The Public Sector, 1991 March 18

THEE
PUBLIC

Official Papiteation of The Civil ee pntrees Location. Local 1000, American Federation of State, ein and a Muiteipat Employees, AFL-CIO

__. 5 IMPASSE!

see pages 4 and 5

\
vac ) il e

i
PP: 392s.

PAGE 3

CSEA strikes out at the Office of Mental
Health for its lack of concern for the
mentally ill.

PAGES 4&5

PERB gives CSEA a voice in choosing a
mediator for impasse in state
negotiations, and information about the
impasse procedure. CSEA President Joe
McDermott has a message about the
stalemate.

PAGE. 's home public employees

from the Gulf War. A new law gives them
non-contributory pension credit, too.

LAGE . Save state jobs and aid to

local governments and school districts
while the Governor asks his managers to
waste money printing his opinions.

PAGE 8.110 budget proposal

does it again — cutting a program that
actually saves money.

fA to bat for its members at the State
Office Building in Happauge, CSEA
succeeds in fighting petty rules that took
away coffee pots.

PAGES 10-11

Smithtown, Long Island, is a safer place
thanks to CSEA members in the Town
Enforcement Bureau.

PAGE 12

Even the private contractors agree —
CSEA members do the job better than
they could!

PAGE 13

CSEA wins grievances and arbitrations
that mean jobs and back pay for its
members.

PAGE. 14 responsibility, and

CSEA is working to make it easier.

PAGE 15... on Long Island win

Pathfinder Awards from the Town of
Hempstead.

PAGE 16. .csrip program is

helping CSEA members in Niagara Falls
School District further their careers.

(PAGE . ae Program is

helping the families of reservists
stationed at Stratton Air National Guard
Base who have been serving in the Gulf
War.

INSIDE NEWSYOUCANUSE ,
|

PAGE 18

Orange County Community College
custodians get the clothing allowance

they deserve, and Sullivan County deputy A
sheriffs get permanent appointments

after winning civil service protection —

all thanks to CSEA.

PAGE 19 |

A handy guide to CSEA services.
|

GE 2
|

CSEA members in western New York
pitch in to help during and after a
devasting ice storm left thousands
without heat or power.

( New address for )
insurance office

The Jardine Personal Lines
Insurance Department has moved its
offices

The department handles a variety of
policies, including car and
homeowners insurance.

The new address is:

500 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
phone: (518) 388-2700 or

Le 1 (800) 366-7315 i,

~

PLAN

Deadline near for submitting
major medical claims

All 1990 Empire Plan Major Medical
claims must be submitted before April
1, 1991, to Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company, CPO Box 1600, Kingston,
N.Y. 12402-0600,

Major Medical claim forms may be
obtained from your agency's
personnel/business office or from

Please be certain to have your doctor
or other provider fill in all the
information asked for on the claim
form and sign it. If the claim form is
not filled out by the provider, all bills
submitted must include all the
information asked for on the claim

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

form. Missing information will delay
the processing of your claim.

Should you have any questions
concerning your claim, you may call
the following toll-free number at
Metropolitan:

(Within New York state)
1-800-942-4640

(Outside New York state)
1-800-431-4312

a

THE
PUBLIC

ecto...

Official publication of The Civil Service
Employees Association, Inc., Local 1000,
AFSCME, AFL-CIO, 143 Washington Avenue,
Albany, New York, 12210

MICHAEL P. MORAN
ROGER A. COLE
KATHLEEN DALY

Publisher
Editor
Associate Editor

\ STANLEY HORNAK Asst. Dir. of Communications

The Public Sector (445010) is published every other Monday by The Civil Service
Employees Association, 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210. 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.
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 Ill
(914) 896-8180
DAN CAMPBELL Region IV
(518) 489-5424
MARK M. KOTZIN Region V atten

(315) 433-0050 —_ y,

2 March 18, 1991 ¢

The systematic destruction of
= re)

q ©

SEA report
on taraet

ALBANY — CSEA is stepping up its
attack on the state Office of Mental
Health (OMH) with the release of a new
report, No Compassion, No Care:
Abandoning the Mentally Ill.

“This report should be a clear signal
to OMH that CSEA will not stand by and
let them actively dismantle the
system," said CSEA President Joe
McDermott. '‘OMH has abandoned its
commitment to the mentally ill and in its
relentless drive to run down the
population of state psychiatric centers is
condemning many patients to a hell of
homelessness and hopelessness.”

The report, which has been distributed
to every state legislator, emphasizes that
CSEA is not committed to psychiatric
center buildings themselves but is
committed to assuring the continued
quality care that the state mental health
workforce.

“The issue is access to quality care,”
McDermott said. ‘‘We also believe that
the trained and experienced state
mental health workers have
demonstrated their ability to care for
some of the most difficult patients — the
investment in that proven workforce
should not be wasted.”

OMH is moving to dismantle the state
system without providing for alternative
care settings for the seriously mentally
ill. The report points out that OMH is
continuing in this direction even though
it's clear that there are service gaps that
could and should be filled by state
operations.

Of immediate concern to CSEA is a
proposal to close Gowanda Psychiatric
Center without appropriately replacing
the care it provides or making adequate
alternative plans to house its patients.
CSEA's report details the situation at
Gowanda as symptomatic of everything
that's wrong with the administration of
OMH. It also points out that the
Gowanda closing would signal a
dangerous new direction for the rest of
the system.

OMH is trying to steamroll the
Gowanda closing through the
Legislature under the pretext of the
state budget crisis. In fact, the plan
won't save much money in the short run
but will help OMH accelerate the
closing of other psychiatric centers.

The state will achieve long-term
savings by shifting the burden of caring

for the mentally ill to local
government and private providers, even

though it’s clear that neither has the
resources to handle it. Coincidentally,
the Governor's budget also proposes
cutting back funds for local government
and voluntary mental health programs.

If OMH continues in the current
direction, eventually the Legislature
won't have any choice but to close
psychiatric centers because there will be
so few patients in them that their
continued operation won't be justifiable.

But that will open a Pandora's box of
homelessness, social problems and
soaring costs.

CSEA's vision of a more humane
mental health system recommends the
development of state-operated
community residences and skilled
nursing facilities; cutting wasteful
OMH administrative overhead; and
expansion of community-based follow-up
care that seeks appropriate third-party
reimbursements,

“CSEA's recommendations are not
only feasible and cost-effective, they are
essential for assuring appropriate care
for thousands of New York's most
vulnerable citizens," McDermott said.

z

NO
COMPASSION,
NO

CARE

Abandoning
The Mentally Ill

A REPORT

prepared by the Civil Service Employees Association, Inc.
local 100, APSCME AFL-CIO + doe MeDermat,Preident

March 1991

‘ee y

3

PERB listens to CSEA

Union wins voice in selection

ALBANY — The state Public
Employment Relations (PERB) has agreed
with CSEA President Joe McDermott in
recommending that CSEA and the state
approve a mediator or mediators to help
end the impasse in contract
negotiations,

The state declared the impasse March 8.

‘‘We demanded an independent,
impartial mediator, and this effort to get
one is a good first step,’ McDermott
said. ‘‘We're pleased with PERB's
decision.”

PERB also agreed with CSEA that the
state's unwillingness to negotiate led to
the impasse and acted quickly to get the
process moving.

McDermott blasted Gov. Cuomo for
jumping the gun in declaring impasse in
contract negotiations with the union.

Either management or the union can
declare impasse when they believe talks
are deadlocked and an agreement
cannot be reached.

The state declared impasse well before
serious talks on major issues had begun,
McDermott said. In addition, the
negotiating teams were making progress
on certain issues when the state
declared impasse, he said.

“To declare impasse more than three
weeks before the contracts expire on
April 1 and before any substantive talks
on wages and benefits have taken place

of mediator

at the table is totally irresponsible,’’
McDermott said. ‘Since we began these
negotiations, CSEA has been interested
in arriving at a fair settlement, but
management has shown no interest in
reaching an agreement.”

McDermott also criticized the
Governor for negotiating in the news
media, rather than at the table.

