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Photo of the Month
Erie County Unit members ratify six-year contract
Photo by Therese Assalian
CSEA President Danny Donohue dropped in on members at the Clifton Park Highway garage at the start of their shift on a recent January morning. Over coffee and bagels, Donohue discussed the important work highway members do and talked shop with the highway crew. Here, Donohue wishes “good luck” to soon-to-be-retirees Gerald Dumary, left, and Mike Thompson, right. State and local highway workers are among the numerous CSEA members who never quit at providing essential services to our communities every day, including during recent severe weather. See pages 5, 8 and 9 for more.
BUFFALO — CSEA and Erie County recently announced that our union and the county have reached
a settlement on a new, six-year agreement for CSEA members employed by the county.
Erie County Unit members ratified the contract in mid-January. The Erie County legislators also recently approved the deal.
“The agreement
reached between
CSEA and Erie
County is fair,
sensible and
represents a lot of
hard work and good
faith negotiations
between all
parties,” said CSEA
Erie County Local and Unit President Denise Szymura.
The new contract, retroactive
to Jan. 1, 2017, includes raises
and numerous enhancements.
Other contract highlights include the addition of health care plan options, a health insurance premium contribution for active employees and retirees hired before August 2014, and an extension of health care for employees on maternity leave. Other upgrades include expanded bereavement leave, inclusion of
Tom Rogalski, 75
part-time personnel as part of the bargaining unit, and improvements to shift differential and vacation time sell-back policies.
Rob Mueller, CSEA labor relations specialist who served as our union’s lead negotiator, said the negotiations were intricate and often perplexing.
“The negotiations process was incredibly complicated,” Mueller said. “All of the parties came to the bargaining table fully prepared to bargain aggressively and it wasn’t easy. The end result was a fair contract. This contract is very fair to our members, and recognizes
the hard work that they perform
for the residents of this county. We are thrilled with the overwhelming positive results from our ratification vote, as it shows that our membership strongly agreed with our assessment.”
The new agreement runs through Dec. 31, 2022. There are 2,400 CSEA members employed by Erie County, along with an additional 1,500 members employed by the Erie County Medical Center Corp., Erie Community College and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.
Szymura
May 15 is deadline for submitting proposed Resolutions, changes to CSEA’s Constitution & Bylaws
Proposed Resolutions and proposed amendments to the CSEA Constitution & Bylaws for consideration by CSEA delegates to the union’s 2018 Regular Delegates Meeting must be submitted by May 15, 2018.
Proposed Resolutions or proposed amendments may be submitted only by a delegate and must be submitted on the proper forms which are available from the Statewide Secretary’s Office at CSEA
headquarters and region offices. Proposed Resolutions and proposed
amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws must be submitted no later than May 15, 2018, to Statewide Secretary Denise Berkley, CSEA Headquarters, 143 Washington Ave., Albany, N.Y. 12210-2303.
The 2018 Regular Delegates Meeting will be held Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 in New York City.
— Ove Overmyer
Long Is Metrop Metrop 2
Members:
Join your CSEA and
Join your CSEA and AFSCME family in New York City in
W
passed away on Dec. 22, 2017. He had served our union in numerous ways, including
as a former president of the Buffalo State Employees Local. A longtime CSEA activist who was most recently a member of the Buffalo State Employees Local, Rogalski
was a true union supporter who was always colorful and true to himself. In this 2010 photo, Rogalski brings a Mardi Gras theme to that year’s Rochester Polar Plunge. Survivors include his four children, grandchildren and longtime companion, CSEA Western Region activist Kathy Atwood. We send our heartfelt condolences to all of his loved ones.
AFSCME family in New solidarity to push back against the Janus v. AFSCME Council
e are mourning the loss of Western
31 U.S. Supreme Court case that threatens to strip Americans
push back against the
of our freedom to come together and build power for workers.
For more information on buses to NYC: 31 U.S. Supreme Court
Long Island Region – Contact Sue Castle 631 462-0030 case that threatens to strip Metropolitan Region – Contact Matt D’Amico 212 406-2156Americans of our freedom Southern Region – Contact Chris Ludlow 845 831-1000
Capital Region – Contact Bill Gustafson 518 782-4400
Central Region –Josh Schick 315 433-0050
Western Region – Chris Rackl 716 691-6555
Contact your region political action coordinator for more information on buses to NYC.
Join your CSEA and AFSCME family in New York City in Join your CSEA and AFSCME family in New York City in
solidarity to push back against the Janus v. AFSCME Council solidarity to push back against the Janus v. AFSCME Council
land Region – Contact Sue Castle 631 462-0030 olitan Region – Contact Matt D’Amico 212 406-2156 olitan Region – Contact Matt D’Amico 212 406-2156 rnTRhegeionW– Contrackt ChFrisoLrudclowe845 831-1000
rn Region – Contact Chris Ludlow 845 831-1000
February 2018
York City in solidarity to
Region activist Tom Rogalski, 75, who
Janus v. AFSCME Council
to come together and build power for workers.
31 U.S. Supreme Court case that threatens to strip Americans 31 U.S. Supreme Court case that threatens to strip Americans
of our freedom to come together and build power for workers. of our freedom to come together and build power for workers.
For more information on buses to NYC:
For more information on buses to NYC:
Long Island Region – ContLaect’Ssuge eCtasotnle o63u1r f4e6e2t-,0t0a3k0e to the street and turn up the heat!
S
outhe Southe
Capital Region – Contact Bill Gustafson 518 782-4400 Capital Region – Contact Bill Gustafson 518 782-4400 Central Region –Josh Schick 315 433-0050
Central Region –Josh Schick 315 433-0050
Western Region – Chris Rackl 716 691-6555 Western Region – Chris Rackl 716 691-6555