Page 3 - Work Force December 2020

Delegates call on federal government for funding to preserve public services
ALBANY — During the union’s 110th Annual Delegates Meeting, CSEA passed a series of resolutions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on New Yorkers.
During the virtual convention, delegates from around the state voted overwhelmingly to call on Congress to deliver unrestricted federal aid for state and local governments and school districts to stop public services from being cut.
The delegates also called on the federal government to recognize the contributions and sacrifice
of essential workers during the pandemic with hazard pay.
“We need to
hold our federal
government
accountable for
delivering aid to our
state, municipalities
and school districts
to preserve the public
services New Yorkers
depend on,” said CSEA
President Mary E. Sullivan. “They must also recognize the dedication, bravery and sacrifice of our essential workers with compensation for what they had to endure and continue to experience during this crisis.”
Tens of thousands of CSEA members continued to provide essential services throughout the state during the pandemic while many New Yorkers stayed home to flatten the curve.
The pandemic response from
the state and local governments, along with lower tax revenue from the closures, has devastated public budgets. Some local government agencies and school districts have cut jobs and services, and more cuts are expected unless the state can get unrestricted federal aid.
CSEA members have been lobbying for months pushing for federal relief funds to make sure New York’s public services do not fall casualty to the economic crisis
In this video screen shot, Resolutions Committee Chair Chris Vogel reads the Resolution 2 calling for additional federal aid.
Sullivan
brought on by the pandemic. In early November, the U.S.
Senate left Washington without taking action on additional aid and the Trump administration has made its support for such aid unclear. President-elect Joe Biden had recently appointed a coronavirus task force and supports federal aid to states and local governments, as well as to working people and small businesses.
AFSCME International President Lee Saunders, during his video address during the 110th Annual Delegates Meeting, praised CSEA’s push for the aid.
“I also want to acknowledge the activism and mobilization of CSEA members on our union’s Fund the Front Lines campaign, fighting for
a federal stimulus package that provides robust aid to states, cities, towns, and schools,” he said. The essential work that CSEA members delivered for New York also put
AFSCME International President Lee Saunders addresses delegates by video.
workers and their families at an increased risk for contracting COVID-19, with some paying the ultimate price.
During the union’s annual meeting, CSEA recognized dozens of workers who lost their lives to COVID-19, many through
work-related exposures.
“We owe a debt to those workers
and their families that can never be repaid, and we mourn their losses deeply,” Sullivan said.
For our in memoriam
tributes to these members visit https://cseany.org/member-tributes.
December 2020
The Work Force 3