Page 2 - Work Force May 2016

Photo of the Month
CSEA sues Thruway over increased retiree health care costs
Photo by David Galarza
Anthony Martinez, a job trainer for the Without Walls program at the CSEA Guild for Exceptional Children Local, speaks at a Fight for $15 rally in Manhattan. CSEA members joined the rally with other unions and community groups to celebrate an historic win for workers — a $15 minimum wage in New York and California.
ALBANY — CSEA is charging the New York State Thruway Authority with reneging on its promise for negotiated health care costs by unilaterally raising the amount Thruway retirees pay for coverage.
Approximately 1,500 retirees were told in December that as of April 1, they would have to pay 6 percent more for their health insurance premiums. That action fails to honor obligations to retirees covered by contracts between CSEA and the Thruway.
CSEA filed a class-action lawsuit against the Thruway Authority in March.
“It’s yet another bad decision
in the Thruway Authority’s mismanagement, undermining their credibility and demoralizing the work force,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue. “It says a lot about the misplaced priorities of the authority management that they can be lining up for a huge state bailout while at the same time putting the squeeze on retirees who devoted their careers to state service.”
Last year the authority received more than $1 billion in state appropriations using funds collected from a settlement agreement with big banks behind the 2007 financial market collapse. The recently passed state budget gifts nearly
another $1 billion to the authority for the 2016/2017 fiscal year.
“Retirees have earned the right to retire with the health insurance benefits they were promised during their years of service at the Thruway Authority,” said CSEA Thruway Authority Local President Karen Wilson.
“Through their callous actions, the Thruway has created chaos and confusion for an already vulnerable group of people,” said CSEA Capital Region President Ron Briggs.
The lawsuit comes amid protracted negotiations on
a contract for the 500 CSEA- represented Thruway employees working in technical, professional and supervisory titles across the state. The previous agreement expired June 30, 2011.
CSEA also has a pending federal lawsuit against the Thruway Authority for threatening and then terminating union-represented employees while sparing all management personnel. That lawsuit involves 85 CSEA members who were laid off, forced into early retirement, relocated or bumped. The discovery phase of that lawsuit, filed in 2013, recently concluded.
— Therese Assalian
NEW YORK’S LEADING UNION
ALERT
CSEA President Danny Donohue to meet
Western Region members on June 1
President Danny Donohue will visit the CSEA Western Region on Wednesday, June 1, to meet with members. The meetings will be held at the Wingate Hotel, 11 Mill St., Ellicottville. Donohue will meet with union members from 1 to 7 p.m. Please call the region office at: 1-716-691-6555 for an appointment and directions.
The Work Force
May 2016
WCC contract rejection leads to bad faith bargaining charge
Official publication of
CSEA Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO 143 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12210-2303 Danny Donohue, President
The Work Force (USPS 0445-010)
is published monthly by
The CSEA Publication Office:
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210. Periodical Mail Postage paid at
Post Office,
Albany, New York 12288,
and additional mailing offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: CSEA, Attn: Membership Department,
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210
2
VALHALLA — Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s refusal to refer a tentative contract for Westchester Community College workers to county legislators for approval has resulted in the union taking legal action to protect members and the proposed deal.
CSEA filed an improper practice charge with the state Public Employment Relations Board, citing bad faith bargaining on Astorino’s part after he rejected the signed memorandum of agreement for the Westchester Community College Unit. He claimed the agreement
would impact his own protracted negotiations with the Westchester County Unit, where he has refused to refer a fact finding agreement to legislators.
The college is considered a dual employer, with union contracts requiring approval from both the college Board of Trustees and the county Board of Legislators. The same private negotiator was hired to represent management in these contract talks as was hired for the previous contract, which Astorino approved.
“Mr. Astorino has not supported his work force in the county, so it’s not surprising that he is not supporting the work force that keeps the college running,”
said Unit President Carol Ann Zavarella-Vasta. “The departments in the college would not run effectively or efficiently without CSEA members. Unfortunately, the college’s administration is caught up in this dual employer triangle. We’re just looking to move forward with the deal we negotiated in good faith.”
— Jessica Ladlee