As this issue of The Public Sector
went to press, CSEA and state
negotiators were planning to meet to
review potential mediators.

“The union is prepared to protect our
members’ intertests throughout the
impasse process,'’ McDermott said.

Impasse questions and answers

ALBANY — When the state declared that negotiations
with CSEA were at impasse, it was saying that its position and
that of CSEA were too far apart to expect a tentative contract

What it is,

how it happens,
what it means

What is impasse, and what Goes it
mean to me?

During contract negotiations, your
union team and management meet to
work out a tentative agreement. If
either side decides that they won't be
able to reach agreement, they declare
impasse. It means progress on a new
contract for you and other employees is
temporarily halted.

When does somebody declare
impasse?

Unsually after contract negotiations
have continued for some time. Often,
impasse occurs after the union and
management negotiators begin
discussing major issues. When the
parties are very far apart on any issue,
they may determine there is no way
they will be able to negotiate an
acceptable compromise. That's when
one side or the other usually declares
impasse.

What happens after either the union
or management declare impasse?

The first step is that the New York
state Public Employment Relations
Board, or PERB, appoints a mediator to
help the two parties come to an
agreement.

What is mediation? How does it
work? Who is the mediator?

PERB appoints a mediator or mediators
who have experience in labor

4 March 18, 1991 in rer

agreement.

CSEA, however, believes the state acted prematurely.

The impasse procedure, set up in the Taylor Law, offers
unions and management a method of reaching a contract, first
through mediation, then fact finding and, if necessary,
legislative imposition of a one-year settlement while
negotiations continue.

Below is a series of questions and answers about the

impasse process to help you understand what will happen if
the impasse declaration stands.

negotiations from a list of qualified
mediators who have the knowledge,
training and experience to do the job.

A mediator acts as a liason, working
with union and management negotiating
teams in an attempt to help them come
to an agreement. A mediator brings
different perspectives, new ideas and
skills of persuasion and compromise that
may help resolve the issues in dispute.

If mediation fails, what do we do?

The second step in the impasse
procedure is called fact finding. PERB
appoints a sole fact finder or a fact-
finding panel of up to three members.
Most fact finders act as “‘super’’
mediators initially and attempt to bring
the parties to a mutual agreement. If
that fails, the fact finder or the panel
will hear testimony, accept data and
allow the parties to submit briefs
detailing their positions.

The fact finder then issues a non-
binding public report. While the fact
finder's report may offer potential
solutions, either the union or
management can reject all or part of the
report. The fact finder cannot force the
two sides to agree on a tentative
contract or even to tentative solutions
to individual issues, such as
compensation or benefits.

What happens if fact finding fails?

The final step in the impasse process is

a legislative hearing. The state
Legislature gets copies of the fact
finding report, and solutions
recommended by the Governor and the
union for settling the issue. Then the
Legislature or a committee schedules a
hearing.

Finally, the Legislature may impose
terms and conditions of employment or
require the parties to negotiate further.
An imposition is not a contract, since
the terms have been determined by the
Legislature, not ratified by the union
membership.

If the Legislature imposes a
settlement, what does that mean to me?
A legislative imposition can't change

the terms of an expired agreement
unless the union has waived its right to
stand on those terms.

How long will an imposed settlement
last?

The imposition can only last for one
fiscal year, which begins in April.
Meanwhile, the unions and management
will begin negotiations once again.

Can the union fight an imposed
settlement?

No. The impasse procedure is set by
the Taylor Law, and legislative
imposition in included as an option in
the procedure. The Taylor Law also
prohibits strikes by public employees
and imposes serious penalties.

8

a - \ j
CSEA President Joe McDermott, seated left, and Director of
Contract Administration Ross Nanna with CSEA statewide

negotiating team at a press conlerence responding to the
declaration of impasse in contract negotiations.

A message from CSEA President Joe McDermott

Negotiations stall but
CSEA hanging tough —

When the state declared impasse in contract negotiations
with CSEA | immediately protested that they were jumping the
gun. Three weeks were still left before our existing contract
expires, and | felt that there was still time to try and work out
a deal.

The state’s action was not a total surprise. It was apparent
to those of us on the negotiating team that the state was busy
maneuvering toward an impasse. We saw it coming but still
made an honest effort to try to reach an agreement.

Once the impasse was declared, we went into action. We
made it clear to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)
that CSEA wanted to be directly involved in picking a mediator
or mediators. | was very pleased that PERB went along with us
100 percent.

Impasse does, of course, make it more difficult to reach a
settlement by April |, but our CSEA negotiating team is ready
to work around the clock to do so. The impasse, in fact, has
strengthened our resolve to protect your interests no matter
how long it takes — and even if negotiations require fact
finding and end up in a legislative hearing (see page 4).

The CSEA team is hanging tough during these very difficult
contract talks. ne

_¢ ‘ March 18, 1991 5

pee cs nm .

members of the state and local

active duty for Operation Desert
Storm.

and National Guard members to
receive retirement credit for their
military duty without making the

ALBANY — A new law is providing
non-contributory retirement credit to

retirement systems who were called to

The law allows military reservists

__.inthe public service
eee AND HERE!)

ara

iit

employee contribution required
previously, providing they are not
receiving a full salary from their
employer.

Throughout the Desert Shield and
Desert Storm operations, CSEA has
successfully worked for extension of
benefits for public employees serving
in the Gulf efforts,

“Many CSEA members have been

called to serve in Operation Desert
Storm, and this law is just one more
way to thank them for their
contributions,'' said CSEA President
Joe McDermott.

“We're very proud of and grateful
to our members who have served
overseas, and the sons and daughters
of CSEA members who have served in
the Gulf.”"

& March 18, 1991

ecto...

CSEA fights for
jobs, state aid

ALBANY — CSEA continues to fight
Gov. Cuomo's plans to layoff more than
7,000 state employees and cut millions
from aid to localities.

The union has been in close contact
with state legislators, lobbying for
restorations that would let state workers
keep their jobs while providing vital
public services and that would put
money back into the budgets of school
districts and local governments across
the state.

“We're doing all we can to convince
the Legislature that the state needs to
continue the level of services it now
provides,"’ said Larry Scanlon, CSEA
director of Legislative and Political
Action. "The Legislature needs to
understand that the problem is not too
much spending but with the unfair tax
structure.”

CSEA has been advocating changes in
the personal income tax structure to
make the system fair. The wealthiest in

New York state have benefited from
major tax cuts over the last decade.
Meanwhile, the working poor and
middle-income wage earners have been
paying more in income taxes and in
other regressive taxes and fees which
have risen steadily.

Cuts in aid to school districts and local
governments only add to the problem,
because they end up raising regressive
property taxes to make up for lost aid.

The union is also trying to convince
legislators to close corporate tax
loopholes that have allowed businesses
in New York escape paying their fair
share of taxes.

Finally, CSEA would like to see the
sales tax broadened to cover a variety
of services generally used by wealthier
state residents.

CSEA members have been helping get
the message across, too. Grassroots
efforts, including phone calls and letters,

are reaching the Legislature. Hearing
that public outcry against destructive
cuts in the state budget is making an
impression as a number of legislators
have come out in favor of a more
progressive personal income tax
structure, Scanlon said.

“Keep writing, keep calling," he said.
“The more CSEA members who let their
legislators know just how devastating
this budget is, the more chance we have
of changing it to benefit everyone.
Don't forget to tell them you're a CSEA
member, and New York works because
we work.”

Keep writing, keep calling your legislators
Don’t forget to tell them New York works because we work

Managers wasting money on

. Governor's letter

ALBANY — While the state is struggling under the
burden of a $6 billion deficit, Gov. Cuomo is asking managers
to circulate copies of ‘An Open Letter to the Public’’ making
his case for massive budget cuts that include layoffs and cuts
A in local assistance.
va A memorandum to agency heads from a top Cuomo aide
advises them to distribute copies ‘as you wish.'’ However, the
memo offers suggestions, including mailing it to the agency's
mailing list and distributing it to staff and at public
appearances.

