Official publication of
Local 1000, APSCME, AFL-CIO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION -- PAGES 1-7 : GENERAL NEWS SECTION -- PAGES 8-13
STATE NEWS SECTION-- PAGES 14-20 a
SCHOOL
TOWNS || VILLAGES | |DISTRICTS
COUNTIES || CITIES Local Government News
INDEX
Page 3
Putnam County members mount
emotional campaign to oppose layoffs.
And in Nassau County the union
battles contract concession demands.
Page 4
Onondaga County employees are fed-
up with a drawn-out contract impasse.
Page 5
News and information from several
school districts.
Page 6
A variety of contract situations arise in
Cattauragus and Schoharie Counties
and the town of Riverhead.
General News pages 7 - 14
Smithtown CSEA members :
raise money for leukemia F PLE
SMITHTOWN — CSEA members in
Smithtown donated big bucks to the Long IN THE NEWS
Island Leukemia Chapter and got to dress
down in return.
The town proclaimed Aug. 30 as Dress
Down Day for leukemia. Smithtown
employees who donated at least three
dollars received buttons saying, “I'm
dressed down for leukemia.”
The buttons explained the absence of
uniforms or other more conservative work
attire. All departments reported 100
percent participation by the employees.
The town supervisor commended the
employees.
“Once again the employees in the Town
of Smithtown are displaying their
community spirit by participating in an
effort to help those fellow residents in less
fortunate circumstances,” he said.
State News pages 15 - 20
CSEA wins out-of-title pay
for 5 at Westchester Medical
VALHALLA - Five Westchester County
Medical Center employees have received
out-of-title pay after CSEA filed grievances
on their behalf. The five had been promised
promotions if they completed a course
offered by the hospital.
After completing the course the
employees were not given the promised
promotion or pay increase even though they
were performing the duties of the
promotional position. It was discovered the
newly created positions had never been
officially authorized.
CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Max
Neuberger, in pursuing the grievances,
worked with county officials who agreed to
create the title of Patient Care Technician at
a Grade V level. Each of the five employees
were awarded 60 days of pay at the new
grade.
ORLEANS COUNTY UNIT and Local
President Chris Covell, left, talks
with a unit member while CSEA
Region Vi PAC Coordinator Roger
Sherrie and CSEA Education and
Training Specialist Joan Dunham-
Card staff information table.
Sasa.
Orleans County Info Day isa big hit with members
ALBION — More than 200 members of bring as much information as possible right
the CSEA Orleans County Employees Unit to the workplace,” Unit President Christine
took the time to learn more about their Covel said. “There are so many benefits to
union at CSEA Info Day tables in a day- belonging to CSEA , and having staff people
long program at several county worksites from headquarters and the region office
recently. here to explain them all really drove home
“We thought it would be a good idea to the point of what a great union we have.”
Fe
THE!
nm Dectox
Official publication of The Civil Service
Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000,
AFSCME, AFL-CIO, 143 Washington
Avenue, Albany, New York, 12210
MICHAEL P. MORAN, Publisher
ROGER A. COLE, Editor
KATHLEEN DALY, Associate Editor
STANLEY HORNAK, A: ant Director
Ke of Communi
The Public Sector (445010) is published monthly by The Civil Service Employees an
Association. Publication Office: 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
Second Class Postage paid at Post Office, Albany, New York.
Address changes should be sent to: Civil Service Employees Association, Attn:
Membership Department, 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
ns COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATES
SHERYL C. JENKS Region | RON WOFFORD Region VI
(516) 273-2280 (716) 886-0391
LILLY GIOIA Region II STEPHEN MADARASZ Headquarters
(212) 514-9200 (518) 434-0191
ANITA MANLEY Region I ao snot
DAN CAMPBELL Region IV
(518) 489-5424
MARK M. KOTZIN _ Region
sstRMATION
=
(315) 433-0050 “AFL CIOILE*
-
2 November 1991
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
CSEA members fight layoffs in
Putnam County budget battle
By Anita Manley
CSEA Communications Associate
CARMEL - Five-month-old Kelly Prendergast cried during two
meetings of the Putnam County Legislature while lawmakers
contemplated laying off her father, Kevin, a highway department
employee and member of CSEA Local 840 (see photo, page 1).
But her tears did not sway the legislators when they voted to
eliminate 37 employees including Prendergast, who once thought
a county job meant lifetime security.
“You're probably thinking I'm going to play on your sympathy,”
he said as he held his daughter, “and you're right.”
Prendergast reminded lawmakers he had a family to support
and suggested that county officials put off spending tax dollars on
equipment and keep employees working.
Before a packed audience of angry CSEA members, legislators
voted 6-3 to eliminate the jobs to balance the budget, despite
arguments by CSEA Budget Analyst Kathy Albowicz and Political
Action Coordinator Steve Alviene that the layoffs were not
necessary.
Meanwhile, Labor Relations Specialist Richard Blair has
demanded impact bargaining to assure the laid-off workers receive
all thebenefits coming to them.
Carole Scampole, a laid-off nurse
who cared.for senior citizens,
emphasized that her part-time
position brought in revenues for the
county which were twice the amount
of her $19,000 annual salary.
Local 840 President Alice May said
vital county services will suffer as a
result of the job cuts, including
inspections of restaurants, public
water supplies, children’s camps and
swimming pools.
CSEA predicted caseloads in the
Probation and Social Services
departments will increase and
services to the aging, road
maintenance and snowplowing will
also suffer.
CSEA POLITICAL ACTION
Coordinator Steve Alviene
tells Putnam County
legislators how layoffs
could have been avoided.
Gulotta fails to get "emergency powers," threatens 2,000 layoffs
CSEA hammers Nassau County with IPs
for tactics seeking contract concessions
By Sheryl C. Jenks
CSEA Communications Associate
Some 2,000 angry CSEA Nassau County Local 830 members
turned out to protest a county proposal to declare a "fiscal
emergency” to force CSEA to make contract concessions and
swallow a lag payroll and possible wage freeze.
As shouting union members circled the building in which they
were meeting, county legislators refused to give Nassau County
Executive Thomas Gulotta the emergency powers he was seeking
to declare a "fiscal emergency” by tabling the controversial matter
until after election day.
Gulotta, who also wants CSEA to give up a scheduled pay raise
in the current contract, is seeking emergency powers to force a lag
payroll scheme and other
concessions from the union.
Local 830 President Rita Wallace
told legislators the union will not
agree to concession bargaining and
will not give up a scheduled raise
in the contract.
"CSEA's message is loud and
clear, We will not surrender. We will
not be led to the slaughter and we
will fight to save our contract,
which does not expire until
December 1992," Wallace told the
legislators.
Rebuffed, Gulotta immediately
announced the county will mail up
to 2,000 layoff notices Nov. 12.
"Gulotta says ‘trust me, I'm the
county executive.’ Well, we trusted
him when we signed a contract and
now he wants to break it," Danny
Donohue, CSEA statewide
executive vice president, told CSEA * 2
members protesting outside the VERONICA FERNANDES and
building. her daughter, Helen, join the
The union said additional charges will be filed if the county does go
ahead with a declaration of emergency power and imposes a lag
payroll or other concessions.
CSEA's most recent IP accuses the county of illegally singling
out only CSEA members for possible layoffs in retaliation for
CSEA’s refusal to make contract concessions.
“The fact that the county has the audacity to target CSEA
members alone for these layoffs is absolutely reprehensible and
may be a violation of the Taylor Law,” Wallace said. “CSEA is
extremely angry at the underhanded threats being made to our
members.”
Earlier the union hit the county with an IP charge accusing the
county of attempting to cirvumvent the union by putting out a
letter directly to the membership.
Wallace pointed out that CSEA lobbied for an early retirement
program which helped
reduce the workforce by 750
employees. Another 200
positions were lost through
attrition,
“We've lost almost 1,000
members,” Wallace said.
“Our workforce is
overburdened already with
the vacant positions. How
much more can the county
several methods to help close
the county's budget gap.
“Stop contracting out,
cut on the management level,
stop buying new cars and
equipment, cut overtime and
be: ta f you must,”
Wallace reiterated.
“The burden of the fiscal
CSEA earlier filed two improper
practice (IP) charges within a week
over tactics used by the county.
protest line. CSEA member
Fernandes works at A. Holly
Patterson Geriatric Center.
S i *J crisis must be shared equally
Casket reminds politicians that
CSEA members will "remember in
November.”
across the county,” CSEA
Region I President Gloria
Moran said.
November 1991
3
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
J 4 5 i
LEADING CSEA PICKET outside home of Onondaga County Executive Nicholas Pirro were CSEA
statewide Executive Vice President Danny Donohue, second from left; CSEA Central Region
President Jim Moore, center, and Local 834 President Dale King, next to Moore.
Fed up in Onondaga
By Mark S. Kotzin
CSEA Communications Associate
SYRACUSE — CSEA is fed up with
Onondaga County officials who, despite
their cries of poverty at the bargaining
table, continue to give themselves large
raises and spend big bucks on pet projects.
That's why the union has declared an
impasse in contract talks and started a
campaign to get a fair contract for more
than 3,700 county employees who have
been without one since Dec. 31, 1990.
The union’s campaign focuses on the
issue of fairness to employees, CSEA
Onondaga County Local 834 President Dale
King said. The county was unfair in offering
large raises for management, such as the
nearly 10 percent increase for County
Executive Nicholas Pirro, while at the same
time offering county employees no raise at
all, he said.
While the county is supposedly broke,
officials are spending millions for projects
such as a new convention center currently
under construction and the recently
completed French fort museum, King said.
These practices are not only unfair, he
said, but also degrading to the public
employees who keep the county working.
“If Pirro stopped working for two weeks,
the county would run just fine. The county
would also survive without a new
convention center or French fort,” King
said. “But if all of us stopped working for
two weeks, the county would run into
disaster.”
“You must be strong, you must be
together on this, and you must be active
and ask all those who are not here tonight
to do the same if you want to get a fair
contract,” CSEA Region V President Jim
Moore told members during a recent
membership meeting.
