Page 13 - Work Force December 2020

Social media helps turn layoff tide
When CSEA City of Long Beach Unit members were faced with layoffs at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, social media made a major difference in lessening the effect of the layoffs, including several positions being restored.
officials’ homes, using Facebook Live and drones to document the demonstration, as reported in the July-August edition.
Mooney noted that the Facebook Live video got more than 4,000 views and 100 shares during the rally.
“We drove to city council members’ and the city manager’s homes to let them know that we were going to fight through the pandemic and that our voices were going to be heard loud and clear,” Mooney said. “The social media platform was very powerful. It put the city council on notice that we were going to hold them accountable.”
The council eventually restored seven of the positions, with several of the affected workers returning to work. Several city employees also retired.
Mooney said the union will continue to fight to restore the jobs. “We won’t stop fighting until everyone is back,” he said.
Mooney said that many city officials had seen the Facebook Live video and felt the pressure from
residents to restore the jobs, largely because CSEA members have been so essential
in pulling the city through recent crises, including Hurricane Sandy.
“Had we not done this campaign, we wouldn’t have gotten
any of [the jobs] back or any deals,” Mooney said.
Mooney credits training on social media he received through the union for the unit’s ability to use social media to influence city officials, which led to a unit Facebook page and use of Facebook Live. “Everyone should be sharing [through social media], and putting this out there for everyone to see,” he said.
Mooney added that it’s vital when
During a
virtual plenary
session at
the recent
110th Annual
Delegates
Meeting, City
of Long Beach
Unit President
John Mooney
showcased how
unit members
worked
together
to oppose
the layoffs after city officials had announced layoffs of 22 employees due to budgetary reasons. The affected workers were mostly CSEA members and mostly women and non-Caucasian employees.
The City of Long Beach Unit fought back, largely
through the use of
social media, emails
and letters to elected officials. The union also filed a class- action grievance on behalf of the affected workers and worked with city officials to balance the budget.
Along with these methods, the unit worked toward finding a socially distant way to send the message in person.
“We wanted to keep everyone safe during the pandemic,” Mooney said. “It was a challenge for us because we are a tight-knit group.”
Mooney and unit activists
found the solution by leading a drive-through rally of about 130 vehicles spanning City Hall and city
City of Long Beach Unit President John Mooney discusses how social media helped in the unit’s effort to save jobs.
John Mooney speaks at the ADM.
“The social media platform was very powerful. It put
the city council on notice that we were going to hold them accountable.”
In this screen shot, a drone captures the union’s vehicle rally around the city earlier this year.
The Nassau County Local lent its support for the City of Long Beach Unit during the vehicle rally around the city earlier this year.
union members fight back as a group. “It’s more impactful when we all fight
back,” he said on a video during which he discussed the unit’s fight. “One voice is a whisper; thousands is a roar. We have to be that roar for CSEA.”
For more coverange of the 110th Annual Delegates meeing, see pages 3, 5-12.
December 2020
The Work Force 13