Page 13 - Work Force April 2022

Herkimer County Unit reaches contract; planning outreach effort
HERKIMER — Herkimer County Unit President JoAnne LeClair, who has worked for the county for 40 years, said workers haven’t seen a major wage increase in decades.
Historically, the county has been conservative when it comes to raises for its employees.
But unit members recently voted overwhelmingly to approve a three-year contract that includes significant base pay raises over the length of the contract.
“We would always rather get a raise on current pay that would include longevities, but they just won’t seem to budge on that,” LeClair said.
While the base pay raises don’t proportionally reward longer-tenured employees, LeClair knew even this kind of raise was rare for county employees. The unit was also able to
increase longevity payments. “It’s a tough line to walk to
balance it, but we knew we had to get something done for our people,” LeClair said.
Due to COVID-19, the contract vote was held digitally using ElectionBuddy and the vote was overwhelmingly positive.
“To see [an] increase was a huge positive for people because everyone is hurting,” LeClair said. “I think we’re one of the lowest-paid counties in the state as far as our titles, so that [raise] was a big deal to people. Plus, we didn’t lose anything [in the agreement].”
Not only was the vote an overwhelming ‘yes,’ the number of members who voted was also overwhelmingly high.
“The employees loved [ElectionBuddy] so much that
they want to use it for votes going forward,” LeClair said. “It was a much bigger turnout than when people have to show up to the office to cast a ballot.”
Non-member outreach campaign
Following the successful ratification of the new contract, LeClair, other unit officers and unit Membership Committee Chair Kathy DeAngelis are hoping to use that momentum to engage with non- members who are covered under the contract.
Like many locals and units, some employees hired during the COVID-19 pandemic were hard to reach and
fell through the cracks. Working with CSEA staff, LeClair hopes to get them signed up for CSEA membership
so they can take advantage of the countless benefits of being a union
member.
To begin, LeClair drafted a letter
to send to non-members explaining the positive contract negotiations and the benefits of membership.
“Her letter described the various member-only insurance plans, the disability insurance we don’t get as employees, how we do scholarships and just the feeling of solidarity
and that we do things together,” DeAngelis said.
DeAngelis added that they’ve already had several people get back to them interested about joining from the letter alone.
“I think it does matter to really address brand-new people and bring them in and [mentor] them, so you know that when you walk away or retire, the union is in good hands,” LeClair said.
— Nicholas Newcomb
David Corrao recovers from his injuries in the hospital. (Photo submitted by CSEA Erie County Unit member Cari Hurley, Corrao’s girlfriend.)
in this situation,” said CSEA Western Region President Steve Healy. “It’s another great example of how CSEA members do so much more for everyone.”
— Mathew L. Cantore
Caseworker touted for quick actions
CHEEKTOWAGA — For David Corrao, a caseworker at the Erie County Children’s Services, the job is about more than just protecting the children in his caseload.
“Our goal is ‘return to parents,’ said Corrao, an Erie County Local member. “If I can prevent one of my parents from doing something that’s going to get them in a lot of trouble, I’m doing to do what I can.”
Corrao was recently faced with a situation he called ‘really scary,’ when a father abducted his own child during a planned supervised visit.
The father had arrived at Erie County Children’s Services office and was waiting in the lobby area for the child, who was being cared for by a foster parent.
Corrao arrived in the reception area at the same time as the foster parent and child, when Corrao saw the father sit down with the child on his lap.
Following the agency’s procedure, Corrao approached the father and asked if he had checked in.
The father then informed Corrao he had not checked in, and the man
April 2022
walked out of the office carrying the child.
Corrao followed him outside with the foster parent close behind.
“I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ several times,” Corrao said. “He looked back at me and said, ‘I’m taking my kid.’ I was kind of bewildered, but I told the foster parent to go back inside and get security. I just kept saying over and over ‘You can’t do this. You’re not allowed to do this.’”
After the father reached his vehicle and began loading the child in, Corrao approached the vehicle and attempted to hold the door open. “I was just trying to explain to him this was not a good idea and also to buy time for the sheriff to arrive,” he said.
The father then shoved Corrao into a parked vehicle and to the ground before getting in the driver’s side of the vehicle.
“At that point I thought, ‘he’s going to get away with the kid, what else can I do?’” Corrao said. “So, I get up and I stand behind his car, because in my head I’m thinking
‘he won’t back into me, it would be
foolish’, but that’s exactly what he proceeded to do.”
Corrao was able to back away from the car after being pushed several feet as the father sped away with the child.
Luckily, he suffered minor injuries and was treated at Erie County Medical Center. Corrao said he has received strong support from co- workers.
“I never expected something like this to happen,” said Corrao. “All my co-workers were so incredibly supportive. Everyone was telling me it’s going to be OK, helping me treat my injuries and what I needed to do next. The massive support from co-workers was very reassuring.”
According to media reports, the father and child returned to the father’s home, where the father was taken into police custody and faces several criminal charges. The child was returned to Children’s Services.
“Hopefully, none of my co-workers find themselves in the same situation,” said Corrao.
“We are very proud of Dave for taking such brave and quick action to try to protect everyone involved
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