Troubles at youth facility || Hero bus driver saves child || Hosting the world A life of unionism
Page 7 Page 9 : Pages 10-11 : Page 18
Vol. 3 / No. 3 MARCH 2000
‘CSEA election story: Page 3
ee
Your Na: all County Local 830 Express newsletter is enclosed
Photo of the Month
& i Ber ie
CSEA member Vern French joins 200 union members
inside the Olympic Arena in Lake Placid for the Goodwill
Games opening ceremonies. CSEA and PEF let the world
know the governor has shown the unions little good will.
Long Island state DOT
injunction hearing set
LONG ISLAND — A State Supreme Court justice has set
March 1 to hear arguments whether a temporary restraining
order should be continued against any illegal job actions by
CSEA-represented state Department of Transportation (DOT)
workers.
Gov. George Pataki obtained the restraining order following
the events of Jan. 21, when several hundred DOT workers on
Long Island allegedly called in sick during a snowstorm.
CSEA leaders said they do not condone any illegal activity
but severely criticized the governor’s heavy-handed response
to the situation.
Pataki sought the restraining order, declared a state of
emergency on Long Island and threatened to fire all the
workers.
Pataki also wanted $1,000-a-day penalties against the
workers and a $1 million-a day penalty against CSEA.
Two days later, Pataki made a volatile situation worse
when he sought to extend the restraining order to all DOT
workers statewide and launched what union leaders called an
“offensive” investigation by the state Inspector General’s
office.
The restraining order has remained in effect but the judge
has specifically warned the state it cannot trample on any
contractual or legal rights in investigating the situation.
CSEA has argued the restraining order is unnecessary
employees who have done nothing wrong.
CSEA leaders also said Pataki’s actions are out of
proportion when compared to the penalties cited in the state
Taylor Law which governs public employee conduct and
bargaining. =
Union pushes Pataki
for goodwill at the
Goodwill Games
LAKE PLACID — The world watched as hundreds of union members
braved the Adirondack chill to give a heated message about stalled
state contract talks during opening ceremonies of the Goodwill Games.
Pickets ringed the outside of the Olympic Arena where opening
ceremonies were held — and hundreds of members stood and waved
towels bearing CSEA’s contract message as Gov. George Pataki opened
the competition.
The mention of Pataki’s name during the event was met with booming
choruses of boos. 2
“It’s time for Pataki to be embarrassed about his conduct. He’s not
King George,” shouted CSEA member Vern French of the state
Department of Environmental Conservation (EnCon).
“Pataki needs to look at the effect no contract is having on all of New
York,” said Ellen Donovan of the state Health Department in Albany.
These first Goodwill Games were an important economic boost to the
North County, and union leaders said they made sure the protest was
peaceful yet effective.
Union members from the State University at Plattsburgh, Sunmount
Developmental Center, and the state departments of transportation and
EnCon, including union members who were spectators from Long
Island, joined the evening picket.
“We don’t want to hurt the games but we do want to give a strong
statement to the governor and show our position,” French said.
The pickets outside the Olympic Arena — and the waving of CSEA
logos inside — were part of a continuing protest by members who work
at the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) and other state
agencies. (See related story on Pages 10-11.)
New York hosted the Olympic-style Goodwill Games, which attracted
more than 450 world-class winter athletes and was televised worldwide.
AFSCME Lobby Day April 11
ALBANY — The annual AFSCME New York Lobby Day is scheduled
here on Tuesday, April 11.
AFSCME New York’s membership is 400,000 strong and committed to
fighting for working families. :
For more information, contact: Long Island Region, Marc Alessi (516)
462-0030; Metropolitan Region, Ed LaPlante (800) 342-4146; Southern
Region, Jason Haenel (914) 831-1000; Capital Region, Adam Acquario
(518) 785-4400; Central Region, Mike Ottaviano (315) 433-0050,
and Western Region, Bill Benfanti (716) 886-0391.
Correction:
An article on Page 9 of the February Work Force stated a charter school bill
vetoed by Gov. George Pataki would have required schools with more than
250 workers to organize if the charter school’s neighboring school district
was organized. The threshold is 250 students.
page 2 EO ear March 2000
a
Donohue, statewide slate, return
to lead CSEA for four more years
ALBANY— CSEA President
Danny Donohue and his “Four for
the Future” slate have won
re-election to a third term which
starts July 1.
Despite two challengers,
Donohue won more than 50
percent of the vote.
Also elected with Donohue were
Executive Vice President Mary
Sullivan, Treasurer Maureen
Malone and Secretary Barbara
Reeves.
“This is a new day for CSEA,”
Donohue said.
“My commitment to the
members of CSEA is to renew our
fight for fairness and respect, and
strengthen CSEA in every part of
this state through organizing,
representation and political
action. The work and needs of all
CSEA members must never be
taken for granted,” Donohue said.
“That commitment begins at the
state Capitol and extends to every
community in this state,” the
State contract fight continues
president added.
“The governor of New York’s
conduct towards CSEA, its
leaders and its members has
been shocking and offensive and
it must stop. It is time for the
governor to come to the
bargaining table and settle a
contract for state employees
fairly.
“Tt has been the governor,
not CSEA, who has been holding
up the negotiating process
pending the outcome of the
CSEA elections,” Donohue said.
“CSEA will stand up against
anyone who attacks our union
and seeks to undermine us,” h er ; ;
Sate Se Eres eae ere to right, statewide Executive Vice President Mary Sullivan,
Donohue, 55, was first elected President Danny Donohue, Secretary Barbara Reeves and
CSEA president in 1994. He Treasurer Maureen Malone.
served as CSEA’s executive vice
president from 1988-94. Prior to
that, Donohue served as president
of CSEA’s 50,000-member Long
Island region from 1979-1988.
As this edition went to press, the CSEA Elections
Committee was scheduled to meet the week of
Feb. 22 to complete the election tally in the
regional, board of directors and AFSCME delegate
races. Results will be posted on CSEA’s Web site as
soon as they are available at www.cseainc.org and
will be printed in the Work Force when completed.
CSEA has wasted no time in taking off the gloves in the state
contract fight now that the union’s statewide election is over.
Seen
CSEA has even filed an Improper Practice charge with the
Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) against the illegal
interference by the Pataki administration intended to
undermine the union leadership during the union’s election.
Under the Taylor Law, management may not interfere with
the course of the union election and may not seek to
undermine the leadership ef the union under any
circumstances.
CSEA’s charges allege the governor’s Press Secretary Michael
McKeon repeatedly and intentionally made false media
statements and accusations about CSEA’s leadership and the
state contract negotiations.
Additionally, CSEA members are continuing to confront the
governor at public appearances in every part of the state, a
tactic that will continue until a new contract is in place.
The governor has also made public statements in recent
weeks suggesting he has a new offer on the table — statements
which have caused serious confusion, union leaders said. The
governor has been referring to an offer made last September
which CSEA rejected.
As this edition went to press, negotiating sessions were
scheduled with the state.
Above, CSEA members picket the governor's
appearance at Republican Party fund-raisers
recently on Long Island, top, and Staten Island.
THE WORK FORCE
2000
Page 3
March
ISSN 1522-1091 ft
Official publication of
CSEA Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
143 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12210-2303
Danny Donohue, President
STEPHEN A. MADARASZ
Communications Director & Publisher
STANLEY HORNAK
Asst. Director of Communications
RONALD S. KERMANI, Editor
LOU HMIELESKI, Assistant Editor
CATHLEEN HORTON
Graphic Design & Support Services
RALPH DISTIN, Graphic Artist
JANICE M. KUCSKAR
Communications Production Coordinator
BETH McINTYRE
Communications Secretary
The Work Force (USPS 0445-010) is
published monthly by The CSEA Publication Office:
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210.
Periodical Mail Postage paid at Post Office,
Albany, New York 12288.
Postmaster: Send address changes to:
CSEA, Attn: Membership Department,
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210.
CSEA on-line: The CSEA web site
can be accessed at www.cseainc.org
| Readers: ]
| Send any comments, complaints, suggestions or ideas to:
| Publisher, The Work Force, 143 Washington Avenue,
| Albany, NY 12210-2303,
COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATES
SHERYL C. JENKS Long Island Region
(516) 462-0030
ANN CARROLL Metropolitan Region
(212) 406-2156
VACANT Southern Region
(914) 831-1000
DAN CAMPBELL Capital Region
(518) 785-4400
MARK M. KOTZIN Central Region
(315) 433-0050
RON WOFFORD. Western Region
(716) 886-0391
ED MOLITOR Headquarters
(518) 257-1272
The Publications Committee
LONG ISLAND REGION John C. Shepherd
METROPOLITAN REGION Lamont “Dutch” Wade
SOUTHERN REGION Diane Hewitt
CAPITAL REGION Vacant
CENTRAL REGION Bruce Damalt, Chair
WESTERN REGION James V, Kurtz
\ABOR COMMUATCy
G SEES
Co rrrertey
8
anisossy
SERRATIONAL
TAL CHOICUC +
In Touch with the
CSEA President Danny Donohue
SEA is on the move and our union is
moving forward like never before.
It is not always apparent in the local work sites of this state that the
sum of our union’s efforts are greater than its individual parts. But every
individual’s action and involvement make a difference and that is becoming
especially clear to “official” New York.
In the past year we have seen unprecedented activism in our ranks.
For the past three years we have talked and prepared to transform our
union — to make it more effective and responsive. In the past year we have
lived that transformation.
I want to say thank you to every member who has participated in
whatever way in this union. You have helped make us stronger.
But we have only begun to tap the full strength of our union and we
must all share that responsibility. Living up to our potential will be the
single-minded purpose for me and your elected statewide leadership these
next four years.
My commitment to the members of CSEA is to renew our fight for
fairness and respect, and strengthen CSEA in every part of this state
through organizing, representation and political action. The work and
needs of all CSEA members must never be taken for granted
That begins at the state Capitol and ends in your community.
The governor of New York’s conduct towards CSEA, its leaders and
its members has been shocking and offensive and it must stop. It is time
for the governor to come to the bargaining table and settle a contract for
state employees fairly.
But even more importantly, it is time for the governor to recognize
his actions toward CSEA have signaled contempt for all of our members.
CSEA will not stand for it.
CSEA will stand up to anyone who attacks our union and seeks to
undermine our strength.
This is a new day for CSEA.
tte THE WORK FORCE
March 2000
Lockport Memorial Hospital
members reach settlement
LOCKPORT — Nearly a year after the
threat of closure, Lockport Memorial
Hospital workers have settled a class
action grievance that returned displaced
workers to their original jobs and netted
four workers a total of more than $6,000 in
back pay.
“This is great,” said Stephene SanMarco,
president of the private-sector local.
“The hospital’s future has been worked
out, averting closure and these members
are being restored financially,” he added.
Last year the hospital's future appeared
grim because of financial difficulties.
A restructuring plan and agreement on
hospital debts, along with new
management and partnership with
another nearby
hospital, pulled
the facility back
from the brink.
“They wanted ~
our members to
take pay cuts
and a lot of
givebacks,” said
SanMarco. “But we weren’t about to let
them lay financial mismanagement
recovery on the backs of our members.
(SEA REPRESENTS
$0, _ at
400 worKens iw THis WOO
¢Hopefully, we all can get back to the
job of helping our community receive
quality medical care.
Housekeeping worker Richard Jordan is
one of several members who received
back pay he would have earned during
financial mismanagement at Lockport
Hospital.
We received great assistance from CSEA
labor relations staff members Pete Gingras
and (Western Region director) Roger
Sherrie and our attorney Tara Singer-
Blumberg.”
The four union members received back
pay ranging from $594 to $2,149 each.
With the grievance settled, union
leaders said they are looking to the future.
“Hopefully, we all can
get back to the job of
helping our community
receive quality medical
care,” said SanMarco.
— Ron Wofford
State’s money-saving
idea makes no sense
MIDDLETOWN — New York State’s idea of
saving dollars makes no sense to employees
at Middletown Psychiatric Center.
When the facility recently converted its
power plant from burning coal to oil, the
state bought three used boilers from Mohawk
Valley Psychiatric Center and hauled them to
Middletown.
The problem was they weren’t working and
had to be rebuilt.
“The cost was more than if we bought
new,” said Middletown Psychiatric Center
Local President Diane Hewitt.
“One is leaking so badly that after
Hurricane Floyd in September, it had two
inches of water on the floor.”
