Page 5 - Work Force April 2024

CSEA endorses State Sen. Tim Kennedy in Congressional special election
BUFFALO — CSEA has endorsed
State Sen. Tim Kennedy in a special election to fill the 26th Congressional District seat, which was recently vacated by former U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins.
Kennedy (photo by Tim Kennedy for Congress)
30 for the special election to fill the seat, which covers parts of Erie and Niagara counties, including the City of Buffalo.
Kennedy, a Democrat, is running against Town of West Seneca Supervisor Gary Dickson.
CSEA has proudly endorsed Kennedy in the special election because he has consistently demonstrated his support for our union members and the services they provide. Kennedy has championed Tier 6 reform and fought to keep Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center open.
As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Kennedy has been a major advocate for work zone safety measures that protect CSEA members’ lives. Kennedy
also spearheaded legislation to add cameras in work zones, increased penalties for violations and the “move over” law that requires drivers to change lanes or slow down for emergency and disabled vehicles.
“Kennedy's willingness to fight for what is right for working people is where he has earned my respect," said Western Region President
Steve Healy. “That’s exactly the
kind of person we need more of in Washington, D.C.”
Kennedy is well known as a moderate Democrat and leading advocate for upstate New York. That experience and willingness to work across party lines is exactly what the House of Representatives needs, as it is plagued with turmoil, infighting and inaction.
CSEA will be involved in helping Kennedy in his campaign for Congress and the April 30 election. For ways you can help or to learn more, visit cseany.org/vote.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has set April
Dispatchers facing abuse, spoof calls while protecting public
DEPEW — Emergency dispatchers
in the Village of Depew have been facing a particularly disturbing challenge at work: a group of
people who simultaneously call in, monopolize the dispatch and even go so far as to threaten dispatchers and their families.
“They will call and escalate to where they are constantly swearing at you,” said CSEA Village of Depew White Collar Unit Secretary-Treasurer Shelley Matthews, a senior public safety dispatcher. “They’ll say to us
‘I know where you live, I know how much you make. I pay your salary.’ The verbal abuse our dispatchers
are going through; it’s just not necessary.”
Matthews said some callers have even threatened to hurt or kill dispatchers and their families.
According to Matthews, the flooding of calls has occurred several times over the past eight months, apparently initiated by a group called
“WNY Audits.”
Callers acting on behalf of this
group may call up to 100 times per hour, use voice altering software and disguise the location they are calling from by hiding or spoofing their phone numbers.
These individuals will call and attempt to interrogate dispatchers about what they can and cannot record on video, ask personal questions about police officers and will often escalate to threats when dispatchers will not share personal information about officers or themselves.
The impact on the community is also potentially very serious.
“When there is a true emergency, now we’re delayed from answering them,” said Matthews. “These callers are taking away from someone who may be having a cardiac arrest or other emergency.”
Group members will show up and video officers or dispatchers doing
their jobs, often attempting to bait them into confrontation.
Village officials have made changes to try to further protect dispatchers so they can respond to legitimate emergencies in a timely manner.
These measures include dispatchers no longer being required to provide their last name, simply their badge number or first name. The dispatch has also been physically moved to a more secure location, with clear bulletproof barriers that separate dispatchers from the public.
Dispatchers are encouraged
to immediately ask if it is an emergency that requires sending help immediately and if not, they are permitted to end the call.
Even with the workers’ dedication to keeping the public safe and
the village’s measures, Matthews noted that there does not seem
to be an easy solution to stopping these harassing calls due to
the anonymous nature of them. Matthews hopes it will not negatively impact staffing, but shared her fears that at least one colleague has talked about leaving their job due to these calls.
— Mathew L. Cantore
April 2024
The Work Force 5