“This is crazy. The Governor is asking agencies to spend

taxpayers’ money to tell them about a budget crisis,'' said
CSEA President Joe McDermott. “I hate to think how much
more money this will waste.”

To close the $6 billion budget gap, Gov. Cuomo is
proposing $4.5 million in budget cuts and $1.5 billion in
regressive taxes. CSEA is pushing more progressive income
taxes, the closing of corporate tax loopholes and a broader
based sales tax (see story above).

McDermott said that if Gov. Cuomo wanted to circulate
his political propaganda on the budget, he should have used
his own money, not encouraged agency heads to spend
taxpayer dollars during a fiscal crisis.

¢ P March 18, 1991 7

AM pe ics RSS SU ila uid lc
Eliminating DEC jobs at minimum-security prisons

Just another budget cut
that doesn’t make cents

By Mark M. Kotzin
CSEA Communications Associate

CAMP GEORGETOWN — “Like
bending over to pick up a dime and
dropping a dollar.”

That's the analogy that one CSEA
member used to describe a state budget
cut that CSEA says will cost the state
more money than it will save.

The $1.3 million cut in the
Department of Correctional Services
(DOCS) budget eliminates funds for the
salaries of 45 Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC)
employees who work in a 32-year-old
cooperative program.

The program, called the
“Rehabilitation of Offenders’ program,
is run out of the state's 12 minimum-
security prison camps and provides
inmate work crews with professional
supervision by DEC employees for labor-
intensive environmental and community
projects.

DEC employees in CSEA's Central
Region met recently with Region
President Jim Moore and Political
Action Coordinator Dwight Evans to
formulate a plan to fight this cut. CSEA
is coordinating a specific political action
plan targeted at informing state
legislators of the value of the program.
With the assistance of CSEA's
Communications Department, a
brochure entitled ‘‘Mario Logic’’ was
developed to explain the program and
its benefits, what the cut means in
services and dollars and how and who to
lobby to get the funds and employees
reinstated,

“Only our
employees can
successfully run
this program. Our
prison guards
have neither the
expertise nor the
desire to continue
this program.”

CSEA CENTRAL REGION President Jim Moore, second from right, talks with DEC
employees concerned over the elimination of EnCon supervisors at minimum-security
prison camps.

According to CSEA Environmental
Conservation Field Local 117 Shop
Steward Tom Hart, the employee cut
would mean the end of the program.
Hart is a conservation operation
supervisor at Camp Georgetown.

“Only our employees can successfully
run this program,’ Hart said. ‘’Our
prison guards have neither the expertise
nor the desire to continue this
program.” He added that local Council
82 members say they will not continue
the program without the DEC
employees.

Hart said the program's values far
outweigh its cost.

Those benefits include preserving the
environment through reforestation,
forest management and trash clean-up,
preserving habitats for endangered
species of wildlife, maintaining
thousands of miles of state snowmobile,
ski, bicycle and horse trails, preserving
the Adirondack State Park and
rehabilitating prison inmates through
hard work and skill training. The
program has resulted in the planting of
more than 8 million trees in the past 10
years.

In terms of cost savings the program
benefits in many ways. Inmates provide
more than 700 hours of free labor for

every 40 hours of paid DEC supervision.
CSEA estimates that cost savings
translates to more than $4 million a
year if the inmates were earning
minimum wage and double that if they
were paid the minimum salary of a DEC
laborer.

The state also saves in lumber costs
and heating costs, Hart said. As the
work crews harvest older trees while
planting new ones, they provide timber
that's processed at several of the camp
sawmills, thus turning the trees into
usable lumber and firewood.

That lumber is used for construction
projects such as picnic tables and
handicap access ramps for fishing sites
while the firewood is used in camp
boiler systems to heat the camps. Some
is sold to state campsites for revenue,
also. DOCS estimates the cost savings in
heating fuel at one camp alone to be
$50,000 annually.

Moore said the program's value speaks
for itself.

“Our members and staff have been
working day and night to lobby for this
program and have done a great job so
far,’ Moore said, ‘'We know the
Legislature is aware of our efforts and
we will keep them up until this program
is saved."

& March 18, 1991 ¢g ‘

\

“ .. one more kick in the teeth”

Keeping ‘em in the dark
But a lot of things are still in the dark
at the State Office Building because
after rescinding that memo, the state's

By Sheryl C. Jenks
CSEA Communications Associate

HAUPPAUGE — In response to a

massive budget deficit, the state first
threatened to furlough workers without
pay and then took five days of pay away

next move in the name of energy
conservation was to remove all but one
element from overhead lights in some

offices.

“The employees were really upset,"
Byrne said. '‘They complained they
couldn't see properly and they had
headaches and eye strain."

“They took our money and now
they're trying to take our eyes,"’ said
Pam Parinello, a Tax and Finance

- « artment employee for more than 10
years.

from state employees in a lag pay
scheme. Next the state began taking
away their jobs.

At the State Office Building at
Hauppauge, the state's most recent
move was to punish those still left with
a job by taking away the most
traditional of all office appliances —
their coffee pots. And if their toes
turned blue because office temperatures
are lower than normal, too bad. No
portable space heaters are allowed,
either.

CSEA to rescue, again

CSEA once again came to the rescue
of the workers, filing a grievance and
arguing with the state that inadequate
lighting is unsafe and unhealthy. The
state agreed to restore lighting to
employee work areas but left the
lighting dim in halls, stairways and other
areas.

Byrne said employees working on
VDTs and typewriters were most
adversely affected by the poor lighting.

“Look at this set-up,’’ he said, pointing
to VDT stations that are no more than a
terminal on top of a wooden table.

To save a few pennies

According to a memo to state agency
heads from the state Office of General
Services, ‘‘use of portable electric
heaters, fans and other appliances will
not be permitted in state offices’ to
conserve energy and save a little
money.

The state Department of Taxation and
Finance followed up with a memo of its
own, threatening to conduct ‘routine
office checks"' for such contraband

items as refrigerators, fans, space CSEA LOCAL 016 President Tom Byrne — _,,,1Rose tables are too high for the __
heaters, radios and coffee pots, ‘which “\,just one more kick in the Bethe VDTs and typewriters. The chairs don't
may result in the item being adjust, and on top of all that they :
confiscated." thought they could take away the light?
Th t have b joking,” B
You've gone too far So now state workers at the State ae Men PESn OME) cayeae
“This was just one more kick in the Office Building don't have to feel like CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Gus
teeth,"’ said CSEA State Employees Local criminals because they drink a cup of Nielsen said conditions at the
016 President Tom Byrne. Union coffee or hide a small heater under their Hauppauge State Office Building are
officials complained to state officials desk to keep their feet warm because “generally unacceptable’ and he's
about the Tax and Finance memo and it building temperatures have been pleased CSEA was able to get the state

was rescinded. lowered to 68 degrees or colder. to replace the lights. He said the union

pulled the grievance now that the
matter is resolved.
Susan Moszczyc has worked at the

Employees complained they couldn't see State Office Building for six years, and

she said conditions there have never

properly and had headaches and eye strain — een, worse.

ra bi “We've been having problems with
the filth and poor office set-up for years,
after management dimmed overhead lights he {ith and poor office setup for yea
What will they try next?”
Whatever “they” try next, CSEA says

“What will they try mext?” —_isiesromhascet ees ve
g March 18, 1991 oy

SMITHTOWN TOWN
ENFORCEMENT BUREAU

!

Protecting life and property

property in this Long Island community.
“Smithtown residents certainly have
an added sense of security because of
these employees,” said CSEA Town of
Smithtown Unit President Bill Maccarro.
Bureau employees inspect potential
fire hazards, search for missing children,
administer parking tickets, lecture and
perform demonstrations on such subjects
as fire safety and dos and don'ts for
Halloween and are trained to administer

By Sheryl C. Jenks
CSEA Communications Associate

SMITHTOWN — Because the work
they do touches the community in several
ways, residents of the Town of Smithtown
are becoming more and more aware of the
vital role of their Town Enforcement
Bureau and the professionalism of the
people employed there.