“Prior to the hurricane, we asked for parts
and they sent the wrong parts,” said Plant
Utilities Engineer Tom Crummenauer, a
20-year employee.
“We've had problems right from the
beginning,” he said. “If the boilers were new,
we'd at least have a maintenance contract for
them.”
With winter here, the concern is having
enough boiler power to build necessary
steam pressure. For that, a generator is
needed.
“They told us not to worry,” deadpanned
Hewitt.
“They're bringing us a used generator from
another facility,” she said. “The man who said
the used boilers were in working condition is
the same one who said the generator was
OK.”
— Anita Manley
of the Work Force 7
66" Phere is less staff, yet there is more work than ever. There are only two electricians for the
entire site. They are spending millions of dollars around us on construction (at the
facility), yet we're not getting a dime. The best part of the job is my co-workers. Everyone helps
each other out, electricians, carpenters, everyone. We're like a team.??
Rick Punter, maintenance assistant — Bronx Psychiatric Center, CSEA member for 14
years; loves playing basketball and watching the Knicks, has 5 kids, 3 grandchildren
LEK Oa Page 5
Page 6
Compassion behind bars:
Helping the sick in prison
generates job stress
The meanest and toughest patients in the
state often stretch the patience of the most
dedicated medical care providers — the
hundreds of CSEA members who work
behind the razor wire and armed guards at
state prisons.
Giving the best possible medical care to
thousands of prisoners must follow strict
workplace guidelines to preserve personal
and institutional safety, union members
who work behind bars said.
While a prison infirmary may look like a
clinic or doctor’s office, union members
know there is a world of difference
between the two workplaces.
“It’s important that our
members remember, while
providing any treatment, that
these patients are convicted
criminals who have been
sentenced for their crimes,”
said CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Jim Gleason.
“And rules are in place to
prevent establishing personal
relationships, for several obvious reasons,
with the prisoners. For medical personnel,
their jobs are extremely stressful in that
regard,” he added.
Always on guard
For licensed practical nurse (LPN) Dedra
Johnson, working behind the walls at the
Wende Correctional Facility in Western New
York “is a whole other level of nursing,” she
said.
SEA REPRESENTS
Corrections
Sou st
200 Wonxens in TuIs WO
“I had some apprehension
when I first started,”
Johnson said.
“You have to remember
this is a prison. Some of
these guys do try to ‘con’
you with certain remarks or
stories,” Johnson said.
“But we must carry
ourselves as professionals,
while maintaining an
alertness and a working
relationship with the
corrections officers, who
are always nearby,” she
said.
Working in
the facility
medical unit,
Johnson and
other LPNs do
medical charting, provide
doctor-ordered treatments,
distribute medications, and
take blood samples.
“After two years, I’m nowhere near
burned out,” said Johnson, “but I have seen
it happen in some co-workers.”
Disease everywhere
The prison population is a swamp of
contagion, and union members said they
make sure they are physically protected
from exposure to AIDS, hepatitis and
tuberculosis, among other communicable
diseases.
Wende Correctional Facility LPN Dedra Johnson says
working in the facility poses special challenges.
“We wear nursing scrubs, plus lab coats,
and we use gloves and masks, and even
goggles as necessary. We follow universal
precautions,” Johnson said.
The constant threat of exposure to a
deadly disease also adds to a
subconscious level of stress, members
said.
“We receive ongoing training and classes
that help us do our jobs,” said Johnson,
who is also a steward for her 60 co-workers
in the Wende local.
“I'm basically a people person, and I’m
passionate for my work,” Johnson said.
— Ron Wofford
a3 of the Work Force )
@
66 Oe 200 inmates a day go into the commissary and laundry area where I work and there
is no security coverage. They pulled the correction officers in 1991. We’ve asked
management why the civilians who work there are not trained in security but we never got a
response, ”
James Mahunik — local president, Cayuga Correctional Facility
THE WORK FORCE
March 2000
Deplorable conditions for Erie County
Youth Detention Center members
BUFFALO — “Bottomless pit,” “Thin
staff, worn facility, push youth jail into
abyss,” screamed the headlines in an
article describing the Erie County Youth
Detention Facility, where CSEA and
AFSCME members work with troubled
youths, ages 8 to 15.
“It’s all true,” said Dan Barton, section
president for youth and legal
committed crimes and are awaiting court
dates or permanent placement, and must
be watched like prisoners.
Non-secure inmates are usually
younger, and are runaways or
court-ordered PINS (persons in need of
supervision).
Barton is one of four CSEA member
supervisors of
services of the Erie County SEA REPRESENTS. AFSCME-represented
employees unit.
Union members are coping
with overcrowding, mandatory
overtime and a bushel of
problems created by
ESenVIC!
youth detention workers
at the facility. Clerical
and other support staff
are CSEA members.
The deputy
deteriorating buildings with 009 Workers IN THIS yous commissioner in charge
leaky pipes and roofs, peeling
paint, buckling walls, and deteriorating
floor tiles.
The small campus — not built for
detention purposes — also houses a
Buffalo public school for the inmates.
“| think one of the greatest dangers is
the fact there are no security guards and
the gate into the campus is wide open.
Anyone can walk right in,” Barton said.
Lacking accreditation
of detention, who has
had to supervise detainees because of
staff shortages, told a reporter the
situation was a “nightmare.”
“We need a new, state-of-the-art
facility,” Barton said. “And we it need
before something very serious and
regrettable happens here.”
— Ron Wofford
The state refuses to grant routine §/ think one of the greatest dangers
accreditation to the center, which
houses secure and non-secure
inmates who must be kept separate.
The center is operating ona
month-by-month permit, while
seeking to regain its accreditation.
Secure inmates are those who have
is the fact there are no security
guards and the gate into the
campus is wide open. Anyone can
walk right in9
Dan Barton stands near the
gates of the Erie County
Youth Detention Facility
where he is section president
for youth and legal services.
GOS ofthe Work Force _)
66 love working in a department where I can help families. But it’s also extremely frustrating to
weed through the lies people tell me. With me, they will only receive the benefits they
qualify for.??
Amanda Clemens, social welfare examiner — Saratoga County Department of Social
Services, and die-hard auto racing fan
March 2000
THE WORK FORCE trwa
CSEA political action changes landscape in North Tonawanda
SEA REPRESENTS
Water treatment plant privatization
avoided, proponent defeated
NORTH TONAWANDA — Well-executed
CSEA political action helped bring a friend
of working families to the common
council’s president’s seat and saved a
water treatment plant’s operation from
being contracted out.
Active CSEA support helped Pam Hogan
become common council president, and
with it came her awareness that city
workers in the water and wastewater
department can do the job better and
cheaper than outside vendors.
This fact was underscored when a bid by
the American Anglian Corp. to take over
the city’s water treatment facilities was
about $1 million a year more than a bid by
the city’s employees.
Cheaper and better
The common council voted to keep the
wastewater facilities in public control, but
not without a bruising, 20-month fight —
including visits from CSEA’s top leaders.
Coupled with CSEA’s action was the
defeat of the previous council president, a
prime advocate to contract out water
treatment plant’s operation.
“Not only are we out from under the
threat of privatizing our water and
wastewater treatment plants,” said
wastewater plant employee Bill Davignon,
North Tonawanda unit vice president, “but,
in the common council's new budget,
sewer and water rates are reduced for
taxpayers, by 10 cents per 1,000 gallons of
water. This supports what we've been
saying all along.”
Davignon, working tirelessly against
Prem THE WORK FOR
turning the plants over to a subcontractor,
served as union representative on a
citizens’ advisory committee.
“I can’t say enough about the help we
received from CSEA, through Bill Benfanti
(political action coordinator) and Roger
Sherrie (Western Region director) over a
nearly two-year period, while fighting this
privatization attempt,” Davignon said.
“And a visit to our facilities by (CSEA
president) Danny Donohue last year really
boosted our members’ morale. | think it
was helpful in inspiring them to work on
our anti-privatization campaign, and the
successful council campaign of Pam Hogan
(who replaced the council president),” he
added.
Ready for battle
Visits from Donohue and CSEA Western
Region President Bob Lattimer also let
town officials know CSEA was prepared to
fight.
Benfanti, Sherrie and Dale Rogers, unit
president, praised town unit members for
delivering quality water services to the city
while under the extended threat of
subcontracting, and Davignon in particular
for enduring public personal attacks.
“This successful campaign could be a
model for other units facing
subcontracting,” said Benfanti.
“Getting the correct information to the
public and elected officials is crucial,
despite hurdles that may be placed in our
path. Hanging in there and working
together is a must, and that’s what
happened here,” Benfanti added.
ace
“This long 72.000 woeKzns mrs WO
struggle has
brought our unit together in a very positive
way,” said Rogers. “I’m sure it will help us
in any future battles we may face.”
“Bill Davignon showed a lot of courage
and class in dealing with the personal
attacks publicly sent his way, and the false
accusations that he was only interested in
saving his members’ jobs,” Sherrie said.
“We're proud to be city employees,” said
Davignon. “And we intend to keep our
promise to work with city officials and
department heads to provide our
community with the best water and
wastewater services in a cost-effective
manner as possible.”
— Ron Wofford
y
: a
(ee )
Victorious team of Unit Vice President
Bill Davignon, front, Dale Rogers, unit
president, left, and Bill Benfanti,
political action coordinator.
66 he last four years have been very good. The park manager takes an interest in our
jobs. Anything you need or want, he’s there.??
Jim Gilchrist, plant utilities engineer — 23-year-employee of the Saratoga State Park
“Heroic deeds happen daily, but often go unnoticed”
Bus driver’s big effort saves little one
CHESTERTOWN — A routine day
jockeying a school bus through traffic can
become extraordinary in just seconds, as
North Warren bus driver Allen Fish knows.
One second the journey is uneventful
and in a heartbeat kindergartner Jenna
Monroe is slumped in her seat and turning
blue.
Fish’s fast thinking and quick action
dislodged a pill stuck in Monroe's throat
and she fully recovered.
But for a few seconds on a hectic
November morning, Monroe’s ride to class
was anything but routine.
Earlier, at home, Monroe’s mother,
Tammy, had given the tyke her daily
chewable vitamin. But, for some reason,
The girl popped the pill into her mouth but
didn’t chew and swallow it.
As CSEA member Fish walked to the back
of his bus to make sure all of the bigger
kids had gotten off for class, he saw
Monroe hanging out of her seat belt into
the aisle and choking.
Her face was turning blue and her eyes
were rolling back into her head, Fish said.
Quick actions
Knowing he had no time to spare, Fish
quickly unfastened Monroe’s seat belt and
carried her to the wheel well area where
there was more room.
He called the school office on the bus
radio and asked for a nurse to come to his
bus. Fish then looked into Monroe’s mouth
for an obstruction. There was nothing.
Fish said he tried to give Monroe a few
quick blows to
dislodge the
obstruction, but
that didn’t work
because her
book bag was in
the way.
Fish feverishly
thrust his hand up under her book bag and
tried to perform the Heimlich maneuver. No
luck.
Fish leaned Monroe forward and pushed
on her stomach three times. The vitamin
flew out of her mouth and the youngster
began to cry.
School Nurse Laura Gilabi arrived and
removed Monroe from the bus and took
her into the school to be evaluated,
SEA REPRESENTS:
£5.04, IO a
‘00 WoRKeRs in THs WO
“Just doing my job”
Fish, shaken by the emergency, quickly
calmed down and returned to his route.
A 21-year veteran of the county sheriff's
department who had taken a CPR course,
Fish said he was “just doing my job.”
However, both the North Warren School
District and Monroe’s family think
differently.
Fish recently received a thank-you letter
from the school board and Monroe’s
parents sent a letter praising Fish’s heroic
actions to CSEA Unit President Joe Slattery.
“Words can not describe our family’s
deepest gratitude for Allen Fish,” Jason and
Tammy Monroe said in their letter to CSEA.
“So many times you only hear the
negative things about schools and bus
A routine day jockeying a school
bus through traffic can become
extraordinary in just seconds.
North Warren bus driver Allen Fish
with Jenna Monroe. His quick
actions saved her life.
drivers and that is why we felt so
compelled to let people know that heroic
deeds happen daily, but often go
unnoticed,”
CSEA Capital Region leaders and
members also honored Fish with a plaque
at the region’s February meeting.
CSEA Capital Region President Carmen
Bagnoli echoed the parents’ praise.
