Page 2 - Retiree News Spring 2020

Retiree Executive Committee Chair Millie Lucas:
IAn important time to reach out
hope you and live healthfully.
your loved ones I would urge you to safely reach are staying safe out to your families, friends or
and healthy during this COVID-19 pandemic.
When the
pandemic swept
across New York in March, it brought with it much anxiety
and uncertainty that has affected everything in our society, including thousands of cases and deaths from COVID-19, food and supply shortages at the grocery store, closures of untold numbers of businesses, organizations and facilities, directives to socially distance from others and ‘stay home’ orders for most New Yorkers.
Health experts are still learning more about this virus, but experts agree that older Americans and those with underlying health conditions and reduced immunity are particularly vulnerable. For
us, the pandemic is particularly painful, as it’s especially important that we stay home (and limit even our errands) and practice social distancing. For many of us, this also means not visiting with our loved ones, including our children, grandchildren and close friends.
During our retirement years, these relationships are especially important to maintain as they help us stay active. When we
are unable to attend gatherings, whether it be an event with family or friends, religious services or group meetings such as our CSEA Retiree Local meetings, it leads to social isolation.
As we age, social contacts tend to decrease due to retirement, deaths of loved ones or a lack of mobility. This isolation can also be potentially dangerous for us, as studies have shown that it could potentially lead to worsening health or even death as people who are isolated are less likely to engage in productive activities or
even former co-workers, whether it’s over the phone, email or social media. If you are familiar with a computer or smartphone, you have options to visit with them via video technology.
While we are discussing reaching out and connecting, it’s more important than ever to make sure you connect with our union. Please see Page 8 for directions on how to ensure that we get your most updated contact information so we can easily communicate with you.
If you or someone you know are stuck at home and unable
to access basic needs such as groceries, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for help. Most communities across New York have food pantries or delivery services that can help.
One great resource to find food assistance, or assistance with
any other basic need, is through the United Way. You can reach these services in your community simply through calling the United Way’s 2-1-1 Helpline or visit 211.org. While many of these services can be provided through nonprofit agencies, you can also be directed to essential public agencies.
Our currently working members are continuing to provide
vital services. Whether it’s providing health care services, social services or keeping our communities clean and safe, they are the ones on the front lines every day.
Remember, we are all in this together. Stay union, stay strong and stay safe!
In solidarity,
Millie
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan:
Staying strong during tough times
Sisters and Brothers:
Ihope
you are
staying
well and
safe during
this horrible
time in
our world.
Being at the
epicenter
of this pandemic, we are facing so much illness and death
that it’s almost impossible to comprehend.
I hope everyone is staying at home and following the proper protocols to stay safe and virus- free. Sadly, we have already lost nearly two dozen CSEA members as I write this, and I expect we will hear about more losses in the weeks ahead. I mourn all their passings and ask you to keep them and their families in your thoughts and hearts.
Although our buildings
are mostly empty, our union continues with the work of representing our employed and retired members. CSEA has never been busier dealing with this crisis.
Unfortunately, the devastating public health crisis we are experiencing has also led to a severe economic crisis the likes of which New York has never faced. What does that mean
to you as retired members?
It means that we face major challenges ahead for ourselves and our state.
In a brief spot of good news, we were able to leverage our political clout to get several proposals rejected from the
recently enacted state budget that would have harmed retirees.
In bad news, the state’s economic crisis means that the state will have the ability to revise the budget in the near future and more cuts could be coming to our public services.
We know that our public workers and retirees are often targeted to shoulder the burden when the state faces tough economic times. It’s in all our best interests to make sure we turn up the heat on our federal representatives to demand immediate action to provide billions in unrestricted aid to help New York survive this time of crisis. Otherwise, we will all
be facing even more pain after this immediate health crisis has passed. Visit our web page at cseany.org for more on how you can join our campaign to demand federal aid, and a listing of your federal representatives.
Finally, I hope you all have taken the time to fill out your U.S. Census form. Now, more than ever, we need to make sure our state gets every penny we are entitled to in the future, and we cannot do that if people are not counted. Please make sure you get counted.
I extend to you my most heartfelt wishes for enduring this difficult time. We will get through this, like we do everything else as a union, together.
In solidarity,
Mary E. Sullivan President
2 CSEA RETIREE NEWS