CSEA statewide Executive Vice President
Danny Donohue joined Moore, King and
more than 100 CSEA activists in a weekend
informational picket at Pirro’s home.
While Pirro's re-election campaign
materials credit the county executive with
keeping the county in “great shape,” King
said the truth is he couldn't do that without
CSEA members who work for the county.
Pirro's literature also says the county is
fiscally sound. "If that’s the case," King
said, "Where are the raises for the
employees who have kept it that way?"
CSEA Onondag;
County Local 834
President Dale King.
county executive,” he said. “We're just
asking for a little something tc help our
employees get through these tough
economic times. We need it and we deserve
{Hi
The county CSEA local has already
organized several large demonstrations
outside county budget hearings and plans
to keep up the pressure on Pirro and the
county legislature. The local is running an
ad in the local newspaper highlighting the
unfair county management raises and is
running a contest for workers to point out
waste and show management where money
can be saved.
CSEA is going to binding arbitration to
protect past practice benefit rights of home
health care and public health nursing
service employees in Montgomery County.
The union filed a contract grievance on
behalf of nursing service employees in the
CSEA Montgomery County Office Building
bargaining unit of CSEA Montgomery
County Local 829.
The union charges the county illegally
changed a long-standing practice of giving
additional vacation credits to nursing
employees who worked extra unpaid hours
during a calendar year.
CSEA vows to
protect rights of
Montgomery
County nursing
services
employees
CSEA said the union will proceed to
binding arbitration after County
Administrator Wayne D. Allen denied the
grievance.
CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Michael
Sheldon said the past practice at issue had
been in effect in Montgomery County since
the late 1960's.
"These benefits are protected by contract
language ~- the past practice clause - which
states that all rules, regulations and
practices not modified by the agreement
shall continue in full force and effect,"
Sheldon said.
4
November 1991 Qecto fe
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
School districts
information
School district had fired worker for union activities
Union victory reunites
member with his job
PATCHOGUE — In an important union
victory, an administrative law judge ordered
the Patchogue-Medford School District to
re-hire an employee who was fired for union
activities.
George Kalivas has been out of work for
more than a year and says it has been the
hardest year of his life.
The district superintendant of buildings
and grounds had Kalivas fired because he
did not approve of Kalivas' contacting CSEA
about working conditions and employee
treatment.
CSEA won the case and in a scathing
decision, Administrative Law Judge Monte
Klein ordered the district to reinstate
Kalivas with back pay and benefits plus
interest.
“The decision is excellent, a real victory
for George, CSEA and union members
everywhere,” said CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Tony Ruggiero.
“It is unfortunate they can’t turn the
Staff cuts mean more
work, lower morale in
Bayport/Bluepoint
BAYPORT - Budget cuts have slashed
staff and morale in the Bayport/Blue Point
School District.
In the past two years, custodial and
maintenance positions have been chopped
by a third, but members are doing twice as
much work to keep up with demands,
CSEA BBP Unit President Joe Sherlo said.
“Other staff cuts have been restored, but
not one of ours,” he said.
“We take pride in our buildings and feel
our interaction with the children is
important," Head Custodian Geri Jacobsen
said, “People tend to forget that we are the
ones who help set up for school banquets
and assist the kids with decorations. We
are the ones who watch out for the
students when the schools are empty and
they are waiting for a ride home.”
“We keep these schools running. We
handle spills, chemicals and deliveries,”
Sherlo said. “We meet with outside
contractors, set up sporting events and
wash and wax floors. The list goes on.”
Employees said morale has been
declining steadily as they feel their
workload increase and are unable to meet
expectations.
“The employees simply ask that if the
district won't restore positions, they
understand if service decreases," CSEA
Labor Relations Specialist Toni Soucie
said.
clock back and take away the stress and
financial hardship George and his family
suffered regarding his uncertain future,”
Ruggiero said.
Kalivas is extremely grateful.
“I appreciate the union so much,” he
said. “I tell everyone CSEA did a hell of a
job for me. I could not have afforded to hire
an attorney on my own.”
Carpenter harassed Kalivas and tried to
eliminate his job, Ruggieri said. When that
didn't happen, he switched Kalivas to the
night shift.
“L explained the shift change was
impossible because my 80-year-old mother
lives with us and I need to care for her in
the evenings. Carpenter smiled and said ‘Tll
give you two weeks to clean up your
personal business.” Kalivas said.
Kalivas appealed to the superintendant of
schools, who agreed to put Kalivas back on
the day shift.
Later Kalivas was handed a letter which
said his position was abolished. Although
he had a month before the job was
abolished, he was told to begin using his
accrued leave immediately.
Kalivas was then escorted to the
maintenance area to pick up his personal
belongings.
“My head was spinning. All my
evaluations had been good, I was a hard
worker - but here I was being terminated
and escorted from the building,” he said.
Kalivas contacted Ruggiero, who asked
the district to assign Kalivas to a vacant
custodial position.
“The administrator refused, saying
Kalivas would be ‘unhappy’ in such a
position because he was overqualified,”
Ruggiero said.
“They should have told that to the bank
where I have my mortgage,” said Kalivas,
who depleted his life savings trying to pay
his bills.
CSEA filed a court action and a grievance
on Kalivas' behalf.
The administrative law judge said an
employee's discussion with either his union
or higher administration concerning
working conditions and treatment is
protected,
“Carpenter's own statements
demonstrate his disdain for any questioning
of his actions. Illustrative are his repeated
taunts to Kalivas that he should quit...”
Klein wrote.
“Further indicative of C:
to rid hirnself of Kaliva: f
voluntary transfer of Kal to a night
position contrary to any prior district
practice while Carpenter was awaiting the
district's response to his request to abolish
Kalivas’ position.”
M
Educational Local 868 President Mary
Lettieri tells Buffalo News reporter
contracting out cannot be tolerated.
CSEA fights
plans to
contract out
cafeteria
employees
MARYVALE -- CSEA Maryvale School
District Unit members have started a
petition drive aimed at reversing the
contracting out of cafeteria services.
The unit, part of CSEA Erie County
Educational Local 868, has gathered
more than 400 signatures urging the
school board to cancel the contract
awarded to the Marriott Food Service
Corp.
"The cafeteria system has shown a
profit over the past five years,” said Mary
Lettieri, Local 868 and Maryvale Unit
president. "Yet 26 loyal workers are being
asked to take a drastic pay cut to keep
their jobs (by working for Marriott), while
also losing their public pension rights.
‘The quality of service will also drop
dramatically, The school board should
drop this plan immediately.”
More than 40 unit members and
supporters picketed the board's first
meeting since it decided to contract out
the cafeteria, and several parents lodged
complaints about the drop in service and
quality.
CSEA Region VI Director Mark Higgins
presented the petitions to the board and
pointed out that lunch prices charged are
20 cents to 70 cents above the average for
schools in the area.
CSEA has filed a class action grievance
on behalf of the employees and is
awaiting arbitration. The union will also
file an improper practice charge, said
Debbie Lee, CSEA collective bargaining
specialist.
November 1991 5
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS SECTION
Legislative imposition [i,..—-=
Agreement
spurs CSEA to fight ON fiecn serves
YEES ASSOCIATION, ING.
in Cattauragus County “=
LITTLE VALLEY — Terms and conditions of
employment imposed on three CSEA
Cattauragus County units will not stop the
union from fighting for a fair, negotiated
settlement in the upcoming year.
“We'll be pushing even harder to achieve a
contract that is fair to our members,” CSEA
Cattauragus County Local 805 President John
Ostergard said. “The county totally
disregarded the fact finder’s recommendations
in imposing a 3 percent raise, effective Sept. 8
with no retroactivity. After a year of
negotiating, this was a slap in the face to all
county employees.”
The Sheriffs, Supervisory and County
employee units are affected.
CSEA members picketed outside the ‘ za
County Center Building. The picketers held CSEA EMPLOYEE
up progress on a nearby construction when _UNIT President
truck drivers refused to cross the picket line. Michelle Hoffman and
Employee Unit President Michelle Hoffman, CSEARegion6 _
Supervisory Unit President Don Snyder and _ Director Mark Higgins
Ostergard called on lawmakers to accept the __ tell county legislators
fact finder's recommendation of a 4 percent — employees deserve a
increase retroactive to Jan. 1. falr contract.
The Legislature voted 17 to 6 to impose the
3 percent raise effective Sept. 8, and angry CSEA members who had
crowded into the legislative chambers for thehearing
vowedtoworkagainstthe legislators who votedfortheimposition.
“Our political action committee will be actively working to elect
lawmakers who believe in the worth of public employees to the %
community we serve,” Ostergard said. “And we'll be working against © CATTARAUGUS COUNTY CSEA MEMBERS picketed to protest
those who don't." imposition of a contract on three county bargaining units.
RIVERHEAD — Members of the CSEA “We have encountered a real anti-union
Riverhead Town Unit demonstrated in attitude in the town and we are not getting
Me mM bers protest front of the town hall recently to protest anywhere in negotiations so far,” he said.
the lack of a contract. “We held the demonstration because we
The contract, which covers have been without a contract far too long,”
lac k of contract approximately 200 CSEA-represented Unit President Bill Vitollo said. "We are |
employees, expired on Dec. 31, 1990. employees and taxpayers. We are looking
; . The CSEA Riverhead Unit is currently in for a fair and equitable contract.”
R h d mediation and expects to file for The unit, part of CSEA Suffolk Local
| n Iver ea factfinding, CSEA Collective Bargaining 852, includes white and blue collar titles i
Specialist Harold Krangle said. ranging from highway to cleri
Solidarit gary CSEA Schoharie County Local 848 members pack meeting of the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors to
CRQaCHE AG I fi the board not to impose a threatened no-raise contract after the county had rejected a fact
show of solidarity by CSEA members convinced the Board not to impose a settlement in
u te and both sides returned to the bargaining table, where negotiations are continuing.