The Town Enforcement employees,

members of the Town of Smithtown Unit CPR,
of CSEA Suffolk County Local 852, are
responsible for protecting life and

They are available 24 hours a day and
their beat of 54 square miles includes

1

ea

SURROUNDED BY some of the vehicles used by park rangers and fire marshalls are,
from left, Park Ranger Division Supervisor Lt. Tom Grosse, Fire Marshall Division
Supervisor Lt. Rich McKay, Fire Marshall Fred Kleppsattel and Town Bureau Chief John

Valentine.

cl

BUREAU CHIEF John Valentine and Carol
Dlouhi check out information on one of the
clerical department's computers.

PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK
— Maddy DeGeorge discusses paperwork
with Park Ranger Jeff Noonan while
Investigator Frank Crisci looks on.

1 0 March 18, 1991

miles of exclusive northshore beachfront ff Eon Sheriff's Department, are fully
ducated in law, procedures and self-
defense. Often rangers are in a position to
ave lives, he said.
| Last summer a ranger patrolling one of
he town beaches found a woman who had
ttempted suicide by slitting her wrists.
“The ranger found her in a pool of
lood, gave her immediate medical
attention and rushed her to the hospital,"
rosse said.
Ranger Jeff Noonan has a letter in his
ile from two extremely thankful parents.
he couples’ 10-and-a-half month old
laughter had a seizure from a high fever
ind was unconscious as they attempted to
rush her, in the rain, to an area hospital.
Noonan saw them trying to get
hrough heavy traffic, put on his lights
and siren and provided an escort to the

Composed of five divisions

The Bureau is composed of five
divisions: Park Rangers, Fire Marshals,
Emergency Management, Investigation
and Municipal Securities. Clerical and |
administrative personnel, considered the
backbone of the Bureau, work behind the
scenes for all the divisions, I

“Professionalism and training are hel
in high regard by all the divisions,"
Bureau Chief John Valentine said. ‘Each
one has its own functions and prides itsel

on esprit de corps. We always exceed the
training required by the state: If the state,
requires 40 hours, we get 400.

“When I came here four years ago the
divisions were spread throughout the tow ospital.
but now they all work out of the same | | “T called ahead to the doctors and told
building and the sense of professionalism hem to be ready so when the child got
has increased,’' Valentine said. ‘All there they were prepared,'’ Noonan said.
employees in the Bureau are civil service “We want to thank Mr. Noonan for his
certified, none of the positions are i Bic thinking and his help,’’ the parents
political appointments."’ wrote, ‘We truly believe that without his

elp the outcome would have been very
Piiterem”

Seed eene same goal | In another incident, Ranger Steve

Curtin found a woman suffering severe
ibdominal cramps and rushed her to the
ospital for an emergency appendectomy,
saving her from a burst appendix.

Municipal Securities personnel often
ct as the eyes and ears of the rangers.
hey are uniformed personnel who have

fixed posts, usually at parks and beaches.
hey monitor their areas and call for a
anger when the need arises.

“We worked together and cleaned up
problem we used to have with groups of
ids hanging out drinking alcohol," Grosse
aid.

“We are all working toward the same
goal — to insure a higher quality of life fof
Smithtown residents,” Fire Marshall
Division Supervisor Lt. Rich McKay said.

Often the divisions work hand in randy
McKay noted, recalling the time bricks
began falling from a building in town.
Because of the dangerous situation,
rangers evacuated the building while fire |
marshals checked the site for possible gas
leaks.

Emergencies command center |

of the Bureau coordinates with local fire
and rescue services to get necessary
equipment and personnel to the scene,
whether it be a local fire or a town
emergency.

The division is also the command
center for emergencies, Valentine said. A
huge aerial map of the town stretches ine ff
entire length of one wall in the division
office.

“If we had to evacuate an area, we
could look at this aerial view and see how
many homes are on a street and what the
surrounding area looks like. We couldn't R

The Emergency Management cal fire

do that with a regular map," said
Valentine, who is also responsible for the
town's emergency preparedness plans.

The role of the Rangers

All town rangers are certified under
the Criminal Justice Department to make
arrests, according to Park Ranger Division
Supervisor Lt. Tom Grosse.

“We are full peace officers and it is |
our responsibility to supplement the
county police department,"’ Grosse said.
Rangers, through the cooperation of the |

EA SMITHTOWN UNIT PRESIDENT Bill
‘accaro, left, is shown where evidence is
locked up by Park Ranger Division

eo Lt. Tom Grosse.

Communication and planning tools

The range of communications and
planning tools at the Bureau is extensive.
In addition to basic dispatcher equipment
such as radios and walkie-talkies, there are
computers hooked directly into the
Department of Motor Vehicles which
quickly access information for parking
tickets and summonses.

Another computer, a transportable
system called CAMEO, is used by the fire
marshalls to identify hazardous materials
and the best way to deal with them.

“This system is excellent,’ McKay
said. ‘‘We can put it right into the back of
our vehicle and go to the scene.” His Fire
Marshal Division works very closely with
the local fire departments.

The computer can identify 2,600
different chemicals which can be cross-
matched with other chemicals and yield
results in minutes.

Fire marshals work with local fire
departments and offer their services for
investigations and handling hazardous
materials, Many fire marshals are involved
with local fire departments. Fire Marshal
Fred Kleppsattel, for instance, has served
the Kings Park Fire Department in various.
positions for 20 years and will soon
become chief of his fire department.

Fire marshals are also responsible for
code enforcement and inspections of non-
residential facilities and bulk carriers.
They also teach fire safety whenever
asked.

The fire marshals may get even
busier, according to Valentine. He said
research shows that there are more arsons
and alleged “insurance jobs'’ as the
economy worsens.

“My rangers also look for stolen
vehicles and deal with abandoned and off-
road vehicles,'’ Valentine said. ‘‘We
expect to see more of that."

Going undercover

Town investigators work undercover
in plain clothes on stake outs and other
assignments in such cases as recycling,
insurance fraud or illegal multiple homes.

Catherine Archer, an employee for two
and one-half years, is the first female
investigator in the town. Archer, who
completed two years of study at St. Johns
University, said her job is ‘‘very
interesting."

“T've always been interested in the law
and I like dealing with people,’ Archer
said. She said her most exciting case was
one she worked on with a senior
investigator.

“Tt dealt with illegal dumping and it
went to court and (the responsible
company) was heavily fined,’’ Archer said.

“Our members work hard to ensure
the residents are safe and the town is
running smoothly,’’ CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Jim DellaRocca said. '‘These
people play a very important role in law,
order and safety in this town."

TOWN INVESTIGATOR Catherine Archer
is the town's first female investigator.

FIRE MARSHALL DIVISION Supervisor Lt.
Rich McKay, standing, works with
Dispatchers Peter Redenburg and John
Cimeri in the communications room,

March 18, 1991 s | |
By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

TROY — The right of public employees
to file safety and health complaints
without fear of retaliation by their
employer has been given a boost by a
recent decision of State Supreme Court
Justice Vincent G. Bradley.

Justice Bradley issued an injunction
preventing Hudson Valley Community
College (HVCC) from pursuing
disciplinary proceedings against CSEA
HVCC Unit President Richard Evans
pending the outcome of administrative
complaints filed by Evans charging that
the disciplinary proceeding was
retaliatory.

HVCC officials informed Evans last
April 26 that the college would be
operating temporarily without its water
supply. When Evans, a security guard at
the college, learned that no safety and
health precautions were to be taken to
protect the student body and college staff
while the water was off, he reported the

situation to CSEA’s Safety and Health
Office.

CSEA advised Evans to register a
complaint with the state Department of
Labor, and he immediately did so by
telephone.

The Department of Labor investigated
the complaint and issued two formal
charges of violations of law to HVCC.
Five days later, HVCC began disciplinary
proceedings against Evans involving three
charges, two of which were resurrected
from a prior proceeding that had been
settled by stipulation the previous year.
The third charge alleged that Evans
committed insubordination by engaging in
“union business'' on April 26 when he
reported the health and safety violations
to CSEA and the state Department of
Labor.

