• •••
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l i i s i l u c : MomimtlaH m lltctton
Not!£fs and tiittlen sciieM«s f«r
stitiwliU Boart of WriöB«; «WCWS
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Wfftew •
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CiO
THE PUBLIC
; ^'
• • -
Vol. 20 No. 12 DECEMBER 1997
Unions Oppose Constitutional Assembly
By JAMES DAO
— A letter to
s that constitutheir
1 protecting
pri
and j o b s " are in
A labor official
)r tells people that
s could b€ jeoparcommercial darkinents. Gov. Pataki Ites will go up.
fno serious campaign iltlcai machinery
ios were never
Knei
'Brute union force' tied to rejection
of chance to reform state's playbook
)US
polls ct
up the
crunchin!
feat the
In a t
the Civil
from the
were busy
the compu
minal screei
Their targe'
puter from
members sitti
In the
on reaching
the day. By 1,
to phone wori
lunch and it sp
"It's vety ei
as he oversaw
vote efforts froi
ter of CSEA,
Chan 200,000 sta'
workers.
More than e f f i
Vote for the con'
targets were told, a'
be raided and .the
ended. By the end
of some 9,000 union'
dialed by the sophis'
operation — each
convention gloom ani
It was a scene pla;
of union facilities ac:
bor turned to modem i
ery campaign throughd
your supporters to (he
In the end, the oo
cent to 38 percent.
The overwhelming def(
Lion, which would have
delegates in 1999 to coi
playbook for state and
to mostly to a sin^e
While opposition leaders
a big tent coalition, all sides'
Her poiis — the convcntio:
passed were it not for the ini
labor um'ons. It didn't hurt
doing everything to get their
the voter turnout was extre
state. Moreover, the union mein
their unions, had a reason to get
of what a convention oould do.
go before the
located just
v i c t o r y iT^
etfor
T r o y cou^
last
letrvoi
äCOTVil
.cided advautf
ge represer
feated cha^
d Marli
,ryT»ylor-r
He Dem J
But if there is a single lesson in Tuesday's election, it is that, despite any diminishment on the national front, organized labor in New York — with its
2.3 million members — can still be a potent political
force.
'"Tlieir organization and effort was dcdsive," said
Gerald Benjamin, a political scientist at the State
University of New York and a convention backer.
elections
Mmpaign
s u c c e S
m ConCon
defeat
The Associated
State wit!
JTV
no COP test^
Multiple factors in^
eluding voter distrust and an e L n ALBANY -
on if voter tilt
because early pol Tuesday — whic
convention winning.
esldea the conven
^t's quite expensive," Golfocal offices are ui
"I Just don't have the p It districts.
le unions have. Well, I mea xience of labor'
f l wasn't willing to spend it.' jssas" " " " " —*
feeleclSpano
months
Press
m the finai days, combined to S i New
York s const tutional convent"" prT
posal, analysts - - -
ANALYSIS
Council of Semor Citizens. Planning
by the coalition to defeat the consSfu^
^ o n a j convention began in e a m ^
months ago, A bl
xtUm
thanks
to " ^
«S »«»Ion
J ^ ntpwri«» toum
lie««»Tbert *»»
orS
03
SlADO
[with to/
tOfl
cuttip«
f t «»10" I
S n e w e r
I
SP»««
TesuUiUiliod
fdn't
kted."
I (drinS
not
jnty.
union work fWHj^WWi locally
With 98 percent of the vote tallied in Eric County,
the measure lost 124,600 to 78,500.
In the end, the unions' power in the vote offered
a simple lesson
"The lesson is money and organization beats no
money and no organization," ^aid Blair Homer, a
lobbyist with the New York Public Interest Research
Group.
1
SttMUS
»
Tt^'^'
Always protect your membership
status
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:
6 seeking or holding union office;
O signing nominating petitions for potential
candidates;
O voting in union elections, and;
O voting on collective bargaining contracts.
Only members "in good standing" can
participate in these activities. To be in "good
i
ve got the
ADVANTAGE
It pays to be a
CSEA member!
standing," your dues cannot be delinquent.
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
EBF Prescription Drug Plan transition smooth;
Mail Service Pharmacy turnaround normalizing
HEAT heating fuel benefit
can save you cash
*CSEA m e m b e r s are n o w eligible to j o i n
HEAT, A m e r i c a ' s largest fuel buying group.
H E A T members use their combined buying power to get
deep discounts and high-quality service.
Join HEAT and you'll receive:
^ A lifetime free full-service contract.
^ An average savings of $300 per one-family home.
-k Emergency service, maintenance and annual
cleanings from a local, full-service company.
Membership is only $25 per year,
and CSEA members get an additional year FREE!
Be sure to mention
your CSEA affiliation when you call
1 - 8 0 0 - 6 6 0 - H E A T (4328)
* The HEAT program is currently available to residents in all 5 boroughs of New
York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Putnam counties.
THE
PUBLIC
Official publication of
The Civil Service Employees
Association, Inc. Local 1000, AFSCME,
AFL-CIO
143 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12210-2303
Danny Donohue, President
STEPHEN A. MADARASZ,
Communications Director & Publisher
STANLEY HORNAK,
Asst. Director of Communications
ROGER A. COLE. Editor
KATHLEEN DALY, Associate Editor
CATHLEEN HORTON
Graphic Design & Support Services
RALPH DISTIN, Graphic Artist
JANICE NUSBAUM
Communications Production Coordinator
Page 2 • The Public Sector • December 1997-
status for a period not to exceed one year.
Note, however, you must continue to pay
dues to run for office. Dues-free 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.
The October transition of the CSEA Employee Benefit Fund's
Prescription Drug Plan to ValueRx went smoothly, but some questions
still apparently linger in the minds of some members.
A frequently asked question concerns the new ValueRx ID card.
CSEA members enrolled in the EBF's State or Local
Government Prescription Drug plans received
ValueRx cards printed on 8.5" x 5.5" coated paper
stock. They are different from the old plastic cards
AFSCME Local 1000,AfL-aO
EMRLOVEE
previously used and should be saved — they are not
BENEFIT FUND
just temporary cards. In fact, the cards themselves
are not required to fill a prescription at your
pharmacy. Eligible and enrolled members covered by the prescription
plans need only give the pharmacist their Social Security number so
they can confirm your status in the system.
Part of the adjustment to a new plan provider is the construction of
patient profiles at ValueRx. Members were required to get new
prescriptions from their doctors since, legally, prescriptions could not
be simply transferred from the old provider to the new one. Large
numbers of new prescriptions and establishing patient histories tend
to delay the normal turnaround time for filling and shipping orders.
Once information has been added to the files the turnaround time for
the Mail Service Pharmacy should settle into the targeted three-day
period plus mail time.
If you have any questions concerning your prescriptions or the
status of an order, call the toll-free 24-hour ValueRx consultation line
at 1-888-435-4338.
The Public Sector (USPS 0445-010) is published monthly by The Civil Service Employees Association.
Publication Office; 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
Second Class Postage paid at Post Office, Albany, New York 12288.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Civil Service Employees Association,
Attn: Membership Department, 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12210.
CSEA on line: The CSEA web site can be accessed at www.cseainc.org
Readers: Send any comments, complaints, siifJ^Jcstions or ideas to:
Publisher, The Public Sector, 143 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210-2303.
SHEKYL C. JENKS
LILLY GIOIA
ANITA MANLEY
DAN CAMPBELL
MARK M. KOTZIN
COMMUNICATIONS
ASSOCIATES
Long Island Region
RON WOFFORD
(516) 462-0030
Metropolitan Region
ED MOLITOR
(212) 406-2156
Southern Region
(914) 831-1000
Capital Region
(518) 785-4400
Central Region
(315) 433-0050
Western Region
(716) 886-0391
Headquarters
(518) 257-1272
S
The Public Sector Committee
LONG ISLAND REGION John C. Shepherd
CAPITAL REGION Marguerite Stanley
METROPOLITAN REGION Jimmy Gripper, Chairman
CENTRAL REGION Bruce Damali
SOUTHERN REGION Diane Hewitt
WESTERN REGION James V. Kurtz
Election results
reaffirm CSEA as
political powerhouse
Election D a y results reaffirmed C S E A ' s
p o s i t i o n a s a p o w e r f u l f o r c e in N e w Y o r k
s t a t e p o l i t i c s at e v e r y level.
r'^nccsitK
C S E A ' s e f f o r t s w e r e a k e y f a c t o r in the
d e f e a t of a C o n s t i t u t i o n a l
Convention
p r o p o s i t i o n , s p e a r h e a d e d the e l e c t i o n of a
D e m o c r a t i c c o u n t y e x e c u t i v e in G o v .
G e o r g e P a t a k i ' s b a c k y a r d , l e d t h e w a y in
A
uuy
t h e e l e c t i o n of a n e w c o u n t y e x e c u t i v e a n d
zcoNvmnoN
a c h a n g e in c o n t r o l of t h e l e g i s l a t u r e in
a n o t h e r c o u n t y a n d h e l p e d elect m o r e
t h a n 9 0 p e r c e n t of its e n d o r s e d
^^511111111
candidates
in h u n d r e d s of l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t e l e c t i o n s
a c r o s s the state.
Frank Mauro, executive director of the Fiscal
Policy Institute, speaks against a
Constitutional Convention during a press
conference prior to Election Day. Voters went
on to reject the proposal.
CSEA educates the voters
V o t e r s r e j e c t e d the C o n s t i t u t i o n a l
C o n v e n t i o n p r o p o s a l in a h e a t e d e l e c t i o n
in w h i c h C S E A m a i n t a i n e d a h i g h l y v i s i b l e
l e a d e r s h i p p o s i t i o n in a l a r g e c o a l i t i o n of
o r g a n i z a t i o n s o p p o s e d to a C o n v e n t i o n .
" C S E A activists a n d m e m b e r s c a n take
Westchester County AFL-CIO campaign on
p r i d e in t h e i r e f f o r t s to e d u c a t e p e o p l e a n d
S p a n o ' s b e h a l f . A small T e a m s t e r s office s e r v e d a s
get o u t the vote for w h a t w a s right," C S E A
a "war room" staffed by CSEA, Teamsters,
President D a n n y D o n o h u e said. " O u r
Firefighters, S E I U , C W A , N Y S U T a n d Local
efforts c o n v i n c e d voters that n o matter
activists.
Yonkers
1199
w h a t t h e p r o b l e m s of N e w Y o r k s t a t e
Labor To Neighbor pays dividends
g o v e r n m e n t , a C o n s t i t u t i o n a l C o n v e n t i o n is n o t t h e w a y to s o l v e t h e m . "
C S E A , t h e A F L - C I O a n d the c o a l i t i o n o r g a n i z a t i o n s h a m m e r e d a w a y o n
the t h e m e that a " C o n - C o n " w o u l d h a v e b e e n too costly, w o u l d h a v e b e e n
A u n i q u e " L a b o r T o N e i g h b o r " c a m p a i g n , w i t h u n i o n activists g o i n g d o o r t o - d o o r to c o n t a c t o t h e r u n i o n f a m i l i e s a n d p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i o n , d e l i v e r e d
r u n b y political i n s i d e r s a n d w o u l d h a v e t h r e a t e n e d a
exceptional r e s u l t s in targeted c o m m u n i t i e s .
w i d e v a r i e t y of p r o t e c t i o n s w i t h o u t a n y g u a r a n t e e s of
i n s t a n c e , C S E A a c t i v i s t s t a r g e t e d u n i o n f a m i l i e s in
i m p r o v e m e n t s in s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t o p e r a t i o n s .
Among
p r o t e c t i o n s t h r e a t e n e d w e r e the r i g h t s of p u b l i c
e m p l o y e e s to o r g a n i z e a n d p u b l i c e m p l o y e e
pensions.
A rousing victory in Pataki's backyard
In a r o u s i n g v i c t o r y in W e s t c h e s t e r C o u n t y ,
CSEA
s p e a r h e a d e d t h e e l e c t i o n of A n d r e w S p a n o a s t h e n e w
county executive, defeating a P a t a k i - b a c k e d
candidate
in t h e G o v e r n o r ' s h o m e a r e a .
Westchester C o u n t y C S E A Local 860's offices w e r e
a s t a g i n g a r e a for telephone b a n k s ,
literature
d i s t r i b u t i o n a n d c a m p a i g n - r e l a t e d activities f o r w e e k s
*CSEA activists
and members
can take pride in
their efforts to
educate people and
get out the vote../
l e a d i n g u p to S p a n o ' s e l e c t i o n . C S E A v o l u n t e e r s ,
G r e e n b u r g h , w h e r e voters w e n t for S p a n o b y a better
t h a n 2 to 1 ratio.
O n Long Island, C S E A - b a c k e d
incumbent T h o m a s Gulotta w a s
Republican
overwhelmingly
elected N a s s a u C o u n t y executive.
I n a n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t r a c e , C S E A w e n t all o u t to
h e l p D e m o c r a t M a r k T h o m a s take the c o u n t y
e x e c u t i v e s e a t in C h a u t a u q u a C o u n t y a n d t h e
D e m o c r a t s to t a k e o v e r a m a j o r i t y of s e a t s in t h e
county legislature.