6 November 1991 g é ‘
PUBLIC GENERAL NEWS
Enough's enough; out with ‘em
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I've had it up to who attempt to serve with dignity. Yes, we _ throw scoundrels such as those out of
here with those politicians who willingly have many friends of labor in the political office. We should layoff any politician who
accept, and in some cases virtually beg for, arena. We have many enemies as well, has unjustifiably laid off any one of us.
CSEA's ge some of whom pretend to be our friends. We must clearly and loudly say “NO” to
endorsement; who P " a I've had it with those politicians who any politician who has unreasonably said
grovel for and [ come to the bargaining table with giveback “no” to us. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
greedily grab our 4 demands and nothing else; who negotiate I implore you to register and vote. You
PAC contributions; | i a contract then demand contract can make a difference. I urge you to reject
who shake hands A ¢ concessions in mid-stream; whose slash- politicians who have rejected your best
and smile as they and-burn crisis management style is interests, or who give indications they will
plead for our j 4 destroying worthwhile public services and __ in the future. Some politicians who have
individual votes and 3 the careers and lives of public employees had our support in the past do not have it
then stab us in our and their families. this time around because they have proven
backs and spit in Ss ~ I'm absolutely fed up with politicians themselves to be unworthy of it.
our faces after pe responsible for furloughing us, laying us At the same time I ask you to vote for
election day. | : off, lagging our pay, freezing our candidates CSEA is endorsing. We believe
Mind you, not all » increments, icing our longevities and they deserve your confidence until, and if,
politicians are z so stealing from our paychecks. they prove otherwise. The more we stand
wolves in sheep's Joe McDermott To hell with politicians who tell us “yes” _ together as a union and vote for our best
clothing. There are lots of fair minded or “maybe” before election day and an interests the more respect we'll have from
elected officials who treat us with respect emphatic “no” after. politicians after Election Day, when it
and equality, who deserve our support and It’s time to stand up, stand together and counts the most.
a NYS snows public with one-person piow plan
ALBANY — When foul weather hits this winter, snow and ice circumstances. But operators often perform their responsibilities
won't be the only hazards on New York's roadways. The state in the dark of night under physically demanding and stressful
Department of Transportation (DOT) is throwing caution to the conditions.
wind and implementing plans for one-person snow plows. DOT , which is modifying larger, older vehicles originally
To counter the irresponsible plan, which was imposed over designed for two-person operation, expects to save only $2.4
repeated union objections, CSEA has million in its $4
launched a public offensive to ise billion budget
unmask the plan as a foolish o E : - YOU THINK HE CAN HANDLE DRIVING, from this radical
action that jeopardizes livés,, : OPERATING THE PLOW, RELEASING THE SAND, )\ shift. The state
and property. oe AVOIDING TRAFFIC AND OBSTRUCTIONS, rejected CSEA
“DOT is acting out 2? iff ‘ AND MAINTAIN TWO-WAY RADIO CONTACT ? / proposals to
of fiscal H - i save money in
desperation but
they're leaving no
margin for error,
and errors may
mean that people
get hurt or worse,”
said CSEA
President Joe
McDermott. “What
makes the action so
irresponsible is
that there are
other ways to
save money
without putting
employees and the
general public at
risk.”
CSEA has detailed
the dangers of the
plan and DOT's
manipulation of the
facts in a brochure titled?
A Real Snow Job. The +*
union is distributing the
information statewide.
~ Operating a snow plow is
cumbersome and complex in the best of
© other ways.
For example, CSEA
suggested eliminating
a winter shift
Allowance, which would
saye $1.2 million.
o CSEA also proposed
a number of less
*dramatic changes in
+ staff deployment,
monitoring the use
of materials, and
. actions to boost
productivity.
“DOT should be
working directly
with its frontline
employees to find
) ways to get the
job done more
effectively and
save money,”
McDermott said.
“Instead, they're
saying let the
workers be damned,
let the public be
Qoctor November 1991 7
Page 9-12
Coverage of CSEA's 1991 Annual
Delegates Meeting.
Page 13
The sky's no limit for this CSEA
member soaring over Onondaga
County.
Page 14
CSEA hosts foreign visitors, and is a
hit at the New York State Fair. Some
good advice on finding a doctor.
CSEA mourns
deaths of
Patrick DeMurio,
Joseph Lochner
ALBANY —CSEA is mourning the loss of
two well-known longtime CSEA employees
who died within a day of each other last
month.
Patrick DeMurio, 82, died Oct. 11 after
a short illness. Joseph D. Lochner, 79,
died Oct. 12 after a long illness.
Mr. DeMurio was director of CSEA
insurance programs for 39 years. He
retired several years ago. His son, Patrick,
has worked in the union's finance
department for many years.
Mr. Lochner was the union's first
executive director. When he retired in 1978
he had compiled 46 years of service with
CSEA and was affectionately known as "Mr.
CSEA." His son, William, is a longtime
CSEA collective bargaining specialist.
Mr. DeMurio was born in Brooklyn and
lived in Albany for many years. He was a
World War II veteran, serving in the U.S.
Army.
Survivors in addition to his son include
his wife, Mary Zumbo DeMurio, and a
brother, Michael DeMurio.
Mr. Lochner was born in Albany and was
a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy.
He was also a World War II veteran, serving
in the U.S. Army.
Survivors in addition to his son William
include: a son, Joseph G. Lochner; two
daughters, Christine Newbold and Jo Anne
‘wo brothers, John and Francis
; and 11 grandchildren.
8 November 1991 Soctor
PEOPLE
IN THE NEWS
)
I
Scholarship started in
memory of Bob Ford
FREEPORT — CSEA Freeport Village
Unit has established a new scholarship
fund in memory of Bob Ford.
Ford, who recently died, was unit
president for 17 years. The unit is part of
CSEA Nassau County Local 830. The local
plans to award one scholarship annually.
“Bob Ford was a real activist and a
wonderful person,” Local 830 President
Rita Wallace said. “He will be truly missed.”
Contributions to the scholarship fund
can be sent to: The Robert Ford Memorial
Scholarship Fund, PO Box 0470, Baldwin,
NY 11510. Questions may be directed to
Sharon Koehler at (516) 378-4000.
Reminder for Special CSEA Board Election
A special election to fill six vacant seats
on CSEA’s Board of Directors is underway.
The deadline for return of nominating
petitions is Nov. 13; the deadline for
declinations is Nov. 20; deadline for
confirmation of the candidate's name as it
will appear on the ballot is also Nov. 20.
Drawing for ballot position will be Nov.
20. Also on that date, address labels will be
available to candidates for campaign
mailing.
Campaign articles for The Public Sector
must be received by Nov. 25. Campaign
ASBESTOS!
PERU — CSEA continues to investigate
the exposure of maintenance, custodial,
clerical and other support workers to high
levels of asbestos at buildings of the Peru
Central School District, Clinton County's
largest public school district.
CSEA custodial and maintenance
employees complained about unsafe
conditions created by the district's abestos
abatement contractor and the lack of
enforcement of health and safety
regulations by the district administration
and the school board during a summer
asbestos removal project in the district's
three school buildings.
After the removal project the employees
were directed by the district to clean up the
buildings in preparation for the school year.
Employees complained the initial removal
was done improperly and that abestos-
tainted dust filled the buildings. CSEA says
the district ignored the employee
complaints and it was not until the state
Department of Labor inspected the sites
that the district acted.
Peru's high school and two elementary
schools were shut down one week after
school began in September. By October the
district had spent an additional $3 million
trying to clean up the mess. As this issue of
literature must be submitted to CSEA
headquarters by Nov. 29 for distribution.
Ballots will be delivered to the post office
for mailing Dec. 16, and replacement
ballots may be obtained Dec. 23 if the
original is not received.
Deadline for the return of ballots is 8
a.m. Jan. 13. Election results will be
announced after the count at CSEA
headquarters.
The protest period ends Jan. 23. Election
results will be published in the February
issue of The Public Sector.
CSEA investigating contamination
of Peru School District employees
The Public Sector went to press, the
elementary schools had reopened but the
high school remained closed.
Peru students had to be shipped to
schools in the Plattsburgh City School
system and at nearby military installations.
“We informed the school administration
about asbestos concerns as early as
December 1987,” CSEA Peru School
District Unit President Wanda Mason said.
“That concern was ignored, just as were our
complaints about the batched asbestos
removal this summer.”
CSEA is awaiting reports from the state
Department of Labor before deciding the
union’s next course of action. CSEA staff
Industrial Hygenist Joanne Curtis is
monitoring all aspects of the situation to
determine the potential health problems of
employees exposed to the asbestos and to
guarantee employee rights are protected.
The school closing created “a logistical
nightmare,” Mason said. Bus drivers had to
work 16-hour days to transfer students to
different locations. An evening shift lasting
until 8:30 p.m. had to be created to
accommodate some middle and high school
classes. The resulting paperwork caused
huge administrative problems for other
support staff,
1991 CONVENTION COVERAGE
Workshops keep
delegates busy
working, learning
NIAGARA FALLS — With a full agenda
and plenty of opportunities for education,
more than 1,000 CSEA delegates made the
most of the 81st Annual Delegates Meeting.
High on the list was the appearance of
National Democratic Committee Chair Ron
Brown, who energized the crowd with his
speech against the politicians who have
made life so much harder for working
people.
But Brown's appearance was only one
highlight. The educational workshops gave
delegates opportunities to learn and bring
back information to their locals and units.