“Day in and day out, it’s the public
employees who do their jobs. Often they
are unsung heroes who by just doing their
jobs make our society that much better,”
Bagnoli said.
— Daniel X. Campbell
L aS of the Work Force )
@
66 y main interests are spending time with my two children. Vincent is six, and Mia is
four. The main appeal of my job is that I'm part of the support system for providing a
great education for our kids.??
Ann Schiro, secretary, student services — Niagara Falls Schools for six years
March 2000 THE WORK FORCE [eree:)
Behind the scenes, CSEA
members
make Goodwill Games hapipen
LAKE PLACID — “Skeleton sled” is one of the
oldest winter Olympic luge-type events and
involves hurtling at blinding speed down a
bobsled run on a small sled, head first.
One bump on the icy track ahd the rider
could be thrown from the sled shooting faster
than a mile a minute down the track. It’s easy
to understand how the sport got its name.
That’s why every day, CSEA members at the
Olympic Regional Development Authority's
(ORDA) training facility are on the track with
chisels, carefully carving and smoothing the
banked ice to make sure the track’s twists and
turns are on the money.
But money is something the ORDA workers
haven’t seen for some time in their
N
contracts, despite their skill with the
At top, Tony Kilburn, left, and Tom
Borden work replacing a shaft bearing for :
a cooling tower fan at the Olympic ice
arena in Lake Placid. Above left, Ski
Patrol supervisor Debbie Pica patrols at
the base of the 70-meter and 90-meter ski
behind-the-scenes work needed to maintain a
world-class winter Olympics training center.
Their hard work, dedication and pride could
not be more apparent than during the recent
Goodwill Games here, where top athletes from
around the world competed in winter Olympic
events.
Clearing roads, tending to injured athletes,
grooming miles of ski trails, preparing
mirror-like ice for skating events, operating
chair lifts, maintaining the only Olympic-caliber
ski jumps in the country and more, CSEA’s
ORDA members ensure all events take place
without a hitch.
Low pay in the High Peaks
Unfortunately, they’ve seen little goodwill
from Gov. George Pataki.
Chairlift operators earn $5.64 an hour at
ORDA’s Whiteface Mountain and Gore
Mountain and ORDA is being operated on a
budget that would make Scrooge cringe.
“We're the ones who build the track, we’re
jumps as jumpers practice. Above center, CSEA members wrestle freezing, bulky snow-making equipment up the slope of a freestyle ski
jump. Above right, Jonathan Bruce helps a ski patrol member into the new gondola at Whiteface Mountain.
POI THE WORK FORCE
March 2000
the ones who influence the outcome of races,
speeds, times, it’s all up to us,” said Guy
Stephenson, a 21-year equipment operator
(“everything from a shovel to a backhoe”) at
the bobsled run.
ORDA provides only two full-time employees
to maintain the large refrigeration plant needed
to freeze the two bobsled runs, Stephenson
said. The plant runs 24 hours a day in winter.
Down the road, the 70- and 90-meter ski
jumps punctuate the Adirondacks.
CSEA member supervisor Tony Preston
worked a daytime shift the day before, came in
at 10 p.m. the following day and was still
working at 10 a.m. the next day helping crews
jockey cumbersome snowmaking equipment to
make sure the jumps have adequate cover.
“I like working outside. It’s nice to have
events get scheduled and have them come off
well. The biggest challenge is the weather and
low manpower,” Preston said.
Ski Patrol supervisor Debbie Pica could most
likely be earning a better wage working at a
different mountain, but enjoys Lake
Placid, where she has patrolled the
bobsled and luge runs, cross-country
tracks and the ski jumps for 10 years.
“l like living up here, working outside
and | like first aid in this type of
The two other patrol slots are unfilled,”
Nl she said.
Old equipment
At the Mt. Van Hoevenberg training
center and Olympic Arena, CSEA
workers make do with battered,
dilapidated trucks and equipment to
keep the facilities running.
#3 ~=©“Nobody wants to see ORDA fail.
Anything we pull off is a success to us. I
don’t think they recognize that. We’re
pulling this off with 1977 trucks here in
the new millennium,” said maintenance worker
Tony Kilburn, a 30-year member. i
situation. I'm usually the only person on.
%
“ORDA — Old Relics Discarded by the Army,”
quipped Tom Borden, a 29-year member in
charge of the arena’s refrigeration plant.
ORDA also owns Gore Mountain, which did
not host any Goodwill events but where CSEA
members find themselves in the same contract
fight.
“We're starting to get a little fed up,” said
Gore Unit President Rusty Leigh.
“This is our mountain, not ORDA’s. And we
want to see it function,” Leigh said, echoing the
members’ pride.
“This is our choice to be here, we’ve chosen
to stay here, but we still want to make a decent
salary,” he said.
At ORDA’s Whiteface Mountain, host of the
men’s and women’s downhill ski events, lift
operation supervisor Debbie Taylor has seen a
steady decline in the mountain’s work force the
past 22 years.
“We only pay $5.64 to start — plus a free
jacket and free skiing. How can you feed a
family on $5.64 an hour?” Taylor asked.
ORDA just opened a $5 million heated,
high-speed gondola on the mountain, giving the
mountain 13 miles of lifts. Meanwhile, the
mountain’s full-time staff has dwindled from 55
to 30 in recent years,
“They're either going to lose their good help
or someone's going to get hurt out there,”
Taylor said.
— Lou Hmieleski
Clockwise from top, supervisor Tony Preston prepares for snowmaking operations at the
Olympic ski jumping facility; mechanic John Zerbe at work at the Mount Van
Hoevenberg training center; and equipment operator Guy Stephenson stands before one
of the rusting hulks ORDA bought at auction to clear training facility roads in winter.
March 2000
THE WORK FORCE [Eom Bl
CSEA pushing for tests
at Summit Shock Facility
CSEA continues to fight to have workers from the Camp Summit
Shock Correctional Facility medically screened by the state
Department of Envircnmental Conservation and surfaces at the
mill tested.
Workers at the camp’s saw mill were routinely exposed to high
levels of dioxin and pentachlorophenol (PCP). (A Work Force
article in July 1999 extensively covered
the situation.)
However, the state continues to refuse
to offer medical exams for the former
mill workers, some of whom are too sick
to work. A comprehensive medical
screening would help the men
determine what is making them sick.
“We're asking the state to abide by the
contract. The contract says if someone is exposed to a hazardous
substance, the employees have the right to be medically screened
at the state’s expense,” said CSEA Occupational Safety and Health
Director Jim Corcoran.
“We want the state to find out how much of these chemicals
were accumulated in the workers’ bodies — if they find none, then
we can seek other causes for their problems,” Corcoran said.
“The shame of it is, these guys came to work sick. They weren’t
abusing sick time,” Corcoran added.
“s LOCAL 1000 AF!
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Safe
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265,000 mempens STRONS
CSEA members Carlton Dibble, left, and Steve Doan fill out
paperwork in their fight against the state Department of
Environmental Conservation. CSEA Occupational Safety and
Health industrial hygienist Matt Kozak is at right.
OSHA extends comment period
for ergonomic standard hearing
Back belts don’t make you
Arnold Schwarzenegger
UL] Back belts are not personal protection
equipment.
U The only person who should tell you to wear a
back belt is your physician.
() Whoever prescribes a back belt should also
provide an exercise regimen to protect unused
muscles from injury.
| Back belts and wrist bands cannot take the
place of sound ergonomic practices and should
not be substituted for proper lifting equipment.
LJ Always engineer the load to match what you
can safely lift.
Members of the public wishing
to comment on the proposed
ergonomics standard will have an
additional 30.days to do so, the
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration has announced.
The deadline for public
comment, originally slated for
early February, will be extended to
March 2 to accommodate the large
number of requests the agency
received from individuals needing
additional time to prepare their
submissions.
CSEA plans to send three to five
members to the hearings to testify.
“Because this standard is so
important, we determined that it is
in the best interest of workers,
employers and all concerned to
extend the comment period,”
Secretary of Labor Alexis M.
Herman said.
Hearings on the proposed
standard, originally scheduled to
begin Feb. 22 in Washington, D.C.,
are now scheduled to begin March
13. “The ergonomics program we
proposed provides a practical,
flexible approach to preventing
musculoskeletal disorders,” said
OSHA Assistant Secretary Charles
Jeffress. “It reflects industry’s best
practices by focusing on jobs
where problems are severe and
solutions are well understood.
America’s workers have waited a
long time for this standard.”
OSHA announced the
ergonomics proposal on Nov. 22,
1999, after 10 years of study,
consultation and analysis.
Stakeholders, including
employer organizations, small
business owners, labor unions,
safety and health professionals,
were involved in the process. It is
expected the standard will spare
300,000 workers from painful,
potentially disabling injuries and
save the U.S. economy $9 billion
each year.
page 12 EG a March 2000
YOUR UNION
NEWSLETTER
nae
March 2000 * Vol. 5, No. 3
The agreement to forestall layoffs, demotions
and furloughs for a lag payroll has generated
numerous rumors and misstatements. This is an
accurate chronology of what has transpired.
1. A tentative agreement pending rank and
file ratification was signed by five union
presidents and the county executive on
Wednesday, Dec. 22. A fact sheet was
distributed to all Unit presidents. This
information was published in our union
newspaper, the Nassau County Express, and can
also be found on the Local 830 Web site at
www.nassau-csea830.org.
2. The tentative agreement was signed on
Dec. 22 to stop the county executive that same
day from submitting a list of positions to be
abolished to the county legislature. The
abolishment of a position means the laying off
or demotion of an employee. A demotion of any
employee most often results in the laying off of
another employee through “bump and retreat.”
The approximate number of CSEA employees
to be laid off was between 500 and 750. There
were approximately 221 police officers to be laid
off, approximately 36 detectives to be demoted
and approximately 40 superior officers to be
demoted. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT
THIS: THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WAS
NOT BLUFFING AND ALL THE UNION
PRESIDENTS RECOGNIZED THIS.
3. The agreement calls for a window period of
45 days for each of the unions to ratify it.
4. Since Dec. 22 I and your union leadership
have met with the new Democratic majority of
the legislature in an attempt to find a way to
avoid both lags and layoffs. I am also meeting
with Republ ators individually. The
Democratic majority, in particular, has expressed
the desire to find another way and has asked for
our help. We have submitted suggestions we
believe are viable alternatives to asking the
EIIEELELEEL EEN
an le
LTE
A Message From Nassau County Local 830
President Anthony Giustino
President Sets Record Straight
On Lag vs. Layoffs Proposal
unions to accept a lag or anything else. We are
awaiting their response to our suggestions. We
have also made it clear that layoffs do not work
and have advanced the proposition that they
will cost the county money in termination pay,
unemployment, overtime, lost revenue, fines
and sanctions. It will also cost the taxpayers
dearly in lost services.
5. With the assistance of statewide CSEA, we
are also evaluating all legal avenues to fight
layoffs or furloughs. While we have found some
legal basis, keep in mind that anything can
happen in a court of law. Some things we would
like, others we would not.
6. I have not set a date for a vote yet because I
want to exhaust all other possibilities with the
county prior to having you face the ultimate
decision.
7. If it does come down to your vote, I ask
that you make certain you are informed and I
ask that you decide based on the facts. This is
an emotional matter for all of us. However, I
urge you to vote on the facts.
I am not happy that we are faced with this
choice. I don’t believe the other unions are
either. However, I am convinced we have done
the right thing by stalling layoffs and furloughs,
thereby giving us the opportunity to continue to
fight our way out of this. Even the few Unit
presidents who are vocal against the lag
agreement concurred that the cooling off period
was the best way to go.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate
to contact the Local 830 office at 571-2919.
Yours in Unionism
Y ae
Tony Giusting, President
(e Nassau Local 830
tte MMMM Ae bale
CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830
MP LEL IS
.Good y
Fully-Paid Health Insurance
Extended Through 2007
After continuing talks with the County of
Nassau, fully-paid health insurance for CSEA
members is now guaranteed through Dec. 31,
2007.
This extension was made possible through a
CSEA-negotiated clause to the contract you
approved last year.
Furthermore, in all future negotiations, CSEA’s
top priority will continue to be the protection of
fully-paid health benefits.
Members who have questions may call CSEA
Local 830 at 571-2919.
Veterans’ Tax Exemption Extended
The New York State Real Property Tax Law has
been amended to allow certain veterans an additional
10 percent exemption in their local property taxes.
