SPRING VALLEY — They’ve gone more than seven years without a contract, seen their staffing totals drop from 93 to 54 and have shone a light on safety issues that could put workers and residents at risk.
It’s not easy for members of the Village of Spring Valley Unit, but with support from CSEA family across the state, they are fighting back.
Workers rallied outside Village Hall on Oct. 29, joined by fellow union members and community supporters, to send a message: the village’s elected officials may be dragging their feet on contract negotiations and other issues, but our union isn’t backing down.
“We want the Spring Valley community to know that their elected leaders have been diverting an obscene amount of taxpayer dollars to fighting the people delivering the most essential village services,” said Rockland County Local President Chris Vogel. “What they’ve wasted on a revolving door of labor attorneys shows they are willing to throw money around to fight a fair contract at the same time they claim they can’t afford to pay the workers or replace vehicles that have no place on the road.”
Village of Spring Valley Unit President Jonathan Gonzalez said the rally was an important way to acknowledge workers’ struggles, which include a strained workforce due to staffing shortages and requests to work out of title that he said haven’t been fairly compensated.
“We’re talking about men and women who are working two or three jobs,” said Gonzalez. “People are not able to spend time with their families. Some pray they get overtime so they can make ends meet to pay their bills. I see how hard our union members work and can see it in their eyes that they just want this to be done.”
Adding to the rally was the solidarity Spring Valley members received from CSEA activists across the state. CSEA leaders from across the Southern Region, including some who are from Spring Valley, took time to come show their support. In addition to Statewide Secretary Stacey Baldwin Deyo joining the rally, Nassau County Local President Kris Kalender and 2nd Vice President Joe McGahan brought their local’s LED box truck to Spring Valley to create a visual impact for community members passing by.
“When we told our union family what was going on in Spring Valley, so many people asked how they could help,” said Acting Southern Region President Rosemarie Kukys. “CSEA activists and other local labor leaders went to great lengths to rally with us, and I hope members felt that support.”
Our union continues to be actively involved in elevating workplace safety concerns at Spring Valley worksites, with the state Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau (PESH) addressing concerns and issuing violations.
With a new mayor and trustee coming aboard post-Election Day, CSEA leaders plan to keep the problems in Spring Valley publicized while also continuing our legal response in the ongoing contract fight.
“Some of our members could have retired, but they’ve been holding on to get that paycheck and just to be able to say, finally, my years of service meant something,” said Gonzalez.
— Jessica Ladlee