In R e n s s e l a e r C o u n t y , in a n o t h e r h i g h p r o f i l e r a c e ,
C S E A ' s b a c k i n g w a s a b i g f a c t o r in the e l e c t i o n of
R e p u b l i c a n K e n B r u n o a s c o u n t y district attorney.
i n c l u d i n g a c o r e g r o u p of l o c a l a n d c o u n t y u n i t s h o p
s t e w a r d s a n d C o n g r e s s of N u r s e s A i d e s c h a p t e r m e m b e r s , m a d e
For
"The election r e s u l t s w e r e a t r e m e n d o u s victory for
thousands
u s , a n d h a v e r e i n f o r c e d l a b o r ' s p o s i t i o n a s a p o w e r h o u s e in N e w Y o r k s t a t e , "
of c a l l s to u n i o n h o u s e h o l d s in the c o u n t y a n d d i s t r i b u t e d S p a n o l i t e r a t u r e
D o n o h u e s a i d . "I t h a n k e v e r y a c t i v i s t w h o w o r k e d o n t h e c a m p a i g n s
at s h o p p i n g m a l l s a n d e l s e w h e r e . C S E A w a s a l e a d e l e m e n t of t h e
every m e m b e r w h o voted for h e l p i n g m a k e this victory p o s s i b l e . "
COMING IN
How Civilian CSEA worl(ers at Moliawl( Correctional
JANUARY IN
THE PUBLIC Facility, and others from nearby facilities, went above
SECTOR
and beyond the normal 'call of duty to help keep the
THE
situation in check following an inmate uprising.
UNTOLD STORY
COVER STORY
and
Westchester unit part of Local 860
A n a r t i c l e in the N o v e m b e r e d i t i o n a b o u t a
L a b o r D a y II p r o t e s t in W e s t c h e s t e r
County
i n a d v e r t e n t l y listed the incorrect C S E A local
number. The Westchester County Unit
m e m b e r s a r e a u n i t of W e s t c h e s t e r
County
C S E A L o c a l 8 6 0 . C h e r y l M e l t o n is p r e s i d e n t
of b o t h the C S E A c o u n t y u n i t a n d L o c a l 8 6 0 .
Jtie Public Sector • December 1997 • Page 3
Activist using iabor-management process to
encourage members to get more invoived
Like m a n y C S E A activists. H i g h
P e a k s Local 0 1 7 S h o p
Steward
i m p o r t a n t to c h a n g e
m e m b e r s to b e c o m e m u c h
p e r c e p t i o n s s o m e m e m b e r s h a v e of
more
i n v o l v e d in t h e i r u n i o n . H e h o p e s a
ttate Q l l h ^
^Ituselr^y-iTOpe
p r o c e s s h e will n o t file a n y p e r s o n a l
m e e t i n g s to t h e l o c a l ' s
committee
DFY
f i n e , they'll b e i m p l e m e n t e d a s s o o n
a s p o s s i b l e . If t h e y ' r e v o t e d d o w n ,
^pod^^^ootvrork^^
p r o b l e m s t h r o u g h the l a b o r -
u s e d to d e v e l o p a l t e r n a t i v e
management
in a n y w a y f r o m t r y i n g t h i s
m a n a g e m e n t b u s i n e s s , b u t the
approach. They are just standing
H i g h P e a k s L o c a l is u n i q u e
back watching w h a t happens," said
and
their votes for or a g a i n s t v a r i o u s
C l i n t o n a n d E s s e x c o u n t i e s in
i t e m s , to s h o w t h e m h o w i n v o l v e d
n o r t h e r n N e w Y o r k . M e m b e r s a r e in
t h e y s h o u l d b e . A n d I b e l i e v e they'll
the A d i r o n d a c k P a r k A g e n c y , the
see j u s t h o w really involved
D e p a r t m e n t of E n v i r o n m e n t a l
is in h e l p i n g t h e m r e s o l v e
C o n s e r v a t i o n a n d the f o r m e r
p r o b l e m s , i m p r o v e their worksites,
Division for Youth.
etc. I r e a l l y w a n t t h e m e m b e r s to
"We're pretty s p r e a d out here, so
s t a y o u t of t r o u b l e , a f e w m o r e
p o s i t i v e life s k i l l s . "
Adirondack Wilderness
o r t h e i n n e r s e c t o r s of N e w Y o r k
C h a l l e n g e E x p e r i e n c e is a u n i q u e ,
E x p e r i e n c e t h e b o y s m u s t l e a r n to
f u n c t i o n a s a t e a m . E v e n t u a l l y , all of
"Sometimes we hear about a boy
t h i s t r a i n i n g l e a d s to the u l t i m a t e
that p a y s decent w a g e s or getting
married. But sometimes we also
P e a k s State E m p l o y e e s Local 0 1 7
the A d i r o n d a c k P a r k w i l d e r n e s s .
learn about a sadder ending."
a s s i g n e d to the
p r o g r a m the skills
they h o p e f u l l y will u s e
to c h a n g e the
d i r e c t i o n of t h e i r
y o u n g lives.
"We don't go a r o u n d
s m e l l i n g the f l o w e r s or
h u g g i n g trees here,"
says Kimmel, a former
Marine and former
Army
*We teach
them basic
things ...
how to live
in the real
world.*
program
itself b u i l d s t h e
individual's self i m a g e , "
Kimmel says.
"During
Kimmel says.
" W h o k n o w s w h a t their f u t u r e
c h o i c e s will b e o r w h a t t o m o r r o w will
h o l d in s t o r e f o r t h e m a f t e r t h e y
that 22 d a y s the b o y s
g r a d u a t e f r o m this p r o g r a m . "
h a v e got to p u t
K i m m e l s a y s . "It's u p to t h e m . T h e
everything together
r i g h t c h o i c e c a n l e a d to a f u t u r e
that they h a v e l e a r n e d .
o u t s i d e of p r i s o n w a l l s . H o w e v e r , the
There are no w a r m i n g
w r o n g c h o i c e c o u l d l e a d to a l o n g e r
h u t s , n o c a b i n s — it's
s t a y in a m a x i m u m s e c u r i t y facility."
t e n t s a n d the
elements."
"They have so m u c h
a n g e r i n s i d e of t h e m , "
recruiting
A s the wall c l i m b e r c h a n g e s b a c k
into c a m p c l o t h i n g , h e r e v e a l s t h a t
he h a s b e e n before a j u d g e for
s e n t e n c i n g five t i m e s .
officer. " O u r Job is to g i v e a
s a y s C S E A m e m b e r B r u c e Carter, a
d e l i n q u e n t s t r u c t u r e a n d s k i l l s to
D F Y Y D A II. " W e try to t e a c h t h e m
m o n t h s in m a x i m u m s e c u r i t y . " the
not o n l y s u r v i v e in the w i l d e r n e s s
h o w to c o n t r o l that a n g e r ; h o w to
y o u t h f u l o f f e n d e r s a y s . " T h i s is t h e
b u t to d e v e l o p life s k i l l s a l s o .
d e a l w i t h reality ... B y the t i m e t h e y
best e x p e r i e n c e ever."
" W e teach tliem b a s i c tilings; h o w
to c h a n n e l t h e i r a n g e r , h o w to live in
g r a d u a t e o u t of h e r e , h o p e f u l l y t h e y
h a v e a f e w m o r e tools to h e l p t h e m
Page 4 • December 1997 • The Public'Sector
— Daniel X. Campbell
g o i n g o n to c o l l e g e , o r g e t t i n g a j o b
e x p e r i e n c e , a 2 2 - d a y expedition into
troubled clients
t h e m , all of t h e m . "
year.
t o u g h f o u r - m o n t h p r o g r a m for D F Y
" T h e overall
r e a l i z e t h a t C S E A is h e r e to s e r v e
D F Y monitors the w i l d e r n e s s
c l i e n t s . C S E A m e m b e r s of H i g h
teach youthful,
CSEA
experience g r a d u a t e s for a b o u t a
T o s u c c e e d in t h e W i l d e r n e s s
Wilderness
K i m m e l . " P e r h a p s t h i s will b u i l d
s o l i d a r i t y . I'll u s e t h e f e e d b a c k ,
186 m e m b e r s s p r e a d o u t o v e r
t h e o p e n s p a c e s of the A d i r o n d a c k s
The Adirondack
process.
"Management hasn't stopped me
n o r m a l w a y of d o i n g l a b o r -
t h e r e a l w o r l d , w h e t h e r t h a t w o r l d is
underway.
A n d t h a t , h e h o p e s , will g e t m o r e
C S E A a n d in r e s o l v i n g t h e i r
C S E A High Peaks Local 017 h a s
City," Kimmel says.
issues," Kimmel said.
K i m m e l s a i d . " T h o s e r e a s o n s will b e
s m i l e s s i l e n t l y to h i m s e l f . A n o t h e r
Challenge
concerns, not s o m e individual's
r e a s o n s are for the n o vote,"
to s u r v e y t h e m e m b e r s b y g e t t i n g to
E x p e r i e n c e s u c c e s s s t o r y is
" T h a t w a y the m e m b e r s c a n see
D F Y m e m b e r s a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d in
I d o a lot of t e l e p h o n e c a l l i n g . I try
Kimmel, a C S E A shop steward,
issues
t h a t c o u l d a p p e a r to b e s e l f - s e r v i n g .
I'll a s k f o r i n p u t o n w h a t t h e
requires a different a p p r o a c h . "
^ ^^
grievances or raise personal
u s e d to a d d r e s s t h e i r collective
"If t h e m e m b e r s v o t e t h e m in,
s o l u t i o n s . I k n o w it's n o t t h e
^
labor-management
how labor-management can be
m e m b e r s h i p f o r a vote.
"pij^ie, ^t&n't give
Kiep g o i i ^ you're
p^tosf to stopntiow!^
^
statement of
sifpii'ort pushes the
youth ever higher.
"I'm over the top!"
t^e youth screams
makes% to the top.
-äfö'it, man, I dj
He said that a s long as he's
achieve that.
from labor-management
np
their u n i o n .
i n v o l v e d in t h e
H e p r o m i s e s to b r i n g b a c k all of
lltiintoerebho off t h ^ ]
' j»ur£ace of the 30
high wall.i'Tlnd with
boost th^ 14-year-o
youth starts the
^hallenj^e by pull
incorrect
l a b o r - m a n a g e m e n t i s s u e s will h e l p
t h e t e n t a t i v e r e s o l u t i o n s of i s s u e s
ii^tBiktiM^
K i m m e l s a y s h e t h i n k s it's
D a v e K i m m e l w o u l d like h i s l o c a l
u n i q u e i d e a to g e t t h e i r i n p u t o n
life is
t h e m one w a y or another," he said.
'This program sure beats
18
— Daniel X. Campbell
Dave Kimmel, left, walks through
the Adirondack woods back to
camp with 14-year-old boy who
just tested his courage and
determination by scaling a 30-foot
high wall.
The unbelievable case of Theresa Grant
A good worker fired
because management
concealed the truth
WESTBURY
-
Theresa Grant was
a n d questioned them.
a good employee with good
C S E A S U N Y Old W e s t b u r y Local
e v a l u a t i o n s at S U N Y O l d W e s t b u r y .
618 President B o b C a r n e y said he
S o m u c h so that after nearly nine
believes the p r e s i d e n t w a s n e v e r
y e a r s o n the j o b , s h e w a s a s k e d to
m a d e a w a r e of t h e e x t r a
take on additional
compensation arrangement
housekeeping
because
d u t i e s at t h e O l d W e s t b u r y
her administrators did not w a n t her
p r e s i d e n t ' s h o u s e in a d d i t i o n to h e r
to r e a l i z e t h e y n e e d e d to o f f e r a n
r e g u l a r c u s t o d i a l shift.
i n c e n t i v e to e m p l o y e e s to w o r k a s
her housekeeper.
S o it c a m e a s a c o m p l e t e s h o c k
s e v e n m o n t h s later w h e n G r a n t w a s
Five o t h e r e m p l o y e e s w h o w o r k e d
b r o u g h t u p o n c h a r g e s of t h e f t of
a s h o u s e k e e p e r s at the p r e s i d e n t ' s
services a n d fired for a c c e p t i n g
h o u s e since 1992 said they h a d
overtime p a y for the extra
received the s a m e overtime
h o u s e k e e p i n g duties.
c o m p e n s a t i o n a n d t h a t all
A f t e r all, S U N Y O l d W e s t b u r y
arrangements were made
D i r e c t o r of P e r s o n n e l A l i c e T. C o n e
through
Cone.
h e r s e l f told G r a n t s h e w o u l d r e c e i v e
t h r e e h o u r s of o v e r t i m e
A n d G r a n t ' s b o s s a n d the S U N Y
vice p r e s i d e n t a l s o s a i d t h e y w e r e
c o m p e n s a t i o n for the m o r n i n g
a w a r e of t h e a r r a n g e m e n t .