Workshops included:
A What's Happening in Congress, a
discussion of federal legislation that
concerns CSEA members;
4A Hazard Communication Standard —
An OSHA Standard That's Not Working, a
discussion of how the standard applies to
the workplace, what management's
responsibilities are and how to convince
management to comply and make
management accountable;
A Windmills — Generating Awareness
About People With Disabilities, a
workshop designed to explore feelings
about people with disabilities and develop a
better understanding as the Americans
With Disabilities Act changes the
workplace;
A Getting to the “Yes” in Negotiations,
a hands-on workshop on the negotiation
process;
A Dealing with Settlements in
Disciplinary Cases, a workshop providing
NEW YORK WORKS
BECAUSE WE WORK
information and insight into an often
confusing situation;
4 So, You Want to be a National Party
Delegate, a discussion of the delegate
selection process of both national party
committees and techniques to get elected as
a delegate;
A Out-Of-Title Work — Examining
Contract Clauses in State and Local
Government, a presentation on how to
determine if work is out-of-title;
4A The Practice of Parliamentary
Procedure, a workshop emphasizing the
rules and processes of parliamentary
procedure as conducted in a convention;
A Managing the Stress of Union
Activism, a look at how to manage stress
at home, on the job and in union work;
A The 90-Minute Taylor Law
Workshop, a presentation on the history
and administration of the law that gave
public employees in New York the right to
bargain collectively;
4 An Examination of Anti-Union
Animus — Now You See it, Now You
Don't, a discussion of anti-union animus
and how can unions fight it; and
A Creating Effective Labor-
Management Committees, a discussion of
what’s needed to create the cooperative
labor-management relationship necessary
for effective committees.
Delegates also had the opportunity to
attend Departmental and Divisional
meetings, forums put on by various CSEA
committees and meetings for Local
Government Delegates and State Delegates.
CSEA Delegate John Wyngaard
Democrat Ron Brown
blames Bush for state,
local government,
workers' problems
The federal government needs an
economic covery plan for New York state
and the rest of America. That was the
message Democratic National Chairman
Ron Brown brought to the CSEA Annual
Delegates Meeting in Niagara Falls.
“The Bush administration has an
economic recovery plan for the Soviet
Union, Eastern Europe and Kuwait. What
we need is an economic recovery plan for
New York state and America,” Brown said.
Brown criticized President Bush for
vetoing legislation that would extend
unemployment benefits for workers who
have been laid off.
Many of the problems faced by states
and local governments around the country
are the direct result of Bush administration
policies, Brown said.
The chairman, who comes from New
York state, predicted the 1992 presidential
election will be decided by “bread and
butter issues.” Among those issues, he
said, are adequate funding for state and
local government services, health care
reform, aid to education and an effective
policy to deal with crime and drugs.
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CHAIR RON BROWN , above,
with CSEA President Joe McDermott, left, and CSEA
Region VI President Robet Lattimer. At left, he is with
CSEA member Loretta Johnson.
The issues Brown talked about are the
same ones thousands of CSEA members
traveled to Washington, D.C., to support on
Solidarity Day II.
Socto He, November 1991 9
1991 CONVENTION COVERAGE
NEW YORK WORKS
BECAUSE WE WORK
Delegates vote on
changes to
onstitution and
By-Laws
NIAGARA FALLS — The CSEA delegates at the
81st Annual Delegates Meeting acted on a number
of proposed changes to the union's Constitution &
By-Laws.
Constitution amendments must be passed by the
delegates by a two-thirds vote at two consecutive
delegates meetings before they become part of the
Constitution.
The delegate approved on second reading two
amendments which affect CSEA retirees. The first
amendment to Article VIII Section 2 puts into the
Constitution the existing practice of having the
chairperson of the Retiree Executive Committee (or
vice chair in his or her absence) attend the annual
meeting as a non-voting delegate, with the provision
that he or she may speak and vote on issues and
* motions relating to the Retiree Division, with one
vote for every retiree local
The second amendment to Article IV Section 2
allows the Chair of the Retiree Executive Committee
(or vice chair) one vote at CSEA Board of Directors
meetings on issues concerning retirees.
The delegates also voted on several proposed
amendments to the Constitution for a first reading.
Those the delegates approved must be approved at
a second reading at the 1992 annual meeting
before they become effective.
The delegates passed a proposed amendment to
Article VIII Section 2 which, if passed on second
reading, would require delegates to the annual
delegates meeting to attend any general business
sessions and gives any delegation to any
association meeting the responsibility to report on
the business and other programs at the meeting to
the local Executive Board.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment to
Article VII Section 3 which would have changed the
language to allow for one county local in any
county.
The delegates passed a proposed amendment to
Article VII which, if passed on a second reading,
would require locals to notify the office of the
statewide secretary of any changes in the status of
delegates when the change occurs.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment to
Articles VI, VII and VIII which would have required
that locals and units with more than 2,000
members have at least 1 percent of the members on
the local or unit Executive Board.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment to
Article VII Section 1 which would have allowed a
vacancy on the Local Government Executive Board
to be filled by special election, but in a vacant seat
with less than six months in the term, the seat
could be filled by the association president with the
Board of Directors’ approval.
The delegates passed an amended version of a
proposed amendment which, if passed on second
reading, would allow the association president to fill
1 0 November 1991
vacancies on the state and local government
executive committees from a list of names
submitted by affected locals and with the approval
of the appropriate executive committee.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment to
Article VII that would create a system of alternate
local government Executive Committee members.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment to
Article VI which would have changed language
regarding the election of Local Government
Executive Committee members.
The delegates passed a proposed amendment to
Article IV which, if passed on second reading,
would create a Private Sector Division, Private
Sector Executive Committee and Committee Chair.
A proposed amendment to Articles VI and VII
regarding faculty-student organizations was
withdrawn.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment
which would have addressed the issue of private
sector members, already addressed in a previous
amendment.
The delegates passed a proposed amendment to
Article VIII which, if passed on second reading,
would require require CSEA Inc. to pay expenses
for the annual delegates meeting for region officers
who are not also elected delegates.
The delegates also voted on a number of
proposed amendments to. the By-Laws. Those the
delegates passed take effect immediately.
The delegates passed an amendment to Article IV
Section 3 which requires locals with more than one
unit to distribute rebates to units uniformly.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment to
Article IV Section 3 which would have added
language preventing the statewide treasurer from
withholding rebates from a local because the local
has failed to comply with Constitution and
Financial Code requirements, including reporting of
election results.
The delegates approved an amendment to
Articles II and IV to include the Private Sector
Divisionin the Annual Meeting and Executive
Committee structure. A private sector division will
not be created, however, until the delegates approve
on second reading an amendment to the
Constitution at the 1992 Annual Delegates Meeting.
The delegates defeated a proposed amendment
regarding representation of a Private Sector
Division at the Annual Delegates Meeting, which
was addressed in an earlier amendment.
The delegates passed an amendment to Article I
Section 2 to adjust CSEA retiree dues to reflect
affiliation with AFSCME, CSEA's international
union.
The delegates approved an amendment to Article
VI Section 4 to delete the Special Civil Service
Committee from CSEA's special and ad hoc
committees.
Delegates pass
motions from floo
NIAGARA FALLS — Delegates approved
three motions made from the floor during the
81st Annual Delegates Meeting.
The delegates approved a motion made by
Joan Tobin, CSEA Board to Directors |
representative for the state Department of
Transportation (DOT), that CSEA use all
methods available to stop the one-person. |
plowing program being instituted by the
Department of Transportation.
The delegates also approved a motion mad
by Dale King, CSEA Onondaga County Local
834 president, that CSEA institute a Veterans
Affairs Committee. The motion was referred to} |
the Constitution and By-Laws Committee. |
The delegates also approve a motion made
by Len Foster to refer to the state Board of |
Directors a proposed change in the local and
unit constitutions to add safety and health
committees under the standing committee
heading. The resolution was referred to the
Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
NIAGARA FALLS — Delegates at the 81st Annual
leeting voted on a number of resolutions.
The delegates approved a motion that CSEA to call
pon the Governor and the Legislature to adopt a
policy of tax fairness that includes recommendations
jade by the Fiscal Policy Institute, including raising
icome taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and
ding legalized tax avoidance by big corporations.
The resolution was referred to the Legislative and
litical Action Committee.
i The delegates approved a motion that non-
pstructional CSEA school units advocate to be given
the opportunity to participate in Superintendent
onference Days and that CSEA seek an amendment
state education law that would allow non-
nstructional employees to participate in those
conference days. The resolution was referred to the
Legislative and Political Action Committee.
The delegates approved a motion to ask the CSEA
atewide Women’s Committee to send greetings to
ie women in the Congress of South Afri Trade
Unions (COSATU) on South African Women’s Day and
i foster relationships among CSEA and the women in
OSATU and the African National Congress’ Women's
ection. The resolution was referred to the Special
Human Rights Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
| with other organizations for legislation
nandating uniform standards for office conditior
and furniture where video display terminals (VD'
E: used and that CSEA urge contract language
juaranteeing VDT operators break time away from
ese terminals daily. The resolution was referred to
the Standing Safety and Health and the Legislative
i Political Action Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA join
ith other organizations to lobby for legislation
recognizing workers’ right to strike and prohibiting the
iring of permanent replacement workers, and that
‘SEA recognize the right to a decent job as a basic
juman right and view the hiring of permanent
replacement workers as a violation of human rights as
defined by the United Nations Charter. The resolution
as referred to the Legislative and Political Action
‘ommittee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
seek whatever measures it can to stimulate public
: initiatives and alternatives to help solve the
tate solid waste crisis, with the responsibility shared
fairly between the state and municipalities and that
CSEA recommit itself to educating members to the
verity of the problem and what they can do. The
fesolution was referred to the Standing Education
committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
ommunicate to the South African government the
| ns that CSEA condemns apartheid and
lemands all South African citizens be given the right
to vote; that CSEA demands an end to government-
pics: violen nd calls for the release of all
olitical prisoners. freedom for all organizations and
he rights of all exiled South Africans to return to their
country. The resolution also calls for CSEA write to
resident Bush and lobby the New York Congressional
elegation to oppose the lifting of sanctions against
jouth Africa and call for tighter sanctions by
supporting legislation sponsored by Ron Deilmus and
hat CSEA continue to demand state Comptroller Ned
egan divest the state Employees Retirement Sy
f all stock in companies thai do business with §
Africa and lobby in support of legislation sponsored by
Denny Farrell which would accomplish this. The
ee also calls for CSEA to call on its members
to maintain boycotts of Shell Oil, Coca-Cola and all
banks that do business with the South African
government, that CSEA continue to educate members
about the anti-apartheid struggle through articles in
The Public Sector and that CSEA establish
communication with COSATU and other trade unions
in South Africa. The resolution also calls on CSEA for
the networking and coalition of AFSCME locals
nationally, community groups, religious groups,
students and other labor organizations to keep the
pressure on apartheid and that CSEA fight against
apartheid until South Africa has a freely elected,
democratic government elected by all the people. The
resolution was referred to the Ad Hoc Committee
Against Apartheid, the Standing Education Committee
and the Legislative and Political Action Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
support state legislation to provide a permanent
annual cost-of-living adjustment, capped at 5 percent,
based on the first $15,000 of the maximum retirement
allowance, payable to all disability retirees and all
other retirees age 55 or retired at least 10 years,
whichever is earlier, and be constitutionally
guaranteed. The resolution was referred to the
Legislative and Political Action Committee and the
Retiree Executive Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
support state legislation to prohibit public employers
from reducing or changing retirees’ health insurance
benefits. The resolution was referred to the Legislative
and Political Action Committee and the Retiree
Executive Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
continue to support working families, on-site
child/dependent care centers, elder care givers and
family and medical leave legislation, remain
committed to finding ways of providing affordable,
quality child and dependent care through a variety of
including legislation and negotiations, and that
urge its regions to form child/dependent care
advisory committees. The resolution was referred to
the Special Human Rights Committee.