Evans in turn filed a complaint with the
Department of Labor under the anti-
discrimination provisions of the Public
Employee Safety and Health Act (PESHA)
and filed an improper practice charge
with the state Public Employment
Relations Board over HVCC's interference

in the administration of union business.

Justice Bradley granted the injunction
after noting “the reporting of health and
safety violations by union officials has
been found to be protected activity under
Civil Service Law which the employer
may not punish with disciplinary action.

. it has been held that a public
employer should be stayed from taking
the actions complained of in a PERB
improper practice charge until PERB has
disposed of the charge,’

CSEA Attorney William Herbert said he
will inform the court that the PERB
decision on the improper practice charge
will not dispose of the Labor Department
PESHA complaint, and that therefore the
court may extend the injunction until that
complaint has been resolved as well.

“This is an important determination
because it recognizes the importance of
enjoining disciplinary proceedings when
retaliation charges are pending before
either of the bodies responsible for the
health and safety of public employees,’
said CSEA Director of Safety and Health
James Corcoran.

And

2 Lie) 12 Ist

“We can’t touch that”

JOHNSTOWN — CSEA members who clean and maintain
the buildings of the Johnstown School District always knew
they worked hard and did a good job. And that's been

ServiceMaster representative told board members.
‘The ServiceMaster representative said he found school

confirmed by a private sector cleaning firm that for years has
been trying to get school districts throughout the country to
contract out for such services,

A representative from ServiceMaster, the large Ilinois-
based cleaning contractor, recently studied the Johnstown.

report to the school's Board of Education that CSEA members
are doing a fine job and “it would not be worth the
investment on your part to bring us in for any minimal _
improvements which we might make.’

It would cost the school district an additional $100,000 a
\_ year to contract with the firm and “it's Just not worth it,’ the.

maintenance aspect.

- school district was among the cleanest they have surveyed,
School District as a possible target for contracting out, only to

_ job and this proves our point —

district buildings to be in “good to excellent’’ condition from a

“The buildings overall were very clean and well
maintained. In fact, our survey engineers noted that this

There is a tremendous work ethic among your custodial staff —
that you can be proud of,’ the contractor said.

“Our members are ney. happy about this, and so is the
district administration, said CSEA Johnstown School District
Unit President Gerry Fries. ‘‘We knew we were doing a good
public employees can do the

job" : : y

1 2 March 18, 1991 Ce ga

At Creedmore Psychiatric Center

Out-of-title win means $3,000 award

QUEENS — Winning a $3,000 back
pay award for more than six months of
out-of-title work gave CSEA Creedmore
Psychiatric Center Local 406 member
John Jones plenty of cause to celebrate
his grievance victory.

“With the lag payroll, this money will
really come in handy,"’ Jones said as he
expressed his gratitude for all the effort
CSEA expended to pursue his grievance.

Creedmore management had assigned
Jones to fill in for a grade 20 chief
housekeeper for an indefinite time. The

job he did was five salary grades above
the one he received pay for,

“After a month or so I realized the
situation was still going on and I had all
these extra duties that I would like to be
compensated for,’ Jones said. '‘So I
spoke to the union and put in a
grievance in hopes of getting
management to address my situation."

At the first step of the grievance
process, management denied that Jones
was even working out-of-title when he
was Clearly performing all the

responsibilities of the grade 20 chief
housekeeper, said Local 406 President
Mickey Cruz.

CSEA pursued the case vigorously,
said CSEA Labor Relations Specialist
Marcia Schiowitz, because ‘'there was no
way we could allow an abuse like this to
go unchallenged."

“All too often there is a misuse of
authority by Creedmore mangement,”
Cruz said. ‘It's only proper that Mr.
Jones was awarded what he rightfully
earned.”

CSEA Arbitrations, Grievances, etc.

At A. Holly Patterson Geriatric Center
Member wins job back

thanks to union's help

UNIONDALE — CSEA recently won an arbitration
reinstating a 15-year employee at the A. Holly Patterson
Geriatric Center (AHPGC) to his position.

Larry Jackson, a custodian and member of the AHPGC
Unit of CSEA Nassau County Local 830, was fired for chronic
lateness,

Although the charge was true, Jackson was dealing with a
serious hardship at the time, and CSEA appealed his firing. A
single parent, Jackson has an infant daughter suffering from
cerebral palsy.

“Larry's daughter was in the hospital for a long period of
time,’’ Unit President Helen Dupree said. ‘Larry had to take
care of her and this caused the lateness. We're glad to be able
to get him his job back.”

Jackson is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
He has been able to place his daughter in a care faciliy
geared to children with cerebral palsy.

He has also moved closer to AHPGC and now owns his
own car.

CSEA pointed out to the arbitrator that Jackson's reasons
for being late were not frivolous and that changes in his
circumstances allowed him to be on time. Jackson's
supervisor attested to his good work on the job.

The arbitrator ruled in the union's favor and reduced the
termination to a suspension,

“Getting him back to work was certainly a victory,"’ said
Claude Ferrara, CSEA labor relations specialist.

“Without the union, I would not have gotten my job

back," Jackson said. ‘‘Things are looking much better for me
now."

County returns docked pay

UNIONDALE — CSEA has won a grievance board decision
which compensates an employee at the A. Holly Patterson
Geriatric Center (AHPGC) for days the county improperly
docked,

CSEA filed a grievance after the county docked Rose
Welt for three days, claiming Welt had not properly notified
her employer she was out ill, Welt, a member of CSEA
Nassau County Local 830, became ill at work and reported to
the Employee Health Clinic.

The registered nurse there took her blood pressure and
advised Welt to go home and to see her doctor. Welt told the
nurse she would not return to work for three business days,
because that was when she had scheduled an appointment
with her doctor.

f

Welt returned to her office to notify her supervisor, but
when she couldn't locate him, she notified the business office.

CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Claude Ferrara submitted
a copy of an inter-office routing slip which documented that
the business office was notified of Welt's intention to use sick
time on the specified days.

“I think the grievance board ruled in a sensible fashion,"
Ferrara said. ‘This woman made every effort, and did notify
the institution she was going to be out ill."

Welt retired a few months after the incident, but she will
still receive a check for the three days she was owed,

“I'm very proud of our union,"’ said Helen Dupree,
president of CSEA'’s AHPGC Unit. “Sometimes management
creates the problem and the member is truly blameless,”

fe SE a ev ee oem EN ORNRON Mn onic Geet a een 18, 1991 1 3

More than 200 CSEA members participating
in initial dependent care account program

More than 1,700 state employees, 215 higher spendable income every pay
of them CSEA members, are participating _ period.

in the new Dependent Care Advantage Deductions go into the employee's
Account program, a pre-tax benefit for Dependent Care Advantage Account.
state workers who need to pay for The individual pays the dependent care
dependent care in order to work. provider and submits a reimbursement
The Dependent Care Advantage form to receive payment from the DCA
Account Program became effective Jan. Account.
1 and is sponsored by the state Labor- DCA Accounts can be used to pay for
Management Child Care Advisory nursery school, kindergarten, day care
Committee (CCAC). The program is center, before- and after-school programs
funded by the Governor's Office of and summer day camp for dependent

Employee Relations, CSEA, PEF, Council
82, UUP and AFSCME DC 37.

“This program benefits both the
individual employee and the state," said
CSEA statewide Secretary Irene Carr,
CSEA representative on the CCAC.
“Because it's a pre-tax benefit, the
employee pays less taxes and has more
spendable income. The state saves more
on Social Security payments than it loses
in state income taxes. Everyone wins.”

Under the program, eligible state
employees select a pre-determined
amount to be deducted from their salary
for qualified dependent care before taxes
are applied to the salary. Because taxes
are applied to the lower, adjusted, salary,
the employee pays lower taxes and has a

Future child care
in NYC area hinges
on pilot project

An appeal is being issued for more
employee involvement in an innovative
pilot project providing child care referral
services and parenting assistance for
state employees at four New York City
psychiatric centers.

