agreements.

“The range of educational programs we offer
is wide, and all our programs are tuition-free to
individuals in these bargaining units,’ Quimby
says.

“LEAP instructors have designed programs for
adults with basic skills at the third to fifth grade
level, and have helped members make remarka-
ble progress. We also offer an outstanding pro-
gram'‘to help members get their high school
equivalency certificates.

“Plus there are hundreds of courses designed
to help you improve your job skills, learn some-
thing new, or get that next promotion. These can
range anywhere from brushing up your shorthand
to getting a start on college,” he said.

Members in the ASU, ISU or OSU bargaining
units who want more information about these
tuition-free education programs, many of which
are offered at sites convenient to work locations,
should contact LEAP at 488 Broadway, Room 518,
Albany, N.Y. 12207. Or phone (518) 434-8151. Infor-
mation is also available through state agency per-
sonnel offices.

Suffolk retirees get-together

Region IV Family Day
set for Heritage Park

ALBANY — The CSEA Capital Region is
sponsoring its Second Annual Family Day
at Heritage Park here Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Rain date will be Aug. 20 at 7:30 p.m. The
baseball game will feature the Glens Falls
White Sox vs. the Albany-Colonie A’s.

© Tickets for adults are $2.75, children $1.75.
For ticket information call Joe Ross at
372-6904 or March Donnini, after 5 p.m., at
237-1865. The general public is invited to
attend.

e

SUFFOLK COUNTY RETIREES LOCAL 920 members held their annual dinner-dance June 18. Pictured
above at the affair are, front row, from left: Bob Specht, Hilda Runz, Herb Raeth, John Drazan, Emma
Kennedy, Mike Murphy and Louise Reinecke. Second row, from left: Michael Considine, Joe Aiello,
CSEA Field Representative Nick Pollicino, George Quinlan, Frank Gabreluk, and Local President Ed
Holland.

OFFICIAL PETITION FORMS DEADLINE SEPT. 10

Nominations open to fill 2
Board of Directors seats

Dutchess Co. Educational
Representative to Local
Government Committee

ALBANY — Nominations are now open to fill the position of Dutch-
ess County Educational Representative to CSEA’s Local Government
Executive Committee. Members of Dutchess Educational Local 867 will
participate in the special election to fill this vacancy on the union’s
statewide Board of Directors.

Greg Szurnicki, chairman of CSEA’s Election Procedures Commit-
tee, announced that members of the local wishing to seek the Board seat
must submit an official nominating form to the Local Nominating Commit-
tee by Aug. 14, Nominating forms are now available from the local.

To be eligible, prospective candidates must have been members in
good standing since Feb. 1.

Members of the Local Nominating Committee will meet Aug. 16 to
name candidates.

Under CSEA election procedures, candidates may also qualify for
ballot position by independent nominating petition. Official petition
forms are now available from the local, and completed forms must be
received at CSEA headquarters by the close of business Sept. 10.

Independent nominating petitions should be returned to the CSEA
Membership Department, Box 7125 Capitol Station, Albany, NY 12224,

The election schedule calls for: drawing for ballot positions to be
conducted at CSEA headquarters Sept. 15; ballots to be mailed Sept.
20; replacement ballots to be available beginning Sept. 27; completed
ballots to be returned to headquarters by noon, Oct. 11; and ballots to
be counted Oct. 11.

Those eligible to vote in the election must be members in good stand-
ing as of Aug. 5.

Region Il Mental Hygiene
Representative to State’
Executive Committee

ALBANY — Nominations aré now open to fill the position of Region
II Mental Hygiene representative to the State Executive Commit-
tee. Members of OMH and OMRDD locals in the Metropolitan Region
will participate in the special election to fill this vacancy on the union’s
Statewide Board of Directors.

Greg Szurnicki, chairman of CSEA’s Election Procedures Commit-
tee, announced that CSEA members wishing to seek the office must sub-
mit an official nominating form to CSEA Headquarters by Aug. 14.
Nominating forms are now available from presidents of the locals in-
volved.

To be eligible, prospective candidates must have been members in
good standing since Feb. 1.

Members of the Statewide Nominating Committee will meet Aug.
16 to name candidates.

Under CSEA election procedures, candidates may also qualify for
ballot position by independent nominating petition. Official petition
forms are now available from the Region II Office, and completed forms
must be received at CSEA headquarters by the close of business Sept. 10.

Both nominating forms and nominating petitions should be returned
to the CSEA Membership Department, Box 7125 Capitol Station, Alba-
ny, NY 12224.

