Page 3 - Retiree News Spring 2022

CSEA endorses Hochul for election for governor
ALBANY — Earlier this year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul received CSEA’s endorsement in her campaign for governor.
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan announced
Hochul’s
endorsement
in a statement. “CSEA
proudly
throws our
support
behind Kathy
Hochul for
Governor.
We’re convinced she’s the right leader to improve the lives of all New Yorkers,” Sullivan said. “From the day she stepped up to lead, Governor Hochul has recognized the value that public employees bring to all New Yorkers. She understands the
incredible sacrifice and dedication of the union members working on the front lines who have gotten
us through these very difficult times, and has demonstrated a
commitment to working with us to recognize them. She has an empathy we’ve not seen before, and she can work across party lines to unite people. We are
confident we can work with her as partners for better government.”
Sullivan said the union is also supportive of Hochul’s goals to grow New York’s public workforce and recruit workers to address critical staffing shortages.
“Governor Hochul is looking
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan has a video conversation with Governor Kathy Hochul.
for real solutions to New York’s problems,” Sullivan said. “She
is working to grow the state workforce to address the staffing shortages that are overburdening workers. She wants to ensure better service delivery to taxpayers, and she’s doing everything she can to protect all New York’s workers during this pandemic.”
“I am proud to receive the endorsement of CSEA which represents among the very best of New York’s public workforce and serves as a voice for justice in the workplace and our communities,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul. “Together,
we recognize that strong unions build a strong middle class and support for organized labor goes hand-in-hand with our economic recovery. I look forward to furthering our partnership to accomplish great things for working people who serve our state and all of our fellow New Yorkers.”
Sullivan recently talked with Hochul about issues concerning many union members. Read below for more on their conversation, and watch their entire conversation at https://cseany.org/ governor-hochul-conversation.
CSEA mourning loss
of former Local 903 President Barbara Biniecki
CSEA is mourning the loss of former
longtime Buffalo- Niagara Frontier Retirees Local 903 President Barbara Biniecki, who
passed away on March 23. She was 82.
Biniecki had served as President of Buffalo-Niagara Frontier Retirees Local 903 from 1998 until 2020.
Before retiring in 1995, she was also the longtime secretary of our union’s West Seneca Developmental Center Local.
As a longtime CSEA activist,
Biniecki had served in numerous leadership roles on the local, region and statewide levels, including on the Western Region Political Action Committee and Standing Women’s Committee.
“She stood up for the retirees
in [her local] really well,” CSEA Retiree Executive Committee Chair Bernie Giambra said. “She was a really good person.”
According to her obituary, Biniecki also enjoyed traveling, crochet, listening to country music and Elvis and playing bingo. She leaves children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
Local 903 President Barbara Biniecki, left in light blue shirt, works an information table at a 2015 CSEA Western Region event.
SPRING 2022
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