Photo of the Month Photo by David Galarza Rocker Jon Bon Jovi, left, addresses a recent Manhattan rally to support raising the minimum wage as Gov. Andrew Cuomo, second from left; CSEA Metropolitan Region President Lester Crockett, third from right and other labor leaders and advocates look on. As this edition went to press, a state wage board was meeting to determine its recommendations on a minimum wage increase in the fast food industry. Any wage board recommendations do not need legislative approval to be enacted. Stay up-to-date on state politics with This Week in Albany! ALERT NEW YORK’S LEADING UNION CSEA President Danny Donohue to meet Central Region members on Aug. 11 President Danny Donohue will visit the CSEA Central Region on Tuesday, Aug. 11, to meet with members. The meetings will be held at the Binghamton Satellite office, 71 State St., 1st floor.. Donohue will meet with union members from 1 to 7 p.m. Please call the region office at: 1-315-433-0050 for an appointment and directions. Bill would give families better OPWDD care access Orange County Unit inks seven-year deal GOSHEN — Orange County Unit members have a new seven-year contract in place after four years of negotiations. CSEA and management were headed into fact finding when the fact finder offered to mediate first. The resulting agreement, which members have approved, offers five years of wage increases, improved disciplinary penalties and doctor’s note policies, and the creation of the unit’s first sick bank. The contract, which legislators will vote on in July, runs through the end of 2018. “Every member will benefit from the gains we made,” CSEA Orange County Unit President Sabina Shapiro said. “We were pleased by the strong member participation in this ratification. The wage increases were hugely important to our members, but it’s also important to note that we won several improvements in contract language that will improve their quality of work life.” Southern Region President Billy Riccaldo said this ratification shows that unions are still reaching strong agreements even in challenging times. This deal comes despite recent layoff threats and several attempts to sell the county nursing home. While the deal requires all members start paying toward health insurance beginning in 2018, the wage increases still put members well ahead. “We have shown that even in the most challenging times, we are getting good contracts for our members,” Riccaldo said. “When you look at the entire package in this contract, you see that unions are continuing to get ahead even with all the challenges facing us.” — Jessica Ladlee Hear about the latest happenings in the state Capitol that affect CSEA members across the state with This Week in Albany! Visit cseany.org/thisweekinalbany to sign up for the weekly email that will keep you in the loop on state government issues that affect you ALBANY — Legislation ensuring continued access and delivery of quality state operated care for individuals with developmental disabilities passed both houses of the legislature and awaits delivery to the governor as this edition went to press. CSEA strongly supported the legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and state Sen. Tom Libous. “CSEA has always maintained that effective treatment for the developmentally disabled should include an array of services that include both community and state run programs,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue. The state Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is intentionally eliminating state services, thereby restricting a client’s options for the services they can receive. CSEA has heard from parents across the state that their family members will not have the same access and quality of care that is currently offered. “CSEA would like to thank Assemblywoman Lupardo and Senator Libous for their hard work on getting legislation passed that would compel OPWDD to show a true commitment to individuals with developmental disabilities,” Donohue said. The legislation would ensure that state services be provided for developmentally disabled individuals transitioning into community-based settings. If comparable services are not available in the individual’s area, the state would be required to continue to provide services for those individuals until a plan is developed to address their needs. “Since the state has begun to close down its state-run facilities, I have heard from people throughout the state who have expressed concerns about whether comparable services would be available in time,” Lupardo said. “Given the speed of the transition, we are concerned whether these community-based settings will be able to provide the variety of care that’s required. This legislation will give a certain level of comfort to the individuals and their families that there will be no lapse in service.” CSEA represents thousands of workers in OPWDD facilities. See Donna Lupardo profile, page 14 2 The Work Force July-August 2015
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