The delegates defeated a resolution that CSEA
consider as a top bargaining priority that CSEA
elected officials be given super-seniority and be
protected from layoffs resulting from reductions in
workforce,
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
petition President Bush and the attorney general to
implement a House resolution to grant bail to Joseph
Doherty and ultimately grant political asylum. The
resolution was referred to the Special Human Rights
Committee.
The delegates ruled out of order a resolution that
the chair and elected officers of the Retiree Executive
Committee be non-voting delegates of CSEA except in
matters concerning retirees and that in those issues
they have one vote for each Retiree Local. In a
separate motion, the motion was referred to the
Standing Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
continue to provide technical assistance and hold
local and regional conferences on health and safety
issues, that regions and locals make efforts to educate
their members on health and safety hazards and
provide adequate support staff, that CSEA locals set
up Safety and health committees and try to introduce
language into contracts and legislation specifying the
employers’ obligation to provide a hazard free
workplace, the right of workers to refuse hazardous
work and managements obligation to abide by OSHA
standards, that CSEA support the strengthening of
the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and
NEW YORK WORKS
BECAUSE WE WORK
‘Delegates vote on resolutions -
Recovery Act and other legislation to protect the
environment, that CSEA urge OSHA and EPA to issue
regulations covering a variety of workplace conditions
and recognize the issue of understaffing as a health
and safety issue. The resolution also calls for CSEA to
declare every April 28 as Workers’ Memorial Day. The
resolution was referred to the Standing Safety and
Health Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
urge federal, state and county officials to make a
strong commitment to protect children who have been
abused or neglected through increased funding for
child welfare services including foster care and child
protective services and that CSEA continue its efforts
to reach out to other child advocacy groups and
professional organizations at the federal and state
to gain their support for increased funding and
provision of quality services to abused and neglected
children, including the establishment of reasonable
caseload sizes and adequate staffing and that CSEA
continue to work with regions and locals in
coordinating activities to call attention to the plight of
abused and neglected children. The resolution also
calls for CSEA to strongly oppose any efforts to make
workers the scapegoat for a system that is totally
overwhelmed, oppose efforts to diminish bargaining
rights and support to regions and locals who face
those kinds of situations. The resolution was referred
to the Special Social Services Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
work with other groups to develop a comprehensive
employment and training system: which provides
adequate ment, referral, training and education
to New Yorkers who want to upgrade their skills or
who are out of work and that CSEA urge Congress to
renew its commitment to employment and training
programs and provide adequate funding and that
CSEA continue to oppose and defeat any attempt to
privatize the state's employment and training
program. The resolution was referred to the Political
and Legislative Action and Standing Education
Committees.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
urge federal and state OSHA to better enforce the
Right-to-Know laws and urge OSHA to work out a
standard format for material safety data sheets which
can be understood by the average person. The
resolution was referred to the Standing Safety and
Health Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
encourage members to contact their congressional
leaders and urge them to support the National Voter
Registration Act. The resolution was referred to the
Political and Legislative Action Committee.
The delegates approved a resolution that CSEA
support the efforts of members who work for tougher
toxic and infectious waste standards by fighting to
elect officials who recognize that Americans want a
planet that is clean for future generations and that
CSEA fight in Congress, the state Legislature and in
the workplace for regulations requiring the use of less
toxic pesticides and other materials, clean air, water
and safe and environmentally sound disposal of
wastes. The resolution also calls for CSEA to support
legislation providing workers displaced by
environmental laws or regulations with severance pay,
retraining, extended unemployment benefits, moving
expenses and other assistance leading to new
employment and that CSEA work to educate citizens
that the protection of the environment belongs in the
public sector. The resolution was referred to the
Political and Legislative Action and Standing Safety
and Health Committees.
November 1991 1 1
1991 CONVENTION COVERAGE
McEntee urges
NIAGARA FALLS — The politicians of
this country have sold out working
Americans, and the unions have to fight
back.
AFSCME International President Gerald
McEntee stirred up the delegates at the
CSEA 81st Annual Delegates meeting with
an appeal to union leaders to stand up to
the pressure and to lead as the labor
movement fights
back.
“Look out
across this land and
witness the selling
|| out of working
|| America, the sell out
5) by labor's enemies
| and by labor's
| friends,” McEntee
] said, mentioning the
failure of the striker
replacement ban.
| “People in America
| think they have the
right to go out on
| strike and they do.
But in the U.S.
| Senate they don’t
have the votes to
eae Sw
SUPPORTS NATIONAL
strength, unity
pass a scab bill, a worker protection bill.”
McEntee urged the unions to fight back
as politicians drain money from cities.
“We've made a lot of politicians, this
union, we've helped a lot of politicians. We
can also hurt a lot of politicians and as long
as they're going to hurt us, we're going to
hurt them back,” McEntee said. "I say to
Mario Cuomo, | don’t know if you're
running for President. I say to you if you
run for the president of the United States,
we're gonna picket you in Iowa, in New
Hampshire, everywhere.
“We want Mario Cuomo to know that we
owe him and we want him to know we are
good citizens and we pay our debts.”
McEntee also encouraged activists as
they face angry rank-and-file members.
“If it wasn’t for CSEA, if the rank-and-file
workers have problems now, they would be
intolerable problems without this union to
protect them,” he said. “Be proud of what
you do, be proud of this union.... You're
responsible to well over 200,000 people that
depend on you to lead them. What is
incredibly important is that after elections
and after the decisions, when this is over,
you march out together as CSEA to
represent all the workers.”
CSEA MEMBER Lentory Johnson, at
left, is teaching her son, Johnny Ray,
2, early about unionism. Below, CSEA
Deputy Counsel Jerome Lefkowitz
leads a workshop on the Taylor Law,
one of many informational workshops
available to the delegates. At far right,
» delegate Bill Sohl shows off his
collection of union buttons.
NEW YORK WORKS
BECAUSE WE WORK
McDermott blasts
administration over
state stalemate
NIAGARA FALLS —CSEA President Joe
McDermott updated state division
delegates at the convention on the status
for state contract negotiations.
McDermott told the delegates that talks
for the Administrative, Institutional,
Operational and Military and Naval Affairs
bargaining units are at fact-finding
because of the Cuomo administration's
unwillingness to bargain.
“The administration decided long before
these talks that when they enter into an
agreement that the document isn’t worth
the paper it’s written on,” the union
president said.
He pointed to the administration's efforts
to impose a furlough and then the pay lag
that violated the existing contracts with
CSEA as proof of his point.
McDermott said the administration is
not willing to compromise.
“They want the workers to make
concessions but they are unwilling to give
anything in return. CSEA will not accept
that,” McDermott said.
A q HEAL TH CARE REFORM
1 an November 1991 Qoctor
Ambulance
Drive for
health care
) | Across New York and at
i. CMW the 81st Annual
Delegates Meeting, CSEA collected health
care "ballots" to be sent to Washington for
| the Emergency Amulance Drive for Health
| Care for All. CSEA Executive Vice President
Danny Donohue, above, a former
ambulance driver himself, put ballots from
the delegates into an ambulance. CSEA
contributed more than 40,000 ballots to the
national drive sponsored by AFSCME and
Jobs With Justice.
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
THE &
SKY'S
NO LIMI
BY Mark M. Kotzin
CSEA Communications Associate
SYRACUSE — Look, up in the sky — it’s
a bird... it's a plane... it's CSEA member
Carl Mosgard!
Like Superman, Mosgard spends his
days and nights flying through the air,
fighting crime, chasing after bad guys and
performing daring rescues that save lives.
But is he a superhero? Well, not really,
although some people around Onondaga
County might think so. Truth is, Mosgard
does his heroics as part of a team with a
group of volunteer paramedics, Onondaga
County Deputy Sheriffs and his 2,000-
pound partner — a helicopter named “Air
One.”
For the past 17 years, Mosgard, a
member of CSEA Onondaga County Local
834, has worked with several such
“partners” for the Onondaga County
Sheriffs Department. As chief pilot, his job
is to supervise flight and maintenance
operations for the helicopter, helping to
continue the vital crimefighting and rescue
missions that the Air One team conducts
every day.
In crimefighting, those missions include
searching for escaped convicts or prowlers,
hunting down stolen property, finding
hidden marijuana crops, following cars or
motorcycles that can’t be followed on the
ground and finding people who are in
hiding.
The helicopter has some very special
equipment to help Mosgard in these
pursuits. It has a built-in 30-million
candlepower spotlight that can light up an
area about the size of a football field from
1,000 feet up. And it has what Mosgard
calls a “FLIR” — a Forward Looking Infra
Red scope, in effect an infrared camera
which allows the pilot to “see” at night
using heat instead of light.
