Page 3 - Work Force March 2024

CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan reelected to second term
ALBANY — CSEA members have reelected Mary E. Sullivan to a second term as CSEA Statewide President.
In a voting process overseen by the American Arbitration Association (AAA), ballots submitted by CSEA members were counted on Feb. 15, 2024, at the AAA Manhattan offices.
Sullivan’s term began on
March 1 and will continue through Feb. 29, 2028.
The second woman president of CSEA, Sullivan is also the first CSEA member from our union’s Local Government Division to serve as president.
“I am honored that the members of CSEA have placed their trust in me for another term as President,” said Sullivan. “It is no small responsibility. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and assurance that I will continue to lead this great union as
we all move forward together.” Sullivan began her career at the
Herkimer County Department of Social Services in the Central Region and advanced through our union’s ranks. Before becoming our union’s president in 2019, she served as CSEA’s Executive Vice President for 25 years.
Also elected as CSEA statewide officers are the members of Sullivan’s slate:
CSEA Executive Vice President Ron Briggs, who is employed at the Fulton County Probation Department in the Capital Region. A longtime union activist in both Fulton County and CSEA’s Capital Region, Briggs had previously served as the CSEA Capital Region President from 2016 before his election to statewide office.
CSEA Statewide Secretary Richard Bebo has been reelected to his
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan, standing, center, addresses the 2022 Annual Delegates Meeting in New York City.
second term in the office. Bebo, a program aide at the New York State Department of Transportation in Albany, had served as New York State Department of Transportation (Albany) Local President and CSEA Capital Region Executive Vice President before his election to statewide office.
CSEA Statewide Treasurer Nicole Meeks has been reelected to her second term in the office. Meeks, an accountant II at the City of Syracuse, previously served as City of Syracuse White Collar Unit President and CSEA Central Region Treasurer before her election to statewide office.
Our union also held elections for region offices, Board of Directors and
AFSCME delegates.
For more on the elections, see
pages 1, 4 and 12-13.
From left to right, CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan discusses the
dire need to fill public jobs at a September 2023 news conference. Gov. Kathy Hochul is seated at right. (Photo by the Governor’s Press Office.)
Politician, voting rights activist Abrams meets with labor leaders
UTICA — Politician and civil and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams was the keynote speaker at a recent Central New York Labor Council Legislative Breakfast that CSEA Central Region leaders attended.
Abrams, a former Georgia State representative, is an advocate for labor rights. She was endorsed by AFSCME, Georgia AFL-CIO and other unions during her two gubernatorial election runs in 2018 and 2022.
She helped lead efforts to end voter suppression and boost voter turnout, particularly
in Georgia.
At the legislative breakfast,
Abrams discussed the importance and the role that labor has in fighting for fair voting rights.
She also spoke about the importance of understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
“She was such a powerful and impassioned speaker,” said Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf. “It was truly an honor to meet and learn from her.”
— Nicholas Newcomb
CSEA Central Region leaders and staff pose with politician and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, who was the keynote speaker at a recent Central New York Labor Council Legislative Breakfast. From left to right, Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf, CSEA Occupational Safety and Health Specialist Josh Kemp, Rome Central School District Clerical Unit President Mary Munney Griffiths, CSEA Political Action Coordinator Josh Schick, Stacey Abrams, Oneida Educational Employees Local President John Brown, Oneida Educational Employees Local Secretary Joanne Polivka and CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Mike Nesci.
March 2024
The Work Force 3