Page 9 - Work Force December 2020

worried and had questions. What we have done over the past eight months has been amazing.”
These efforts include the quick development of numerous health and safety, leadership training and political action webinars; as well as developing creative ways to reach out to members, including outdoor contract ratification votes.
“It’s in our nature to talk to each other, to be together and be active in our workplaces and neighborhoods,” Acquario said. “We [met online], but we needed to do something different; to get away from our computers and show members who we really are.”
One solution was developing socially distanced drive-through information days, during which members could meet with benefit providers and union officers without leaving their vehicles. The CSEA Capital Region held the first such event in the region office’s parking lot, which drew more than 200 members.
Acquario recounted how one group of members at the Capital Region event immediately followed their participation in that event by parking their cars and meeting in
a socially distanced manner at the edge of the parking lot.
“That pumped me up; it showed me that people were thirsty and needed to get out,” Acquario said.
Other regions, locals and units also held successful outdoor events, with some having unique twists
that included events at local sports stadiums, food trucks and even takeout food.
Schenectady City School District Clerical Unit President Beverly Healey said that her local and unit have been involved in multiple member drive-through events at which members got face masks, important information and takeout food, even working with a local fire department on one event.
Healey, who is planning a spring
drive-through picnic and would like to hold a socially distanced winter event, urged members to hold the events.
“[Drive
through events]
really helps
keep members
engaged,” Healey
said. “It’s a
great way to
keep everyone
connected;
more people are
participating
because it’s a shorter time frame commitment for the members ... face to face is always so nice instead of Zoom.”
Reaching new hires
The pandemic also made it more challenging for local and unit leaders to meet new employees to introduce them to our union, but CSEA recorded a brief virtual new member orientation video for agencies to play for new CSEA position hires.
CSEA has made it easy for
new members to join our union, getting an electronic membership application by texting “CSEA” to 237263 and to learn about our union’s resources and benefits via electronic membership orientation materials.
Western New York DDSO Local Secretary Robyn Davies recounted how her local was able to connect with new hires during the pandemic.
“When the pandemic hit,
we became very concerned we weren’t going to have the face- to-face contact [with new hires],” Davies said.
The local
reached out to
CSEA, which soon developed the electronic materials. However, the
employer had omitted CSEA from their new orientation training. “We insisted
on getting back on the training,” Davies said.
Although they started doing their own online trainings, Davies was still concerned about the member outreach. “We still didn’t feel we were reaching as many people as we could, so our local starting emailing and calling people involved with
the hiring and eventually, the local members were able to connect with the new hires.”
“It was very successful and we got great feedback.” Davies said. “It was meaningful to our local and we really stood up to the plate.”
Upgrading technology
Over the past several years, CSEA had been upgrading our union’s technology to adapt to
an increasingly digital world. The pandemic forced our union to put these upgrades to the test quickly, as most CSEA staff worked remotely during the state’s shutdown.
“COVID-19 has changed our way of life; the way we shop, the way we learn and the way we interact,” CSEA Chief Information Officer Amrit Singh said. “Our reliance on technology is greater than it’s ever been.”
Earlier this year, CSEA launched
a new, enhanced union membership records platform that increased security and made it easier for members to access their information, contracts and union leaders.
While CSEA rolled out the
MyCSEA Mobile App two years
ago, the pandemic highlighted why the app’s features are so vital to keep our union strong. The app includes information about the many resources and benefits available to members.
“The MyCSEA app lets our leadership and members have access to important information whenever they need it,” Singh said. “Mobile technology is the wave of the future and we are ensuring CSEA keeps up by making the union more agile and flexible.”
Central New York DDSO Local 2nd Vice President Dustin Young believes that technology is important to keeping members engaged.
Healey
Davies
app, you can access all the latest information, including the latest [member benefits], health and safety information, union events and even your rights as a union member.”
You can download the app to your device through the Apple and Android platforms. To learn more, visit https://cseany.org/mycseaapp.
— Janice Gavin
“This app is an extremely useful took in educating and answering questions for the membership,” he said. “As a [CSEA local] leader, I have personally used this app to help members. Through the
Young
December 2020
The Work Force 9