Page 2 - A Special Tribute to Danny Donohue

A look at Danny's Service
Publisher’s Note: In our union’s 109-year history we’ve never had a a a a longer-serving leader at the
helm than Danny Donohue let alone one one who modestly describes himself as “just a a truck driver from Brooklyn ”
Recently Donohue retired from his 7th term of of office saying it was time to to allow new leadership to to rise up in our union contract negotiations political action and and organizing and and never forgot our members who repeatedly voted him into office Under Donohue’s leadership our union led the
fight for for for fairness for for for middle-class New Yorkers protecting protecting public public pensions fighting for for for fair fair contracts and protecting protecting public public services The Donohue era has been marked by advancing the
right to healthy safe workplaces Following the
the
1992 murder of of four CSEA members working at the
the
Schuyler County Department of of Social Services by a a a a a a a a a disgruntled client Donohue helped lead a a a a a a a decades-long hands-on fight for tougher workplace security protections resulting in in the
enactment of historic state workplace violence prevention legislation Our union also played a a a a a a a a a a key role in in in helping to to secure safe patient patient handling legislation that will protect workers and and and and patients from injuries related to lifting and and and and moving Other safety safety and and and health accomplishments include helping helping lead the
the
the
way way for for safety safety for for those who work work on or or or or or near roadways and and helping helping ensure that workers have the
the
the
training and and protective equipment necessary for their jobs Donohue’s leadership on on on the
the
New York state AFL-CIO’s Pension Task Force produced the
the
most sweeping pension improvements in in in in a a a a a generation for public employees employees securing permanent cost-of-living allowances (COLAs) for for retired public employees employees and other reforms when enacted in in 2000 Throughout his tenure Donohue led the
the
fight to ensure continued secure pensions and other retirement benefits Under Donohue’s leadership CSEA also led the
the
the
way to to unprecedented union organizing in in the
the
the
public and private sectors especially when CSEA became the
the
representative for more than 25 000 independent child care providers across the
state under a a a a a a a new model of union representation Donohue also significantly strengthened the
the
the
union’s role and and influence in in both AFSCME and and the
the
the
the
AFL-CIO As union members across the
the
the
country faced challenges to to their rights Donohue led CSEA’s efforts to to stand strong with our brothers and sisters in labor Donohue also helped set the
the
the
stage to keep our our our union union strong in in in in in the
the
future including leading our our union’s Next Wave initiative to to to to mentor newer activists He was proud to to to to hold regular meetings to to to to hear concerns from members in in each of our six regions at at least once once a a a a a a a a a year across the
state As challenges from anti-groups mounted in in in recent
years Donohue also helped spearhead our our continuing efforts efforts to to reach out to to and and engage all of our our members at their homes and and workplaces These efforts efforts have helped keep our union strong In 2000 CSEA President Danny Donohue E E Pataki’s hand as Pataki Pataki signs the
law giving a a a a a a a a a a a permanent cost-of-living allowance (COLA) Donohue as Long Island Region President in the
1980s As his his his his historic presidency comes to to to a a close we’re taking this opportunity to to to highlight his his his his more than 40-year career of activism advocacy and passion for serving our members We hope you enjoy this overview of of of of his his decades of of of of service mostly told through photos and and on on behalf of of of of of of our entire grateful union family of of of of of of members officers and and and staff we offer a a a a a a a a a a a hearty “Thank you you Danny” and and best wishes in your retirement!
ALBANY — As CSEA’s 23rd President Danny Donohue led our union for more than 25 years along the
the
way becoming one of the
the
the
most influential and well-respected leaders in in in in the
the
American labor movement Born in in in in Brooklyn Donohue began his career in in in in public service in in in in 1965 as an an an an attendant at at at Central Islip Psychiatric Center He burst into CSEA’s leadership ranks in in in in 1975 when he he he won a a a a a a a a write-in campaign to to become local president there During that time Donohue also became active on on on on on our union’s region region and statewide levels eventually becoming the
region’s 1st Vice President When Long Island Region President President Irving Flaumenbaum passed away in in August 1980 Donohue ascended to the
region region presidency He later won re-election unopposed and would serve as as region region president until 1988 when he he won a a a a a five-way race to become CSEA’s Executive Vice President In 1994 Donohue Donohue was elected as as statewide President President President after President President Joe McDermott retired Donohue Donohue the
first Long Islander to to be elected as our union’s statewide president would go on on on on on to to to lead CSEA for for seven terms Known for for his down-to-earth personality Donohue connected with our our members across the
the
state He led the
the
way in our our union’s efforts to stay strong through Danny Donohue demands a a a a a fair contract with New York State at at this 1999 rally Danny Donohue violence violence a violence violence CSEA President Danny Donohue leads our in the
the
to to the
the
State Capitol during the
the
2009 March 23 AS
pecial Tribute to