Photo of the Month Photo by Dorianne Hunt From left, Statewide Treasurer Joe McMullen, CSEA President Danny Donohue and CSEA Executive Vice President Mary E. Sullivan accepted an AFSCME challenge for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. CSEA also donated $1,000 to the ALS Association. The challenge was a social media sensation, raising millions for research into the causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In turn, the officers challenged CSEA’s cabinet, all CSEA officers and CSEA’s region directors to the icy fund-raiser. View the video at CSEA’s website. ALERT NEW YORK’S LEADING UNION CSEA President Danny Donohue to meet Southern Region members on Oct. 29 President Danny Donohue will visit the CSEA Southern Region on Oct. 29 to meet with members. The meetings will be held at the Southern Region Office, 568 State Route 52, Beacon. Donohue will meet with union members from 1 to 7 p.m. Please call the region office at 1-845-831-1000 for an appointment and directions. Proposals leave workers, patients in limbo POMONA — Southern Region President Billy Riccaldo is raising questions over Rockland County Executive Ed Day’s handling of proposed layoffs, privatization efforts and the transition of the Summit Park Hospital and Nursing Care Center to a private operator. Riccaldo, a 43-year Rockland County employee, said recently that Day’s handling of a number of initiatives has resulted in chaos for the county work force. “The new county executive and county legislators are playing a game of political football that hurts our CSEA members and the residents and patients of Summit Park,” said Riccaldo. Day recently announced plans to outsource CSEA-represented laundry, security and x-ray jobs, as well as eliminating certain remaining Department of Mental Health positions following the privatization of some county-run mental health services. While certain areas such as x-ray and laundry could be affected by the takeover of Summit Park’s nursing home and hospital by a private owner, Riccaldo argued that the union must fight to preserve all good middle-class county jobs. “Our security positions, for example, impact all county buildings and should not be privatized,” Riccaldo said “For decades, these jobs have given men and women a fair shot at employment through the civil service system. Outsourcing could give way to nepotism and put people who’ve been in these jobs out of work.” Riccaldo also blasted the county’s role in the transition process at Summit Park. Day failed to keep his promise to put Riccaldo and CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Larry Sparber on the transition team, something Riccaldo said was essential in ensuring workers’ interests and quality patient care remain a priority. “The county has fallen down on the job during this transition period,” Riccaldo said. “There has been minimal effort to recruit new patients and nursing home residents, which hurts the county’s efforts to fix its budget deficit. The administration has not fulfilled its promise of a smooth transition, which is unfair to the people living and working at Summit Park.” Riccaldo said CSEA will continue advocating on behalf of all county workers and those living at Summit Park. — Jessica Ladlee Register to vote today! Use your voice! Please register to vote — and then make sure you vote! The deadline to register for the general election is Oct. 10. Visit https://cseany.org/ electioninformation for voter registration links, forms, and an explanation of CSEA’s candidate endorsement process. You can also get a voter registration form at your local post office. It’s easy, and it’s your civic duty! 2 The Work Force October 2014
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