In rescue missions, the helicopter
becomes a tool to search for lost people,
reach people stuck in remote areas, pull
people out of a river or transport trauma
cases quickly to the nearest emergency
room,
According to Mosgard, Air One can get
from one end of the county to the other in
less than 15 minutes, with an average top
speed of 120 miles per hour. That, he said,
is crucial in keeping severe trauma victims
alive. If victims can get to the emergency
room within the time frame doctors refer to
as “the golden hour," beginning when the
trauma occurs, their chance of survival is
much greater, Mosgard said.
“It gives me a good feeling afterwards to
know that I might have helped save
someone's life,” Mosgard said while
stressing the team effort involved, especially
that of the volunteer paramedics who help
on medivac missions.
While almost everyone in the county
realizes the importance of Air One's
missions, even that has not spared the
program from budget cuts, he said.
Because of budget reductions the county
reduced the amount of time the copter is in
the air, from about 1,200 hours last year to
900 hours. That can negatively effect
response time, since it takes four to five
minutes to get into the air, Mosgard said.
While that is unfortunate, the county has
otherwise been very supportive of the
program.
Civil Service Employees Association, Ine.
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-C1O
CARL MOSGARD’
with "Air One"
and, above left, at
the controls of
Aris helicopter
high over
= Onondaga
County.
"It gives mea
good feeling
afterwards to
know that |
might have
helped save
someone's
life."
Mosgard said the job is very rewarding
but also very demanding. He often faces
tough flight conditions (although he never
flies in snow, ice or severe weather). He is
often under the pressure of time and must
make quick decisions, which he says “better
be right, because you only get one chance
at it.”
He has also had to witness scenes he
wishes he hadn't. He remembered one
accident in which a 23-year-old woman was
pinned between the engine block of the car
she was riding in and a telephone pole. The
woman's leg had to be amputated at the
scene and she was then taken to Upstate
Medical Hospital, where she later died.
“That was the saddest case I ever dealt
with,” Mosgard said.
He also remembers some of the good
rescues, such as the time the Air One team
rescued a man who, due to low blood sugar,
became confused and got lost in the woods
while out snowshoeing. Mosgard said that if
they hadn't found him, he probably would
have frozen to death.
As for being up in the air, Mosgard said
he’s always loved flying. Before taking this
job he flew a plane dusting crops, which he
still does during his vacations.
Tx enjoy flying, it has always been
my life,” he said.
Soctor November 1991 13
1 AMIE Rt Recon ica ais is ance Sed Mia heute nies ia ee Se IOUS TaRS aA Fes Lat Tle teem)
GENERAL NEWS SECTION
CSEA ab
STATE FAIR FUN -- CSEA SUNY at
Cortland Local 605 President Willis
Streeter Jr. ties a balloon onto the wrist of
a young fair goer at the New York State
Fair. Thousands of State Fair visitors
stopped at CSEA's booth staffed by scores
of CSEA members who volunteered their
time during the week-long event.
JCHB
By Timothy P. Vallee
Health Benefits Communications Associate
1-800-342-4146 or (518) 434-0191
on Health
Benefits
Finding a doctor who fulfills the needs of
you and your family is not always easy. The
following information will help you choose a
primary physician whose services meet
your expectations.
First determine the kind of doctor you're
looking for. If you want a doctor who will
serve all of your family’s general medical
needs, you need someone who is certified in
family practice, usually a general
practitioner. Depending on the need,
alternatives for a primary physician could
be a pediatrician, obstetrician/gynecologist,
geriatrician or a specialist.
Before making a final decision, find
several physicians to choose from. Contact
your health insurer for recommendations,
E health plans have a panel of
pating providers who have an
agreement with the insurer to provide
services at a set price. You can usually
save substantial and unneces
pocket expense by using a participati:
provider.
Contact your friends and ask them for
A DELEGATION OF HUNGARIAN labor leaders met with CSEA elected officials and staff
employees at CSEA statewide headquarters in Albany recently. Among those meeting with
visitors were CSEA Director of Contract Administration Ross Hanna, seated center, and
Assistant Directors of Contract Administration Jim Hennerty, Mark Lawrence and Anthony
Campione, standing behind Hanna. At right is Tom Haley of the New York State AFL-CIO.
Welcome!
The Albany area took on
an international flavor when
two delegations of foreign
labor leaders visited recently.
Russian labor leaders
touring the United States
under an exchange program
visited the state Department
of Labor facilites. CSEA Local
670 officials helped host the
visitors.
And CSEA was host to a
delegation of Hungarian
labor leaders touring the
country under the
sponsorship of the AFL-CIO.
The visitors met with union
officials and staff at CSEA
headquarters.
CSEA STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LOCAL 670 President
Barbara Moloney, left in photo above, served as a host for
delegation of labor leaders from Russia when they toured
Labor Department facilities in Albany recently. Labor
Commissioner Thomas Hartnett stands behind Moloney. Local
670 Treasurer Robert Bellardini also helped host the visitors.
Joint Committee
How to
choose a doctor
their recommendations. Be sure to ask
friends in the medical field or who have the
same needs and expectations from their
physician as you do,
After you've narrowed your selection,
contact the doctor's office to ask some
specific questions:
Does the doctor accept payments from
your insurer? Is he or she a participating
provider in your plan?
What type of billing system does the
doctor's office have? Will you be charged
extra if the balance of your bill cannot be
paid right away?
What type of medical training does the
doctor have? Does he or she have specialist
certification? How long has the doctor been
in practice?
What are the doctor's office hours? How
long does the doctor allow for an office
visit? Most doctors allow 15 to 20 minutes.
2 average waiting period for a
? Will the doctor allow
s during and after regular
office hours, including evenings and
weekends or will he merely refer you to
How long is tk
scheduled v:
emergency
hospital emergency room?
Where will the doctor send you if
hospitalized? Is it a hospital that you feel
comfortable with?
Be sure to ask these and any other
questions before or during any doctor's
office visit.
Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to ask
your doctor questions; most doctors
welcome inquiries from their patients and it
shows the doctor that you are interested in
your well being and what the doctor is
doing for you. Many times because of our
lack of medical knowledge, we do not know
how to phrase our questions; doctors
realize this and a good physician will take
the time to answer your concerns and make
you feel comfortable during the office visit.
Establishing a positive line of
communication with your doctor is
important. It will be easier for you to clearly
explain your illness to the doctor and, in
turn, the doctor will be able to diagnose the
problem more effectively.
Remember, your doctor is a trained
onal whom you pay to help you. In
while you are with your doctor, he
or she is working for you and, therefore,
open physician/patient communications
can only enhance the working relationship
and make the experience more positive for
everyone.
1 4 November 1991 Qoctor
STATE NEWS SECTION
Overload at Liquor Authority
Budget cuts cripple understaffed enforcement agency
By Lilly Gioia
CSEA Communications Associate
Reeling from $4 million in devastating
budget cuts, the New York State Liquor
Authority (SLA) is a crippled agency limping
into oblivion.
That’s what CSEA New York City Local
010 members charged during informational
picketing.
Furious picketers accused SLA Chairman
Thomas Duffy of protecting jobs of political
appointees, who make up about 40% of the
SLA workforce, while experienced, front-line
employees with more than 20 years service
are being laid off, demoted or forced into
ent.
aid CSEA member Elliot
Bernstein. “Duffy keeps all his political
buddies on and the people who do the
actual work are taking the hit!”
Hard hit by layoffs, the SLA is backlogged
with liquor license applications waiting to
be processed by the skeleton staff still
remaining.
“Chairman Duffy still collects his
$87,000 salary and keeps 118 local Alcohol
Beverage Control commissioners on the
political payroll while distraught restaurant
and bar owners risk going out of business
waiting for liquor licenses that will never
come,” said CSEA Metro Region II President
George Boncoraglio.
“Some of these business owners are
paying up to $10,000 monthly rent just
waiting for their license and can’t
understand that there are just not enough
BUFFALO
MEMBERS OF CSEA JUDICIARY LOCAL
335, above, conducted a week-long
campaign of noontime picketing in the
Buffalo area to protest job cuts and inform
the public of the consequences of such
cuts. Thirty-seven workers faced layoff in
the Eighth Judicial District and overall
more than 80 employees, including court
reporters, secretaries, typists and
stenographers, were affected by
demotions or transfers and layoffs.
workers at SLA to handle the load.”
Operations are in a shambles in the
state's third largest revenue-
producing agency, CSEA Local
010 President Vincent
Martusciello said.
Only the state Tax
and Finance
Department and the
Motor Vehicles
Department bring
more income to
state coffers.
“The SLA is not
functioning,”
Martusciello said,
“because the depleted
staffing requires anywhere
from eight months to a year to
process applications,”
Even more astounding is that a full staff
of 75 SLA investigators is now reduced to a
token 14. They are expected to monitor
28,000 establishments in New York City
and 11 downstate counties for complaints
of violence, drug dealing, prostitution and
serving underage children.
“The Liquor Authority has been
decimated by mismanagement. No one can
estimate the horrendous economic impact
this will have on lost business income, lost
state revenues and worst of all, the lost
enforcement of our liquor laws,”
Boncoraglio said.
He called Chairman Duffy's failure to
seek any restoration of budget cuts from
the Legislature, “deplorable. Through his
CSEA OCA
members protest
MEMBERS OF CSEA JUDICIAL LOCAL 332
demonstrate to protest layoffs in Orange
County, where layoffs and bumping have
affected seven employees, some of whom
have had to relocate or take pay cuts.
mismanagement, Doe ly
is intensifying New York's business
recession and depriving our state's
economy of desperately needed revenues.
"There is definite favortism in the way
this is being handled,” said Bill Cooke, a
CSEA member employed at the Liquor
Authority Albany office.
Cooke was demoted from a Grade 14
legal assistant to a Grade 6 clerk after 12
years with the agency.