The law took effect on Jan. 1 and it applies to
certain U.S. service veterans who took part in
ilitary operations against armed opposition in
foreign territory.
Under the previous law, veterans who served in
certain hostile areas during peace time or who had
received expeditionary medals were not granted the
additional 10 percent real property tax exemption
enjoyed by other veterans of war who served during
specified periods of conflict.
For instance, during the Vietnam War, there were
servicemen assigned to the Korean DMZ, where
hostilities occurred often. Also, there were numerous
areas throughout the world where U.S. armed forces
were deployed.
In these areas, the military personnel were
receiving hostile fire pay. Examples of these areas
include but are not limited to: Korea, the Pueblo,
Beirut, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Grenada
and Somalia. The law extends to all military
personnel who have received expeditionary medals,
including those issued by the Marine Corps and
Navy.
Under the new law, qualifying resident real
property owned by such veterans shall be exempt
from taxation to the extent of 10 percent of the
assessed value, provided that the exemption does not
e
TEEN lee oe le Let
2 EXPRESS
The
Chat ‘CSEA Nassau County Local 830
EEPLEIES
March 2000 * Vol. 5 No. 3
A Monthly Publication of CSEA Nasiau County Local 830
ANTHONY P. GIUSTINO, President
Tony Panzarella, Editor
(516) 571-2919 Ext. 15
Ronald G, Gurrieti, Chair, Communications Committee
Sheryl C. Jenks, Communications Asociate
CSEA Long Island Region Office, (516) 462-0030
NASSAU LOCAL 830
Executive Officers:
Jane D'Amico, Executive Vice President
Les Eason, Ist Vice President
Noreen Lingham, 2nd Vice President
Robert Cauldwell, 3nd Vice President
Raymond Cannella, 4th Vice President
Jewel Weinstein, 5th Vice President
George Walsh, 6th Vice President
Ron Guttieri, 7h Vice President
Martin Stamile, 81h Vice President
Mary DelMare, 91h Vice President
Tim Corr, 10th Vice President
Nancy lanson, 111h Vice President
Bobby Eisgrau, Secreta
Kathleen Viean, Treasurer
Unit Presidents/Executive Board:
John Aloisio III, Treasurer’ Office
Stanley Bergman, Comptroller’ Office
Ti Conn Remamien Perks Dienst
Vivial Crowley, Department of General Services
Ken Dash, Admintstrative Unit
James Davis, Asessment Department
Mary Delmare, School Crossing Guards
Les Eason, A. Holly Patterson Geriatric Center
Bobbi Eisgrau, County Clerk
Cynthia Hancock, Nasiau Community College
Nancy lanson, Office of Drug ¢ Alcohol
Frank Debobes, Police Department AMT:
Eileen Jones, District Attorney/County Attorncy
Louis Minghinelli, Health Department
Lillian Neumar, Police Department Civilian
Richard Russ, Department of Consurser Afftins
Larry Schnure, Deputy Sheriffi
Paul Simon, Fire & Rescue Services
Marcin Stamile, Department of Public Works
Michael Timmons, Social Services Department
George Walsh, Marsan County Medical Center
Joseph Whitaker, Fire Merhal Office
Peter Wiba, Probation
We welcome reader suggestions: Please address your comments to
Tony Panzarella, Editor, Nassau County EXPRESS at CSEA
Nassau Co. Local 830, 400 County Seat Dr., Mineola, NY
11501-4137.
CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
ee LEGAL UPDATE
Seniority and Job Assignments
By: Louis D. Stober, Jr., Esq.
CSEA Regional Attorney
One of the fundamental rights which unions
seek to protect is the seniority rights of its
members.
Seniority is addressed in Section 12 of the
CSEA/county collective bargaining agreement.
Recently, I had the opportunity to arbitrate and
win a case dealing with your rights when bidding
for a job assignment.
The arbitration concerned the police
department's refusal to allow an AMT to transfer
from one post that was quite a distance from
home to another post that was just down the
street from the AMT’s home.
In analyzing the case, the arbitrator compared
the respective abilities, adaptability and the
seniority of the two AM's and the needs of the
department.
In granting the grievance, the arbitrator said
the grievant was familiar with the area, was
familiar with the geography. Therefore, the
county could not rely on any claimed experience
of the person they selected for the post.
“[The grievant] clearly has the ability to
perform the requirements of the position,
although it is not required for an AMT, [the
grievant] is an EMT/CC, she has the adaptability
Coming Up in June
to 11 p.m.
assembly hall.
CSEA office, 400 County Seat Drive, Mineola.
answer questions.
Crossing Guards Dinner
The annual Crossing Guards Awards Dinner will be
held June 8 at the Elegante Grand in Massapequa from 6
There's a change of location for our next general
meeting because of the ongoing construction of the
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 15 at the
Please attend this meeting so we can update you on
what's going on with the problems the county is having.
We will also address problems our members have and
If there is any news you would like to submit for
publication, please contact your precinct representative.
to perform the requirements of [the] post
because the inspector himself testified that she
could adapt. As far as seniority, [the grievant]
has 12 years while [the county’s choice] had 5.
The difference in seniority is significant as the
record is devoid of any compelling reason as to
why [the grievant] could not satisfactorily
perform the requirements of the position in post
7,” the arbitrator ruled.
If there is a job assignment you think you are
entitled to and you have the ability and
adaptability to do the job (and if you can
document even greater ability and adaptability
than the county's choice) and have greater
seniority (the greater the better), then you have a
good chance of successfully fighting for the
assignment.
The better your qualifications and the greater
your seniority, the more likely an arbitrator will
hold the county violated the contract in not
giving the assignment to you.
To have any chance of success, you must first
file a grievance.
Catch Us Online
For up-to-date CSEA
information and the
latest news from your
union, be sure to visit us
online at
www.nassau-csea830.org.
(CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS:
Tier Reinstatement: What’s It All About
Many union members have called
the CSEA regional office about the
CSEA-backed Tier Reinstatement
Bill recently signed into law by Gov.
George Pataki.
Here are answers to the most
commonly asked questions:
Q. What is tier reinstatement?
A. Tier reinstatement is the
retroactive placement of a member
of a New York State or local
government public retirement system
into an earlier tier of that system.
Q. Who is affected by this
legislation?
A. Current and future members of
any public retirement system in the
state who were previously a member
in an earlier tier. These members left
the retirement system before vesting
and have currently rejoined under a
later tier.
Q. What about those members who
would have qualified but are now
retired?
A. Unless the retirees returned to
employment status, rejoined the
Free Counseling Services
Available to CSEA Members
retirement system and then
requested reinstatement to an earlier
tier, this legislation would not apply.
Q. Do I have to apply for tier
reinstatement?
A. Yes. You must complete an
application and submit it as quickly
as possible to the retirement system.
Q. How do I obtain an application?
A. By phone: (518) 486-7925 (for
push button phones) or (518)
474-7736 (for all others). Many
eligible members received a brochure
in the mail containing an application
with return address. Via the Internet
www.osc.state. ny.us/divisions/retire.
Q. Is there a time limit for
applying?
A. Yes and no. The legislation does
not set a deadline. However, the
state and local employees Retirement
System has informed CSEA that for
those applications received before
March 30, they will reimburse any
percent employee contributions that
that were paid by the member since
The Nassau County Employee Assistance Program (EAP), headed by
Director Susan Weigele, offers a wide range of confidential counseling
services for employees with personal and work-related problems.
Skilled, qualified professionals are available to counsel workers in such
areas as personal finance, family conflicts, drug or alcohol abuse and job
performance.
Any information shared during counseling is strictly protected and
may be released only with the permission of the worker.
According
to Weigele, by providing this confidential atmosphere, EAP gives the
employees the freedom to address any concern.
EAP’s counselors help people identify their problems and work with
them to generate positive solutions. EAP provides direct assistance via
short-term counseling and helpful information as well as referrals to
specialists.
EAP is a joint labor/management program supported by both CSEA
and the county. Its services are free for all Nassau County employees and
their families.
Employees who wish to find out more
counseling services may call 571-7000.
about the program or to use the
the effective date of the legislation:
Dec. 17, 1999. This applies to those
members who are reinstated to Tiers
1 or 2.
Applications received after March
31 will be processed as per the
legislation, however, there will be no
3 percent reimbursement.
Q. If lam currently a Tier 3 or 4
member and I’m reinstated to Tier
1 or 2, must I continue
contributing 3 percent of my salary
to the retirement system.
A. No. The 3 percent contribution
will no longer be required.
Q. Am I entitled to reimbursement
for the 3 percent I’ve already
contributed while in Tier 3 or 4?
A. No. The legislation does not
permit such reimbursement.
Q. Am I entitled to receive
reimbursement for money I paid to
buy back retirement service credit
while a member of the previous
tier?
A. Yes. This money will be
reimbursed, along with 5 percent
EXPRESS 3
annual interest.
Q. Will I have to serve another five
years to receive a vested benefit?
A. No. If you are currently vested,
no further vesting will be required. If
you are not currently vested, you will
need only to earn five years of
service credit to vest.
Q. What happens if I have an
outstanding loan from Tiers 3 or 4
and I’m reinstated into Tier 1 or 2,
which does not permit loans.
A. You will be allowed to continue
the repayment schedule. However,
no new loans will be permitted.
Q. If lam a Tier 2, 3 or 4 member
and I’m eligible to be reinstated
into Tier 1, will there be any effect
on my death benefits?
A. Possibly. The death benefits will
be greatly reduced for Tiers 1, 2 and
3 members who re-enter Tier 1 and
who die prior to reaching age 55.
Those who re-enter Tier 1 and
who die after age 55 will receive a
better death benefit than they are
currently eligible for.
Statewide President Advises of Tax Benefit
CSEA members should check to see if they are eligible for a special tax
benefit for working people who earn low or moderate incomes, said CSEA
President Danny Donohue.
Workers who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. (EIC) and file a
federal tax return can get back some or all of the federal income tax that was
taken out of their pay during the year.
For working families with one child, the maximum income in 1999 is
$26,928. For working families with more than one child, the maximum is
$30,580.
“The EIC can make a real difference in the lives of many moderate and
low-income workers as long as they know it’s there and know how to get it,”
Donohue said.
He said workers should understand they can get an advanced payment of a
portion of the EIC in each paycheck during the year or a rebate when they file
their tax returns by April 15. Formerly, only families with children qualified for
the EIC. Now it is available to low-income workers without children. They can
also claim back credit for the last three years.
For a copy of prior years forms, call 1-800-TAX-FORM.
To receive a kit explaining the Earned Income tax Credit, call the Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities at (202) 408-1080.
4 EXPRESS a f _ CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
Martin Luther King Honored
At Annual Ceremony Brunch
The Unity Committee, led by co-chairs Tim Corr CSEA President Tony Giustino.
and Willie Houston, once again put together an The Unity Committee consists of co-chairs Tim
outstanding tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Corr and Willie Houston and members Rudy
this year. Bruce, Bobbi Eisgrau, Stanley Bergman, Carolyn
The sellout luncheon, held at the Manor Eastin Jones, Juanita McKinnies, Tim Jaccard, Cynthia
Massapequa, featured song, instrumental music and — Hancock and Concetta Walker.
guest speakers. Here are some photos of the event:
“Once again, I must congratulate the Unity
% Committee for a memorable program. It was a
| fitting salute to a great American,” said Nassau
Counter clockwise, from top left:
Carolyn Jones, left, presents Juanita McKinnies with a citation for
her work on behalf of the Unity Committee.
Concetta Walker addresses the audience.
Rudy Bruce introduces a guest speaker.
Willie Houston and Carolyn Jones open the ceremonies.
CSEA Long Island Region President Nick LaMorte, left, and CSEA
President Danny Donohue offer greetings.
President Tony Giustino and Carolyn Jones make a presentation to
former Unity Committee Chair Barbara Jones, who recently retired.
(CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS 2 i : i Se EXPRESS 5
Everything from Alaska to Bahamas
GET INVOLVED IN YOUR UNION! | $2. tes”
Join A Once again, Local 830 is planning an array of
exciting trips this year for CSEA members, family
Rs and friends.
KY PS CSEA’s in-house travel coordinator, Alice Groody,
said she has come up with a good mix of places to
visit at affaordable prices.
COMMITTEE As of press time, 11 trips are planned, including
CSEA’s first trip to Alaska and repeat of last year’s
highly successful trip to the Bahamas.