CSEA
h o u s e k e e p i n g w o r k p r i o r to h e r
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s t e s t i f i e d the
n o r m a l c u s t o d i a l s h i f t in t h e
university h a d
a f t e r n o o n s . S e v e n m o n t h s l a t e r it
c o m p e n s a t i o n for w o r k at the
w a s Cone w h o brought charges
president's h o u s e the s a m e w a y for
a g a i n s t G r a n t . A n d , incredibly, the
other personnel administrators
problems, Grant
who
f a i l e d to t a k e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e
housekeeping
compensation
a r r a n g e m e n t a n d i n s t e a d a l l o w e d the
told the p r e s i d e n t
b e c a u s e of all t h e s n o w r e m o v a l
D'Antonio.
e x p e n s e s t h e m o n e y c a m e o u t of t h e
President Nick L a M o r t e said he got
president q u e s t i o n e d the
Assemblymember David Sidikmann
expenditures a n d C o n e w a s not
i n v o l v e d a n d a s k e d h i m to i n t e r v e n e
f o r t h c o m i n g with the truth," s a i d
on Grant's behalf.
"I a l w a y s w o r k e d h a r d a n d t h e
h e r a t t o r n e y in A l b a n y ! " L a M o r t e
with me. I think s h e is p u n i s h i n g m e
said.
b e c a u s e I w a n t e d to l e a v e
m e m b e r s a n d supporters are keeping
daughter. S h e trained s o m e o n e else
compensation deal m a d e by
the i s s u e alive w i t h a recent
to d o t h e h o u s e k e e p i n g w o r k .
p e r s o n n e l , " s a i d G r a n t , w h o is six
h o u r r a l l y in G r a n t ' s
A s G r a n t w a s r e a d y to g o b a c k to
o n c h a r g e s of t h e f t of s e r v i c e s .
activist
c o u r t e o u s m e m b e r of S u n m o u n t ' s
m o n t h s s h o r t of b e i n g v e s t e d f o r h e r
M e m b e r s a l s o h a v e r a i s e d f u n d s to
help her out.
" T h e r e s a G r a n t is a g o o d w o r k e r
work
f o r c e a n d is a n e x c e l l e n t role m o d e l f o r
t r e a t m e n t a i d e 11 a n d t r e a s u r e r of C S E A
those a r o u n d h i m , " the committee said.
"They o b v i o u s l y m a d e the right
campus
E m p l o y e e of the Y e a r in the
c h o i c e . M i k e is a v e r y p o p u l a r i n d i v i d u a l
w i t h the clients, a n d he's b e e n
category.
i n s t r u m e n t a l in i m p l e m e n t i n g a n u m b e r
A c c o r d i n g to a s t a t e m e n t b y t h e
of p r o g r a m s d e a l i n g w i t h the p e o p l e w e
s e l e c t i o n c o m m i t t e e , m a d e u p of l a b o r
serve," C S E A Local 431
and management, McCarthy was
M a r c u s M a m b y said. "We're definitely
chosen
f o r h i s a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s o n the j o b , a s
well a s the e x a m p l e he sets for others.
"In e a c h location he h a s d o n e a n
outstanding job, always promoting a
p o s i t i v e a t m o s p h e r e a n d h e l p i n g to k e e p
m o r a l e h i g h in h i s c o - w o r k e r s , " it r e a d .
President
p r o u d to h a v e h i m a s a n a c t i v i s t in t h e
local. H e ' s d o i n g a n e x c e l l e n t j o b a s a n
officer."
" I ' m v e r y p r o u d a n d h o n o r e d — 1 like
w h a t I d o a n d I ' m p l e a s e d a n d p r o u d of
what I do," M c C a r t h y said. "This w a s
just a bonus."
—
— Sheryl C. Jenks
a n d a g o o d p e r s o n . It is u n b e l i e v a b l e
Michael McCarthy, a secure care
S u n m o u n t D D S O Local 431, w a s
lunch
support.
pension.
CSEA activist Sunmount employee of the year
"Mike has always been a kind and
The binding arbitration decision
e m b a r r a s s e d to l e a r n a b o u t t h e
A m a z i n g l y , the c a s e w a s l o s t in
Supervisor/Manager
p r e s i d e n t r e f u s e d a n d told m e to call
president h a d no problems
s p e n d m o r e time w i t h h e r y o u n g
her regular job. Cone brought her u p
recently h o n o r e d a s S u n m o u n t ' s
"I a s k e d h i m to a s k t h e u n i v e r s i t y
p r e s i d e n t f o r a j o i n t m e e t i n g b u t the
limits options, b u t C S E A Local
l e a r n e d a b o u t the overtime p a y m e n t s
CSEA
C S E A Long Island Region 1
president's a c c o u n t . W e think the
the h o u s e a n d b e c a u s e s h e w a s
i n a p p r o p r i a t e after the p r e s i d e n t
TUPPER LAKE -
CSEA
Local 6 1 8 First Vice President M a r y
s h e w a s e x h a u s t e d a n d n e e d e d to
u n i v e r s i t y p r e s i d e n t to b e l i e v e t h e
overtime p a y m e n t s were
a b o u t the c o m p e n s a t i o n , " s a i d
o u t of a d i f f e r e n t a c c o u n t . T h a t y e a r ,
Larry Borst.
After seven months without any
C S E A c o n t e n d s it w a s C o n e a n d
the university p e r s o n n e l a r e lying
"In the p a s t this m o n e y h a d c o m e
C S E A L a b o r Relations Specialist
handled
years.
university fired G r a n t .
binding arbitration.
Mark M. Kotzin
OMRDD activists voice concerns - Page 14
Info Days help
spread the
union message
CSEA State Employees
Local 016 President Tom
Byrne, right, gives one of
his Medford Department
of Motor Vehicles
members a Disney
discount pass at a recent
CSEA Member Benefits
Fair. Byrne has
conducted union
information days all
across Long Island this
year. "CSEA offers so
much to our members
and we want them to
know about every benefit
of membership," Byrne
said.
The Public Sector' EDi^fember 1997 • Page 5
Members win $125,000 harassment case
FLORAL PARK -
C S E A r e f u s e d to a l l o w a
p a t t e r n of m a n a g e m e n t h a r a s s m e n t a n d
u s i n g a p a r t - t i m e f o o d s e r v i c e w o r k e r to
abuse
p e r f o r m duties a n d receive training
t h a t r e s u l t e d in f i r i n g s at a L o n g I s l a n d s c h o o l
L o u g h n a n w a s s l a t e d for, h e h a r a s s e d
d i s t r i c t to g o u n c h a l l e n g e d .
her, s c r e a m i n g a n d r a n t i n g o v e r t h e
A s a result, Floral P a r k / B e l l e r o s e
telephone w h i l e s h e w a s at h e r other j o b ,
School
she said.
District employees Kate S u a u a n d L i n d a
L o u g h n a n recently w e r e a w a r d e d $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0
and
"This w a s the tyrannical w a y Kenney
$ 2 5 , 0 0 0 respectively after C S E A took the district
d e a l t w i t h t h e w o m e n in t h e d i s t r i c t , " s a i d
to c o u r t f o r l a y i n g o f f b o t h w o m e n a f t e r t h e y f i l e d
C S E A Attorney Louis Stober.
harassment
charges.
After L o u g h n a n a n d S u a u
S o o n after S u a u b e g a n w o r k i n g for the district
went
t o g e t h e r to t a l k to M c D o n a l d , t h i n g s g o t
in 1 9 8 6 , s h e w a s e l e c t e d p r e s i d e n t of t h e C S E A
w o r s e . T h e d u t i e s of b o t h w o m e n w e r e
Clerical Unit.
significantly reduced, a n d S u a u
" T h e r e w a s little t r o u b l e , a n d w h e n t h e r e w a s ,
w e w e r e a b l e to w o r k it o u t , " S u a u s a i d . " T h e
W h e n S u a u got a complaint from
d i s t r i c t w a s a p l e a s a n t p l a c e to w o r k , "
a n o t h e r u n i o n m e m b e r , s h e filed a
T h a t w a s until the district h i r e d M a r k
Kenney
a s b u s i n e s s m a n a g e r in 1 9 9 0 , B e f o r e l o n g ,
says, Kenney b e g a n harassing S u a u
was
restricted f r o m u s i n g the n e w computer.
CSEA
with
h a r a s s m e n t c l a i m w i t h the E q u a l
Employment Opportunity
T h e p a t t e r n of a b u s e
sarcastic, m o c k i n g tones, s m i r k s a n d belittling
Commission.
CSEA Attorney Louis Stober, left, and CSEA Labor
Relations Specialist Harold Krangle raise the arms of
Kate Suau in celebration of their victory and teamwork.
worsened:
K e n n e y f a l s e l y a c c u s e d S u a u of l a t e n e s s
comments.
and insubordination; McDonald
A t t h e s a m e time, m o r e a n d m o r e of K e n n e y ' s
cornered
L o u g h n a n , a m e m b e r of t h e C S E A
p e r s o n a l b u s i n e s s w a s c o n d u c t e d f r o m the school,
grievance committee, a n d questioned her a b o u t
S u a u said. He also u s e d school staff
the E E O C c h a r g e ; a n d K e n n e y took a w a y S u a u ' s
inappropriately, she alleged.
s u m m e r h o u r s , a b e n e f i t s h e h a d r e c e i v e d f o r five
In O c t o b e r 1 9 9 1 , S u a u first f o r m a l l y
S u a u w a s t o l d to t r a i n t h e n e w r e c e p t i o n i s t .
harassment. W h e n Kenney's behavior escalated,
" T h e y w a n t e d m e to t r a i n m y r e p l a c e m e n t , " s h e
assured
h e r h e w o u l d t a k e c a r e of it.
s a i d , " e v e n t h o u g h I w a s n o t l o o k i n g to l e a v e m y
C S E A t o o k t h e c a s e a n d w o n t h e s e t t l e m e n t of
j o b s , b u t the v i n d i c a t i o n of t h e c o u r t v i c t o r y w a s
important.
" T h i s s e t t l e m e n t is a t r e m e n d o u s victory f o r
Right before a grievance meeting,
b e e n t r a i n e d to t a k e .
" T h e y definitely p a s s e d m e over a s
punishment
said.
Loughnan
duties
C S E A , these two w o m e n a n d the w o m e n
who
w a s t o l d h e r p o s i t i o n w a s a b o l i s h e d a n d to l e a v e
remain working with Kenney a n d
the p r e m i s e s .
C S E A L o n g Island Region President Nick LaMorte
" L o u g h n a n w a s terminated because she joined
In w h a t w a s to b e c o m e a p a t t e r n , S u a u ' s
her
abolished.
$ 1 2 5 , 0 0 0 . B o t h w o m e n h a v e m o v e d o n to o t h e r
job."
S u a u w a s then p a s s e d over for a j o b s h e h a d
for m y complaints," S u a u
In D e c e m b e r 1993, M c D o n a l d told S u a u
position w a s
y e a r s , p r o m p t i n g C S E A to file a g r i e v a n c e . T h e n
c o m p l a i n e d to M c D o n a l d a b o u t K e n n e y ' s
S u a u r e t u r n e d to M c D o n a l d , w h o a g a i n
despite M c D o n a l d ' s overt negative c o m m e n t s .
S u a u in c o m p l a i n i n g a b o u t t h e a b u s e
McDonald,"
said.
"This w a s a difficult a n d c o m p l i c a t e d situation
and
w e r e reduced, particularly her specialties,
b e c a u s e s h e w a s a m e m b e r of t h e g r i e v a n c e
yet C S E A w a s b e h i n d u s all t h e w a y , " S u a u
computer work and accounts payable.
committee," Stober said. "Clearly her termination
" I ' m m o r e t h a n h a p p y to s h o u t it f r o m t h e h i g h e s t
w a s p a r t of M c D o n a l d ' s a t t e m p t to i m p r o p e r l y
r o o f t o p s t h a t C S E A is w o n d e r f u l ! "
L i n d a L o u g h n a n , w o r k i n g in 1 9 9 2 a s a
provisional full-time statistical clerk, s a i d s h e
i n f l u e n c e the g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e a n d the
b e g a n to e x p e r i e n c e s i m i l a r p r o b l e m s .
committee."
W h e n she complained because Kenney was
-
It's b e e n a t h o r n in t h e
s i d e of F u l t o n C o u n t y I n f i r m a r y e m p l o y e e s
a l m o s t forever.
e m p l o y m e n t w i t h the c o u n t y .
Fulton County 818 Local
" T h i s w a s o n l y a n i s s u e in t h e I n f i r m a r y
w h e r e m a n a g e m e n t w a s calling their o w n
with the county, b u t their d e p a r t m e n t a l
shots," she said. " B u t n o w 250
seniority w o u l d b e zero, a n d they w o u l d
a t t h e facility d o n ' t h a v e to f i g h t a n y m o r e
h a v e to b e g i n at t h e b o t t o m s t e p a g a i n f o r
o v e r t h i s i s s u e . It h a s b e e n r e s o l v e d in
v a c a t i o n s c h e d u l i n g , etc.
their favor."
members
Infirmary Unit President R o b i n Collier
s a i d the s e t t l e m e n t h e l p s m e m b e r s
within one department, for e x a m p l e , going
w a n t to m o v e a h e a d .
