Page 4 - CSEA Retiree News Winter 2019

CSEA expands retiree membership Spouses domestic partners and and all retired CSEA CSEA staff are now eligible to become CSEA CSEA Retiree Division members The proposals were approved at at our 108th Annual Delegates Meeting Previously CSEA CSEA Retiree membership was only open to those who who were CSEA CSEA members members during their employment or or who who received retirement benefits through the the New York State and and Local Employees Retirement Retirement System System and and Firemen’s Retirement Retirement System System This eligibility
included spouses and domestic partners who receive state pension benefits from deceased CSEA CSEA members members as as as well as as as retired CSEA CSEA staff members members who are former public employees and receive state pension benefits “In CSEA we we really stress the value of our union family in in everything that we we do ” said CSEA President Danny Donohue “Our retirees’
spouses and and domestic partners are are members of of our our personal families and and often share our our concerns as union members members Our retired staff members members have spent years fighting for working people Allowing them to join our Retiree Division is is a a a natural fit ” Spouses domestic partners play valuable role
Previously spouses and domestic partners who were never CSEA members or eligible public employees — — and continue to live with one receiving state pension benefits — — were unable unable to to join join our Retiree Division as as members members Despite being unable unable to to join join as as full members members spouses domestic partners and retired staff have long played a a a a a a a a crucial role
in our union family Many CSEA Retiree members attend local
membership meetings and events with their spouses or domestic partners In addition to attending the meetings many spouses and partners play active roles including participating in in in in in discussions on on the the issues and volunteering their services “These people are are are actively involved and and they they are are are are well aware of the the the issues that our retiree members face because they they are are are usually facing these issues along with their [member] spouses and partners ” CSEA Retiree Executive Committee Chair Millie Lucas said “We look forward to having them as as full members because they are already playing a a a a a a a a a a a major role
in in helping us us stay strong ” Former staff staff provide expertise
While retired CSEA staff staff who were previously public employees and receive Syracuse Area Retirees Local President Charlotte Adkins right talks with Central New York DDSO Local Local member Pamela Ho about the importance of building a a a a a a a a a stronger union outside her Fayetteville home Photo by AFSCME Legislative Affairs Specialist Karl Stark
New York Metropolitan Retirees Local 910 member Clarissa Mitchell at the 2017 Labor Day Parade in New York City CSEA Syracuse Area Retirees Local Treasurer Kathy Zabinski and activist Lori Nilsson work the phone banks prior to Election Day New York Metropolitan Retirees Local member Barbara Shoates at at the 2017 Parade in New York City CSEA Retiree members are hard at work during the recent Alliance for Retired Americans conference Bottom row CSEA Retiree Executive Committee (REC) Chair Chair Millie Lucas REC REC Vice Vice Chair Chair Charlotte Adkins Florida State Retirees North Local 952 1st Vice Vice President Joan Reinhart and and CSEA Retiree Retiree Retiree Program Specialist Christine Meehan Top row REC Secretary and and and Capital Capital District District Retirees Retirees Local Local 999 999 President Jack Rohl and and Capital Capital District District Retirees Retirees Local Local 999 999 activist George Hebert (Photo provided by the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans)
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