Page 10 - Work Force December 2021

CSEA moves forward with State Executive Branch contract negotiations
ALBANY — With New York’s financial crisis now behind us due to the securing of needed federal aid CSEA has been pushing forward with negotiating the next contracts for for State Executive Branch workers The previous contracts covering the Administrative Services Services Unit Unit (ASU) Institutional Services Services Services Unit Unit Unit (ISU) Operational Services Services Unit Unit (OSU) and and Division of Military and and Naval Affairs (DMNA) bargaining units expired in in in April 2021 but negotiations
had to be put on on hold
due to the the economic upheaval the the pandemic created Now the stage is set for negotiations
to to resume in earnest after much of the preparatory work has been completed Earlier this year CSEA’s State Negotiating Team sent out an online survey to all State Division members with valid email addresses on on on file Thousands of online surveys were returned along with hundreds
of paper copies The survey was followed up with more than 80
meetings held virtually and in in in in person throughout the state in in in in a a a a a a a “listening tour” to to to allow Team members members to to to hear from members members about their concerns and negotiating priorities Since then our union’s Negotiating Team members have reviewed the the the results of the the surveys and and listening tours and and have been meeting virtually to to discover what they learned It’s not at at at all all surprising that the the priorities for the the overwhelming majority of members had to do with securing decent wage increases and “It is vital that the the the voices of the the the the members are heard on the the the the issues that affect them each and every day We heard the the the voices of the the members in two ways through surveys and listening tour events The surveys were sent out electronically to members with personal emails on on on file and asked questions about issues from past negotiations
that were relevant to to the the members members This allowed members members to to to let us know the the importance of those topics in in forming conceptual proposals for for our negotiations
Even though we we would have liked
to to see a a a a a a a a higher rate of of return we we we still received thousands of of of surveys and and were able to to get a a a a a a a a good sense of of people’s priorities as we we head into negotiations
It was also good to to to hear from members face-to- face face in in in in in our our listening tours about the the the challenges they are facing in in in in in their individual agencies and what solutions might be possible The staff and Negotiating Team are committed to to work on on behalf of the the membership to get the the best contract possible ” — Mike Garfolo Chair Operational Services Unit Highway Maintenance Supervisor 1 state Department of Transportation Saratoga
not having to absorb further health insurance cost increases Most recently the CSEA Negotiating Team has been meeting to to turn conceptual proposals proposals into actual proposals proposals that will be shared with management’s team when they meet at at at the negotiating table In late October CSEA President Mary E E Sullivan sent a a a a a letter to to Gov Kathy Hochul notifying her our union was prepared to begin negotiations
and requesting their team start scheduling meetings with throughout created a at: negotiations
to to access they they the meet the the the subscribe updates the the — Shana Davis Chair Administrative — “Our union’s team is getting together to to negotiate a a a a a a contract on on behalf of all CSEA members who work for for the the state We’re on the the battlefield for for labor and and and we’re prepared and and and ready to meet the governor and and and and demand what we think is fair and and necessary for for a a a a a a brighter future for for our members The struggle is ongoing and and and may be be prolonged but we’re equipped and and and ready to fight for fairness justice and and and equality One of the big issues we’ve been facing is is retention especially our our members who who work work for OPWDD and OMH who who work work at at 24-hour facilities every day not knowing what time they’ll be going home due to to to staff shortages They might have to to to to stay three to to to to five days consecutively This is is preposterous We We must must find a a a a a a a a a way to to to hire more staff We We We must must must emphasize and enlighten management about the the value of essential state workers We We must must be be be respected and be be be paid adequately for the the the work work we do CSEA members are the the the fuel that’s needed to run the the engine of New York State effectively and efficiently ” — Faye Wilkie-Fields Chair Institutional Services Unit (ISU) direct support assistant Brooklyn Brooklyn Developmental Center Brooklyn Brooklyn many important items they brought up of our members who we we we met with were indispensable We reviewed their feedback it formulate the the proposals we’ll present the the the the “Our team spent the going across the from members in in units about what what them and what what see changed in We We really wanted their needs We We opportunity to engage fellow members the taxpayer service representative 1 Get the latest contract State Executive Branch workers can can visit about the the latest developments in contract there you you can sign up for weekly email to right to your inbox!
*Your CSEA Member ID is required to our updates — get it online at: https://cseany cseany org/state-contract-negotiations
10 The Work Force
December 2021