“I have a ten-year-old son and a seven-
year-old daughter at home and I'm losing
$6,000 a year in salary, while Duffy keeps
all the political appointees at full salary,
including part-time Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board members on the payroll,”
said Cooke, a single parent. “It's not fair!”
Court workers get
back lagged pay
ALBANY — CSEA-represented court
employees saw the fruits of the first
victory over the state's lag payroll scheme
in their most recent paychecks.
The state issued second checks to
Office of Court Administration employees
to repay them for the two-week lag
payroll it had imposed on them. CSEA
and other employee unions fought the lag
and finally won in federal court.
“It’s about time,” said CSEA President
Joe McDermott. se workers deserve
the pay they earned. It’s just a damn
shame we had to go to court to get it.”
Interest on the lagged pay will cost the
state even more than if it had simply paid
them in the first place, he said.
CSEA is still fighting the lag payroll
imposed on other state employees in the
court
“This is the first step. Pretty soon the
state will have to pay back all its workers
for the lag and more interest,” McDermott
said. “The state’s arrogant attempt to
squeeze its workers in order to save
money is going to cost the taxpayers. The
state is wasting money right and left and
still trying to blame it on the workers.”
iA offi F November 1991 1 5
STATE NEWS SECTION
November is health insurance transfer month
November is Option Transfer Month when
you may change your health insurance
option for 1992.
This year, the CSEA/NYS Joint Committee
on Health Benefits worked with the
Department of Civil Service and the state HMO
Council and Empire Plan carriers to produce a
new booklet called Profiles. Profiles describes
both the Empire Plan and the NYSHIP-
approved HMOs in each geographic region.
A total of 27 HMOs are offered again this
year. Managed Health, serving Nassau and
Queens counties, has been added, and Aetna
Health Plans (formerly HealthWays) in
Metropolitan New York, Long Island and New
Jersey has dropped out. Prepaid Health Plan,
in the Syracuse area, is expanding its service
area to include Cortland County. WellCare, in
the lower Hudson Valley, is expanding
northward. Capital District Physicians’ Health
Plan (CDPHP) will not be allowed to accept new
enrollments for 1992
Profiles will be produced in four regional
versions: Lower New York and New Jersey;
Upper & Mid-Hudson; Central New York; and
Western New York. A statewide version will be
available to agency health benefits
administrators.
The appropriate version was mailed third
class to your home address in late October.
Study Profiles carefully and contact the plans
directly, if necessary, so that you understand
the health insurance plans available to you
and your family and are prepared to choose
wisely.
Use Profiles and your Benefit Choices
Guide together
After you receive Profiles in the mail, look
for your Benefit Choices Guide to be
distributed at your agency. The guide will
contain rate information and the option
transfer deadline. Agencies will receive the
guides in November. By labor-management
agreement, you will be given 30 days from the
date rate information is distributed to your
agency to make your choice
Premium payments
As you read the rate schedule in your guide,
remember that whether you are enrolled in the
Empire Plan or an HMO, the state pays 90
percent of the cost of your premium for
Individual coverage and you pay the remaining
10 percent. For family coverage, the state pays
90 percent of the cost of your premium as the
enrollee, plus 75 percent of the additional cost
for family coverage regardless of the number of
dependents.
If you decide not to change your health
insurance option, you do not have to take
any action.
Two additional choices to consider
for active state employees
Pre-tax Contribution Program
If you want to change your tax status for
1992 health insurance premiums under the
Pre-tax Contribution Program, you should see
your agency health benefits administrator by
November 30, which is the IRS-imposed
deadline. This program is explained in the
NYSHIP General Information book for
employees represented by CSEA. Your General
Information book was mailed to your home in
December 1990.
No action is required if you wish to keep
your current pre-tax option.
Dependent Care Advantage Account
You may also enroll in the Dependent Care
Advantage Account Program established by the
Labor-Management Child Care Advisory
Committee. If you may be interested in setting
aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified
dependent care, be sure to obtain an
enrollment brochure from your agency health
benefits administrator. Act promptly;
enrollment opened for this program on Sept
16 and will close on Nov. 15. If you
participated in1991 and wish to continue,
you must re—enroll now.
Special information concerning the
Capital District Physicians' Health Plan
Due to a unanimous decision made by the
Health Maintenance Organization ((HMO))
Workgroup, no new enrollments will be allowed
into the Capital District Physicians’ Health
Plan (CDPHP) for the plan year 1992.
The HMO Workgroup is comprised of
representatives from the Joint Labor-
Management Committee on Health Benefits.
Every year, each HMO requesting to participate
in the state’s health insurance program is
reviewed. This review may consist of
administrative or benefits clarification or, if
necessary, a face-to-face interview.
Ongoing concerns with CDPHP in respect to
cost versus benefit levels has made us take a
second look at this health care plan to ensure
our membership, along with New York state, is
purchasing and receiving quality health care.
To bring this HMO up to the expected level
of quality required from a participating health
maintenance organization in the state’s health
insurance program, we have agreed to meet
collectively with CDPHP throughout 1992 to
address the areas found to be deficient and to
work towards meeting the HMO workgroup's
goals and objectives.
If you are currently enrolled in the CDPHP
option, you may remain a subscriber in 1992
or transfer to another HMO option or The
Empire Plan. This action will affect all active as
well as retired employees who reside or work in
CDPHP’s service area.
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASS'
30r EDUCATION Ac
IS THERE A SPRING 1992 SEMESTER?
Yes, but due to the fact that contract negotiations between
CSEA and NYS are at an impasse, only limited funds are
available for the Spring 1992 semester, There is only enough
money to fund approximately 40% of a normal LEAP term.
WHO CAN APPLY FOR THE SPRING TERM?
SEMESTER?
Applications deadline Nov. 25
for LEAP Spring '92 semester;
funds limited, restrictions apply
HOW DO YOU APPLY FOR THE SPRING 1992
1. Eligible members will receive a LEAP catalog and an
application from LEAP in the mail by Nov. 1, 1991.
2. Applicants should seek academic advisement from their
LEAP school before completing the application form.
Only Fall 1991 applicants who were turned down SOLELY
FOR BUDGETARY REASONS will be eligible to apply for the
Spring 1992 semester.
Because our Spring funds are reappropriated funds, they
may not be used to pay for “new business” or “new initiatives”
which would include “new” applications for the coming term.
Consequently, we can only accept applications from those who
applied for Fall 1991 and who were denied due to the lack of
available funds.
Vouchers will be issued to these eligible applicants based
upon available funding and their rank in LEAP’s priority system
which reflects both past history with LEAP and the applicant's
length of service.
3. Applications must be RECEIVED by LEAP by Nov. 25.
4, Vouchers will be mailed to students in early December.
WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO APPLY?
Unfortunately, due to limited funds and for the first time in
LEAP’S history, we will not be able to accept applications from:
-anyone who received a Fall ‘91 voucher.
-first time new LEAP applicants
-prior LEAP students who did not apply for Fall ‘91 and get
denied for budgetary reasons.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE
CALL THE LEAPLINE 1-800-253-4332
1 6 November 1991 cA fe b
STATE NEWS SECTION
Union wins Bronx PC
member his job and
a year's back pay
BRONX -- Secure Care Treatment Aide
Sylbert Dennis, a 16-year CSEA Bronx
Psychiatric Center Local 401 member,
celebrated Labor Day by cashing his
arbitration award check for his full back
pay and lost benefits of nearly $14,000.
After almost a
year’s suspension
without pay on
groundless patient
abuse charges,
Dennis had only
the highest praise
for CSEA's legal
counsel, attorney
Glen Faber.
“My union
attorney was
magnificent,”
Dennis said.
“I've worked
almost every ward
here and been
dedicated to our
patients,” Dennis
said. “To have
something like this happen leaves you
feeling like somebody decided to make a
scapegoat out of you.”
Though relieved to be fully vindicated
and back at work, Dennis is embittered by
the callous treatment he suffered from
Bronx PC management, despite his
SYLBERT DENNIS
Hazardous duty pay for Arthur Kill workers
umblemished service record.
He urged management to examine
patient abuse complaints more carefully
before resorting to the “very radical step of
putting employees out.”
Arbitrator Josef P, Serifman’s decision
accused the state of sending “contradictory
signals” by first placing Dennis on
administrative leave without pay for three
months, then reinstating him for three
months, then suspending him in July 1990
on a charge dating back to October 1989.
“Clearly Dennis was not considered a
threat to the patients,” Serifman said,
noting the eight-month delay in bringing
the charges.
“We never doubted his complete
innocence,” Local 401 President C. Daniel
Plumey said. “He is the nicest gentleman
you would ever want to meet and it’s given
this CSEA local the greatest pleasure to get
him a victory like this.”
employees were being treated like inmates
STATEN ISLAND - CSEA Arthur Kill
Correctional Facility Local 010 clerical
employees got a big morale boost when
they finally won hazardous duty pay.
The hazardous duty pay grievance filed
last June had a greater impact because
100 percent of the affected clerical workers
signed an appeal letter that accompanied
the grievance, CSEA Shop Steward Bob
Richards said.
“Because people are the union, if they
stick together, they can accomplish
anything,” he said.
CSEA member Ann Marie Delinikolaou,
an Arthur Kill calculations clerk, said when
her office was relocated to a locked secure
prison area, management told clerical
workers “not to start any trouble,” by
requesting hazardous duty pay.
The medical workers who formerly
occupied the area where CSEA clerical
employees now work did receive hazardous
duty pay, CSEA Labor Relations Specialist
Charles Bell said.
“Where they are now, these women are
easily accessible and highly susceptible to
inmate misbehavior and problems,”
Richards said.
“Before the budget cuts we were 12
clerical employees with one inmate working
in our office, and the office wasn’t located
in the locked, secure part of the prison,”
Delinikolaou said. “Now there are five of
them and 10 of us working behind locked
doors and the clerical employees aren't
Qotor November 1991 1 7
permitted to have any keys. We're all
locked in together."
Winning this grievance for hazardous
duty pay put the Corrections Department
on notice that they “can’t treat union
members like inmates,” Bell said.