PUT YOUR TALENTS AND INTERESTS TO WORK ON Because space is limited on all trips, Groody
suggests interested members make their reservations
ONE OR MORE OF OUR COMMITTEES early,
“Trips are booked quickly and I don't like to see
ig Z people disappointed,” said Groody.
Auditing Unity Although payment in full is required for all
Budget Computer one-day trips, Groody said participants may pay in
installments for longer trips.
Communication By-Laws CSEA trips are paid for in full by participants and
OSHA Mem bership are not subsidized with union dues.
Women’s Grievance Trips for this year include:
Election Health/Human Services MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY &
: PLANETARIUM — April 5
PEOPLE Education LANCASTER, PA. — May 11 & 12
Social Veterans ALASKA — May 25- June 5
HUDSON VALLEY HISTORY DAY — June 23
SPIRIT OF NEW YORK CRUISE, Lunch,
INTERESTED? Dancing, Show — July 20
THOUSAND ISLANDS & OTTAWA — Aug.
Contact your Unit President or call 571-2919 27-30
VAN CORTLAND MANOR — Sept. 9
“BREEZES” IN THE BAHAMAS — Oct. 1-5
CSE FALL FOLIAGE, Round Top, N.Y, — October 9
OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS, Mass.—
NASSAU LOCAL 830 ioe
TONY GIUSTINO, PRESIDENT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS & LUNCH, NYC —
Dec. 6
Stay Informed. Tune in to Travel to most destinations is via deluxe
motorcoach, departing from Field #6 in Mineola.
66 . 9° Travel to Alaska and the Bahamas is via commuter
CSEA in Focus aitline, Deposits are required to hold reservations,
5 For complete itineraries and prices, or for
additional details, call Groody at
repeated Saturdays at 8:30 571-2919, ext, 22 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
a.m. on WGBB 1240 AM Thursdays during office hours.
“mM. 9
Thursdays at 7 p.m.
6 EXPRESS
Political Action is The Name of The Game
CSE
WOMEN'S COMMITTEE
We make it happen!
JANE D’AMICO, CHAIRPERSON
With the advent of the new
millenium, a basic tenet must be
underscored once again. Like any
other organization in our society,
the union membership of CSEA
must recognize that, more than
any single element, the results of
political action remain the primary
force in determining the impact of
events upon their work lives.
The shaping of our lives by the
political environment, and the
singular and congregate actions of
elected officials, occurs on many levels. Most notably, the current fiscal budget crisis in
Nassau County has once again threatened the livelihood of our membership in yery real
ways. The question should not be “lag or layoff?,” rather the question should rightly be:
“Why do our elected officials continually focus on our public sector work force to remedy
the results of long-term fiscal mismanagement, for which they should take ultimate
responsibility?” As “public servants,” we must continually be on the defensive, and we must
SEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
Take Time Out For Yourself
At Aromatherapy Workshop
CSEA members may learn about aromatherapy in
March at one of a series a free workshops sponsored
throughout the year by the CSEA Local 830 Women’s
Committee.
Jane D’Amico, executive vice president and Women’s
Committee chair, said the workshop has been set for
Thursday, March 16 at 5 p.m. in the multi-purpose
room at the CSEA office in Mineola.
The program will feature guest speaker Marielena
Cirolia, president of Your Gentle Spirit.
Cirolia will demonstrate what aromatherapy is about
and how it can be applied to daily life. Attendees will
also create their own aromatheraphy massage oil and
each will receive a mini-massage.
Refreshments will be served.
Because space is limited, reservations should be made
early by calling Jewel or Judy at 571-2919.
The CSEA office is located at 400 County Seat Drive,
Mineola and is on the lower level of the south wing.
additionally shoulder the obligation of educating the public and elected officials to
understand the value and import of the work we do every day to make their communities
safer, their health and welfare more secure, and our public services
responsive to their needs. Public sector employees provide for a
quality of life on a daily basis that ranges from literally saving lives,
preventing crime, and keeping our roadways passable to processing
necessary documentation.
On the statewide and federal levels, political action is also
important. Every day this union and our national affiliates and other
public sector unions, aggressively promote legislative and political
action campaigns to obtain necessary safeguards and benefits for our
employees. The legislation runs the gambit from laws providing
workplace safety and family medical leave issues, pay equity,
retirement benefits, and countless other employment-related
initiatives.
Political action neither begins nor ends within the organizational
structure of the union. It must be initiated, endorsed, and promoted
by you, the membership of the union. In the upcoming months you
may be called upon to support your union with solidarity on many
political fronts: On the local level in our struggle for job security
and maintenance of benefits; on the statewide and federal levels,
through active participation in legislative and candidates campaigns;
and in your every day lives in educating both the community and
political figures about the importance of your contribution as an
employee of Nassau County, The union will continue to fight on
your behalf; but a union is only as strong as its membership’s
participation. As a member, we need you to lock arm-in-arm with
your union brothers and sisters in our continuing struggle for justice
for the public sector work force.
CSEA/HIP Smoking Cessation Program
Attend All ‘Stop Smoking’ Classes
And Get Your Money Back
As part of the CSEA/HIP Healthy Heart Program, we are trying to
determine if there is enough interest to provide a comprehensive smoking
cessation program for our members. ‘To make arrangements for this program,
we need a commitment from 20 participants. If you are seriously interested in
attending such a program, please return this form by March 15, to Susan
Kessler, CSEA/HIP Healthy Heart Program, 400 County Seat Drive,
Mineola, NY 11501. (You can send this via inter-departmental mail.)
Yes, I am interested in attending an eight-session smoking cessation program
this spring. Location is CSEA Office, 400 County Seat Drive, Mineola.
Classes will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The cost is $40 for eight sessions. THE FEE Is COMPLETELY
REFUNDABLE IF YOU COMPLETE ALL EIGHT SESSIONS.
NAME.
DEPARTMENT. PHONE
You will be notified by telephone if we have enough interest to proceed with a
program,
CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
CSEA/HIP “Healthy Heart” Program
Forget the Fight Against Fat! Enjoy Steak, Eggs,
Cheese and Wine As You Get
Healthy and Lose Weight
The following story was excerpted from an
article by Dr. David Levitsky, Professor at the
National Division of Nutritional Sciences,
Cornell University.
Can this headline be true? Has
everything that nutritionists and dietitians
been telling the public abour reducing fat
been wrong? Is reducing the fat content of
your diet not a safe and effective way to
lose weight?
The quote stated above was taken ftom a
Web page advertising a diet book called
“Sugar Busters! Cut Sugar to Trim Fat” by
H. Leighton Steward, Dr. Samuel S.
Andrews, Dr. Luis A. Balart and Dr.
Morrison C, Bethea. There are many other
books that also sell the same idea, namely
you can lose weight by eating a
low-carbohydrate diet. Pethaps the low-
carbohydrate diet that has received the most
attention in the press is described in a book
written by Dr, Robert C. Atkins, entitled
“Dr, Atkins’ New Diet Revolution.”
The basic idea thar sets all of these
books against the traditional nutrition
advice establishment is that excess dietary
carbohydrate is the major cause of
overweight and obesity today. According to
these diet gurus, excessive carbohydrate
consumption stimulates an over-production
of insulin. Insulin is the hormone
responsible for transporting nutrients into
far cells and causing them to synthesize fat.
‘Thus our increasing prevalence of
overweight and obesity is a direct result of
eating too many carbohydrates.
If one accepts this simple notion, then
the solution for overweight individuals is to
decrease their intake of carbohydrates,
which leaves foods that are mainly high in
protein and/or fat. The only low-
carbohydrate sources of protein are meat
and meat products. Plant sources of protein
typically come packaged with complex
carbohydrates. Animal sources of protein
typically come packaged with fat,
particularly saturated fat. Consequent!
one begins to eat greater amounts of dietary
protein, the amount of dietary fat ingested
is also increased. Because of these
relationships between macronutrients, a
low-carbohydrate diet is usually high in
both protein and fat.
How much of the argument in favor of a
low-carbohydrate diet for weight control is
supported by scientific literature? Like so
many nutritional scams, there is always a
grain of truth in what is said. Do
carbohydrates cause
overweight and obesity?
We know that Americans
are getting fatter. The
biggest jump in
overweight Americans
occurred between 1980
and 1994. The diet gurus
are also correct when they
say that Americans are
consuming more
carbohydrates than in the
past. Daily carbohydrate
consumption started to
increase in the early 1980s
roughly corresponding to
the time when the change in obesity
became evident.
Irs Not Just Carbohydrates
Whar the diet gurus don't tell you,
however, is that along with the increase
carbohydrate consumption, there was also
an increase in protein and fat consumption.
So it appears that Americans were not only
eating more carbohydrates, but just about
everything ... undoubtedly a major cause of
the increase in overweight and a more
plausible explanation than the increase in
carbohydrate alone.
No Magical Weight Loss
All right, so the diet gurus got a little
carried away with the increase in
carbohydrate as the only cause for the
increasing body weight. What cannot be
denied, however, is that when people
strictly follow a low-carbohydrate, high-
protein diet they do lose weight, and they
lose it quite rapidly.
While it is true that most people who
follow this diet lose weight, several
questions must be answered before
nutritionists and dietitians change their
advice for the public. The first question is,
how does the diet promote weight loss?
According to scientific studies, it is clear
that the rate of weight loss as well as the
composition of the weight loss does not
differ between a low- or high-carbohydrate
diet. The results of this study showed that it
was the number of calories, not the type of
calories that determined weight loss
If it really is the calorie intake that is the
determining factor in the weight loss, why
does it seem like low-carbohydrate diets are
more effective than conventional low-
calorie diets? There are several explanations.
‘The first concerns the initial rate of weight
Perhaps one of the
most consistent
relationships observed
in the nutrition literature is the
positive relationship between the
consumption of animal protein and
the development of chronic disease.
Express (
With the assistance of a grant from HIP Nassau County
Local 830 is conducting an ongoing “Healthy Heart”
program in an attempt to exert a positive influence in
the daily living habits of members in areas that affect
health. The following is another in a series of Healthy
Heart articles that are running in The Express in
conjunction with the program.
loss. Weight loss during the first week on a
low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet is
impressive. The numbers on the scale seem
to drop much faster on a low-carbohydrate
diet than on a typical low-calorie diet. But
the numbers on the scale are deceiving and
not a good indication of loss of body fat.
Much of the initial weight loss on a low-
carbohydrate diet is due to a loss of liver
glycogen, a storage form of carbohydrate,
When the liver converts the glycogen to
glucose, which is needed by the body for
energy, this water is lost from the body.
Therefore, much of the initial weight is due
to water loss, not loss of body fat.
‘The second explanation for the apparent
ease of losing weight on a low-carbohydrate
diet is the loss of appetite. It is easier to
restrict your intake when you are not
hungry and a high-protein diet will
definitely curb your appetite. The reason
rests with the liver. There is a considerable
amount of evidence from animal studies
that feeding a high protein diet inhibits
appetite. Thus, the low-carbohydrate, high-
protein diet suppresses appetite, making it
easier to restrict calories. The weight loss
that ensues is merely a consequence of the
reduced calorie intake. There's nothing
magical about that. :
You Can't Stay on the Diet Forever
Usually, people are so thrilled with the
initial weight loss that they do not realize
y can't stay on the diet forever. As
as people begin to increase the
amount of carbohydrates in their diets and,
therefore decrease the amount of protein,
appetite returns, calorie intake increases,
glycogen stores get replenished, and body
weight quickly returns to its pre-diet levels.
But why can’t one remain on this diet
forever? The main reason is monotony. One
fundamental characteristic of human eating
behavior is that we crave different foods. If
the number of different foods is limited,
the amount of the monotonous food
consumed is decreased and the desire to eat
different foods is enhanced. This aversion
to monotony in the diet serves a very useful
function of preventing us from getting
nutrient deficiencies. If our diet is varied, it
is unlikely that a deficiency in a particular
nutrient will occur. A low-carbohydrate,
high-protein diet is actually quite limiting
in the selection of foods that one can
consume. The longer one remains on this
diet, the greater the tendency to drift from
the diet. When the drift involves eating
some carbohydrates, there goes the diet and
the weight loss.
Are Low-Carbohydrate Diets Safe?
