Page 3 - Work Force June 2022

An important primary election slated for summer
This summer will be an important primary election for New Yorkers. It will feature several gubernatorial candidates, including CSEA endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul, contending for the Democratic party line, while several more will be vying for the Republican party line.
At the end of April, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled the new congressional and state senate maps drawn by the state legislature were unconstitutional and ordered new maps to be drawn by a neutral expert.
As this edition went to press,
a federal court has ruled that the primary for congressional seats and New York State Senate seats will
be Aug. 23, 2022, and the primary for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and State Assembly will be June 28. The court has upheld the redrawn Assembly district lines. New congressional lines and New York State Senate lines were released on May 16.
CSEA members will be working hard to help Governor Hochul come out on top on Primary Day.
Since taking office last August as the first woman Governor of New York, Hochul has prioritized unions and CSEA in particular.
“From the day she stepped
up to lead, Governor Hochul has recognized the value that public employees bring to all New Yorkers,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan, when announcing CSEA’s endorsement earlier this year.
To that point, in short order, Governor Hochul has not
only spoken, but has acted by accomplishing the following:
• Lifting the state’s hiring freeze; • Elevating direct care workers in OMH and OPWDD starting
grades from grade 7 to grade 9; • Paying direct care workers
in OPWDD, OMH, SUNY and OCFS 2.5 times their hourly rate for overtime hours;
• Making roads safer for
Gov. Kathy Hochul greets CSEA Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf at a labor event in Syracuse. (Photo by Josh Schick.)
From left, Long Island Inter-County State Park Local President John Martinez, Long Island Judiciary Local President Larry Germano, Gov. Kathy Hochul and City of Long Beach Unit President John Mooney pose at a recent labor rally in support of Hochul. (Photo by Liam Russertt.)
June 2022
Gov. Kathy Hochul, left, greets union members at a Syracuse labor event, including Oneida-Madison-Herkimer Tri-County Retirees Local 914 Mike Kaiser (wearing CSEA cap) and Syracuse Area Retirees Local 913 Treasurer Lori Nilsson. (Photo by Josh Schick.)
CSEA highway workers by implementing a pilot program for speed cameras in work zones;
• Recognizing the service of veterans by expanding those eligible for civil service credits to include
all who honorably served.
Moreover,
Governor Hochul delivered a
budget that was
very positive for
CSEA members.
It included
positive changes
for members
in Tiers 5 and
6, bonuses for
health care
and direct care
workers, historic
levels of school
district funding,
new funding
for SUNY and unprecedented investments in child care.
“This governor clearly cares about
working families and it shows the investments she has made towards the workforce,” said Sullivan. “CSEA looks to build on this solid start with Governor Hochul, but in order for that relationship to continue, we must help her win the upcoming
primary and this fall’s general election. We
will need CSEA members to show our strength and have our voices heard with our VOTE!”
There are many ways CSEA members can vote during this primary, including by absentee ballot, early voting and in person voting.
CSEA members can always find out the latest
elections news by visiting cseany.org/vote.
The Work Force 3