Page 10 - Work Force May 2020

Technology helps keep our union strong
Amid pandemic essential work continues
When the the the state’s temporary restrictions on on public gatherings led to the closure of of schools businesses and and and office buildings and and and halted many meetings and and and and events CSEA members activists and and staff are finding new ways to to provide services to to our our communities While many of our our members continue to be be on on on the front lines providing essential services as we face the COVID-19 pandemic our members have turned to to technology
and and creative solutions to to to provide services to to our our communities and and our our members “Every day our members members are doing the the the critical work that keeps our our communities running in in in the the the face of the the the COVID-19 crisis ” CSEA President Mary E Sullivan said Keeping children learning
CSEA members are playing a a a key role in in in helping school districts adapt to educating children remotely particular student is learning
” said Lloyd “My colleagues and I must ensure that all the the students have access to to the the the proper accounts and are assigned to to the the right roster ” Lloyd and co-workers including school administrators regularly stay connected to to ensure that classes are continuing “Our team stays connected by a a a a a variety of means ” said Lloyd “We use text messages email chains and video applications The intensity of the issue determines which one we use ” Lloyd said that a a a a a a a a a a major issue facing the team is is maintaining educational continuity for students that do not have access to WiFi at at home To address this the the school technology
team will arrange for the the purchase
of a a a a a a device with wireless internet or they will research to see if public WiFi is available in the the student’s neighborhood Technology has long been an an important important part of academia but now it is is even more important important a a a a a a a a a fact that is is not lost on Lloyd “It’s great to to be able to to put technology
in in the the hands of students and and and recognize that they’re benefitting and and learning
in in a a a a a a a more efficient manner ” said Lloyd “It feels good
to be a a a a a a a a a a part of facilitating a a a a a a a a a a greater education in in in in the community and putting tools in in in in place that makes my job more efficient while making for a a a a a a better picture overall ” Water operations continue Matt Durfee a a a a CSEA member and chief operator
at at the Village
of Attica Water Department said that when many work sites went
remote he had
to to come up with a a a a a creative plan to to keep essential water operations going for village residents “The first thing I did was visit
Mike Lloyd shown here on on the the job reports to to to the the school school to to to ensure that school school technology
equipment is functioning properly (Photo provided by Mike Lloyd)
At the Hampton
Bays Public
Schools Networks
and Systems
Analyst Mike Lloyd and his co-workers have been working diligently to ensure that students and teachers can continue their classes “The Hampton
Bays Technology Team and I made sure that all of the students had
Chromebooks available to to them ” said Lloyd “We also made sure that the the the the the teachers had
access to to the the the the services they need along with the the the the appropriate training to successfully complete their tasks remotely ” Among Lloyd’s responsibilities
is ensuring that all of the the students’ devices are properly loaded for their classes He also works
with teachers on addressing any any technical issues “There are many different programs that that that have to to be set up that that that are specific to to the subject that that a a a a a a 10 The Work Force
the local hardware store to to to buy five remote wireless cameras to to to install at at at at strategic locations at at at at the work site ” said Durfee “The cameras serve to to help monitor the the the alarms chlorine levels and all the the the other important readings that we need to check on a a a a a a a a regular basis ” To comply with social distancing rules Durfee produces a a a a a rotating schedule of when he he he he and his colleagues visit
the water plant “We are doing three days days on on and four days days off at at the the work site location and monitoring the the readings on on a a a a a a a a 24/7 basis from home ” said Durfee “Besides not getting in in each other’s personal space it helps on on on the the number of times we decontaminate
the work site It just makes sense to do it it that way ” Durfee is is quick to to admit the the village village administrator and other village village leaders have been great partners since the the the start of of the the the pandemic “I am very proud of of the the the the way we have handled all the the change that was was thrown at at us ” Durfee said “Our employer was was completely supportive and and understanding about how we wanted to proceed with operations and and we really value that working relationship We all all understand the significance here and and we want to deliver on our promise ” — Wendi Bowie and Ove Ove Overmyer
Lloyd Durfee View from a a a a a a a a a a a a wireless camera at at at at the Village
of Attica Water Department that helps monitor vital water readings May 2020