Are low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets
safe? In actuality, we don’t know because no
one has carried out a long-term study of
people on low-carbohydrate diets, but we
can make an educated guess from studies of
people who eat high-protein diets. Perhaps
one of the most consistent relationships
observed in the nutrition literature is the
positive relationship between the
consumption of animal protein and the
development of chronic disease. It is not
clear, however, whether the effects are due
to the consumption of large amounts of
protein, large amounts of fat associated
with eating high-protein diets, or due to
the lack of consuming enough protective
“phytochemicals” in plant based foods,
Nevertheless, we know that it is healthier to
eat plant-based foods than animal-based
foods,
The Bottom Line on Weight Control
Despite the seduction of the low-
carbohydrate diets for weight control, there
is no evidence that it is effective as a long
term weight management technique. There
are no long-term follow-up studies. The
best advice is still the same that
nutritionists and dietitians have been giving
the public for years: 1) eat only when
hungry, 2) eat lower fat foods and 3)
exercise as much as possible, It is as true
today as it ever was.
8 EXPRESS
CSEA Nassau Local Files IP
CSEA recently filed an improper practice charge
with the state Public Employment Relations Board
(PERB) against Nassau County for bargaining in bad
faith, falsely claiming a $60-million defic i
provide CSEA with complete information regarding
who would be subject to possible layoffs and failing to
act on other cost-cutting measures.
CSEA and the other county unions had agreed to
have their members vote on whether to accept a lag
payroll, where 10 days pay would be deferred until
they leave county service (as long as the county had no
layoffs through 2002) or be faced with the threat of
500 layofts.
But that was before the county failed to exercise
other cost-saving options such as removing a number
of high-paying patronage jobs and cutting private
contracts.
The county originally told CSEA the deficit
ranged from $60 million to $115 million. Recently,
the county executive claimed the county came out of
1999 in the black — with no deficit.
“The scenario has changed so many times it’s
ridiculous. In December, all the unions were told the
county was in the hole and the unions must agree to a
lag payroll or there would be 500 immediate layoffs,”
said CSEA Nassau Local President Tony Giustino.
“The next thing we see are patronage positions
being moved from one county title to another — often
higher-paying titles. And most recently, Gulotta came
out publicly and said the county is not in a fiscal crisis
and will actually come out in the black,” Giustino
said.
“If the county is not in dire fiscal condition, the
county work force should not even be asked for a lag
payroll or threatened with layoffs. It is
incomprehensible,” said CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Harold Krangle.
CSEA will request PERB expedite the charges.
“My members have been jerked around too much
for too long. The county still has not told us which
titles would be subject to the possible layoffs so we
don’t even know which employees would be eligible to
vote on the impact,” said Giustino.
Nassau County bonds have been downgraded to
near junk status as the county continues its fiscal
floundering.
The other unions have filed similar charges against
the county
“We will not tolerate deception and bad faith,”
Giustino added.
PEE Na NR ON ate NL Lt LSE I SALLI LES
CSEA NASSAU COUNTY LOCAL 830 UNION MEMBER NEWS
A Message from
Long Island Region President Nick LaMorte
As this column went to
press, I was angry about the
situation in Nassau County. I
can't believe County Executive
Thomas Gulotta is now claiming Nassau County
came out of 1999 in the black. How dare he
come to the unions threatening layoffs and lag
payrolls if that is the cas
What has Gulotta done to cut costs? He
certainly didn’t lead by example.
In fact, he insulted our intelligence by moving
patronage positions from one title to another —
often higher-paying titles in different
departments. He was supposed to get rid of the
patronage positions, not give them a raise.
Nassau County needs to get its financial house
in order. You bear the brunt of the fiscal fiasco
both as workers and taxpayers. CSEA will keep
fighting Gulotta on patronage and service
contracts and we will continue to seek the truth
about Nassau County’s financial status.
In the meantime, you may need to yote on
whether you want a lag payroll, with enhanced
job protection until 2002
500 layoffs.
When that time comes you must weigh what is
best for you, your family and your co-workers,
, or face the threat of
Fraternally yours,
Nick LaMorte, President
CSEA Long Island Region
Judy Jacobs represents District 16
New Presiding Officer of Nassau County Legislature
Legislator Judy Jacobs of Woodbury,
entering her third term in the Nassau County
Legislature, is the new presiding officer of the
Democratic majority.
Jacobs represents District 16, encompassing
the areas of Plainview, Syosset, Jericho,
Woodbury, Hicksville, Old Bethpage and
parts of Farmingdale.
She won re-election in November with an
unprecedented 80 percent of the vote. She has
been endorsed by CSEA in all three runs for
office.
Shortly after her victory, Jacobs appeared on
the union radio show “CSEA in Focus” and
pledged to seek a way to balance the county
budget and not affect civil service workers.
Jacobs said she wants to make county
Disney Cards No Longer
Available At Local Office
The Disney Company will no longer
distribute discount cards to members
directly through the union office. Effective
immediately, members who wish to receive
discount cards for Disneyworld and
Disneyland must fill out an appl:
send it directly to the Disney offices.
Members should allow three weeks to
receive their cards. Applications can be
obtained by calling Judy at 571-2919.
ation and
APHIS IIS IIL LIL
government more accessible to residents and
she will do so by making certain procedural
changes in legislative meetings.
This year, Jacobs chairs the Rules and
Procedures Committees and is a member of
the Legislative Budget Review and Minority
Affairs committees.
The new presiding officer has been a
community activist for more than 30 years,
fighting for civic and environmental issues as
the head of many local organizations.
She has applied the wealth of community
experience and knowledge she has gained over
the years to the legislative committees she has
served on.
Jacobs has been a legislative innovator,
proposing laws including one limiting access
of tobacco products to minors and another
expanding the powers of the Nassau County
Human Rights Commission to investigate
discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Jacobs has identified the fiscal stability of
Nassau County, child care issues and
maintaining the quality of life as among her
priorities.
A former teacher who is never too busy to
spend time with the school children of her
district, either as a guest story teller or visitor
on career day, Jacobs still carries with her the
ability to hold the attention of a classroom of
children.
Jacobs and her husband, Sid, have been
residents of Woodbury for more than 33
years. They have three grown children and
four grandchildren.
AML PIII IL IIS IGS
LLL SISIIFILISSS LISIIISSIISS
Rescuing life in the fast lane
LONG BEACH — Car! Damato is
being called a four-letter word these
days, even by his mother.
H-e-r-o.
It’s a title others bestowed upon
him after the humble Long Beach City
worker darted among speeding cars
to save the life of an elderly woman
who had fallen while attempting to
cross a six-lane Long Beach highway.
“I was stopped at the light and out
of the corner of my eye I saw her
sprawled in the middle of the road. It
was incredible. The cars were just
zooming past her,” said 53-year-old
Damato.
Damato jumped out of his
street-sweeping truck and dodged
traffic like a football linebacker to get
to the woman.
“All | could think was that could be
my mother,” Damato said.
“I ran to pick her up and one other
man stopped his car and helped me
carry her to safety. I told her ‘I’m here
to help you. That's my duty.’ Cars
were passing us on the left and on the
right. The other guy was like the
Lone Ranger, he just disappeared,”
Damato said.
“This woman is 76 years old and
she was shaking like a leaf. After she
thanked me she said she really
needed to get to the other side of the
road,” Damato said.
After calming the woman and
waiting for her to catch her breath,
Damato escorted her across the busy
highway.
“I got back in my truck and went on
about my day,” said Damato, who has
worked for the city for 34 years.
Guardian angel
This was only the beginning of
Damato’s fame.
The woman, Dorothy Belli, broke
her foot in two places. When she told
her family about her “guardian angel,”
the family tracked Damato down and
the media covered the story.
The City of Long Beach is awarding
Damato with a plaque and the Long
Beach Senior Citizens are also
honoring him.
“On Saturday I went to get coffee. I
opened the door for the bread
delivery man and he said, ‘Thanks,
Newsday, Inc. Copyright 2000. Reprinted with permission
Dorothy Belli hugs her “guardian
angel,” Long Beach City worker
Carl Damato.
hero.’ It’s incredible
how much
attention I’m
getting,” Damato
laughed.
“Everyone calls
me a hero but I'll =
tell you, | was
scared. To see
these people whizzing by her — we
both could have been killed,” said
Damato.
That's why Damato’s new nickname
of “hero” will stick, his co-workers
said. He felt the fear and rescued Belli
in spite of it.
“Mr. Damato was my guardian
angel, placed right there to help me.
In fact, I’m sure he saved my life,”
said a very grateful Belli.
ghbo
‘
765,000 meugens STON
— Sheryl Jenks
Santa brings a new heart to member
Organ donation gives a
second chance at life
GARNERVILLE (Rockland County) — Joe Gleason
is recuperating at home thanks to the unselfish act
of a family in mourning.
Gleason, a former union activist at Letchworth
Developmental Center, spent the holidays in
Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
His wish was for a new heart to replace the failing
heart beating in his chest. In December, Gleason got
his wish.
“To this family,” he said, “I say ‘thank you and you
are forever in my thoughts and prayers.’ To my
family at CSEA, I also say thank you for your
thoughts and prayers.”
Five years ago, Gleason contracted a viral
infection which caused cardiomyopathy, a condition
that cannot be cured. Since his diagnosis, Gleason
has been unable to work and has been hospitalized
a dozen times, many times nearly dying. His only
hope for survival was for a heart transplant.
On Good Friday, 1999, he was put on a
transplant list. His health, meanwhile, steadily
declined.
“He was always a very independent person
who helped anyone who asked and sometimes
those who did not,” his wife, Karen, said. “His
time as a Local 412 officer was a way of
helping people every day and he enjoyed it
immensely.”
“It is such a great feeling to be a part of what
most people take for granted, LIFE!” Joe said. “Not
too many are given a second chance as I was. | was
given a second chance through the unselfish act of a
family in mourning. They consented to give their
loved one’s organs to people in great need. | was
one of those people.”
You too can be a donor
The Gleasons want CSEA members to know they
too can give the gift of life.
“Be a tissue or organ donor,” said Karen
Ss cM
Joe Gleason and his wife,
Karen, emphasize the
importance of organ
donation. It gives a second
chance at life.
Gleason. “It is very important that you sign
your drivers license or carry a donor card.
Most important,” she emphasized, “is to talk
to your family members about your wishes.”
“The only ones who can give permission
for organ donation at the time of death is
the next of kin,” she explained. “Many
people do not realize this — donor cards
and licenses are not legal documents. During
the emotional time of losing a loved one,
many families will not agree to an organ donation. If
you let them know your wishes, that decision will be
much easier for family members.”
March 2000 Ti Lea Pace 13
Standing room only at this test prep course:
MENANDS — The need to bring a chair to an exam
prep class for more than 200 CSEA members at the state
Workers’ Compensation Board office added new
meaning to the Bible passage: “Pick up thy bed and
walk.”
Instead, union members recently picked up their
chairs — beach
chairs, folding chairs,
stools, plastic patio
furniture and
anything else
portable — after
state managers
rented the space to
the union for the
program but refused
to supply chairs.
While Workers’
Compensation
managers said they
were happy with
union efforts to help
their members pass
various state Civil
Service tests, they
wouldn’t help with
Life’s not a beach, especially at workers’ comp
the training or preparation.
When CSEA and the Public Employees Federation
(PEF) asked to use available free state space for the
refresher course at the large Workers’ Compensation
office in Albany, the state refused.
But union members wouldn’t take this slight lightly, or
standing up for that matter.
The unions rented space at another Workers’
Compensation office, and the exodus of chairs began.
Union members arrived at the test prep program
lugging notebooks, pencils and every type of chair
imaginable.
“Just another perfect example of the (Gov. George)
Pataki administration’s efforts to cooperate with its
workers,” one prep class taker quipped as she carted a
colorful beach chair into the training.
“It simply shows how really serious state workers
take their job responsibility versus how anti-worker the
Pataki administration is,” said CSEA Workers’
Compensation Local President Carol Harvin.
“What other employer, private or public, wouldn’t
offer to help their employees become better workers to
better serve the needs of the company’s customers?”
she asked incredulously.
— Daniel X. Campbell
At left, a warning clearly spells out this seat is taken. Below,
CSEA members adapt, improvise and overcome obstacles the
state laid out for them when they arrived at a Workers’
Compensation Board exam prep class in a room with no chairs.
Page 14
THE WORK FORCE March 2000
Even the veep gets nervous
Member peppers Gore with tough questions
CSEA member Kimberly Kaylor says she
was a little nervous about talking to the
vice president of the United States — that
is until he told her he was nervous too.
Kaylor, who works as a clerk-typist with
the Albany County Department of Mental
Health, was one of three AFSCME members
chosen to interview Vice President Al Gore
recently for an article in AFSCME's Public
Employee magazine.