The election schedule calls for; drawings for ballot position to be
conducted at CSEA headquarters Sept. 15; ballots to be mailed Sept.
20; replacement ballots to be available beginning Sept. 27; completed
ballots to be returned by noon, Oct. 11; and ballots to be counted Oct. 11.

Those eligible to vote in the election must be members in good standing
as of Aug, 5.

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

Page 17

Board of

Meeting highlights

EDITOR’S NOTE: Several

committees
issue reports for consideration by
members of CSEA’s Board of Directors
when the Board conducts its periodic
meetings. Following is the verbatim report
of the Directors’ Charter Committee
presented to the Board at its July 12, 1984
meeting in Albany.

REPORT OF THE
DIRECTORS’ CHARTER COMMITTEE
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
July 12, 1984

The Directors’ Charter Committee met on July 11,
1984 at the Americana Inn, Albany, New York. The
following Committee members were in attendance:
Marjorie Coggeshall, Richard Reno, Joel Schwartz,
William McMahon, Chair JoAnn Lowe, Kathryn Sad-
dlemire and John Lowery.

Absent Committee members were Victor Marr,
Harold Ryan, Cindy Egan, and Flo Trippi.

After due deliberation the Committee recommends
as follows: z

1. Article III of the Local Constitution be amend-

ed by adding a new Section to be numbered Section
2 and to read as follows:
Section 2. A person becomes a member of CSEA
when a membership application has been processed
by CSEA Headquarters and actual payment of mem-
bership dues is deducted or received or notice thereof
is received by CSEA.

A number of issues have arisen recently concern-
ing the question of when a person becomes a CSEA
member. A recent example involved a number of in-
dividuals appearing at CSEA Headquarters with
membership applications and membership dues. It
is important that the Constitution specify the date on
which CSEA membership begins. Obviously, Head-
quarters must have time to process the membership
applications. Processing includes such things as en-
tering by the data entry section. A second criteria
involves the actual receipt of membership dues. A
problem arises because frequently an employer may
begin making the deduction, but CSEA will not know
of this until a number of weeks later. It is essential
for election purposes that CSEA know the date that
membership became effective. The suggested lan-
guage would allow a member whose dues have ac-
tually been deducted by an employer but whose

employer has not yet notified CSEA of this to bring
in his pay stub to CSEA to show them that indeed the
dues deduction has taken place so that the person can
be considered a member.

2. That a new Article XI be created for the Local
Constitution to read as follows:

ARTICLE XI
AGREEMENTS

Section 1. No local or local officer may enter into any
agreement with any employer for a payroll deduc-
tion authorization (except for CSEA membership
dues, agency fee deductions, or CSEA, Inc. sponsored
programs) unless said local or local officer has
received a prior written individual authorization.
from the Board of Directors of the Civil Service Em-
ployees Association, Inc.
Section 2. Those eligible to participate in a contract
ratification vote must be members in good standing
30 days prior to the date the ratification vote is held.

Anumber of recent problems have also arisen with
regard to payroll deduction authorizations entered
into by locals or units without authorization of CSEA.
Ina particular case, a Deputy Sheriff’s Association
was permitted a membership dues deduction. The
same group then turned around and used the mem-
bership dues which they had been given to petition
PERB and challenge CSEA for representation rights
for employees. Additionally, we have had problems
where “sunshine funds” were created with no guide-
lines for control of them. We have also experienced
problems with unauthorized insurance plans being
put into effect without the authorization of CSEA.

The Charter Committee received some suggested
language from Board Member Thomas Jefferson,
which language the Committee considered. One of
the things that Mr. Jefferson suggested would be that
this language not have retroactive affect. It is not the
intent of the Charter Committe that this language,
if adopted, have retroactive effect. This language
would take effect if approved by the Board of Direc-
tors, and would only be effective from that day for-
ward for agreements entered into subsequent to the
effective date of the acceptance of the Article.

The intent of new Section 2 is to once again avoid
a situation whereby people who had not been mem-
bers, the day before a contract ratification vote, at-
tempt to become members solely for the purpose of
voting in the ratification vote and then cease their

membership immediately thereafter. The language
“members in good standing” relates to the current
language contained in an asterisk to the Local Con-
stitution which states that a member in good stand-
ing is a member whose dues are not delinquent and
who is not currently serving a disciplinary penalty
imposed by the Judicial Board of CSEA. The penalty
imposed by the Judicial Board would have to specif-
ically include a person not being eligible to vote or
language indicating that the person is hereby held
not to be a member in good standing for a certain
period of time in order for this language to be able
to prohibit a person from voting. A one time repri-
mand issued by the Judicial Board without any lan-
guage indicating a denial of the right to vote would
not prohibit an individual from voting under this Sec-
tion, since that person would not currently be serv-
ing a disciplinary penalty imposed by the Judicial
Board.