N o w t h a t p r a c t i c e is h i s t o r y ,
and
who
" W e h a d lots of w o m e n s t a r t a s a
n u r s e s a i d e t h e n s p e n d t h e i r o w n t i m e to
e m p l o y e e s k e e p t h e i r s e n i o r i t y f r o m j o b to
b e c o m e a l i c e n s e d p r a c t i c a l n u r s e o n l y to
j o b a n d d e p a r t m e n t to d e p a r t m e n t .
l o s e t h e i r title s e n i o r i t y a n d e n d u p o n t h e
T h e s o l u t i o n c a m e in t h e s e t t l e m e n t of a
g r i e v a n c e C S E A filed f o r m e m b e r
Susan
Gehrig's
D i s e a s e ) in 1 9 9 5 . R e c e n t l y , h e w a s f o r c e d to retire.
A f a t h e r of t h r e e c h i l d r e n . S t o r e y is a V i e t n a m v e t e r a n a n d
a l i f e l o n g r e s i d e n t of S h a n d a k e n .
A c c o r d i n g to S h a n d a k e n U n i t P r e s i d e n t K e n L e n t , t o w n
i n s u r a n c e , b u t the bills a r e piling u p since B r u c e ' s wife, L i n d a
s t o p p e d w o r k i n g in o r d e r to c a r e f o r h e r h u s b a n d .
A benefit f u n d h a s b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d for the family a n d
d o n a t i o n s m a y b e m a d e to t h e B r u c e S t o r e y B e n e f i t F u n d at
Key B a n k , P.O. B o x 36, Phoenicia, N Y
12464.
b o t t o m of t h e s e n i o r i t y list f o r L P N s . T h a t
w a s u n f a i r , " C o l l i e r s a i d . " N o w it's
Y e s s e w h o lost s i x y e a r s of s e n i o r i t y w h e n
c h a n g e d to c o u n t y s e n i o r i t y , a n d t h a t ' s
s h e took a h o u s e k e e p i n g p o s i t i o n .
great."
In t h e n e w c o n t r a c t , s e n i o r i t y is b a s e d
Sclerosis (ALS, more commonly known as Lou
o f f i c i a l s h a v e g e n e r o u s l y c o n t i n u e d to p a y f o r S t o r e y ' s h e a l t h
h a p p e n if t h e m e m b e r c h a n g e d titles
f r o m a c l e a n e r to a c e r t i f i e d n u r s e s a i d e .
Department
employee. Storey w a s d i a g n o s e d with A m y t r o p h i c Lateral
T h e y m i g h t h a v e five y e a r s o r m o r e s e r v i c e
T h e s a m e l o s s of s e n i o r i t y w o u l d
— B r u c e S t o r e y g a v e to h i s c o u n t r y a n d to
his town. N o w he n e e d s help.
A 1 2 - y e a r T o w n of S h a n d a k e n H i g h w a y
settlement.
t r a n s f e r r e d to a n e w c o u n t y d e p a r t m e n t .
Ulster County local member needs your help
SHANDAKEN
President
S a n d i L e w i s w a s d e l i g h t e d w i t h the
W o r k e r s lost s e n i o r i t y if t h e y
— Sheryl C. Jenks
T h e u n i t s t o o d s t r o n g in its s u p p o r t of S u a u ,
lnfifffl(iri| uiofker/* /cnioriti| ri9h(/ improyed
JOHNSTOWN
said.
— Daniel X. Campbell
CSEA is an the worldwide web:
www.cseainc-arg
o n the o r i g i n a l d a t e of t h e e m p l o y e e s '
Pag«'6 • December 1997 • The Pubfic Sector'
LOdAt'GOVERNWENT N t W S
Onondaga campaign succeeds with communications
SYRACUSE
-
A l a n d m a r k f o u r - y e a r contract for 3 , 3 0 0
c o u n t y c l e r k ' s o f f i c e , o n e of t h r e e
C S E A m e m b e r s e m p l o y e d b y O n o n d a g a C o u n t y w a s the
C A T Committee co-chairs,
r e s u l t of c a r e f u l p l a n n i n g a n d I n c r e a s e d
that c o m m u n i c a t i o n w a s the key.
communications
with the m e m b e r s .
CSEA
Onondaga
C o u n t y Local 834
o n at all t i m e s , " h e s a i d . " T h e
C A T C o m m i t t e e really w o r k e d .
the a g r e e m e n t
W e p u t in l o n g n i g h t s a n d l o n g
o v e r w h e l m i n g l y . It c a l l s
d a y s , b u t the r e s u l t s w e r e
for a retroactive s a l a r y
c o m p l e t e l y w o r t h it. T h i s is t h e
h i k e in t h e first y e a r a n d
b e s t , m o s t f a i r c o n t r a c t I've e v e r
next three years. T h e
that w a s w o n b e c a u s e the
visibility of t h e c a m p a i g n
m e m b e r s w e r e w i l l i n g to
settle t h e c o n t r a c t d i s p u t e f a s t e r .
The n e w health care plan
county's bargaining units u n d e r
one plan with one provider a n d
"I t h i n k it m a d e t h e p u b l i c
o n e s e t of b e n e f i t s . T h e p l a n ,
m o r e a w a r e that the c o u n t y
negotiated b e t w e e n the c o u n t y
employees were working without
a c o n t r a c t , " s h e s a i d . "I t h i n k
m a d e u p of a c t i v i s t s f r o m
t h a t ' s p a r t of t h e r e a s o n w e g o t a
t h e 10 C S E A
contract so quickly."
CAT Committee Cochair Lou Nefflen
political action. L o c a l 8 3 4 P r e s i d e n t F r a n k Forte s a i d .
" T h e g o a l w a s to c o m m u n i c a t e i n f o r m a t i o n to t h e i r c o -
and
m a n a g e m e n t (see article at right). M a n y e m p l o y e e s w e r e
c o n t r o l t h e r u m o r mill a n d to
which offers increased
instill s o l i d a r i t y in o u r r a n k s . "
coverage a n d
Forte said.
b e n e f i t s a n d will s t o p
Different unions
insurance
" B e f o r e , m o s t of w h a t w e h e a r d
county, he said.
"It w a s costly, i n e f f e c t i v e a n d
benefits.
i n e f f i c i e n t to b o t h c o u n t y
g o v e r n m e n t a n d the e m p l o y e e s , "
s h e s a i d . "I t h i n k t h e
r u m o r s or the n e w s p a p e r . " he
h e s a i d . "It w a s in e s s e n c e a s i c k
c h a n g e s w i t h this coalition
said. " W i t h the i n f o r m a t i o n b e i n g
p l a n , a n d it o n l y p a i d o u t
are very positive."
benefits w h e n you were sick."
o u t t h e r e , t h e r e w e r e a lot l e s s
All for one
rumors."
Rick Nemier
F o r t e s a i d , the u n i o n s w e r e a b l e
to t r a n s f o r m the h e a l t h p l a n to
the e f f o r t s p u t f o r t h b y all i n v o l v e d . F o r t e s a i d .
" W i t h e v e r y b o d y ' s h e l p — the a c t i v i s t s , t h e r a n k - a n d -
The C A T Committee developed a
s t r u c t u r e d c a m p a i g n to i n f o r m t h e
T h r o u g h coalition b a r g a i n i n g .
Merritt Badeau
T h e c o n t r a c t s p e a k s to
"We deliver"
m e m b e r s , to i n v o l v e
file m e m b e r s , t h e s t a f f — w e
pulled together with a
r e n e w e d s p i r i t of u n i o n i s m a n d t r u l y a c c o m p l i s h e d a
v a l u a b l e c o u n t y w o r k e r s w h o deliver n e e d e d services
revolution," he said. " W e got real w a g e gains, real h e a l t h
d e s e r v e d a f a i r c o n t r a c t a n d to e n c o u r a g e t h e p u b l i c to
benefit e n h a n c e m e n t s a n d a solid f o u n d a t i o n for f u t u r e
gains. Everyone involved
T h e A c t i v i t i e s S u b c o m m i t t e e got m e m b e r s
p u b l i c i z e the c o n t r a c t d i s p u t e . A letter w r i t i n g c a m p a i g n
President Jim Moore,
a n d b r o c h u r e s d i s t r i b u t e d at p u b l i c e v e n t s p u t
w o r k e d w i t h the C A T
pressure
o n c o u n t y l e a d e r s . E v e r y t h i n g h a d the C A T C o m m i t t e e ' s
slogan:
t e a m w o r k m a d e all t h e
WE
DELIVER."
P u b l i c S a f e t y D i s p a t c h e r 1 Merritt B a d e a u , a
b a b y care a n d m a n y other
who
Committee, agreed that
"Onondaga County Workers -
n e w chiropractic coverage, well
C S E A Central Region 5
w h i c h w o r k e r s at all c o u n t y w o r k s i t e s w o r e s t i c k e r s to
enhancements."
T h e n e w p l a n m e t the u n i o n ' s
g o a l of c o n t r o l l i n g e s c a l a t i n g
costs a n d e n h a n c i n g benefits.
difference.
CSEA
Forte said.
" T h i s g r e a t c o n t r a c t is t h e
activist w h o w o r k s at the c o u n t y ' s E m e r g e n c y 9 1 1
" W e d i d j u s t that, a n d
r e s u l t of t h e h a r d w o r k of
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Center, s a i d the i n c r e a s e d
c o m m i u i i c a t i o n s a n d activities definitely i n c r e a s e d
everyone involved," he said.
p a r t i c i p a t i o n f r o m the m e m b e r s .
" T h i s is p r o o f that w h e r e the
e v e r y b o d y w i n s . F o r the first time
w e a r e e m p o w e r e d to m a k e
m e m b e r s get involved a n d w o r k
" W e w o r e the s t i c k e r s , w e w e r e i n v o l v e d in the letter
w r i t i n g , a n d the p e o p l e u p h e r e w e r e a lot m o r e v o c a l
w i t h their e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s a n d
t h a n d u r i n g the last n e g o t i a t i o n s , " s h e s a i d . " S o m e
u n i o n staff, they c a n
p e o p l e t o o k it u p o n t h e m s e l v e s to w r i t e t h e i r o w n
letters."
R e c o r d s P r e s e r v a t i o n S u p e r v i s o r L o u N e f f l e n of t h e
Region 5 President
James Moore
c h a n g e , w h i c h is f a r d i f f e r e n t
t h a n s i t t i n g at the b a r g a i n i n g
table negotiating health care
v e r s u s w a g e s every three or f o u r
a c c o m p l i s h a n y t h i n g they set
y e a r s . It's a lot b e t t e r w a y to d o
o u t to."
-
plan by focusing on preventative
including a first-rate vision plan,
accomplished."
O n e p o p u l a r activity w a s the b i - w e e k l y " s t i c k e r d a y s , " o n
" B y w o r k i n g together, w e
t r a n s f o r m e d it i n t o a w e l l n e s s
care, a n d e n h a n c i n g the benefits,
s h o u l d b e p r o u d of w h a t w e
involved.
include better benefits, better
c o v e r a g e a n d c o n t r o l l e d c o s t s to
e m p l o y e e s a n d the c o u n t y .
t h e m in the p r o c e s s , to let t h e p u b l i c k n o w t h a t the
l o b b y county officials.
also
m o r e c o s t l y to e m p l o y e e s a n d t h e
"I t h o u g h t it w a s g r e a t , "
through
having
different health plans w a s
B a d e a u h a i l e d the p l a n
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s did j u s t that.
p a c k a g e a s h e a l t h c a r e , a n d it
sacrificing o n e for the other."
e m p l o y e e s a n d the county.
for the i m p r o v e d h e a l t h
"Traditionally we always
n e g o t i a t e d w a g e s in t h e s a m e
" W e w e r e a l w a y s looking at
escalating costs for both
D e p a r t m e n t of T r a n s p o r t a t i o n ,
Forte,
just wasn't working," he said.
enhanced
s a i d the i n c r e a s e d
Onondaga
Local 834 President F r a n k
weren't working.
T h e f i n a l p i e c e of t h e p u z z l e w a s t h e n e w c o u n t y
h e a l t h c a r e p l a n , d e v e l o p e d b y a c o a l i t i o n of u n i o n s
p l e a s e d w i t h the n e w p l a n ,
e q u i p m e n t o p e r a t o r II in t h e
a c c o r d i n g to C S E A
negotiating for h e a l t h c a r e
A new health care system
w o r k e r s a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e to
Rick Nemier. a motor
a n d all i n v o l v e d u n i o n s ,
w h o s a i d t h e o l d w a y s of
c o v e r e d u n d e r the
contract, w o r k e d closely
new
b r i n g s t h e m e m b e r s of all t h e
helped
Action T e a m " or CAT.
w i t h the u n i o n staff o n c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , activities a n d
a b o u t the c o n t r a c t w a s
c r e a t i o n of a r e v o l u t i o n a r y
h e a l t h care delivery system,
a c c o r d i n g to the C S E A a c t i v i s t
S h a n n o n t h o u g h t the i n c r e a s e d
units
A k e y f a c t o r in
w h o g o t it m o v i n g .
difficult c o n t r a c t dispute
T h e local's " C o n t r a c t
-
O n o n d a g a C o u n t y w a s the
County Library System
Administrative Assistant M e g
h a r d for fairness.