Their assignment was to ask some tough
questions on issues important to working
Americans.
Kaylor admits she and her fellow
AFSCME members were intimidated at first,
but Gore put
them at ease
right away.
“Of course we
were nervous,
with all the
Secret Service
and all,” Kaylor
said. “But he
came in and he
asked us if we were nervous, and we didn’t
really say too much to him, and he said
‘well so arn I’ and then he sat down and he
was very pleasant.”
Questions posed to the vice president
were submitted by Public Employee
readers.
eLOGAL 1000 SRE SAR
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255,000 mempens sTRON®
CSEA member Kimberly Kaylor, second from right, listens to Vice President Al Gore,
left, during an AFSCME panel discussion with the presidential candidate.
Kaylor asked about providing health care
for uninsured children, strengthening
collective bargaining rights for public
employees and expanding the Family and
Medical Leave Act.
Kaylor sensed a sincerity in Gore’s
responses that she said may not come
across just by listening to a speech or
sound bites on television.
“You could see his gestures, you could
Fiscal Policy Institute insists
see his expressions, up close, and he
seemed to be very genuine in what he was
saying,” Kaylor said.
What. surprised Kaylor most about Gore?
“He had a sense of humor,” she said. “A
lot of people think he doesn’t but I thought
he did.”
The interview appeared in the
January/February issue of Public Employee.
— Ed Molitor
PEOPLE catalogs
Pataki’s latest budget misses opportunities
The latest budget proposal
from Gov. George Pataki has
begun to address one of the
state’s most glaring disparities
— the large and growing
number of New Yorkers
without health insurance —
and has begun to invest in
other social areas that are
financially hurting.
But the state continues to
miss opportunities to use its
burgeoning surpluses to help
address numerous unmet
social and infrastructure
needs, according to this year’s
state budget analysis by the
Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI).
“Rather than contributing to
the current surpluses, the
large, multi-year, backloaded
tax cuts of the last six years
have been financed in large
part by the revenues that the
state is receiving from the
boom on Wall Street,” FPI
Director Frank Mauro said.
The FPI, supported in part
by CSEA, is a think tank that
studies government policy
from the perspective of
working families.
Rather than putting its fiscal
house in order, the state has
instead cut services while
piling on fees and tuition
increases, Mauro said.
The state has also shifted a
variety of costs to local
governments, stalled in its
efforts to limit borrowing for
spending, and hasn’t taken
advantage of the federal
government’s conversion of
welfare assistance to block-
grant funding while at the
same time cutting caseloads,
the FPI analysis stated.
The report also found:
s# New York’s recent
economic recovery is modest
by historic standards;
«s Economic growth has
been concentrated in a few
industries downstate;
ss Unemployment remains
high in many parts of the state.
March 0
in the mail
New PEOPLE Recruiter
catalogs are on the way.
PEOPLE incentive recruiter
catalogs are being mailed to
200 recruiters throughout the
state. P.E.O.P.L.E. (Public
Employees Organized to
Promote Legislative Equality)
is our union's federal political
action committee. Members
who help recruit co-members
to join PEOPLE can earn points
which they can redeem for
gifts in the catalog. If you are
interested in becoming a
PEOPLE recruiter, call CSEA's
Political Action Department at
1-800-342-4146 Ext. 1404 or
436-8622 in the Capital Region.
THE WORK FORCE
Page 15
EDUCATION & CAREER ADVISEMENT
SERVICES — FOR ALL CSEA MEMBERS
LEAP 1-800-253-4332
CSEA offering $23,000 in scholarships
Graduating high school seniors who have a parent or legal guardian who is a CSEA-represented employee
may apply for a total of $23,000 in scholarships offered by or through CSEA. A single application covers three
scholarship programs.
CSEA/LEAP Advisement
Services is a confidential
toll-free service for all CSEA
@ “Skills for Success” for
referral information and
advisement to improve or
Irving Flaumenbaum Memorial Scholarships
Three $1,000 Irving Flaumenbaum Memorial Scholarships will be awarded in each of CSEA’s six regions.
‘The awards are presented in memory of the late Irving Flaumenbaum, who was a spirited CSEA activist for
update basic reading and
writing skills, study English
as a Second Language
(ESL), obtain a high school
diploma or GED or enhance
pre-college skills.
more than three decades. He was president of CSEA’s Long Island Region and an AFSCME International vice
meinbete, Gaver as president at the time of his death.
available to work with you in
the following areas: Jardine Award and Met Life Award
One $2,500 Jardine Award scholarship will be awarded to a student entering the
system.
This award is provided by Jardine Group Services Corp. and is given in memory of
Charles Foster, a longtime CSEA activist in the 1930s who became the first business officer
of the SUNY system.
One $2,500 MetLife Award will be presented and is not limited to a student entering the
SUNY system.
It is given in memory of the late Joseph D. Lochner, CSEA's first employee and former
executive director who was a CSEA employee for more than 40 years.
The top 2 percent of scholastic achievers, based on high school average, class rank
and SAT scores, will be selected to create the eligibility pool for these two awards.
Application deadline is April 17
Scholarship applications are available from CSEA local and unit presidents and at
CSEA headquarters, region and satellite offices. Applications must be filed by April 17.
Winners will be notified in June and winners announced in The Work Force. The CSEA
scholarship program is administered by the CSEA Memorial Scholarship Committee.
$8,000 AFL-CIO scholarship available
The New York State AFL-CIO will award a four-year scholarship to a 2000
graduating high school senior who intends to pursue a career in labor relations or
a related field at an accredited college or university in New York state. The
scholarship is for $2,000 a year for four consecutive years for a total of $8,000.
Candidates must be a son or daughter of a parent or guardian who is a member
of a union (CSEA is) affiliated with the state AFL-CIO, a 2000 high school graduate
and accepted in a course of study in labor relations or a labor-related interest at
an accredited institution of higher learning in New York state.
For applications, write to Mario Cilento, New York State AFL-CIO, 48 East 21st
St., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10010
Application forms, accompanied by other required documents, must be
submitted by May 15 to: New York State AFL-CIO Scholarship Committee, c/o Dr.
Lois Gray, Cornell University, ILR School, 16 East 34th St., 4th Floor, New York, NY
10016.
JUNY
@ Financial Aid information
about various financial aid
programs, eligibility
requirements, application
procedures as well as
scholarships and tax credits
for education.
LEAP Advisers may be
reached by calling the
LEAPIine at 1-800-253-4332
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. (8:30 a.m, to 8:30 p.m. on
Thursdays). You may call at
other times and leave a
message for a call back at a
time convenient to you.
Education and Career
Planning to assess your
background and interests,
explore new career fields,
choose courses and
educational programs
suited to your goals, and
use non-traditional
approaches for coursework
and credit. Includes
information and referrals
about Civil Service
mobility.
SSEREAY
\ Gta}
cena eA RE Ro
Procedure protects rights
AFSCME's Constitution includes a rebate procedure
to protect the rights of members who disagree with how
the union spends money for partisan political or
ideological purposes.
Article IX, Section 11 of the International
Constitution, which establishes the procedure for dues
rebates for members who object to AFSCME's partisan
political or ideological expenditures, was amended at
AFSCME's 33rd International Convention
‘The amended language requires those persons who
object to the expenditure of dues for political or
ideological purposes submit their objection in writing to
both the International Union and CSEA Local 1000 by
certified mail between April 1 and April 16 (dates
member, the International U ind each subordinate
body shalll have the option of limiting the rebate to the
member's pro-rata share of the expenses for those
activities specifically identified in the application.
Upon receipt by CSEA of the valid, certified request,
the constitutional maximum of the rebate will be
processed,
Any member who is dissatisfied with the amount of
the rebate paid by the International Union may object by
filing a written appeal with the AFSCME Judicial Panel
within 15 days after the rebate check has been received
Appeals should be sent to the Judicial Panel Chairperson
at the AFSCME International Headquarters at the
address listed above. The Judicial Panel will conduct a
inclusive) each year for the prior year ending Dec. 31 hearing and issue a written decision on such appeals,
‘The timing of the steps in the procedure is tied to subject to an appeal to the full Judicial Panel. If
the International's fiscal year. The procedure, including dissatisfied with the Judicial Panel's ruling, a member
the requirements for submitting a proper rebate request, can appeal to the next International Convention
were modified by a constitutional amendment adopted
by the 1998 International Convention, As modified, those
procedures and requirements are spelled out in Article
IX, Section 11 of the International Constitution. THESE
REQUIREMENTS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Here’s how it works, Members who object to the
expenditure of a portion of their dues for partisan
political or ideological purposes and want to request a
rebaté must co so individually in writing between April 1
and April 16, 2000. That request must be timely filed by
registered or certified mail with: the International
May 15 is deadline for submitting
proposed resolutions, changes to
CSEA’s Constitution & Bylaws
Proposed resolutions and proposed amendments to the CSEA Constitution & Bylaws
for consideration by CSEA delegates to the union's 2000 Annual Delegates Meeting must
be submitted by May 15, 2000.
Proposed resolutions may be submitted only by a delegate and must be submitted
on the proper forms. Forms for submitting resolutions are available from CSEA
headquarters and region offices.
Break in membership affects eligibility
for union office, voting privileges
A break in union membership status can have long-term
future implications, Your membership status affects your
eligibility with respect to:
* seeking or holding union office;
Proposed resolutions and proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws
must be submitted no later than May 15 to Statewide Secretary Barbara Reeves, CSEA
Headquarters, 143 Washington Ave., Albany, N.Y., 12210-2303.
‘The 2000 CSEA Annual Delegates Meeting will be held Sept. 25-29 in New York City.
Secretary-Treasurer and the CSEA Statewide Treasurer.
‘The requests must contain the following information:
name, Social Security number, home address and the
AFSCME local to which dues were paid during the
preceding year. This information must be typed or
legibly printed, The individual request must be signed by
the member and sent by the individual member to:
International Secretary-Treasurer at AFSCME,
Headquarters, 1625 L St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-
5687; and CSEA Statewide Treasurer, Empire State Plaza
Station, P.O, Box 2611, Albany, N.Y, 12214-0218,
Requests for more than one person may not be sent in
the same envelope, Each request must be sent
individually. Requests must be renewed in writing every
year the member wishes a rebate.
Upon receipt by the International of a valid rebate
an application for partisan political or
al rebate will be sent to the objecting member.
The objecting member will be required to complete and
return the application in a timely manner, In accordar
with the constitutional amendment adopted at the 1998
International Convention, the application will require the
objecting member to identify those partisan or political
or ideological activities to which objection is being
made, and no rebate will be made to any member who
fails to complete that portion of the application. In. >> +
determining the amount of the rebate to be paid to any
Page 16
THE WORK FORCE
* signing nominating petitions for potential candidates;
* voting in union elections, and;
* voting on collective bargaining contracts.
Only members “in
these activities, To be
be delinquent.
good standing” can participate i
“good standing,” your dues cannot
If you go on unpaid leave or for any other reason have a
break in your employment status, your dues will not
continue to be paid through payroll deductions. You must
make arrangements to pay your dues directly to CSEA to
continue your membership status. If you are either laid off
or placed on leave without pay status due to becoming
disabled by accident, illness, maternity or paternity, you
may be eligible for dues-free membership status for a period
not to exceed one year,
Note, however, you must continue to pay dues to run for
office. Dues-ree or gratuitous membership allows members
to continue their insurance coverage while out of work, It
does not protect your right to run for or hold office.
You must notify the CSEA Membership Records
Department at 1-800-342-4146, Ext. 1327, of any change in
your status and what arrangements you are making to
continue your membership in CSEA.
Way;
oo ew
March 2000
1999 Empire Plan
Claims Deadlines
Empire plan enrollees: March 31, 2000 (90 days after the end of
the calendar year) is your last day to submit your 1999 claims to:
United Health Care: For the Empire Plan Basic Medical Program
and for non-network physical medicine services.
United Health Care Service Corp.
(Administrator for Metlife)
P.O. Box 1600
Kingston, N.Y. 12402-1600
ValueOptions: For non-network mental health and substance
abuse services.
ValueOptions
P.O. Box 778
Troy, N.Y. 12181-0778
Please be certain to have your doctor or other provider fill in all
the information asked for on the claim form. If the claim form is not
filled out by the provider, original bills must include all
medical/diagnostic information asked for on the claim form. Missing
information will delay the processing of your claim.
