Page 9 - Work Force January 2021

CSEA/VOICE leader featured in national campaign for child care
ROCHESTER — CSEA/VOICE Local 100A activist Armett Barnes knows the value of having a union and is not shy about sharing that fact.
She was recently featured in the “Local Leader Spotlight” of The Grassroots Movement for Child Care websites and publications. The movement brings together diverse national organizations to expand access to affordable child care and offer support for early educators.
In most states across the country, child care providers struggle alone, without the support of a large advocacy organization or a union, like home-based child care providers have here in New York.
The Washington Post recently reported that our country’s entire child care system is at “risk of collapse” from the stress of the pandemic. Even with a safety net, child care programs of all types are being stressed to their limits, with many running far below capacity or even shutting down altogether.
This is the basis of Barnes’ passion for spreading the good word about the union. In New York, with the option of a union, providers
like Barnes enjoy protections and programs that non-union providers
simply don’t have.
The ongoing opportunities
and important information about compliance, regulations and safety and health provided by CSEA supports providers in this state. The additional time that is needed to support the health and safety
of children through cleaning and sanitizing, meal preparation, virtual learning responsibilities and more have increased dramatically.
“It is more important than ever that we have a union to work through and to have work for us,” Barnes said.
Since certification in 2007, CSEA/ VOICE successfully negotiated three contracts with New York State and the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), which provide benefits like
no cost dental and vision insurance, professional development funds that cover mandatory training costs, first aid/CPR, program grants and health insurance rebates, to name a few.
Ten years ago, Barnes left a career in direct care supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to educate young children with the hope in mind that she could continue to make a difference in her work. As the owner of Armett’s Care and Family Daycare Inc., in Rochester, she has
been able to have a big impact in her local community.
“I earned my associate’s degree
in Early Childhood Education and
my program is nationally accredited through the National Association for Family Child Care Providers (NAFCC). All of this was achieved through
the funding from my union, CSEA/ VOICE. Access to a quality education is vital to providing quality child care programming,” Barnes said in The Grassroots Movement for child care publication.
She also stressed the fact that child care is often referred to as
the “invisible workforce.” Often unrecognized by our country, our legislators and policy makers, there is no denying child care is essential. Without child care providers, parents cannot go to work and the general workforce is weakened. Without parents going to work, child care providers can’t keep their programs afloat.
The harsh reality of the pandemic is that it does not discriminate. New York providers are experiencing deep hardship despite the support from the union. Many programs have been forced to close as parents lose jobs or work remotely. CSEA continues
Armett Barnes holds a CSEA Appreciation Day sign.
to fight for child care programs for parents and providers at all levels
of government, advocating for relief programs like state and local aid
and mitigating job loss and helping members navigate the new landscape.
“We have to use the voice we have and the framework of the union to advocate for all of New York’s working families,” Barnes said. “I am so proud of our union and pledge to continue this work until every child has access to a quality early education through
a quality program. Advocating for the families we care for and for our profession is vital to the work we do. We all must do what we can, to help our communities through this pandemic.”
— Jill Asencio
best and brightest workers because they haven’t received the support and resources they need to be successful,” said CSEA Monroe County Local and Unit President James D’Amico. “By honoring New York State minimum wage requirements, we believe this is ethically and morally the right thing to do. This is a perfect example of what we like to call economic justice in action.”
County job titles affected by salary changes include data entry operators, food service workers, certified nursing assistants, office clerks, laundry service workers, laborers and building service workers.
— Ove Overmyer
CSEA, Monroe County reach new wage agreement
ROCHESTER — CSEA and Monroe County officials recently reached an agreement to increase pay rates for about 300 of the lowest-paid county employees and bring the county into compliance with the state’s Minimum Wage Act of 2016.
As of Jan. 1, 2021, the county’s minimum wage will rise to $12.50 per hour, equal to the 2021 minimum wage rate throughout upstate New York.
The County Executive and
CSEA approved a memorandum of understanding for full time county job titles affected by the change. The county legislature also unanimously approved the Part-Time Employees Unit collective bargaining agreement, which also included the same job
January 2021
titles.
Government employees are not
covered under the state’s minimum wage law, hence the county is not required to observe it. Under previous administrations, the county had chosen to follow the federal minimum wage scale, which has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009.
“On behalf of CSEA Western Region, we would like to thank Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and his administrative team for recognizing the value of our essential work,” said CSEA Western Region President Steve Healy. “We are extremely pleased that our lower wage employees will receive a much-needed boost in income that they so desperately deserve. The
proposed minimum wage increase is a necessary step in the right direction and one that will make it easier for many of our working families to meet their basic daily needs.”
“It’s unconscionable that while minimum wage standards have been raised across the state, essential Monroe County workers have been left behind,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “I’m happy
to announce that this county will move forward with starting our entry- level employees at a pay scale that matches the state standards.”
“County Executive Bello and his team are demonstrating what true leadership looks like. We have been saying for years we can’t retain the
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