Page 14 - Work Force March 2025

Guzman honored for member recruitment efforts
ROCHESTER — Catalina Guzman is working hard to grow our union.
Just four years after she was elected to the Finger Lakes DDSO Local Executive Board, Guzman – now the local’s 4th vice president, has been honored with our union’s Membership Achievement Award for her many contributions to member recruitment and
retention.
When Guzman became a CSEA member she noted that she did not know much about our union; just that she had been told a union job is a good job.
“I was not an active participant in our
union,” said Guzman. “I just knew I was a CSEA member and if I had any questions or was brought in on an allegation, I had a union representative.”
Several years ago, Guzman Guzman was asked to run on a slate for her local’s executive
board. She noted that she was very apprehensive about running for office and passed up the original offer.
A few months later, after another request from the slate, Guzman decided to make the jump and run for the position. She was elected and soon ended up becoming a local vice
president.
Once elected to a
local leadership position, Guzman strived for more education and information about our union, what being a CSEA member entails and how CSEA locals can help members.
With that knowledge, Guzman became a top
recruiter for CSEA members, working hard to educate workers about CSEA membership and quickly getting them membership applications. Her hard work and dedication to the recruitment of members has paid off immensely for her local, which has
a very high percentage of full CSEA
members.
“We keep our non-membership
numbers low,” said Guzman. “I always monitor non-member lists, and reach out at any time, day, evening, night and even weekends. If I had a hard time contacting the non- member, I would find them.”
Guzman attributes much of
her success to the New Member Orientation classes to educate the new members on the benefits and offers CSEA brings to them.
“New Member Orientation classes are a huge success by educating them on [our union’s] benefits, including Pearl Insurance and Member Benefits programs, to make them aware of how much CSEA has to offer,” said Guzman.
Guzman is also a graduate of our union’s most recent Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Program, an intensive 12 -month program that helps prepare activists with the skills they need to continue to build and strengthen our union and the labor movement.
Guzman
Guzman said she feels honored and blessed to be receiving the Member Achievement Award for the work she enjoys.
“I love talking to the members about CSEA and how important it is being in a union and how powerful the union is,” said Guzman. “I never expected an award, but it feels amazing to know that my hard, fun work was noticed.”
— Sydney Thomas
“I love talking to the members about CSEA and how important it is being in a union and how powerful the union is.”
Drones help Thruway workers fly into future
In January, the New York State Thruway Authority held a drone demonstration at
a press event at the authority’s Albany headquarters at which a grant to expand the drone program was announced. The drones help Thruway Authority employees assess potential issues in areas that may be more hazardous for workers to reach, including bridges. CSEA New York State Thruway Authority Local members conducted the drone demonstration. In photo, from left, state Thruway Authority Transportation Analyst Leigh Meisner pilots the drone while Senior Land Surveyor Andrew Kosiba serves as the spotter. To watch the demo, scan the QR code on this page. (Photo and video by Therese Assalian)
Watch a video of the drone demonstration at https://youtu.be/79dAdhh6hnc or scan the QR code.
This Week in
Labor Education
A publication of the CSEA Education and Training Department
This e-newsletter, produced by our union’s Education and Training Department, contains information on labor history and issues, labor terminology, and a schedule of upcoming training opportunities.
cseany.org/this- week-in-labor- education
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14 The Work Force
March 2025