SYRACUSE
g e t t i n g a s u c c e s s f u l c o n t r a c t in
seen."
settlement e n d e d a
stick together a n d fight
Local 834 President
Frank Forte
" E v e r y o n e in t h e r a n k a n d file
k n e w everything that w a s g o i n g
m e m b e r s recently ratified
p e r c e n t a g e r a i s e s over the
Innovative health
plan benefits
workers, county
agreed
Mark M. Kotzin
business."
Ttiß P,ublic l^Qctor * Decemt>^r ,1997 • Pag^;?-,
In touch with you
The forgotten
people of SUNY
CSEA members are vital to the
daily life of the SUNY system
N e w York's State University system s h o u l d b e a
s o u r c e of p r i d e f o r all N e w Y o r k e r s a n d a
In r e c e n t m o n t h s a n u m b e r of S U N Y
campuses
h a v e b e e n r a n k e d a m o n g the nation's top
c o r n e r s t o n e f o r t h e s t a t e ' s p r o g r e s s to t h e 2 1 s t
educational values by prominent
C e n t u r y . Yet it is e a s y to t a k e f o r g r a n t e d h o w
T h a t is a n o u t s t a n d i n g a c c o m p l i s h m e n t t h a t is
v a l u a b l e a r e s o u r c e S U N Y t r u l y is.
publications.
c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e m i s s i o n of S U N Y to
It is e v e n e a s i e r to t a k e f o r g r a n t e d t h e
provide top q u a l i t y e d u c a t i o n at a n
e s s e n t i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n of C S E A - r e p r e s e n t e d
a f f o r d a b l e p r i c e . It is a l s o a
s u p p o r t s t a f f in t h e s u c c e s s f u l f u n c t i o n i n g of t h e
c l e a r i n d i c a t i o n of t h e t a l e n t
S U N Y s y s t e m a n d its 6 4 c a m p u s e s . T h e
a n d d e d i c a t i o n of t h e C S E A
12,000
C S E A - r e p r e s e n t e d S U N Y e m p l o y e e s k e e p u p the
m e m b e r s in S U N Y .
Our
b u i l d i n g s a n d g r o u n d s , staff the libraries a n d
g o a l m u s t b e to e n a b l e
m o r e S U N Y c a m p u s e s to a c h i e v e t h e h i g h e s t
standards.
Yet, S U N Y ' s n a t i o n a l s t a n d i n g is j e o p a r d i z e d if
w e fail to a d e q u a t e l y i n v e s t in t h e s y s t e m ' s
m a i n t e n a n c e a n d s u p p o r t staffing. T h e finest
t e a c h i n g s t a f f in t h e s t a t e c a n ' t d o o u r
s t u d e n t s a n y g o o d if t h e i r
classrooms are falling apart a n d
t h e i r c a m p u s e s a r e left to
deteriorate. A n d great
facilities a l o n e m e a n
f o o d s e r v i c e facilities, s t a f f t h e t e a c h i n g h o s p i t a l s ,
n o t h i n g w i t h o u t s t a f f to
m a i n t a i n the a c a d e m i c r e c o r d s a n d
keep them open and
business
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d h a n d l e s c o r e s of o t h e r
properly operating.
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t h a t a r e vital to t h e
d a i l y life of t h o s e c a m p u s e s
and
communities.
i n c l u d i n g the S U N Y
B u t t h e y a r e the f o r g o t t e n
p e o p l e of S U N Y a n d too
f r e q u e n t l y the lowest
p r i o r i t y in u n i v e r s i t y
budgets.
M a y o r s ' Coalition,
United University
Professions,
the last decade,
support
services have
AFSCME
Council 82 a n d other
groups
I n 14 S U N Y b u d g e t c u t s in
designating
Thursday, Dec. 4 as
Operation Safeguard SUNY.
We are encouraging our
consistently been h a r d
hit.
m e m b e r s o n all c a m p u s e s to
d e v e l o p a n d p a r t i c i p a t e in e v e n t s
For years,
CSEA
m e m b e r s have been
t r y i n g to h o l d
campuses
C S E A is p r o u d to b e
p a r t of t h e c o a l i t i o n ,
together
with spit a n d glue,
a n d with each n e w
b u d g e t they are
e x p e c t e d to d o
in t h e i r l o c a l a r e a s to h e i g h t e n
a w a r e n e s s a b o u t t h e i m p o r t a n c e of
S U N Y . W e h a v e i n v i t e d all of t h e s t a t e ' s
e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s to p a r t i c i p a t e f o r a f i r s t - h a n d v i e w
of t h e t h e s y s t e m . 1 h o p e t h a t y o u w i l l a l s o
p a r t i c i p a t e in the e v e n t s at y o u r a r e a
c a m p u s e s to e n s u r e a b r i g h t
future for S U N Y .
m o r e with less.
Page1997•N o v e m b e r1997• The Public Sector
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
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The
December 1997 •
•The Public
Sector*
-«••o .»uuu A »m »Nv .'! i9anin...;'j • Ö jp . i
LEAVE RECORD f o r
New York s«rcice COURT EMPLOVEES
1 9 9 8
Your leave benefits were negotiated for you by CSEA — your union!
PAY
PERIOD
EXAMPLES:
^
^
If you are sick 4 hours, enter S-4 under the appropriate day.
If you take 2 hours of personal, enter P-2, etc.
THU FRI
To record
leave used,
enter these
letters for the
appropriate
date:
V = (Vacation)
S = (Sick
Leave)
SUN MON TUE
WED THU
FRI SAT
SUN MON TUB
WED
Earned
Used
Balance
SICK LEAVE
Balance from last record:
Earned
Used
Balance
DEC 25 - JAN 7
JAN 8 - J A N 21
JAN 22 - FEB 4
FEB 5 - FEB 18
FEB 1 9 - M A R 4
MAR 5 - M A R 18
H = (Holiday)
MAR 1 9 - A P R 1
M = (Military
Leave)
APR 2 - A P R 15
SPEC =
(Special)
SAT
ANNUAL LEAVE
Balance from last record:
APR 1 6 - A P R 29
APR 3 0 - MAY 13
MAY 1 4 - M A Y 27
C=
(Compensatory)
LWOP =
(Leave
W i t h o u t Pay)
MAY 2 8 - J U N 10
JUN 11 - JUN 24
JUN25-JUL 8
JUL 9 - J U L 22
W = (Worker's
JUL 23 - AUG 5
Comp)
AUG 6 - A U G 19
AUG 20 - SEP 2
SEP 3 - S E P 16
SEP 1 7 - S E P 30
0 C T 1 - OCT 14
OCT 1 5 - O C T 28
OCT 2 9 - NOV 11
NOV 1 2 - N O V 25
NOV 26 - DEC 9
DEC 10- DEC 23
II
II
CONSULT YOUR UNION CONTRACT, YOUR
CSEA REPRESENTATIVE OR YOUR
PERSONNEL OFFICE FOR HOLIDAY
OBSERVANCE SCHEDULE
Leave accruals are an important contractual benefit negotiated for you by CSEA.
You can help guarantee the accuracy of your individual accruals by tracking
your leave activities throughout the year. If a discrepancy should arise it might
be easier to document your claim by producing your personal leave record form.
NOTES
LEAVE RECORD for New Yoric state
ÜDMINISTRATIVE PJ^VROl,!. EM^LOVEIES
Your leave benefits were negotiated for you by CSEA — your union!
PAY
PERIOD
EXAMPLES:
If you are sick 4 hours, enter S-4 under the appropriate day.'
If you take 2 hours of personal, enter P-2, etc.
- W
\<
ANNUAL LEAVE
Balance from last record:
SICK LEAVE
Balance from last record:
' PERSONAL LEAVE
• Balance from last record:
!
!
;
THU FRI
To record
leave used,
enter these
letters for the
appropriate
date:
V = (Vacation)
S = (Sick
Leave)
SUN
MON TUE
WED THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
MON TUE
WED
Earned
Used
Balance
Earned
Used
Balance | Earned
Used
Balance
DEC 25 - JAN 7
JAN 8 - J A N 21
JAN 22 - FEB 4
i
1
FEB 5 - F E B 18
FEB 1 9 - M A R 4
MAR 5 - M A R 18
H = (Holiday)
MAR 1 9 - A P R 1
M = (Military
Leave)
APR 2 - A P R 15
P = (Personal
Leave)
SAT
APR 1 6 - A P R 29
APR 3 0 - MAY 13
MAY 1 4 - M A Y 27
SPEC =
(Special)
MAY 2 8 - J U N 10
JUN11 - JUN 24
C =
(Compensatory) J U N 2 5 - J U L 8
LWOP =
(Leave
W i t h o u t Pay)
JUL 9 - J U L 22
JUL 2 3 - A U G 5
W = (Worker's AUG 6 - A U G 19
Comp)
AUG 20 - SEP 2
SEP 3 - S E P 16
SEP 1 7 - S E P 30
0 C T 1 - OCT 14
OCT 1 5 - O C T 28
OCT 29- NOV 11
NOV 1 2 - N O V 25
NOV 26 - DEC 9
DEC 1 0 - D E C 23
CONSULT YOUR UNION CONTRACT, YOUR
CSEA REPRESENTATIVE OR YOUR
PERSONNEL OFFICE FOR HOLIDAY
OBSERVANCE SCHEDULE
Leave accruals are an important conlractual benefit negotiated for yon l)y CvSPvA.
You can help guarantee the accuracy of your individual accruals by (racking
your leave activities throughout the year. If a discrepancy should arise it might
be easier to document your claim by producing your personal leave record lV)rm.
CSE^
LEAVE RECORD for New York
1998
State
INSTITUTIONAL; RMFROLL ENIPLCYVIEES
Your leave benefits were negotiated for you by CSEA — your union!
PAY
PERIOD
EXAMPLES:.J "
If you are sick 4 hours, enter S-4 under the appropriate day. ^
If you take 2 hours of personal, enter P-2, etc.^ v
THU
To record
leave used,
enter these
letters for the
appropriate
date:
V = (Vacation)
SAT
SUN
MON TUE
WED THU
FRI SAT
SUN
MON TUE
WED
Earned
Used
Balance
SICK LEAVE
PERSONAL LEAVE
Balance from last record:
Balance from last record:
Earned
Earned
Used
Balance
Used
Balance
JAN 1 - JAN 14
JAN 1 5 - J A N 28
i
!
JAN 2 9 - F E B 11
i
1
1
FEB 1 2 - F E B 25
FEB 2 6 - M A R 11
S = (Sick
Leave)
MAR 12-MAR 25
H = (Holiday)
MAR 26 - APR 8
M = (Military
Leave)
APR 9 - A P R 22
P = (Personal
Leave)
FRI
ANNUAL LEAVE
Balance from last record:
1i
APR 23 - MAY 6
MAY 7 - MAY 20
MAY 21 - JUN3
SPEC =
(Special)
J U N 4 - J U N 17
JUN 18 - JUL 1
C =
(Compensatory) JUL 2 - J U L 15
LWOP =
(Leave
W i t h o u t Pay)
JUL 1 6 - J U L 29
JUL 3 0 - A U G 12
W = (Worker's AUG 1 3 - A U G 26
Comp)
AUG 27 - SEP 9
SEP 1 0 - S E P 23
SEP 24 - OCT 7
i
1
OCT 8 - OCT 21
OCT 22 - NOV 4
NOV 5 - N O V 18
NOV 1 9 - D E C 2
1
DEC 3 - D E C 16
DEC 1 7 - D E C 30
CONSULT YOUR UNION CONTRACT, YOUR
CSEA REPRESENTATIVE OR YOUR
PERSONNEL OFFICE FOR HOLIDAY
OBSERVANCE SCHEDULE
Leave accruals are an imporlanl contractual benelit negotiated lor you by CSKA.
You can help guarantee the accuracy of your individual accruals by trackiui»
your leave activities throughout the year. If a discre{)ancy should arise it niit^hi
be easier to document your claim by producing your personal leave record Ibrni.
CSE&
m
1 9 9 8 LEAVE RECORD f o r
EMPLOYEES OP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Your leave benefös were negotiated for you by CSEA — your union!
PAY
PERIOD
EXAMPLES: ^
If you are sick 4 hours, enter 8-4 under the appropriate day.
Mf you take 2 hours of personal, enter P-2, etc.
THU FRI
SAT
SUN
MON TUE
WED THU
FRI SAT
SUN
MON TUE
WED
ANNUAL LEAVE
Balance from last record:
Earned
Used
Balance
SICK LEAVE
PERSONAL LEAVE
Balance from last record:
Balance from last record:
Earned ; Used
Earned
Balance
Used
Balance
To record
leave used,
enter these
letters for the
appropriate
date:
V = (Vacation)
j
S = (Sick
Leave)
1
H = (Holiday)
M = (Military
Leave)
1
i
!