3. After due deliberation the Committee recom-
mends that a new Article XI be created for the Unit
Constitution to read as follows:

ARTICLE XT
AGREEMENTS

Section 1. No unit or unit officer may enter into any
agreement with any employer for a payroll deduc-
tion authorization (except for CSEA membership
dues, agency fee deductions, or CSEA, Inc. sponsored
programs) unless said unit or unit officer has
received a prior written individual authorization
from the Board of Directors of the Civil Service Em-
Ployees Association, Inc.

Section 2. Those eligible to participate in a contract
ratification vote must be members in good standing
30 days prior to the date the'ratification vote is held.

The Committee also recommends that the remain-
ing Articles of the Local and Unit Constitution be
renumbered consecutively.

4, That the request for the Schenectady County
Retirees to be separated from the Capital District Lo-
cal and be issued their own charter be granted.

5. That Local 626 (FSA Binghamton) be dissolved.

6. That the name of the Livingston County Retirees
Local be changed to the Livingston Wyoming County
Retirees Local 922.

Respectfully submitted,
DIRECTORS’ CHARTER COMMITTEE

EAP AGREEMENT

FOR HIGHER ED — Dr. Dolores
E, Cross, seated right, signs an
Employee Assistance Program
(EAP) agreement covering em-
yees of the Higher Education
rvice Corporation. Dr. Cross is
HESC president, About to sign
another copy of the agreement is
Patrick Hale Jr., seated left,
president of Higher Education
CSEA Local 667, Smiling broad-
ly between the two is statewide
EAP Represenatative Peter
Nardiello. Also on hand to wit-
ness the ceremony were, stand-
ing from left, Local 667 First Vice
President Beatrice Verleger, Lo-
cal 667 Secretary Elizabeth Habi-
niak and Local 667 Second Vice
President Thomas R. Hebert.

i
i

IP resolved at N.Y.
Psychiatric Institute

NEW YORK CITY — CSEA has reaffirmed
its right to file grievances at the New York State
Psychiatric Institute.

The union, according to Field Representative
Marcia Schiowitz, initially filed an improper prac-
tice charge claiming management interference
during the processing of grievances. A March 13
incident was cited during which the institute’s
director of human resources management, Joseph
Borgovini, told CSEA Local 419 Grievance Chair-
woman Maxine Prince that he was “‘tired of her
behavior.”

The matter was resolved at a June 14 hearing.

CSEA agreed to withdraw the IP based on a let-
ter from Administrative Law Judge Monte Klein
to both parties which reaffirms the union’s right
“to file grievances free from interference, res-
traint, coercion or threat from the employer.” He
also added, “It is expected that the CSEA will con-
tinue to preserve its right under the collective bar-
gaining agreement and that it will be permitted
to do so without any interference, restraint, or
coercion by the state.”’

ee

Labor College has
special courses
for NYC members

NEW YORK CITY — A college with courses es-
pecially designed for working people — CSEA
members — is now accepting applications for the
fall semester under auspices of the Center for
Labor Studies of Empire State College.

The CSEA Metropolitan Region II College Pro-
gram, which began in January, offers members
“the knowledge and tools to fight for our rights on
the job, and meet the many social and political
challenges that we face as public employees,”’
said George Boncoraglio, Region II president.

The program, developed by Empire State’s
Labor College faculty members after intense con-
ferencing with Region II members and leadership,
seeks to meet the educational aspirations and job
demands of CSEA members.

The degree program of Empire State College
offers a solid background in the social sciences,
with a special trade union orientation, but five
courses are the direct result of consulting between
CSEA and the Center for Labor Studies.

“Introduction to Computers” offers students a
chance to learn how to operate computers. The
course carries four credit hours and will be held
on Tuesdays from 6 to 9:15 p.m.

“Work and Contemporary Social Issues” fo-
cuses on social institutions and social change. The
four-credit course will meet on Wednesdays from
6 to 9:15 p.m.

“Principles of Writing” develops and hones writ-
ing skills needed io structure, write and edit
reports, briefs and newspaper articles. This is a
four-credit course. >

“Stress and the Changing Workplace,” a two-
credit course, examines stress as a personal and
organizational union issue.

Wi

A special course for local union leaders and ex-
ecutive board members, “Contemporary Bargain-
ing Relationship,” examines bargaining in the
new era of multinational conglomerates and fis-
cal crises in government. The four-credit course
also analyzes current public and private sector un-
ion relationships.