“The results of this pilot project will
determine future child care and
parenting assistance programs for state
employees in the New York City area.

We need the participation of as many participate in parenting seminars,

employees as possible,’’ said CSEA resource libraries and other

statewide Secretary Irene Carr, CSEA informational programs provided under

representative on the state Labor- the pilot project.

Management Child Care Advisory State Office of Mental Health (OMH)

Committee (CCAC). and Office of Mental Retardation and
The 10-month pilot project is being Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD)

conducted at 10 locations affiliated with employees at the following facilities are

Bronx, Creedmoor, Kingsboro and eligible to participate: Manhattan

Manhattan Psychiatric Centers in New Psychiatric Center, Manhattan Children’s
York City. The child care demonstration _ Psychiatric Center, Kirby Forensic

project is funded through collective Psychiatric Center, Creedmoor

bargaining agreements between public Psychiatric Center, Queens Children's

employee unions, including CSEA, and Psychiatric Center, Bernard Fineson

New York state. The CCAC Developmental Center, Bronx Psychiatric

authorized moredhan $300,000 in Center, Bronx Children's Psychiatric

negotiated funds for the project. Center, Bronx Developmental Center and
Officials are encouraging the 10,000 Kingsboro Psychiatric Center.

state employees at the facilities to “Employees can obtain information on

complete child care survey forms, use the child care pilot program by

child care referral services and contacting their facility personnel office

children under age 13, It can also be used
to pay for dependent care centers that
provide day care (not residential care) for
dependent adults and for a housekeeper
or cook if services are provided in part to
a person who qualifies for dependent
care.

State employees must re-enroll in the
program each year. Information
concerning the 1992 program, including
enrollment dates, will be distributed later
this year, Carr said.

or CSEA representatives at each
facility,'' Carr said.

State employees at the facilities are
eligible to receive referral services to
more than 2,400 licensed child care
programs as well as participate in the on-
site information programs.

The largest child care referral service
in New York City, Child Care Inc. (CCI),
is providing on-site staff to assist
employees at each of the facilities. CCI is
also providing the parenting seminars,
resource libraries and other information
programs available to employees.

Special labor-management committees
at each location are monitoring
employee participation levels and
effectiveness of the pilot project to assess
future child care programs in the New
York City area.

1 4 March 18, a aT lee

1: March is Women’s
j History month

‘CSEA women
‘honored for

‘achievement

HEMPSTEAD — It was an especially
proud evening for CSEA when two
union members recently received
Pathfinder Awards from the Town of
Hempstead.

CSEA Nassau County Local 830
President Rita Wallace and Town of
Hempstead Senior Citizen Supervisor of
Information and Referral Dorothy
McCrea, a member of CSEA Town of
Hempstead Local 880, were two of eight
“distinguished women" honored.

The awards are part of the town's
salute to women during Women's
History Month.

“Our honorees represent the many
thousands of women whose daily
activities, although unsung and often
taken for granted, strengthen the
community and encourage its positive
development,'’ Town of Hempstead
Presiding Supervisor Joseph Mondello
said.

A Women's History Month display in
the Town Hall included a photograph of
each recipient and a list of
accomplishments.

Wallace was chosen for her
outstanding achievements in
government. A long-time nurse and
president of the 21,000-member CSEA.
Local 830 since 1988, Wallace has had
a profound effect on the lives of many
people within the Town of Hempstead
and throughout Nassau County.

Wallace serves on 12 union and
professional committees, agesacies and
associations. One of her favorites is the
CSEA Political Action Committee.

“Political action isa way for members
to have a voice in what happens to them
on the job as well as at home,'’ Wallace
said.

During the awards ceremony Wallace
discussed CSEA's pending sex-based
wage discrimination suit against Nassau
County.

“We are still fighting wage
discrimination in this county," she said,
“and women are not the only ones
affected. It affects every father who puts
his daughters through college only to
find they are financially discriminated
against and it affects every husband

whose wife gets less money than she
deserves in the job market."

“As our largest local's president and
as a mother of two daughters — an
attorney and a nurse — Rita clearly
inspires the women who know her to
work hard and dare to do great things,"
said CSEA Region I President Gloria
Moran.

McCrea received her Pathfinders
Award in the Town employee category.
A CSEA member for more than 22
years, she works as a field social
worker, visiting the elderly, doing
legwork for those who are housebound
and speaking on health issues to senior
citizens groups.

‘My job has been joyous, frustrating,
rewarding and humorous," she said after
Town of Hempstead Supervisor Gregory
Peterson presented her with the award.

McCrea, whose hobby is her show
dog, prides herself on being an advocate
for the elderly, often acting as a liaison
between them and the local politicians.
A former chair of the Freeport Housing
Authority Board, she has also served as
a member of various women's service
organizations.

“You could have knocked me over
with a feather when I heard I was
chosen for this award,'’ McCrea said.

“We're all very proud of Dorothy
McCrea and the job she does in this
town," said CSEA Town of Hempstead
Local 880 President Pete Ellison.

CSEA MEMBER DOROTHY McCREA
received her Pathfinder Award from
Town of Hempstead Supervisor
Gregory Peterson.

A RP mand OTE ann GE nS ett eae ye 18, 1991 1 5

First for local government
and school employees

CSEA helps open
new opportunity

NIAGARA FALLS — The first pre-
apprenticeship training program for
school district employees will soon be
helping general maintenance wokers
at Niagara Falls Schools upgrade their
skills and work towards becoming
electricians and carpenters.

Developed through a cooperative
arrangement with CSEA, the state
Department of Labor (DOL)
Apprenticeship Program and the
school district administration, the

MAKING IT OFFICIAL — Signing the
agreement are, seated, from left;
Dominic Ruggieri, state Department of
Labor; Vincent Loristo, assistant school
superintendent; Dominic Spacone,
CSEA local 872 president; and Dr.
Esther Hamilton, school district staff
trainer, :

1 6 March 18, a a

_ FIRST OF ITS KIND —
Niagara Falls School
District employees,
members of CSEA 872,
recently learned first
hand about the benefits of
a new pre-apprenticeship
training program
established through
cooperation between
CSEA the school district
and the state Department
of Labor, The program
will give employees an
opportunity to upgrade
their skills toward
becoming carpenters and
electricians.

program recently kicked off its first
orientation program for 27 candidates
who are members of CSEA Niagara
Educational Employees Local 872.

“Tt won't be easy, but with hard
work and dedication these men and
women can greatly improve their
promotability if they stick with it,”
said Local 872 President Dom
Spacone. ‘'This is something we've
been pushing for quite a while, so it's
great to see it finally get off the
ground,"

The apprenticeship candidates will
receive classroom and on-the-job
training in the skills areas they have
chosen, as they work to accumulate
18 months experience said Dominic
Ruggieri, liaison for the DOL Public
Sector Apprenticeship program.

“The successful candidates will be
registered with DOL and will receive
certificates that document their skills
training, not only for their present
employment, but anywhere else in the
public or private sector, should they
change jobs,'’ Ruggieri said.

Completion of the pre-
apprenticeship program also makes
individuals eligible for the formal
Joint Apprenticeship program that
DOL has established in cooperation
with CSEA.

The new program also benefits the
employer by upgrading the skills of its
maintenance workers and providing a
pool of skilled employees to draw
from when electrician or carpenter
slots open up.

The classroom and practical
experience will be coordinated by Dr.
Esther Isler-Hamilton, support staff
trainer and affirmative action officer
for the school district.

“This is not a gift — sacrifices will
have to be made to keep up with the
classroom work, homework, and
regular job duties,'’ Dr. Hamilton said.
“But this is a great opportunity for
those who put in the hard work that
will be necessary. Each person will
move forward at his or her own speed
and they won't be rushed to complete
the 18 months or 3,000 required."

CSEA's Office of Local Government
and School District AFfairs has been
working with the state to promote and
establish pre-apprenticeship and
apprenticeship training programs in
local governments and school
districts.