J
Out-of-title win
doesn't end fight for
keyboard specialist
YONKERS - Keyboard Specialist Ossie
Jenkins recently won an out-of-title
grievance awarding her
the pay of a grade 9
secretary I, but her
fight isn’t over yet.
Jenkins, an employee
of the Department of
Motor Vehicles, has
been performing the
work of a Grade 9
Secretary I for years
but state regulations
keep her from being
officially appointed to
the position. Still,
CSEA Mid Hudson
Valley State Employees
Local 009 President
Vinnie Lord said the
union will continue to
fight for her.
Jenkins was told she was not qualified
to be upgraded to a grade 9 because she
failed the test for secretary I. She does the
work of a secretary I because no one has
ever been appointed to the position in her
office, Lord said. In fact, 17 people were
interviewed for the position and all turned
down the job, he said.
Ironically, Jenkins would have to train a
newly appointed secretary I if one was
hired and she would still have to continue
to perform the same duties.
“The workload is heavy and hectic here,”
said Jenkins who has given up vacations to
keep up with the workload.
Although the letter which informed her
that she was to receive out-of-title pay also
specifies that she is to cease from
performing the duties, Jenkins said she
has to continue to do her job.
“I've been doing it here for years,” she
said, “It has to be done.”
CSEA MEMBER
OSSIE JENKINS
ALBANY - CSEA is incensed over
conditions in a state office building which
required two evacuations in as many days
and medical attention at hospitals for
dozens of workers.
“This is unconscionable,” said CSEA
President Joe McDermott. “Our members
deserve a safe workplace free from
preventable hazards.”
Building Eight of the state Office
Campus complex in Albany houses
employees of the Department of Taxation
and Finance. Noxious fumes circulated
through the building causing headaches,
, Nausea, sore throats and the
evacuation of more than 2,000 employees
State building
evacuated twice in
two days, fifth time in year;
CSEA calls it 'unconscionable'
on two consecutive days in late October. It
was the fifth time this year employees were
evacuated from Building Eight.
State officials had not been able to
pinpoint the cause of the latest problem as
this issue of The Public Sector went to
press. Workers complained for a third
straight day of problems associated with
noxious fumes but the state refused to
close the facility.
“This is a sick building and they'd better
find out what the problem is,” McDermott
said.
Complete coverage of the evolving
situation will appear in the next edition of
The Public Sector.
STATE ole Rsaabed Jha
MOHAWK VALLEY PC
YTEST.
CSEA turns the Screws on OMH
MVPC LAYOFF CLASS OF '91
Many of the nearly 120 employees at
Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center
# targeted for layoff gathered recently for
a "class picture." The photo was sent to
Governor Cuomo as a reminder that his
cuts are hurting real people. The "class
photo" also was used as the
centerpiece of newspaper ads in the
Utica and Albany areas.
For a better MH system
CSEA’s campaign for a better mental
health system, including the development
of state-operated alternative care facilities
and better use of the experienced state
workforce, continues across the state.
CSEA is pursuing discussions with the
Governor's office and the state Office of
Mental Health (OMH) to get the state to live
up to its responsibilities to mentally ill
people and state employees. But until there
is iron-clad commitment, CSEA will keep
up the pressure.
The following are examples of recent
union actions in different locations:
Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center
An exchange between CSEA officials and
Governor Mario Cuomo over irresponsible
cutbacks and service gaps at Mohawk
Valley Psychiatric Center received
considerable media attention in Utica and
Albany. It also sparked a CSEA newspaper
advertisement (see photo above) that put
Cuomo's policies into human terms.
The issue mushroomed after MVPC CSEA
Local President Bud Mulchy and others
confronted Cuomo during a visit to the
center and challenged him over his policies
and their impact on people. Cuomo
promised to meet with C but then
ignored repeated attempts to set the
meeting up.
Discussions with Cuomo's office were
finally begun after CSEA drew public
attention to the situation.
Elmira Psychiatric Center
CSEA is blasting OMH for lack of follow-
through on a plan to ensure the future of
the psychiatric center. After holding Elmira
PC hostage with threats of immediate
closure during the state budget crisis
earlier this year, OMH persuaded local
1 8 November 1991 Octo fe
government officials to develop a plan for a
shared use of the PC campus, which would
retain most state services while adding a
variety of local services.
While CSEA was involved with the
coalition developing the plan, the union has
remained critical of OMH for shifting
responsibilities onto the localities.
CSEA’s point was reinforced at a
coalition meeting in late September when
OMH officials failed to deliver their
promised endorsement of the plan. CSEA
Executive Vice President Danny Donohue,
who attended the meeting to deliver CSEA’s
cautious support for the coalition
approach, told local oficials and the media
that the situation is typical of OMH
irresponsibility.
Kings Park Psychiatric Center
CSEA Kings Park Psychiatric Center
Local 411 mourned the death of quality
mental health care with a funeral march,
complete with eulogy, black ribbons and a
casket.
Nearly 125 mourners followed the casket
as it traveled the main road through the
grounds and finished at the entrance to the
facility. CSEA Executive Vice President
Donohue was among the marchers.
“Gov. Cuomo seems to forget that
mentally ill people and those who serve
them are part of the family of New York and
should not be sacrificed in the name of
politics or the almighty buck,” Local 411
President Michael Montanino said in
de liverng the eulogy.
CSEA REGION 1 President Gloria Moran addresses rane after CSEA Daca 411 President Mike
Montanino, at Moran's left, read the eulogy. Holding CSEA banner at left is CSEA Statewide
Executive Vice President Danny Donohue, who marched in the funeral procession.
State Liquor Authority workers fight
an avalanche of work. Also, Office of
Court Administration workers
protest layoffs but celebrate the
return of their lagged pay.
Page 16
Important information on the health
insurance option transfer period and
the modified LEAP (Labor Education
Action Program) rules for the spring
semester.
Page 17
CSEA wins grievances and
arbitrations for members. Also, the
union protests sickening fumes that
evacuate a state office building in
Albany.
Page 18
CSEA fights for a better mental
health system across the state with
marches, banners and even a
funeral.
Local government news
Pages 1 - 7.
General news pages 8 to 74.
The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund (EBF)
Prescription Drug Plan implemented cost-
containment modifications as of Nov. 1 to
offset escalating costs in the prescription
drug industry.
Participating CSEA members will
continue to enjoy the same low co-pay cost
for the popular benefit, however.
The changes will reduce operational
expenses in the face of rising prescription
drug costs to enable CSEA EBF to continue
to provide a sound health care program at
no increase in cost to CSEA members, EBF
Chairman Joe McDermott said.
The changes will: reduce the quantity of
pills available per prescription under the
EBF mail service program from a six-month
supply to a three-month supply; exclude
several classes of drugs readily available
without prescription over-the-counter; and
require that prescriptions be written
generically when a generic substitution is
available.
PEOPLE
IN THE NEWS
Local 652 awards
scholarships to members
CSEA Employee Retirement System
Local 652 recently established a
scholarship award for local members who
are continuing their education.
Local President Karen Jazvinski and the
Scholarship Committee recently presented
the first awards to Barbara Johnson, Jim
Henchey, Joyce Williams and Kevin Mack.
Johnson is ¢ ond-year student in the
Cornell University’s Women’s Program.
Henchey is working toward a degree in
business administration at Hudson Valley
Community College. Williams is working
toward a bachelor’s degree in psychology
and business administration at St. Rose
College. Mack is working toward a bachelor
of science degree at SUNY at Albany.
“These changes will allow CSEA EBF to
continue a high quality drug prescription
program with no increase in cost to our
eligible members by containing the
operating costs of the program itself,”
McDermott said.
Drug program expenditures to CSEA EBF
rose dramatically from $32 million in fiscal
year 1990 to $41 million in fiseal year
1991. Despite cost-containment
adjustments last fall it is projected that
expenditures will exceed $39 million in the
current fiscal year.
EBF officials estimate requiring generic
prescriptions where available will save
about $3.5 million annually, Nearly all
prescriptions will be required to be generic
but seven therapeutic drug categories will
be excluded from the generic requirement.
Members who insist on brand name drugs
must pay the difference between the cost of
the brand name and the generic equivalent.
An appeals process will be available in
CSEA STATEWIDE Secretary Irene Carr
watches as 16-month-old Joshua Munger
gets help in playing at the new day care
center at the state office building in
Watertown. With him is his mom, CSEA
member Cathy Munger, who is also on the
day care center board of directors.
New day care center opens
at Watertown office building
WATERTOWN -- CSEA statewide
Secretary Irene Carr joined the opening
ceremonies for the new First Step Day
Care Center at the Dulles State Office
Building.
The center will serve 55 children from
eight weeks to school age. One of 48
centers funded through the state's
Labor/Management Committees, the
center, Carr said, was a huge achievement.
Changes in EBF program effective as of Nov. 1
those cases where the physician insists on
prescribing a brand name rather than a
generic drug.
Excluding certain classes of drugs readily
available over-the-counter should save an
additional $500,000 annually. The following
classes of drugs will no longer be included
under the CSEA EBF Prescription Drug
Program: mu!tivitiami smoking
deterrents, Rx; anti-obesity and other
preps; other ethical vitamins; anti-dandruff
preparations, anti-obesity, schedule II; B-
complex vitamins; oral cold preparations,
OTC; and vitamin-K and related.
Reducing to three months the quantity of
pills available per prescription by mail order
is expected to save $200,000 per year while
reducing waste, ensuring freshness of
drugs and making it more economical and
efficient for long-term prescriptions to be
changed if needed.
The modifications became effective Nov.
1, 1991,
Ooctor November 1991 1 8
Official publication of
VOL. 14,NO.14 NOVEMBER 1991
GENERAL NEWS SECTION -- PAGES 8-13 STATE NEWS SECTION - PAGES 14-20 |
Members of CSEA Mohawk
Valley Psychiatric Center Local 434
‘let Gov. Mario Cuomo know layoffs hurt.
See page 18.