1
;
P = (I'ersonal
Leave)
1
SPEC =
(Special)
C=
(Compensatory)
1
!
1
1
LWOP =
(Leave
Without Pay)
W = (Worker's
Comp)
Consult your current CSEA-negotiated contract for the
holidays observed in your local government jurisdiction.
ALSO consult your contract or personnel office for
current method of accruing leave credits
Leave accruals are an important contractual benefit negotiated for you by CSEA.
You can help guarantee the accuracy of your individual accruals by tracking
your leave activities throughout the year. If a discrepancy should arise it might
be easier to document your claim by producing your personal leave record form.
J
, 1J JJ J J
The Public Sector celebrates two aecades of bringing you the news
'^s»»'» 1
" r'ourt Afl-OO move PSi^
Hellet
•
if.
„»t-ii«'»
.
^^
" ' . L V V r
o,. M
" * ^ni««'"""ll « »r-«" T « • > ' <
^ :, „.v vixi^»
VM«
V«
As one of the nation's leading labor unions, CSEA has a proud history full of
ground-breaking achievements. For the past 20 years, our official publication,
The Public Sector, has brought news of those achievements to the doorstep of
every CSEA member.
CSEA's award-winning publication was born Oct. 4, 1978, out of the
recognition that an informed membership is a strong membership. The goal of
The Public Sector is to educate and inform. The Public Sector Committee,
comprised of CSEA Board of Directors representatives from each of the union's
six regions, has oversight responsibilities to ensure the paper achieves that
goal.
The Sector also has the power to motivate, and over the years, it's proven to
be one of CSEA's most important political action tools. Just this year. The
Public Sector's open criticism of Gov. Pataki's ill-conceived proposal to sell
Roswell Park Cancer Institute turned the tide of public opinion and helped
rescue the world-renowned facility and the jobs of its 1,500 dedicated
employees.
Sometimes humor is the most effective way to get a message across, and
from the very first issue, CSEA's award-winning graphic artist Ralph Distin's
satirical cartoons have hammered home CSEA's position on even the most
serious issues.
And just as CSEA has changed with the times, so has The Public Sector. In
1991, desktop publishing launched the paper into the computer age, lowering
costs and streamlining the production process.
"The Public Sector is a reflection of the changes and growth in CSEA. But it's
also about you," CSEA President Danny Donohue said. "It's about your
achievements, your acts of courage and generosity, your struggles and your
victories. Your story is what has kept it going strong for 20 years."
ntiiri.ip-wi«'^''
C
S
E
W i l l i ?
McGowan calls P . ^ » ^ ®
a great union victory
Bin on govemofs i ^ K
union urBina « m m ^ ^
.... .-.„• . »«niJiflt
1
«tw.ur
rot':- ^ i ^ i ; : . ' ; ' ' ^
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\I
Page 10 • December 1997 • The Public Sector
A
(ORK FORCE
The Public Sector* December 1997 • Page 11
LAST IN A SERIES in conjunction
with the 20th anniversary of The
Public Sector, exploring significant
events in CSEA's history.
9(Q1918
1942 j%2
9)2 197
1929
1997
The Public Sector:
Brlngiiig the union home
This last in a series looking back
over 20 years of The Public
Sector
still leaves many stories to be told.
This past year The Sector glimpsed
back at the beginnings of so many
benefits taken for granted today.
Whether it was the Employee Benefit
Fund, the Employee Assistance
Program, child care initiatives, the
Clerical Secretarial Advancement
Program, political action battles,
winning agency shop or finally
gaining occupational safety and
health protections, The Public
Sector
brought the union into the homes of
its 250,000 members.
CSEA's prize-winning newspaper
has been a lifeline of information,
alerting members about attacks
upon their pension fund by
unscrupulous politicians. It served
as a voice to protest harmful political
choices aimed at cutting the heart
out of mental health care in New
York state.
The Public Sector pages told
success stories of thousands of
CSEA members who sacrificed to
continue their college educations
through the LE^AP program.
During the past 12 months The
Public Sector looked back on the
gains CSEA made through affiliation
with AFSCME and CSEA's role as an
acknowledged national leader in the
AFL-CIO.
During this 20th anniversary year.
CSEA members told stones of how
union scholarship programs began,
of how CSEA fought to secure
veteran's credits, of how CSEA
became involved in fighting for
human rights in South Africa and
Ireland and liow CSEA locals fought
for and won a holiday honoring Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
As the union's diverse
membership grew, The Public
Sector
told the stories of Black History
Month and Women's History Month.
Stories appeared about CSEA
members building coalitions with
other groups like the Coalition of
Black Trade Unionists (CBTU),
the Coalition of Labor
Union Women
(CLUW), the
Labor/Religion
Coalition and many
—
-ir. oMi iaof>«Y'
others.
How CSEA, the
state's oldest and
largest public employee
union, feced the
.•ui«»-^^'' If. Jim«
challenges and changes
is the story of proud and
dedicated workers
1 »'•^'rcÄ
standing up for their
rights.
Year after year, CSEA's
elected delegates, more
than 2,000 of them,
gather to move their union
forward.
CSEA members today
live at a time in history
driven by forces of change.
There have been more
changes in the past 25
years than in the previous
200 years. There will be
more change in the next two
years than in the last 25
years. Once safe and secure
public jobs are up for grabs
at the whim of politicians
unless a strong union protects
them.
In the next 20 years and into
the new century, CSEA members
can depend on their information
lifeline. The Public Sector, to keep
the news coming.
"It's not the strongest that
survive," Charles Darwin said,
"nor the most intelligent, but
the ones most responsive to
change."
This is the challenge to all
CSEA members in the coming
years. It's the challenge for
mmk^
The Public Sector in b r i n g i n g
the union home!
Page 12 • December 1997 • The Public Sector
eV
-
Lilly Gioia
Sfioelal liHia
«n: III,. f|gi„
Reeommendations:
.»row«""»""'"
n
S-JSäÄt
barrage of weannÜc
against Pataki budget
N e w York
V.lUMtJ^^SSSlU"»'
/-eBT"'* «'Wnctr whiTh »r.,
J^uUiM»'
«11»."™"'
Taylor Law marks 30 years
In 1967, it enabled
CSEA has been an effective
advocate for its members for 87
years, but it burst into prominence as
a truly powerful and effective labor
union with the enactment of the
Taylor Law in 1967.
The Taylor Law may be 30 years
old, but CSEA members should never
take for granted the rights it
guarantees them.
The Taylor Law enables public
employees to unionize and negotiate
contracts covering their terms and
conditions of employment. Without
the' law, we would have no right to
approach the bargaining table.
It also protects our rights between
contracts, CSEA General Counsel
Nancy Hoffman explained, by
continuing the terms and conditions
of employment when a contract
expires and a new contract is not yet
settled.
"This is a big legislative gain that is
given in exchange for the prohibition
against striking," Hoffman said. "It
would be a sorry set of events if we
couldn't strike and the employer
could change the terms and
conditions while bargaining."
Public employees should
understand the Taylor Law, she said.
"The Taylor Law gives some order
and sets down some guidelines for
how labor relations in the public
sector should be conducted,"
Hoffman said. "In the absence of the
Taylor Law, we would go back to a
situation where we were not
bargaining, we were begging, and we
had no order, and we had no
expectation of some kind of equal
power relationship.
"The Taylor Law attempts to
establish the minimum of a level
playing field in the power relationship
between the employer and the
employees in the public sector,"
Hoffman continued. "In the absence
of that, there would be very little that
public employees would have by way
of power other than acting at the
polls where we get to 'un-elect' our
bosses. But that happens, what, once
every four years? And not necessarily
the way you want."
Most basically, the Taylor Law
gives public employees the right to
belong to a union and the right to
bargain collectively.
But it also applies to the workday
lives of members in a variety of other
ways. Hoffman said.
CSEA can turn to the Taylor Law
for protection when employers try to
contract out or subcontract public
employee jobs, Hoffman said.
"Whj2fe,\ye ^re vigilant and take the
GENERAL NEWS
New York's public employees
employer to task
that they know wasn't
immediately as soon as
there yesterday and is
it gives away anything
not in the bargaining
that resembles our
unit," Hoffman said,
work, we are successful
"and they don't speak
in holding on to our
up, because it means
exclusivity, which is the
that their job could be
standard that you have
the next job that could
to under the Taylor Law
be replaced."
as far as being able to
That area is becoming
make a subcontracting
more important with
claim," she said.
workfare, she noted.
"Where we have not
The Taylor Law also
been as vigilant, where
protect employees from
Nancy Hoffman, CSEA
we have over time
an employer's retaliation
general counsel
allowed other people to
for the employee's union
do our work, we have not been
activities, Hoffman said.
successful. For any individual in a
Despite the many potential pitfalls,
work environment, whether they're
the Taylor Law and the agency that
there for four weeks or 40 years, it
administers it, the Public
could be a reality check if they find
Employment Relations Board (PERB),
themselves working next to somebody
have fared well over the last 30 years.
to
organize
Hoffman said.
"I would say that the Taylor Law is
better than it was 30 years ago. The
agency is more responsive, within its
means, to the needs of both the
employer and the employee than it
was 20 years ago. It's clearly
demonstrated an interest in hearing
what the respective sides need and
trying to make its regulations and its
requirements responsive," she said.
"But on the other hand, it's too slow
getting out decisions, which delays
justice in the workplace."
Hoffman's experience with the
Taylor Law is extensive. In her career
she has worked with NYSUT and on
the employers' side as well as with
CSEA. She started working in labor
law in the early 1970s, when the
Taylor Law was in its infancy.
— Kathleen A. Daly
CSEA's Lefkowitz is a part of labor history
CSEA Deputy Counsel Jerry
Lefkowitz is widely recognized as an
expert on the Taylor Law.
He became the authority on the
law as an advisor and as the first
deputy chair of the Public
Employment Relations Board.
Lefkowitz's book. Public Sector Labor
and Employment
Law,
is t h e
authoritative text on the Taylor Law.
"Before the Taylor Law, there was
no assured right of public employees
to form a union, and employers were
not required to deal with unions," he
said. "There were CSEA and NEA ibr
teachers, but neither acted as a
union in those days. They did not
negotiate contracts.
"That doesn't mean CSEA didn't
work for its members," Lefkowitz
explained. "CSEA was a powerful
lobby for public employees."
Despite its clout, the law didn't
allow CSEA to negotiate contracts.
Employees who went on strike for
better conditions faced severe
repercussions: They would lose their
jobs, and if re-instated, would forgo
salary increases for two years.
Gov. Nelson Rockefeller was
convinced a change needed to be
made. Spurred on by a strike of New
York City subway workers in 1966,
he called Lefkowitz, then deputy
industrial commissioner for legal
affairs for the state Labor
department, into his office one
night. They worked until 3 a.m. on
suggestions Lefkowitz made.
"He said, 'come in in the morning
and draft the law,'"
out of thin air. No other
Lefkowitz remembers.
state had this kind of
law."
However, the strike
was settled that day,
He is responsible for
and RockefeUer decided
the state's five
to appoint the Taylor
bargaining units, based
Committee, named for
on a model he got from
Chairman George
Gerald McEntee, then
Taylor, to write the
president of AFSCME's
legislation. Lefkowitz
Philadelphia District
was a consultant to the
Council. Philadelphia
committee.
had a citywide
bargaining unit
The committee's
structure. At the time.
legislative proposal had
New York City had 450
important support.
units so specialized
"The Governor was
Jerry Lefkowitz,
very much in favor; it
CSEA deputy counsel that the two
shoemakers on Ryker's
was his baby and he
Island had their own unit, Lefkowitz
invested his prestige in it. Lefkowitz
said.
said. "CSEA also supported it."
But local governments and other
"I concluded that I needed
labor unions opposed it. In 1966, it
families of occupations,"' he said.
failed to pass the state Legislature.
PERB eventually created five units.
The decision was not well received.
Then a threatened police and fire
fighters strike in New York City and
"I got a call from the governor's
other political pressures turned the
secretary, and I never heard such
tide. The Taylor Law passed in April
language. He was livid. CSEA
1967, taking effect in September.
demanded that Jerry Lefkowitz be
From the beginning, Lefkowitz put fired from the state," he recalled,
smiling.
his mark on public employment law
in New York state as PERB's deputy
In the end, the decision stood,
chair. He established procedures,
a n d t h e New York Times a n d t h e
such as how petitions were to be
Governor's private labor advisor
filed. While there have been minor
agreed with him.
changes over the years, the
The matter came full circle years
procedures he set up then are
later when CSEA hired him as
essentially the same.
deputy counsel, Lefkowitz noted.
"The first years were enormously
"Well, they finally got me out of
satisfying," Lefkowitz said.
the state!"
"Everything I was doing was created
— Kathleen Daly
f.-."' I ^ > f f " « > • r f'l .i - - 1 . • •. •
The Public Sector • December 1997 • Page 13
CSEA OMRDD activists
lav tlieir concerns on tlie
line witli commissioner
ALBANY — Festering union concerns over safety, staffing levels and
quality of care issues in state Office of Mental Retardation & Developmental
Disabilities (OMRDD) facilities and community residences came to a head
recently when more than 200 CSEA activists came to Albany for a heart-toheart discussion with OMRDD Commissioner Thomas Maul.