Local and unit presidents interested
in more information about this
program should contact their CSEA
labor relations specialist.

EAP helping military personnel families
Gulf War-related problems

cope with any

By Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA Communications Associate

In a gesture of support for the Gulf
war effort, the Statewide Employee
Assistance Program (EAP) is providing
referral support services to the families
of 137 military personnel called to
active duty from the Stratton Air
National Guard base in Scotia,
Schenectady County.

The Employee Assistance Program is a
confidential service which provides
counseling, assistance and referral to
employees and/or their families with
problems that may adversely affect their
work.

EAP services are being provided to the
military families through the state's
Division of Military and Naval Affairs
(DMNA), whose civilian employees are
members of CSEA’s DMNA Locals,
according to Statewide EAP Committee
Field Representative Angie Fondano.

“EAP has become a FAP — Family
Assistance Program — for the families of
military personnel at Stratton,’ Fondano
said.

Providing EAP
services to the
families of military
personnel at
Stratton began at
the request of
CSEA EAP
Statewide
Committee
Coordinator Jim
Murphy before he
was himself called
up to active duty
in Saudi Arabia,
Fondano said.

Murphy is a
captain in the Air

CSEA 2 National Guard,
EAP Coordinator He and his wife,
Jim Murphy First Lieutenant

Laurie Murphy, both serve as flight nurses
with the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation

contacting the

elt personal problems are affecting your
work performance, help is available by

EAP HOTLINE
| 1-800-822-0244

Flight of the 109th Tactical Airlift
Group at the Stratton Air National
Guard base.

Both were called to active duty last
August and served a month in Saudi
Arabia. Laurie was recalled to active
duty in December and Jim was called up
again in January. Both remain on active
duty in the Gulf.

Fondano said that this is the first time
the EAP services have been provided to
military personnel, noting that 95
percent of all EAP services are provided
directly to public employees.

“EAP has become so well known as a
help provider that we have been
approached by private sector people for
assistance and referrals,"’ she said.

EAP Field Representative Lucy
Maynard-Carbonello emphasized that
the EAP program is a valued service in
the changing workplace.

GG >
The Civil Service Employees Association's
IRVING FLAUMENBAUM MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
will award
It's time for the sons and daughters
of CSEA members to apply for the
: Irving Flaumenbaum Memorial
500 Ore deli for spring apr
: ¢ deadline for applying is Apr!
y ww ‘ : 15. CSEA awards fee $500

; 7 ’ alll scholarships in each of the union's six
SCH LARSHIPS regions to eligible high school seniors.
MU You can get scholarship applications

(3 in EACH of CSEA's 6 Regions) from your CSEA Local president or

(S) (2 f) the region office.
Lm S\N NEO GUE) Members of the Scholarship
are a oe re Committee are: Diane Lucchesi, chair;
Willie A. Allen; Nevada F. Solano; E.
‘ "Sam" Rockefeller; William Fetterling;
to children of CSEA-represented employees _ Sandra Delia; and Arthur Howell.
Remember, the application deadline
in New York State who are for the Irving Flaumenbaum
graduating high school seniors. Memorial Scholarships is April 15.
ee

a Enea ONE nee NC ako GU omen 18, 1991 1 7

In Sullivan County

Deputies win status, job security !

By Anita Manley
CSEA Communications Associate

MONTICELLO — After finally winning
civil service status, deputy sheriffs in
Sullivan County can thank quick
thinking by CSEA and quick action by
their county Board of Supervisors for
status as permanent employees.

The union's work could improve
situations in other counties that have
yet to grant deputies civil service status.

Until recently, Sullivan County deputy
sheriffs were appointed by the sheriff
and had no civil service protection, said
Michael Hogg, CSEA labor relations
specialist.

A local law in 1989 and an
amendment to the state constitution in
1990 granted the deputies civil service
status. With that status comes a number
of protections, including layoff rights,

College pays
for clothes

MIDDLETOWN — Orange County
Community College custodial employees
will receive the protective clothing their
contract calls for, thanks to a grievance
CSEA filed.

The county provided work clothing by
renting it from a uniform company until
1985, explained CSEA Shop Steward
John Sullivan.

“They were supposed to clean and
repair the uniforms, but the uniforms
weren't being cleaned properly and
some of the employees wouldn't wear
them,’' Sullivan said. :

In 1985, the county began buying the
clothing, but didn't follow through on
replacing worn clothing on a timely
basis, he said.

“It was more of a hit-and-miss
situation,'’ he added.

“T was spending $22 to $300 a year on
work clothes myself," said co-worker
Bruce Churchill.

Sullivan tried to resolve the issue, but
he became frustrated.

“We went through so many changes
in supervisors and administrators that
there was never any follow through,”
Sullivan said. ‘They always passed the
buck."

Sullivan filed a grievance, but
management denied it.

“They said we had no grounds for the
grievance," he said,

That's when he called on CSEA for
legal assistance to pursue the grievance.

The threat of arbitration prompted
county officials to resolve the problem.
A signed agreement now provides for
specific work clothes for specific
employees with replacement at specific
times,

disciplinary procedures and, in some
cases, relief from political patronage
problems.

That didn’t solve all the problems,
Because of their new status, all current
sheriffs’ deputies were to automatically
become provisional and would have to
take a civil service test. Some older
employees could have been excluded
from even taking the tests because of
their ages.

Hogg met with Sheriff Joseph Wasser
and asked county Personnel Director
Richard Green to support a local law
granting current employees permanent
status.

Following a presentation to the county

a a

.

ee =~

“4 ,

a
)

i)
\ SULLIVAN

“The
college
tried to
save money
by taking it
away from the
workers,'’ Sullivan
said. “‘With the turnover

in administration, you really x

have to be on your toes,"

Board of Supervisors, Green prepared |
the local law and the board passed it in
December.

While civil service status has not been |

mandatory until now, a number of
counties in New York have granted civil
service status to those employees. Those
counties which don't already have their
own local law must now adopt one.

CSEA is working on state legislation
which would allow all current deputy |
sheriffs to keep their jobs once their
counties pass the law giving them civil
service status. |

In Sullivan County, the victory is an
important one.

“It's a major step,'’ said CSEA Region
Ill President Pat Mascioli. ‘It's what the |
sheriffs were looking for. They had no
seniority rights before. Now they do.

We had an obligation to protect those in i
the job for so long. I’m happy for them.”

ORANGE COUNTY UNIT Shop Steward John Sullivan, left, and co-workers Nona

Lavorgna and Bruce Churchill look over a new agreement in which the county says it

will pay a uniform allowance.

s | 8 March 18, 1991 Coctox..

A

T YOUR

YOUR UNION A REFERENCE GUIDE T0 CSEA MEMBER SERVICES AND BENEFITS

BENEFITS

eae,
CSEA Toll-Free

The union's toll-free telephone number —
1-800-342-4146 — is your direct link to CSEA
Headquarters.

When you call the toll-free number, a
recorded message describes the choices to
put you through to the right place for the help
you need.

You need a touch-tone telephone to
complete your call without operator
assistance. If you aren't calling from a touch-
tone telephone, an operator will pick up and
complete your call at the end of the message.

If you know the extension number of the
individual that you're trying to reach, you can
press “O” plus the extension number on your
touch-tone telephone at any point during the
recorded message and be connected.

If you don’t know the extension, the
message will give you the following choices:

* For Field Operations or the Empire
Plan/Health Benefits Committee, press number
i]

* For disciplinaries, grievances and other
legal matters, press number 2.

* For Communications, the Executive
Offices or Political Action, press number 3.

* If you have a question concerning dues,
membership or agency shop, CSEA group
insurance other than health or need to talk to
the Finance Department, press number 4.

* To hear CSEA’s Current Issues Update for
news of interest to CSEA members, press 5.

Employee Benefit Fund

The CSEA Employee Benefit Fund is a
CSEA-administered trust fund which provides
certain supplemental negotiated benefits for
state employees and participating local
government employees. It currently
administers Dental Care, Vision Care,
Prescription Drug, and Package 7 Benefits
Plans.