Express Scripts (formerly ValueRx): For prescriptions filled in 1999
at non-participating pharmacies or without using your New York
Government Employee Benefit Card.
Express Scripts
(formerly Value Rx)
Member Reimbursement/Claims Review Unit
P.O. Box 1180
Troy, NY 12181-1180
Claim forms may be obtained from your agency’s personnel office
or from United Health Care (1-800-942-4640), ValueOptions
(1-800-446-3995) or Express Scripts (1-800-964-1888). Make sure you
complete the requested subscriber information and sign the claim
form.
Empire Plan - Express Scripts
Prescription Drugs That Require
Prior Authorization
A large number of Empire Plan members are covered by the New
York State Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program administered by
Cigna/Express Scripts (formerly Value Rx).
Under this program, certain drugs require prior authorization.
Effective Jan. 1, 2000, the following list of drugs require prior
authorization under the Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program:
BCG Live
Ceredase or Cerezyme
Enbrel
Epoetin
Human Growth Hormone
Immune Globulin
Lamisil
Prolastin
Pulmozyme
Sporanox
Drugs for the treatment of impotency
Questions regarding the Empire Plan Prescription Drug Program
may be directed to Cigna/Express Scripts at 1-800-964-1888.
As a reminder, CSEA active state members pay an $8 co-payment
for generic drugs and brand-name drugs that have no generic
equivalent.
One co-payment covers up to a 90-day supply. When plan
members fill a prescription for a brand-name drug that has a generic
equivalent, members pay the brand-name co-payment plus the
difference in cost between the brand-name drug and its generic
equivalent.
Members who use a non-participating pharmacy will pay the full
cost and then submit a claim for partial reimbursement.
Summary of the January 2000 CSEA board of directors meeting
Editor’s note: The Work Force publishes a
summary of actions
taken by CSEA’s Board
} of Directors. The
summary is prepared
| by CSEA Statewide
Secretary Barbara
Reeves for union
members.
ALBANY — CSEA's
| statewide board of
+ directors met Jan. 13.
In official business, the
board:
eAuthorized special elections to fill
vacant board seats in Chenango, Franklin,
Lewis, Ontario, Rockland, Schoharie,
Reeves
Schuyler, Sullivan, Tompkins and
Washington counties and Region 5 Local
Government Educational;
¢Put into administrative leadership the
Altmar-Williamstown-Parish Central School
District Unit of Local 838, and the
Rensselaer County Sheriff Department Unit
of Local 842;
eApproved a 12 month “pilot” Legal
Services Plan for certain counties of the
Western Region and Nassau County;
eApproved maximum miscellaneous
allowances for 2000 CSEA events;
eAuthorized leases for Local 860 (Bryce
9K folder and table) and Local 823 (Sharpe
copier);
eAuthorized opening a checking account
with TRUSTCO Bank to replace the current
payroll checking account at Key Bank;
eAuthorized opening a checking account
for a six month “pilot” project administered
by the Legal Department and used
exclusively for witness fees;
and
eApproved appointment of Ann Braga,
Sharon Connor, David Lee, Tim
Douglas, Robbie Wells and George Lawson
to the Central Region Political Action
Committee.
Questions concerning the summary
should be directed to CSEA Statewide
Secretary Barbara Reeves, CSEA
Headquarters, 143 Washington Ave.,
Albany, N.Y. 12210, 1-800-342-4146 or
(518) 257-1253.
March 2000. THE WORK FORCE tere Ws
BUFFALO — A friendly “roast” and
tribute to Bob Lattimer, retiring after
25 years as president of CSEA’s
Western Region, could also have
served as a history lesson of his
beloved union.
“Bob, thank you for your
leadership and partnership through
the years, and all you have done for
the CSEA membership, organized
labor and unionism,” said CSEA
President Danny Donohue, words
that would be repeated many times
throughout the recent fete.
_ Inaroom filled
with 400
well-wishers, friends
1 recalled highlights
and laughs, triumphs
and tears over nearly
30 years of Lattimer’s
| union leadership.
A glossy tribute
| booklet, with photos
<%! from over the years,
was filled with best
wishes from friends and
locals, rank-and-filers and
elected officials.
The words “thank you”
were heard in each salute,
from Donohue and
AFSCME President Gerald
McEntee, to a long list of
friends from the
ranks of staff, fellow
officers, members
and retirees who had
faced the forces of
labor’s opponents
with a strong labor
leader.
A friendly, teasing
needle was also used
in chuckles about
Lattimer’s booming
voice, his disdain for
microphones in
meetings and his
intimidating physical
presence.
But also revealed
was the caring heart
that helped establish
a Sunshine Fund,
supported by
A tribute to Bob Lattimer: Thanks, laughs and tears for all the years
Western Region president retires
member donations to help fellow members |
in need, to a little-known love for cats, a
witty sense of humor, and the admiration
for him by his fellow unionists.
The historic picture of Lattimer’s tenure
parallels CSEA’s growth, as members
recalled some of his activist involvement,
including:
¢ Formation of DOL Local 352 in the early
1970s, which Lattimer and fellow members
pushed for, and successfully
appealed, after being initially
denied;
¢ First full-time region
president, when he succeeded Bill
McGowan, who later became CSEA
statewide president in 1978;
¢ Chair of the CSEA committee
that studied, then recommended
affiliation with AFSCME, bringing
CSEA into the AFL-CIO labor family;
¢ With others, successfully
advocated a CSEA political action
department to educate and
prepare the membership, and
address and lobby for passage of
CSEA-supported legislation;
¢ Helped launch the Work Force
predecessor, The Public Sector, as
the official CSEA publication,
including the expansion of a
professional communications
department;
¢ Spearheaded CSEA’s
federal issues committee;
¢ Represented CSEA on
the Democratic National
Party committee that
selected the 1988 national
convention site.
Clearly touched by the
outpouring of respect,
affection, gifts and good
wishes, the normally
well-spoken
Lattimer could
hardly say more
than “Thank you
all very much.”
McEntee’s
closing comments
summed it up:
“Well done, Bob.
Well done.”
Photos highlight
Lattimer’s career.
Below, AFSCME President
Gerald McEntee makes a
presentation to Lattimer
at a “roast” and tribute
for his 25 years of
devoted union service.
CEN Executive Assistant to the
President Terry Melvin and President
— Ron Wofford Danny Donohue applaud Lattimer.
Page 18 | THE WORK FORCE Mare
Special election td fill vacant
seats on CSEA’s Statewide
Board of Directors
CSEA will hold a special election to fill Board seats
where no candidate has previously qualified to run.
One vacancy exists in each of the following areas:
Chenango County, Franklin County, Lewis County,
Ontario County, Rockland County, Schoharie County,
Schuyler County, Sullivan County, Tompkins County,
Washington County, Central Region Local Government
Educational. If only one person qualifies as a
candidate for any vacant seat at the end of the
petitioning period, a ballot election will not be
required for that seat. The unopposed candidate will
be deemed elected to office. Please Note: There will
only be this one special election for vacant Board
seats. Any seat not filled by this election cycle will
remain vacant.
The election schedule for the special election
appears below. Election results will be published in
the May, 2000 edition of The Work Force.
March 3, 2000 Deadline for receipt of nominating petitions
at CSEA Headquarters by 5 p.m.
March 30, 2000 Ballots mailed
April 6, 2000 Replacement ballots may be requested if
original not received.
April 20, 2000 Deadline for receipt of ballots by 8 a.m.
May 2000 Election results published in The Work Force
CBTU slates annual convention
Mark your calendar — The Coalition of Black Trade
Unionists (CBTU) plans its 29th annual convention for
May 24 to 29 in Atlanta, Ga.
The official convention call went out in January.
For additional information, contact Portia Given at:
(518) 257-1210.
U.S. Senate candidate Hillary Clinton meets with CSEA
President Danny Donohue recently at CSEA
headquarters. Donohue and Clinton discussed issues
concerning working families as Clinton tours the state in
her campaign.
ps vonn 1000 AFSCME « gp,
STEPPING UP —
The Central Islip
Library Unit has
made some gains
in their new,
three-year
contract, including
salary steps. “Steps have
been my goal from the
beginning,” said Unit President
Grace Perez ... LOCK AND LOAD —
The welfare of the Lynbrook School
District custodians was not
considered when they were
excluded from a district meeting
regarding toxic levels of airborne
lead at a rifle range in the Marion
Street School basement ... IT’S AN
HONOR — CSEA City of Long Beach
Unit President Joe Palazzo was
honored as “Outstanding Civil
Servant” recently by the Rev.
Leonard Bowman and the Awards
Committee. CSEA members from the
Nassau County Municipal Employees
Local and from the Long Beach
Hospital and Nursing Home Local
joined CSEA Long Island Region
President Nick LaMorte at the event
.. NEW RESOURCE — State
employees who work in Westchester
County and the five boroughs of
New York City can now access a
service that provides information on
child and elder care and resources
for a variety of situations including
relocating the family, health issues
and parenting problems. Paid for
with monies allocated to the New
York State Labor-Management Child
Care Advisory Committee, the 24-
hour service provides access to free,
confidential assistance including
personalized telephone consultation,
individualized searches and
referrals, educational materials, tips
on tape and a library by mail. The
pilot program could eventually be
offered to all state employees ...
FIGHTING FOR FINE PRINT — What
you read in the fine print may not be
what you get, unless CSEA gets
involved and union members pull
together. Some workers at the
Sullivan County Board of
Cooperative Educational Services
(BOCES) were severely
shortchanged when they studied
\
265,000 MEMBERS grnoN
“010
their first
paychecks
after a
contract was
ratified. Unit
President Toni
Keesler confronted
administrators, who
quickly paid the money owed
.. POWER FAILURE — A power
outage at Erie County Hall which
caused an evacuation of the building
was the result of a blown fuse and
did not create a danger of potential
cancer-causing PCBs dispersal,
according to John Bieger, CS9EA OSH
specialist. Because the blown fuse is
. adjacent to transformers in the
building, and smoke was emanating
from it, the building was evacuated
before the cause was later
determined ... CHEMICAL SPILL —
About 1,600 state employees
working at the uptown state office
campus in Albany were sent home
without having to charge accruals
following a chemical (Tylene) spill
which affected four buildings ...
NEITHER SNOW NOR SLEET —
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
members marched with PEF
members in a noon rally outside the
facility in a driving snowstorm,
showing their CSEA pride. Region
director Roger Sherrie and Roswell
Local President Brian Madden were
among the speakers ... MEMBERS
HURT — Two CSEA members in a
snowplow near Fort Drum in
northern New York were involved in
an accident when a tractor trailer
struck their rig from behind.
Members Sharon Ferrard and Rich
Sayers were taken to a local hospital
and later released after being treated
for minor cuts and bruises. The cuts
to the back of the head and neck
were sustained when the rear
window of the snowplow was blown
in from the impact ... PEOPLE
PERSON — The PEOPLE recruiter of
the month for January is Pat
Metzger in CSEA’s Metro Region. Pat
has recruited 40 new PEOPLE
members. PEOPLE is AFSCME’s
political action program aimed at
getting friends of working families
elected to Congress.
March 2000
THE WORK FORCE Pope ks)
Al Gore:
9 Bn 7
’re on his si
4 p
pecause ne’s Of Ours,
hen Al Gore says he wants to help
working families, you know he
means it. He is the only candidate
for president who has a consistent
pro-worker record and outlook.
“T think that life or death medical decisions ought not be made by HMO bureaucrats sitting
around a computer terminal.”
LONTRA ING. C
“We don’t have bad people working for government; we have good people trapped in bad
systems. Public employees are not part of the problem; they are part of the solution.”
“I have always been pro-union, pro-worker, pro-collective bargaining, pro-organized labor, and I
always will be. I think it is part of ensuring the dignity of the work force in America.”
INION INITIATIVE
“As part of this administration, | am proud that every time Congress has sent this president an
anti-union measure he has vetoed it, without hesitation, every single time. And with your help,
if they try it after the year 2000, I will veto it. I guarantee it. We won't let anti-union measures
come across the Oval Office desk.”
Quotes are from Vice President Gore's address to delegates at
CSEA’s 89th Annual Delegates Meeting in Washington D.C. on 10/20/99.
ORE has spent his entire career fighting
for working families, as a congressman, as a
senator and as vice president. Let’s help him
keep fighting for us as president. Vote in the
: Democratic Primary March 7.