Tuition is $190 for four-credit courses and $97.50
for two-credit courses. Payment is required in ad-
vance, but most state CSEA members may re-
quest reimbursement by filling out the proper
forms in advance. They are available at the
Region II office. Some courses may be covered by
the Labor Education Action Program as well, for
those who applied before the July 18 deadline.

The Center for Labor Studies was founded in
1971 to meet the needs of working adults.

REGION Il PRESIDENT George Boncoraglio,
seated, and Professor Charles Lynch of the Empire
State College Center for Labor Studies go over the
curriculum for the Region II fall program.

CSEA members Norma Walker and Margaret
McPartlan recently talked about their experi-
ences with the school. Walker, a payroll super-
visor in the Office of Court Administration,
praised the writing course for ‘helping broaden
my insights and improve my grammar and para-
graph structure.’ McPartlan, a senior employ-
ment clerk with the Department of labor, was
happy to enroll with follow CSEA members be-
cause “‘we share similar interests and concerns
in a friendly environment.”

Registration for the Labor College courses will
be held Sept. 4-7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Em-
pire State College, 300 W. 42 St. For information,
call (212) 279-7380, and ask for professors
Charles Lynch or Elana Michelson. The Region
Tl office, (212) 514-9200, will also provide
assistance.

a es

22

NEW YORK CITY — A comprehensive college
credit program for women working in public serv-
ice jobs has graduated its first class in the New York
City area with 22 CSEA Region II members receiv-
ing award certificates.

Applications for the fall semester are now being
accepted for the Public Service Women’s Studies pro-
gram of the Institute for Women and Work, spon-
sored by the New York State School of Labor and
Industrial Relations at Cornell University.

f

ALBANY — “We must prepare ourselves, as
you have done, to be ready when that opportunity
comes to move up the career ladder,’ CSEA
Secretary Irene Carr told the 34 women from 19
state agencies who recently completed the year-
long Public Service Women’s Studies program.

The program is conducted by Cornell Universi-
ty’s New York State School of Industrial and
Labor Relations.

In delivering the address to the Albany-area
graduates, Carr emphasized the important role
women have played in labor history, dating to the
early, 19th century.

Describing their intolerable working conditions

The six-subject course, which offers nine under-
graduate college credits from Cornell University and
a completion certificate, was made available in New
York after many requests, following growing
popularity with the Albany program which began in
1978, according to Anne Nelson, director of the
program.

Courses are being offered in effective writing and
interpersonal relations in the fall term; oral commu-
nications and organizational behavior in the winter;

Carr fo graduates: ‘The fight is not over’

and struggles by early organizations of women |
workers to achieve labor reforms, Carr said:
“They fought for us, for the working conditions
that we now enjoy. And the fight is not over. We
owe a debt to them and to ourselves to carry on’
the struggle until women are seen — and until we
see ourselves — as workers deserving of equali-
ty: equality of opportunity, equality of pay, equal-
ity of benefits. f
“We have to demand that our needs as workers
be met so that both women and men can fulfill job
and family obligations without sacrifice to either,” /
Carr concluded. ‘‘You must help do that, not only |
for yourselves, but for those who come after.” |

and mathematics and basic principles of manage-
ment in the spring.

“The courses have been carefully designed and
tested to increase those skills which are most need-
ed for upward mobility,”’ Nelson said.

She said the course is open to any woman who has
completed the third grade of school, has the neces-
sary motivation for growth and the ability to do six
hours of homework a week.

The Region II members of the inaugural New York
City class are: Catherine Badner, Maria Bezares,
Irene S. Cooper, Sue M. Cooper-Sims, Joyce BE.
Davenport, Lucia Diaz, Romona R. Doss, Florence
E. Ford, Yvonne Louise James, Louise Joseph-
Pauline Louise K. Miller.

Also, Isadora D. Morton, Cleo Nealious, Rispah B.
Newkirt, Marie Peters, Dorothea Petersen, Barbara
I. Ridley, Nicolina Spinelli, Doris E. Stout, Violeta
Swift, Marie Vuono and Sylvia T. Williams.

Florence Ford was selected by her fellow gradu-
ates to speak at the graduation ceremony, which was
also addressed by Noreen Connell, assistant commis-
sioner of the state Department of Labor, and Lois
Gray, associate dean, NYSSLIR.

Director Nelson said the classes will be held on
Thursday evenings, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. at

| the Cornell facility located at 15 E.26 St. Classes will

begin Sept. 20. Further information can be obtain by
phone at (212) 340-2800. The program qualifies for
state tuition aid. ,

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

‘Page 19

a AE

YEARS OF ACTIVISM COMMON TRAIT
OF NEWEST REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

GEORGE BONCORAGLIO

- az

-_
—,

PAT MASCIOLI

By Stanley Hornak
CSEA Communications Associate

FISHKILL — The people of CSEA’s Southern
Region know Pat Mascioli well. His landslide elec-
tion as regional president did not surprise them.
He earned it.