For questions regarding any of the benefits
or for assistance with negotiations, call:

1-800-323-2732 or (518) 463-4555 or write:
CSEA Employee Benefit Fund
14 Corporate Woods Boulevard
Albany, NY 12211

Education and Training

CSEA can help you prepare for civil service
exams with low-cost study booklets and free-
to-borrow video tapes.

CSEA also provides educational workshors
for union activists eager to learn more about
their union responsibilities.

To request booklet order forms or to obtain
information on union workshops, call CSEA
headquarters at 1-800-342-4146. For
information on videotapes, contact your CSEA
regional office.

To report unsafe or unhealthy working
conditions or serious accidents, call your
CSEA labor relations specialist. For
occupational safety and health information, call
CSEA headquarters at 1-800-342-4146.

AFSCME Advantage Credit Card

THE AFSCME MasterCard has one of the
lowest interest rates around — 5 percent
above the prime lending rate. There is no
annual fee.

To obtain an application form, call your
CSEA regional office.

The card is issued by the Bank of New
York. If you apply for a card and there is no
response within four weeks, call the bank toll-
free at 1-800-942-1977.

AFSCME Advantage Legal

Services Program

The AFSCME Advantage Union Privilege
Legal Service Program makes it possible for
you to easily obtain high quality, affordable
legal services for many personal legal matters.
For more details and a list of the participating
lawyers in your area, call the CSEA office in
your region.

Insurance

CSEA offers several insurance programs at
low group rates and provides the convenience
of automatic payroll deduction.

These voluntary group plans include: Basic
Group Life, Supplemental Life, Income
Protection Program, Hospital Indemnity Plan,
Family Protection Plan, Auto Insurance and
Homeowners Insurance. For more details,
call 1-800-366-5273 or (518) 381-1600.

Health Insurance

For health insurance questions concerning
Empire Plan coverage, call the appropriate
following telephone number:

EMPIRE PLAN

Blue Cross Claims 1-800-342-9815

or (518) 465-0171
Metropolitan Claims 1-800-942-4640
Participating Providers 1-800-537-0010

Empire Plan Health Call 1-800-992-1213
(Hospital admission approval/surgical review)

Retirement

If you are retiring soon, it's important that
you select the proper option from the
Employees’ Retirement system.

By using the services of a CSEA-provided
retirement counselor, you'll be able to plan for
a lifestyle in your retirement years that takes
into account your anticipated expenses.

For more information, call 1-800-366-5273.

General retirement information and retiree
membership information are available by
contacting CSEA’s Retiree Department at
CSEA Headquarters 1-800-342-4146 or (518)
434-0191.

Technical retirement benefit questions (i.e.,
eligibility for service buy-back, transfer of
membership), requests for retirement
allowance applications, and requests for
retirement estimate applications should be
directed to the New York State and Local
Retirement Systems at (518) 474-7736.

State employees over the age of 50 and their
spouses can attend DIRECTIONS, a two and one-
half day pre-retirement planning seminar
sponsored by CSEA. For information call (518)
486-1918.

United Buying Service

Get big Savings on consumer products
through the union's official discount buying
service. UBS combines the power of millions
of members to negotiate discounts on a whole
range of major name discount products.
Everything from automobiles to major
appliances, video to home furnishings and
more. The program is free to CSEA members
and carries no service charges. To place an
order or for pricing information, call
1-800-336-4UBS or 1-800-877-4UBS. UBS has
also set up a hotline for information on limited
special monthly offers available only to CSEA
members. For a listing of specials, call the
hotline at 1-203-967-2980.

Grievances, Disciplines

If you believe you have a grievance,
immediately contact your local grievance
representative or shop steward. If they are
unavailable, contact your CSEA Unit or Local
President, or your CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist at the appropriate regional office. Do
not delay if you believe you have a problem;
grievances must be filed on a timely basis.

; LONG 18 AND REGION 1 OFFICE :
Hai Atrium Building
a Vanderbilt Motor pe

Le NY 11788.

: aay 896-8180

{ei 6) 435 082 : : :
METROPOLITAN REGION 2 OFFICE CAPITAL REGION 4 OFFICE
Suite 1500 Suite 4020

11 Broadway 1215 Western Avenue

New York, NY 10004
(212) 51 4.9200

Albany, NY 12203
(518) 489-5424

~ CENTRAL REGION 5 OFFICE
: Seen Ie NY 3057
ast USB,
(815) 433-0050

WESTERN REGION 6 OFFICE
482 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202

(716) 886-0391

CSEA STATEWIDE HEADQUARTERS
143 Washington Avenue, Albany, N.Y. 12210

1-800-342-4146 (toW--tree)
Press 5 for Current Issues Update.

(518) 434-0191

(ie le ck bé ak oe |

SERVICE

Ooctox March 18, 1991 “4 9

By Ron Wofford
CSEA Communications Associate

late-winter ice storm devastated a —
large area of western New York in
early March, CSEA members rose to
meet the formidable challenge of
clearing the damage, protecting the

CSEA members in several counties
surrounding the Rochester area were
part of a gigantic effort to clear roads
of fallen trees and branches, restore
power, offer medical and other
assistance, maintain temporary
shelters and provide a variety of
services, according to CSEA Monroe
County Employees Unit President
Florence Tripi.

300,000 without electricity

At the height of the storm damage
an estimated 300,000 homes were
without electrical power and 28,000
homes remained without power more
than a week later.

“Our members really came through
in a community effort to get things
back on track, and they really helped
a lot of people. This city (Rochester)
looked like a war zone and it will be
quite a while before everything is
restored to normal,"' Tripi said.

“Our health department employees ~

set up 15 temporary shelters around
Monroe County for people who were
without heat in their homes," Tripi
said. ‘Two of the largest were at the
county hospital and the community

20 March 18, 1991 a

ROCHESTER — When a treacherous

public and restoring essential services.

college, The nurses and everyone else
put in long hours, many on a
voluntary basis, to do whatever was
needed. We're very proud of them.”

Everyone volunteered _

Although Monroe County offices
were totally closed for two days,
CSEA members such as school health
personnel, environmental health
workers and employees of the Pure
Waters Department volunteered to
work wherever needed to help
maintain public safety and health,
Tripi said.

The Monroe County Sheriff's
Department command personnel ~
maintained an emergency command
center to service communications and
public safety needs. Department staff
helped maintain security and assist
emergency and fire vehicles through
streets without traffic lights.

12-hour shifts commonplace

CSEA Rochester State Department
of Transportation Local 506 members
worked 12-hour shifts, chipping and
clearing downed trees and limbs
throughout the area. Many members
volunteered to handle telephone calls
and dispatch and serve on emergency
crews as needed,

Members of CSEA Genesee-Orleans
DOT Local 513 put in many hours of
overtime work clearing downed trees,
brush and debris.

“The eastern section got hit pretty
bad,’ Local 513 President Tom

Patterson said. “We're still cleaning
up more than a week after the storm.”
“T've never seen anything like it,’
said Bill Miller, president of the CSEA
Town of Irondequoit Blue Collar Unit

of Monroe County Local 828. “I
couldn't even hazard a guess as to
how long it will be before everything
is back to normal. But we'll be
clearing trees and brush for quite
some time.”

Wayne County Local President Ed
Williams is an officer in the sheriff's
department, where members spent a
lot of time pumping out cellars,
hauling generators to homes without
power, checking on sick shut-ins and
closing roads where live power lines
posed a danger to the public.

Still reeling week later

“We're still reeling from the
severity of this ice storm,'’ Williams
said more than a week after the storm
hit. ““We think the power is back on in
most of the county, and we're very
happy we didn't have any fatalities.’’

Ontario County Sheriff's
Department members of Local 835
helped set up shelters and assisted fire
departments in routing traffic around
live wires, according to Unit President
Larry Nolan,

And in Wyoming County, CSEA
members spent long hours sawing up
fallen trees and broken branches and
using loaders and dump trucks to clear
miles of roads covered by storm
damage.

i