Page 13 - Work Force June 2025

14 The Work Force June 2025
CSEA members attending the memorial service gather around the Long
Island Workers’ Memorial. From left, CSEA/VOICE 100A Nassau Chapter
Representative Janna Rodriguez, Suffolk Area Retirees Local Treasurer
Ruby Thomas, Town of Oyster Bay Local 3rd Vice President Sherri
Porter, Town of Oyster Bay Local 1st Vice President Gina Valli, Town
of Oyster Bay Local Executive Vice President Thomas Robinson, CSEA
Occupational Safety and Health Specialist Justin Gallo, Long Island
Region President Jarvis Brown, Town of Oyster Bay Local President
Guadalupe Johnson, Long Island Judiciary Local Vice President
Darlene Devlin, Long Island Judiciary Local President Larry Germano,
and CSEA Nassau Area Retirees Local Executive Vice President Stanley
Bergman.
Long Island Region
President Jarvis
Brown prepares to
plant a flower at the
Workers’ Memorial.
CSEA members across the state recently
participated in Workers Memorial Day
ceremonies to remember those who have
passed away or became seriously injured
while doing their jobs.
CSEA Long Island Region members
joined their union family at the Long Island
Federation of Labor’s Annual Workers’
Memorial Day Service.
During a candle lighting ceremony, the
names of workers who lost their lives on
the job were announced, along with shared
anecdotes about the workers’ lives.
Speakers discussed the importance of
practicing proper safety precautions and
urged workers to become more politically
engaged to protect future workers from
suffering the same fate as those who
were being memorialized. The ceremony
concluded with a memorial flower bed
planting by the Workers’ Memorial
Monument, which stands outside of the
New York State offices in Hauppauge.
In the Western Region, a Workers
Memorial Day ceremony was led by
Rochester DOT Local President Brian
Ossont. Western Region President Steve
Healy spoke about the importance of
remembering all the members we have
lost, including Stephen Ebling, a New York
State Thruway Authority Local member
who was based in Western New York who
died while doing his job alongside the
highway in November 2024.
“We must remember all the members
we have lost over the year,” said Healy,
“These are people who went to work,
simply to do a job to make a living and paid
the ultimate price.”
It was highlighted that safety for all
workers is always top priority. “Our goal is
to make sure everyone gets home safely,
no matter where they work or what they
do,” said Healy.
In addition to Healy, speakers included
DOT Region 4 Director Chris Reeve, DOT
Region 4 Director, DOT Region 4 Safety &
Health Representative Cory Martindale,
PEF Statewide Vice President Randi
Diantonio and DOT Region 4 Director of
Operations Scott Robinson.
— Wendi Bowie and Sara McNicholas
CSEA members from the Westchester County Unit and Westchester County Local joined with members
of Maria Coto’s family to honor her life during the Westchester-Putnam Central Labor Body’s annual
Workers Memorial Vigil, held this year in Yonkers. Attendees wore buttons emblazoned with Maria’s
photo. Attendees included a number of colleagues from the Department of Social Services.