Mascioli, who sought the office because ‘‘Ray
i O'Connor (past president) was an absentee lead-
er,” plans to work ‘‘as hard as ever”’ in the new
; post. It’s the way he operates.

The veteran Westchester County employee be-
lieves in service. As a union activist, he is a major
influence in CSEA. As a community leader, his

|, voice is heard in both the political life of his
|) hometown, Yonkers, and beyond.
A Yet he remains a man with the common touch,
someone who never forgets a birthday, always
remembers a ‘“‘thank you,” and always willing to
go out and hear the membership.

Mascioli’s past reads like a who’s who of the
Southern Region. He served six years as president
of the 5,000-member Westchester County unit and
later moved up to Westchester County Local 860
president. In 1981, he easily won election as

Page 20

By Ron Wofford
CSEA Communications Associate

NEW YORK — When George Boncoraglio first
called on CSEA to assist him in saving his job 11
years ago, he didn’t realize his subsequent in-
volvement in his union would lead to his recent
election as Region II president.

But, after having been elected president of his
local three times, and serving on numerous local,
regional and statewide committees, and “fighting
for our members,” the youthful union activist feels
“ready to meet the challenge.”

“It’s really a good feeling to know that my fel-
low members showed enough confidence to feel
that I could lead in a positive direction regarding
our mutual concerns,” said Boncoraglio, ‘‘and I’m
going to do everything in my power to live up to
that confidence.”

Right now, the young man who began as a stores
clerk at South Beach Psychiatric Center is
familiarizing himself with the numerous commit-
tees and appointments that have become his
responsibility, along with many others.

“I was lucky to serve on many committees, my-
self, so I have an idea of what is required to be
a positive addition to most of our committee ef-
forts,” he said.

Some of those committees include the charter
committee that helped form, organize and chart-
er Local 446 at SBPC, regional political action
committee, budget committees, grievance com-
mittees, affirmative action, human rights, safe-

SOUTHERN
REGION Ill

Southern Region first vice president. He has also
been the top vote-getter in AFSCME delegate
elections.

At the same time, he serves as a City of Yonkers
Human Rights commissioner, a member of the
Enrico Fermi Scholarship Fund, and a command
sergeant major in the Army Reserve. He is also
active in the United Way and is a regular volun-
teer in the Cancer Society’s annual fund-raising
‘Daffodil Drive.”

Mascioli, who stays fit by jogging, finds the ex-
ercise “symbolic.” He is always ‘‘on the run” and
has acquired a reputation as “Mr. Demon-
stration,”

When Greyhound bus drivers were on strike, he
was there. When CSEA scholarships were award-
ed, he was there. When a state Senate budget com:
mittee held a hearing, he was there. When state
employees did informational picketing to protest
proposed layoffs, he was there. When a fiscal cri-
sis nearly closed the Yonkers City school district,
he was there.

Pat Mascioli says ‘from now on, the people of
the Southern Region can expect a regional presi-
dent who will be, there.”

THE PUBLIC SECTOR, Friday, July 27, 1984

ty and statewide labor-management committees,
as well as the institutional statewide negotiating
committee, which he co-chaired in 1982.

“Now that I’m region president, I won’t be on
the upcoming state negotiating committee, and I’ll
really miss it. But I know our regional represen-
tatives will give their best, as will all our commit-
tee members.”

Boncoraglio, who for the last eight years worked
as a mental hygiene therapy aide at SBPC, was
also a motor vehicle operator after starting out as
a stores clerk. It was as a stores clerk that he
remembers his first ‘‘run-in” with management.

“They wanted me to lug a huge refrigerator up
several flights of stairs, on a small unsafe dolly,
with no retaining strap or assistance,” he recalled.
“T refused, citing the unsafe conditions, and they
tried to fire me. I called on CSEA, and they were
quite helpful in helping me retain my job. And I’ve
been a CSEA member and activist ever since.”

“T feel I have a true grassroots commitment
to the members of CSEA,” he says, ‘‘and my long
years of experience as a CSEA union activist and
as an employee of the state Mental Hygiene sys-
tem have given me the background needed to do
the best job in behalf of CSEA members.” Call-
ing his election a mandate to fulfill his campaign
promises, Boncoraglio pledged his “‘best efforts
and sincerity.”

“And,” he concluded, ‘‘my office is open to any
of our members who have problems, or want to
join in the quest for union progress.”