Commissioner Maul acknowledged many of the concerns raised by CSEA
officers, activists and staff and committed his agency and staff to working
with CSEA on solutions to the problems. He pledged to undertake an
immediate staffing audit down to the unit level, and also said he would
CSEA President Danny Donohue, left, and OMRDD Commissioner
send, upon invitation by the union, executive level staff to local laborThomas Maul discuss union concerns raised during a recent meeting
management meetings to help address problems and concerns.
in Albany.
"You are the heart and soul of what our
system is about," Maul told the CSEA
members. "I wanted to hear from you first
hand because your problems are my
problems."
OMRDD CSEA Local presidents and scores
of union activists stepped forward to present
a long list of concerns and grievances.
"We have some very serious issues that
need to be resolved, and we presented them
in a powerful, no-holds-barred manner to the
commissioner," said CSEA statewide
Executive Vice President Mary Sullivan, who
also serves as a liaison to the CSEA OMRDD
Labor-Management Committee.
"It was a productive discussion," said CSEA
statewide President Danny Donohue, who led
the union presentation. "We're encouraged by
Commissioner Maul's positive responses to
our concerns."
Dana Tietz, president of
CSEA participants in the meeting, in
Western New York DDSO
addition to Donohue and Sullivan, included
Finger Lakes DDSO CSEA
CSEA Local 425
Kathleen Button, president of Finger Lakes
Local 436 President
DDSO CSEA Local 436 and chair of the CSEA
Kathleen Button. Button
OMRDD Labor-Management Committee,
is also chair of the CSEA
Fran
CSEA Labor Relations Deputy Director
OMRDD LaborComing in January
Kennedy,
Mary Masterson and Labor Relations
Management Committee.
in The Public Sector
president of
Associate Timothy A. Stewart.
Capital
'HOME ALONE'
District
DDSO CSEA
Compelling first-hand
Local 407
accounts by CSEA
members about the
problems and dangers
they face daily in
understaffed OMRDD
community homes.
CSEA statewide
Executive Vice
President Mary
Sullivan, center,
listens as a CSEA
activist tells
OMRDD
Commissioner
Thomas Maul
about workplace
concerns.
Page 14 • December 1997
The Public Sector -
Paulette
Barbera,
president of
Long Island
Developmental
Center and
Sagamore
Children's
Psychiatric
Center
Local 430
Optometry College depends on CSEA members
MANHAITAN — A unique jewel in
the New York's state university
system. SUNY College of Optometry
and University Optometrie Center
plays a vital role in serving the
community while educating topnotch eye care professionals.
CSEA member John Rivera
CSEA New York City Local 010
members also play a vital role in
supporting all phases of college
operations.
Greeting 300 incoming patients
each day keeps CSEA member
Norma Dottin going at full tilt at the
main admitting desk. Working at the
College of Optometry since 1986,
Dottin sees first hand how the work
of faculty and students makes a real
difference to thousands of patients,
especially children.
The University Optometrie Center
helps people suffering vision
difficulties resulting from head
trauma, and also many children who
need vision training, particularly
those with learning disabilities.
"I like working here seeing how
children are helped," Dottin said.
"I've seen them grow up. For kids
this place is excellent because with
improved vision they do so much
better in school," she said. "They get
a very thorough eye examination
here, more than in most commercial
places."
Keyboard Specialist John Rivera,
employed for seven years at the
College of Optometry, also greets
patients and schedules
appointments for primary eye care.
He looks forward to the college
facilities moving in the near future to
new and larger quarters.
"We see the whole spectrum of eye
disorders from acute diseases to
recommendations, the college never
many of the most difficult cases,"
lacks for patients.
Rivera said. "Many are referred to us
Rivera translates from Spanish
by the private sector and especially
into English when necessary to
by schools.
assist in assessing eye problems.
"I don't think there is any place
"People are treated very well here,"
else where you get this kind of
he said, "and they appreciate the
comprehensive care," Rivera added.
attention they are given by
Doctors here are exposed to all
everyone."
the latest technology and knowledge,
- Lilly Gioia
Rivera said.
At one point, rumors were
rampant that the
college might be
closed when severe
SUNY budget cuts
were proposed.
Rivera believes any
cutbacks at the
Optometry College
would be
unthinkable and
devastating to
Medicaid patients
unable to afford
eye care.
"The College of
Optometry is a
unique
combination of
learning and
patient care that is
irreplaceable,"
Rivera said. With
no advertising, and
depending upon
CSEA member Norma Dottin greets patients at the
personal
SUNY College of Optometry.
CSEA providing $2,000 free Term Life Insurance to members
Complete
registration
form at right
As announced in previous editions of The
Sector, CSEA began providing $2,000 of
Term Life Insurance at no cost to CSEA
members actively at work effective Nov. 1,
1997. For new members who join CSEA after
Nov. 1, this no-cost coverage will take effect
on the date they become members.
CSEA is pleased to provide this special nocost CSEA membership benefit. We encourage
you to complete the adjacent Beneficiary
Registration Form and mail it to Jardine
Group Services Corporation at the address
indicated.
If you have any questions about this nocost coverage, please call 1-800-697-CSEA
(1-800-697-2732).
• CSEA Term Life Beneficiary Registration Form #
To register a beneficiary for your no cost $ 2 , 0 0 0 term life insurance, simply complete and
return this coupon to:
Jardine Group Services Corporation, P.O. Box 956, Schenectady, NY 12301
Name:.
Public
GENERAL NEWS
Date of Birth:,
Social Security #:.
Address:
Home Phone:.
Beneficiary: _
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The Public Sector • December 1997 • Page 15
American Labor Link
Labor protests China's human rights record
MANHATTAN - When China's
President Jiang Zimen came to the
New York Stock Exchange to greet
the barons of Wall Street, the area
was surrounded by angry
protesters waving signs, shouting,
chanting and screaming against
communist human rights abuses.
In Washington, D.C., the
previous day, AFL-CIO President
John Sweeney blasted Jiang
Zimen's despicable treatment of
workers in a bare-fisted attack on
child and forced prison labor in
China. Standing with Sweeney
and AFL-CIO Vice President
Richard Trumpka was Chinese
dissident Harry Wu, who had
suffered hideous abuses during 17
years' imprisonment in Chinese
forced labor camps.
Observing the Wall Street
protest, CSEA Local 010 NYS
Banking Department member Elvis
Kirnon called the scene hypocrisy.
Sandra Pianin, a NYS Banking
Department secretary, protested
the red carpet treatment accorded
to China's president while visiting
New York City.
"I heard Harry Wu speak in
1996," Pianin said. "His story of
life in the Chinese prison labor
camps was horrendous."
She voiced the concern of
American labor and religious
groups calling for a "Holiday
Season of Conscience," where
American holiday shoppers check
out labels carefully for toys and
goods made in China or by
corporations who blatantly use
sweatshop labor to maximize
profits.
"As we approach the holiday
season, every Christmas tree
ornament and toy will have a label
that says, 'made in China.' How
will we deal with the blood on our
hands?" Pianin asked. "How will
we deal with our consciences?"
For more information about lists
of sweatshop products, contact the
Greater NY Labor/Religion
Coalition at 212-406-2156 ext.
237.
- Lilly Gioia
t-ro«
c i nsET^ä
Join the 'Holiday Season of Conscience'
The National Labor Committee is asking people
to join 1 million Americans in signing a petition to
President Clinton calling for an end to child labor
and sweatshops.
As part of its "Holiday Season of Conscience," the
committee is also asking consumers to "shop with
your conscience" by rewarding companies moving
in the right direction while challenging those that
continue to violate human rights. To get the
committee's "Worst Companies List," call
(212) 242-3002.
Joining the National Labor Committee in the
Holiday Season of Conscience are the AFL-CIO,
UNITE. CLUW, the American Federation of
Teachers, the Consumer Federation of America and
several religious and social groups.
CSEA members were among those
demonstrating against Chinese
President Jiang Zimen when he came
to New York City.
CSEA member recalls 1995 Port Jervis nurses' strike
ELDRED - Eldred School District
employee Shelly Brundage got a
crash course in unionism in 1995.
Now a school nurse and member
of CSEA Sullivan County Local 853,
she was a full-time nurse at Mercy
Hospital in Port Jervis when the
nurses affiliated with Local 1199.
"The hospital never wanted a
union," she said. "But our requests
were not listened to; nurses' pay was
significantly below other area
hospitals, seniority, retirement
benefits and unsafe staffing were
issues."
Once unionized. Local 1199 began
to negotiate the nurses' contract, but
the bargaining process hit a stone
wall.
"I was away on vacation," she
said. "When 1 got home I had all
these messages on my answering
machine to not go to work and to
come and picket."
Brundage joined her co-workers,
fully expecting to be back to work in
Pagf lQ •
two weeks. But the strike lasted a
long and contentious six months.
"We went from wearing shorts to
wearing heavy winter coats in below
freezing temperatures," she recalled.
The time took a toll on many of
Brundage's co-workers.
"For several families, it was very
difficult," she said. "We lost many
who went back to work. We're civil to
each other now, but the scars are
still there."
Most disturbing and surprising
was the attitude of many city
residents — surprising because Port
Jervis is a mostly blue collar city.
"There are a lot of anti-union
people in Port Jervis, although we
had a lot of support from other
unions," she said. "Most of the
nurses are women so it became a
women's issue. We had people
calling us obscenities. People threw
stuff at us. One man threw eggs at
us."
What hurt the most was being
199.7 ' ThßlP.utn(Kx S^eQto/
called 'patient abandoners,'
Brundage said.
"We were doing this for the
patients," she said. "Money was not
the major issue."
Brundage said the contract was
finally settled when religious leaders
became involved.
Despite the hardships the six
month strike brought, Brundage
said it was "ultimately a very positive
experience.
"There were times we didn't see a
light at the end of the tunnel," she
said, "but we all share a special
bond and closeness now. There's a
lot of truth to the saying 'United we
stand and divided we fall' If you
don't stick together, you have
nothing."
The contract for the nurses
expires this year, and negotiations
are beginning. Brundage, who now
works at Mercy on a per diem basis,
hopes that this time will be different.
"The wounds are healing," she
CSEA member Shelly Brundage
said, "but no one will forget the
Mercy strike. It's time to put it all
behind us and go forward. We're all
here to care for the patients."
— Anita Manley
ATTENTION MEW YORK STATE EMPLOYEES
Summary of
October Board
of Directors
meeting
IMYS Health Insurance Annual
Option Transfer Period extended
If you are considering changing your health
insurance option for 1998, and/or wish to review the
benefits available, you may contact your agency
Health Benefits Administrator, usually located in the
Personnel Office, and request a copy of the Health
Insurance Choices Guide. Choices contains
information on the Empire Plan and the Health
Maintenance Organizations which may be available to
you under the New York State Health Insurance
Program (NYSHIP).
When this article was going to print, the 1998
NYSHIP premium rates were not yet approved by the
NYS Insurance Department. As soon as the 1998
rates are approved, a Rates & Deadlines
Guide will be
sent to enrollees' homes so an informed decision can
be made about your health insurance choice for 1998.
As always, you will have 30 days from the date that
the rate information is released to make your
changes. If you decide NOT to change your health
insurance option, you do not have to take any action.
If you wish to change health insurance options, you
must submit a signed Health Insurance Transaction
Form PS-404, to your agency Health Benefits
Administrator by the deadline specified in the Rates &
Deadlines
Guide.
Whether you are enrolled in the Empire Plan or an
HMO, New York State pays most of the cost of your
premium. For Empire Plan enrollees, the State pays
90 percent of the cost of individual coverage and 75
percent of the additional cost for dependent coverage.
Pursuant to Article 9.10 of the NYS Collective
Bargaining Agreements (ASU, ISU, OSU, DMNA), the
formula to decide the enrollee's share of the HMO
premium will change on Jan. 1, 1998. The State's
maximum contribution toward the cost of the HMO
premium will be 90 percent of individual, 75 percent
of dependent coverage, not to exceed 105 percent of
its dollar contribution to the hospital/medical/mental
health and substance abuse components of the
Empire Plan premium.
If you change health insurance options, the
effective date of your new health insurance option for
employees under the Administrative Lag-Payroll is
Dec. 25, 1997. The earliest paycheck in which a
premium adjustment will be made is the check of
Dec. 24, 1997 (Dec. 10 for lag-exempt employees).
Because of processing time, most paycheck changes
will be made retroactive in January.
The effective date of your new health insurance
option for employees under the Institution Payroll is
Jan. 1, 1998. The earliest paycheck in which a
premium adjustment will be made is the check of
Jan. 1. 1998. Because of processing time, most
paycheck changes will be made retroactive in late
January.
Please look for additional information regarding the
Option Transfer Period in your mail and at your
agency.
