Long Island Region President Jarvis Brown

Jarvis T. Brown has been a proud CSEA member for more than 20 years and an esteemed leader and advocate for workers’ rights for about the same number of years. Leading with the motto, “Communicate to Educate,” Brown is dedicated to building a stronger union and improving the lives of members across CSEA Long Island Region One.

Before being elected CSEA Long Island Region President, Brown served as CSEA Town of Oyster Bay Local President for 11 years. In this position, Brown used his experience and tenacity to retain CSEA union positions in the face of budget cuts and organizational changes. One such instance came when Brown persuaded town administration to lift the tax cap 11.5% to save the jobs of CSEA members. That extraordinary feat demonstrates Brown’s dedication to preserving members’ livelihood.

Brown was elected CSEA Long Island Region 1st Vice President in 2020. During that time, he has used his leadership skills to help establish and grow the CSEA Long Island Region School Districts Committee, which was created to address specific issues impacting school district workers. Brown has also been the point person in getting various locals and units out of administratorship, including the CSEA SUNY Farmingdale Local, which had been in administratorship for over two years before Brown stepped in to assist.

An outstanding union organizer, Brown has successfully brought over 600 new members into the CSEA family, expanding CSEA’s influence and reach.

Brown’s most exceptional organizing achievement is bringing 120 SCO Family of Services workers into our union. With the help from the workers’ organizing team, Brown successfully defeated one of the country’s largest union-busting law firms. When beginning the group’s contract negotiations took longer than expected, Brown “stormed the SCO Family of Services Administrator’s office,” where he parked himself in the waiting room for about an hour until the administrator agreed to speak with him face-to-face. Contract negotiations began the next day.

Always prioritizing education, Brown has attended many member meetings around the region, where he informs members about CSEA’s structure as well as the policies and procedures that will make attending members informed about their rights.
Brown’s additional credits include being a CSEA Leadership Education and Development Program class 4 graduate and being an executive board member of the Long Island Federation of Labor.

Brown is an avid listener who is always available to hear the concerns and ideas of CSEA members. By creating an open and inclusive environment, Brown fosters a sense of trust and collaboration, thereby empowering emerging leaders and strengthening the overall union movement.