Page 2 - Work Force December 2018

Photo of the Month
Governor signs legislation to protect county workers
SUNY Binghamton Local President David Lee recently takes the Polar Plunge at Chenango Valley State Park. CSEA raised $1,250 for the Special Olympics at this year’s Binghamton Polar Plunge. Photo by Ken Smith, courtesy of Special Olympics. See Page 19 for more coverage of recent Polar Plunges.
GARDEN CITY — Nassau County employees will receive more wage protection in the event of a second wage freeze, under legislation
Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signed into law.
The legislation (S.8805/A. 10670) allows Nassau County employees to receive a step increase if the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA),
a control board that oversees the county’s finances, imposes a second wage freeze. CSEA strongly supported the bill and worked for its passage.
“This legislation helps alleviate some financial hardship on Nassau County employees should NIFA ever freeze wages again,” CSEA President Danny Donohue said.
Many collective bargaining agreements include wage schedules that require employees to work for
a certain number of years before reaching the top level of pay for a job grade.
In 2011, NIFA froze wages and step increases for thousands of county employees, including our members. The loss of step payment increases led to retention and morale issues, as well as severe financial hardship among Nassau County employees.
In 2014, NIFA reinstated the step increases at the strong urging of CSEA and other unions.
“There were new hires that started their positions and were
stuck [at the starting rate] for three years because of the wage freeze,” CSEA Nassau County Local President Jerry Laricchiuta said. “Reinstating step increases helped our new members; you can’t live on Long Island [at some of the starting wage rates]. Some of our members left their positions because of low-paying wages.”
Despite the reinstatement, the uncertainty over future wages has led to employee recruitment and retention issues. Critical areas such as child protective services and emergency dispatch services are finding it more difficult to recruit new employees.
To help ease the uncertainty and retain highly qualified workers, CSEA worked with other Nassau County unions to urge its passage, first with the state legislature and eventually with the governor.
In early November, the governor signed the legislation, which will allow the county to continue to build its fiscal footing while allowing workers and county services some stability.
“I appreciate the governor’s pro-union stance,” Laricchiuta said. “He’s good for the middle class and he’s good for the working people.”
— Wendi Bowie
ALERT
CSEA President Danny Donohue to meet with Long Island Region members
CSEA President Danny Donohue will visit the CSEA Long Island Region on Wednesday, Dec. 5. The meetings will be held from 1 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the CSEA Long Island Region Office, 3 Garet Place, Commack. Please call the region office at (631) 462-0030 for an appointment and directions.
Greenleaf becomes Central Region President
CSEA welcomes Ken Greenleaf as our new Central Region President.
Greenleaf, who
previously served as
the region’s executive
vice president, has
taken the place
of former Region
President Colleen Wheaton, who recently retired.
Greenleaf has worked for the Hannibal Central School District in Oswego County for 34 years, most recently as a cleaning supervisor,
and has been a CSEA activist since his unit joined our union in 1996. He became the Hannibal Central School District Unit President in 1998 and served in that post until he assumed the region presidency.
In addition to his unit and various region offices, Greenleaf has served in offices for our Oswego County Local, CSEA’s Board of Directors
and numerous statewide and region committees. He also serves as a vice president of the Central New York Area Labor Federation.
To learn more about Greenleaf, visit cseany.org/r5.
CSEA mourns loss of Long Island Region member Jean MacDonald
2 The Work Force
December 2018
Greenleaf
HEMPSTEAD — CSEA is mourning the loss of Long Island Region member Jean MacDonald, 61, who passed away on November 14 while on the job as a sanitation worker for the Town of Hempstead.
MacDonald, who lived in Freeport and had been employed by the town’s Sanitation Department since 2006, was described in local media reports as an “exemplary” and “hardworking” employee of the town’s Sanitation
Department. He was injured while collecting leaves on a local street, and was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
CSEA is investigating the incident.
“Our deepest thoughts and condolences are with Jean’s loved ones, including his co-workers, during this very difficult time,” CSEA Long Island Region President Nick LaMorte said.
— Wendi Bowie