Changing Health Plans/Certificate of Coverage
If you decide to change your health insurance
option under the New York State Health Insurance
Program (NYSHIP), you will automatically receive a
Certificate of Coverage from Empire Blue Cross
(Empire Plan) or your HMO.
The Certificate of Coverage will state the
beginning and end dates of your NYSHIP coverage
under your former health plan. This is to comply
with the recent Federal Law requiring employers to
issue a Certificate of Coverage to employees and
dependents whose coverage ends under any health
plan option.
If you have questions about a Certificate of
Coverage and you are an Empire Plan enrollee, you
can call Blue Cross at 518-367-0009 (Albany &
Alaska) or 1-800-342-9815. HMO enrollees should
call their HMO directly for more information.
NYC members raise funds to fight breast cancer
MANHATTAN - Decked out in special T-shirts
and sneakers, 13 Metropolitan Region 2 CSEA
Women's Committee members walked and danced
five miles through Central Park in the American
Cancer Society's fund-raising march against breast
cancer.
"We raised $1,284.75 with more pledges still to
come in," said Women's Committee Chair Harriet
Hart proudly. Members of CSEA State Insurance
Fund Local 351 also joined the regional Women's
Committee on the walk, while six committee
members unable to participate pledged and raised
additional donations.
"This is a women's issue I feel strongly about
supporting," said Hart, noting that the committee
dedicated its effort to cancer sufferers in the union
and to afflicted family members. "I was so thrilled we
came up with this amount of money."
Crossing the finish line with CSEA NYS Tax and
Finance Department Local 460 member Claudette
Sullivan, Hart said everyone has a good feeling.
"I got rejuvenated acting like a drum majorette,"
she said, applauding the entire group for their
enthusiasm in raising research money as a team.
Other marchers included Local 351 members
Janice Innis-Cox, Yvonne Sewell and Lorelei Clark,
CSEA State Employees Local 010 members Betty
Crawford and Linda Williams, CSEA State Labor
Department Local 350 member Ella DuBois, Local
460 member Cheryl Mitchell, and CSEA Brooklyn
Developmental Center Local 447 member Theresa
Dye.
Joining the march were CSEA Labor Relations
Specialist Charles Bell, while the husbands of CSEA
Creedmoor Psychiatric Center Local 406 member
Carlotta Williams and Local 010 member Barbara
Rosenberg marched with their wives.
— LUly Gioia
Editor's
Board
of actions
of Directors
meetings.
CSEA
The Public Sector
note:
a summary
The
for
by
at the board's
summary
Statewide
Reeves
taken
official
i s prepared
Secretary
the information
publishes
CSEA's
by
Barbara
of
union
members.
ALBANY — CSEA's statewide Board of
Directors met here on Oct. 23, 1997. In
official action, the board:
O Approved placing the following units
into administratorship: Village of
Canajoharie Unit 7505-00; Town of
Somers Unit 8230-00 and CrotonHarmon School Unit 9159-00;
O Approved waiving the six month
waiting period and authorized the
inscription of the name of Theodore
Wenzl, past CSEA president, on the
union's Memorial Plaque;
O Approved raising the per diem cap
on arbitrator fees to $700, and to the
extent that a per diem exceeds the
Board's cap, the appropriate Local or
Unit will be charged with the excess;
O Approved conducting the AFSCME
delegates election and the Board of
Directors election on the same schedule
with oversight by the Standing Election
Committee and Interactive Certified
Elections, and approved the election
schedule;
O Approved the adoption of an option
submitted by the Election Committee to
eliminate publishing of candidates'
statements and pictures in the official
publication of CSEA;
O Approved the appointments of Sheila
Thorpe, Parrish Gabor, Harry Bello, Rick
Vellone and Ann Rider to the Central
Region 5 Political Action Committee;
O Approved upgrading of the M/C
Meeting Coordinator position, Grade 6, to
Director of Meetings and Conventions,
Grade 7.
Questions
concerning
summary
taken
this
of
by
statewide
Directors
directed
Board
oj
should
be
to
CSEA
Statewide
Barbara
CSEA
143
Avenue,
actions
CSEA's
Secretary
Reeves.
Headquarters,
Washington
Albany,
NY
12210,
1-80Ö-342-4146
(518)
or
257-1253.
Th&'PubHh Sec/or* becembör 1997 * Pa^ö 17
1998 €SEA EUSCTIONS
K l o t i c e
o
f r i o i t i i r i ^ t i o n
Statewide
B o ^ r d
o f d i r e c t o r s
seats up for election in '98
a n d
INFO
e l e c t i o n
199a AFSCME
Convention
C e l e g ^ t e s
Members will elect
convention delegates
All elected seats on CSEA's Statewide Board of Directors will be up for
election in 1998. CSEA delegates previously approved a 2-year term for
CSEA members will be electing delegates to attend the 1998 AFSCME
Board seat elections in 1998, synchronizing the Board elections with the
Convention scheduled for Aug. 24 through 28, 1998, at Honolulu, Hawaii.
union's statewide election cycle beginning in the year 2000. Three-year
The delegate election process will begin with region nominating meetings
terms will resume with Board of Directors elections in 2000.
in February and continue
Who is eligible?
in accordance with the
Any CSEA member who
schedule of election, printed
meets the constitutional
at left, approved by CSEA's
eligibility requirements and
statewide Board of
obtains the required number
Directors.
AFSCME Convention delegates
statewide Board of Directors
of signatures and Social
Delegates will be
Security numbers of members
elected by regions
start of Petitioning Period:
Jan.
20
eligible to vote in the election
CSEA delegates will be
Nominating petitions available
will have his or her name
elected by region. CSEA
from CSEA headquarters and
placed on the ballot.
members in each CSEA
CSEA region offices
A candidate must be at
region will elect the number
least 18 years of age, must be
of delegates to which each
Nominating meetings (all regions)
Feb.
21
a member in good standing of
region is entitled based on
the department, county or
region membership
Deadline for nominating
Feb. 23
educational local he or she
strength, in accordance
petitions to be received at
seeks to represent since June
with the AFSCME and
CSEA Headquarters (5 p.m.)
1997; must not be serving a
CSEA constitutions.
disciplinary penalty imposed
Nominating meetings
Deadline to decline nomination
March
1
1
Deadline to decline nomination
by CSEA's Judicial Board and
in all regions Feb. 21
must not have been a
Meetings will be held in
March 1 7
Drawing for ballot positions
member of a competing labor
all regions on Saturday
association or union since
Feb. 21 to nominate
April 20
Ballots mailed
Ballots mailed
June 1997. To be a "member
candidates for delegates to
in good standing" for election
the AFSCME convention.
Replacement ballots available
April
27
Replacement ballots available
purposes, your dues have to
Meeting sites will be
have been fully paid for the
announced in future
Deadline for receipt of
May
15
Deadline for receipt of
period since June 1, 1997.
editions of The Public
ballots (8 a.m.). Ballots counted
ballots (8 a.m.). Ballots counted
Gratuitous membership
Sector.
status does not constitute
Who is eligible?
Election results will be announced after the ballot count.
"good standing" for election
Any member in good
Candidates will be notified by mail of the results.
purposes.
standing as of Feb. 1, 1998,
Election results will be published in the June 1998 edition of The Public Sector.
Requesting Petitions
will be entitled to be
!
Nominating Petition
nominated as a delegate to
Request Forms will be
the AFSCME Convention. Any member in good standing as of Feb. 21,
available on or after Dec. 8 for eligible members. The petition request
1998, will be eligible to nominate delegates. Any qualified CSEA member
forms will be available from CSEA local presidents, CSEA region offices
will be eligible to nominate as many candidates for delegates as he or she
and CSEA headquarte; s. Potential candidates are urged to request,
desires, not to exceed the total number of delegates to be elected from that
complete and return the petition request forms as early as possible.
region. Nominees do not have to be at the nominating meeting.
Completed petition request forms must be submitted to either CSEA
Slate nominating and election possible
region offices or CSEA headquarters in order to obtain official nominating
Nominations may be made by slates of two or more individuals who will
petition forms. Petition forms will not be released to potential candidates
appear on the ballot as running together under a particular designation.
until Jan. 20, 1998, the official start of the petitioning period (see election
Candidates nominated as slates will appear on the ballot in the order they
schedule, above).
are nominated. The ballot will also allow slate candidates to be elected
Slate nominating and election possible
individually, separate from the slate.
Members seeking to become Board representatives for state
Expenses for transportation, room and board at the AFSCME
departments and counties which, by virtue of their large membership size,
Convention will be paid by CSEA.
are assigned more than one seat on the statewide Board may choose to
petition and run as a slate or as individuals.
1998 CSEA Elections Schedules
Page 19 • December 1997 • The Public
Sector
GENERAL N £ W S
1998 CSISA ELECTIONS In
Local, vinit elections sehe^Mle^ (or 1998
Elections will b e
important information
conducted f o r all
about siate petitioning
local officers,
ana siate voting
f o r delegates, a n d
all unit
Local Elections
The term of office for all current
local officers, delegates and unit
officers expires June 30, 1998.
Officers and delegates will be elected
or re-elected to a three-year term
during local and unit elections to be
conducted between May 15 and
June 15. 1998.
Each local and unit executive
board must select its own Election
Committee and committee
chairperson. The Local and/or Unit
Election Committee is primarily
responsible for conducting the
election.
Slate petitioning and slate voting
will be an option for candidates for
local and unit office (see adjacent
information).
Members may run as individual
candidates if they wish.
Attention: Local, unit presidents
Did you send
Election Committee Data Form
to CSEA headquarters?
Local and unit presidents should
have filed by now the Election
Committee Data Form and
Registration Form for an elections
procedure training teleconference to
be held Jan. 31, 1998.
Election of local officers,
delegates and unit officers will be
conducted between May 15 and
June 15, 1998. Each local and unit
executive board must have its own
Election Committee and committee
chairperson to oversee the election.
Election material and information
cannot be sent to the chairperson
until the committee Data Forms are
filed with Headquarters.
Local and unit presidents may
call the CSEA Records Maintenance
Department at 1-800-342-4146
Extension 1214 if they have
questions.
Nominating
procedure
for small CSEA
locals and units;
special election
rules apply
GENERAL NEWS
In local elections, a slate must contain a candidate running for the
offices of president, one or more vice presidents as set forth in the Local's
By-Laws, secretary and treasurer.
The slate may also include candidates for other offices which have been
created according to the Local Constitution and By-Laws. In locals which
have created the combined position of secretary-treasurer in their ByLaws, the slate must include a candidate for that office.
Unit Elections
In unit elections, a slate must contain a candidate running for the
offices of president, one or more vice presidents as set forth in the Unit's
By-Laws, secretary and treasurer.
The slate may also include candidates for other offices which have been
created according to the Unit Constitution and By-Laws. In units which
have created the combined position of secretary-treasurer in their ByLaws. the slate must include a candidate for that office.
Candidates should know the following:
Z) A member cannot be a candidate for officer and for delegate on the
same slate. An officer candidate must circulate a separate nominating
petition in order to appear on the ballot as a candidate for delegate. The
member will appear on the ballot as a candidate for office as part of the
slate and as an individual for the position of delegate.
Z) Candidates who run as a slate must complete a slate consent form
and a slate petition request form. By petitioning as a slate, candidates who
appear as part of a slate need to submit one set of the required number of
signatures to qualify as a candidate. Individual petitions are not necessary
for slate candidates.
D Candidates who withdraw from a slate must complete a slate
withdrawal form.
More detailed information about election slates will be available from
local and unit election committees.
The union's election rules require a minimum of 10 signatures on
nominating petitions for office in all locals and units. However, this
requirement causes problems for potential candidates for office in
locals and units with 10 or fewer members.
Special election rules apply for CSEA locals and units of 10 or
fewer members.
The statewide Board of Directors approved an Application for
Election to Office for locals and units with 10 or fewer members. In
these smaller locals and units, completion of the Application for
Election to Office replaces the requirement to obtain signatures on a
nominating petition.
In locals or units with 10 or fewer members, any member who
submits the application and meets election requirements under the
appropriate Local or Unit Constitution will be placed on the ballot.
The Public Sector • December 1997 • Page 19
Take
New York's great State University System
^ ajii heip^secjure its fourid
for the state's Ingress 111^
CSEA, along with the
SUNY Mayors Coalition,
United University
Professions and
many other groups,
have
designated
Thursday Dec. 4
as Operation
SUNY Safeguard.
Activities are
planned for SUNY
campuses across the
state to highlight the
value and needs of the
SUNY system.
mcAHLI
INSIDK THIS
EDITION
>V ELECTION RESULTS - Page 3
^V STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS - Pages 4 and 5
^f LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS - Pages 6 and 7
jV THE WORK FORCE - Pages 9, 10 and 11
JV CSEA ELECTION SCHEDULES - Pages 18 and 19
For more information
about tnow you can
participate and help
ensure a brighter
future for SUNY,
contact the
CSEA SUNY
iocais in your
area or your
CSEA Region
Office.
See CSEA President
Danny Donohue's ^
column — page 8:^1
Official publication of
The Civil Service Employees Association, Inc.
Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
143 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12210-2303