Page 8 - Work Force May 2024

Unit members fighting to save school services
WEST SENECA — CSEA West Seneca Central School District Unit members are fighting to save public services at the schools, including jobs held by our union members.
In mid-April, district officials laid off 11 CSEA members employed at the district and reduced the salaries of an additional 11 members, in what the district called a “cost saving measure.”
When the district had initially announced its budget shortfall that led to the cuts, West Seneca Central School District Unit President Darryl Hertel said he reached out to administrators several times to try to work on solutions.
“We’ve tried time and time again to work with management on solutions to avoid layoffs,
but they just
refuse to listen
or work with
us,” said Hertel,
who also serves
as our union’s
Erie County Educational Employees Local 1st Vice President.
Hertel and other CSEA members
have attended two recent Board of Education meetings to show solidarity, as well as speak out against the layoffs and reductions as a solution to budget problems the school district claims to have.
At the April 9
Board of Education
meeting, Hertel spoke out against the layoffs, telling board members that he was concerned that CSEA was not being heard.
He also told board members there were other avenues that could be explored to save money and avoid layoffs.
More than 75 CSEA members from several Western Region locals and units attended the packed meeting to show solidarity and support
West Seneca School District Unit members.
The following week, CSEA members again attended the Board of Education meeting, at which board members voted on a school budget plan that includes layoffs across the district.
Despite opposition from
union members and community members, Board of Education members also voted to proceed with administrators’ plan to reduce salaries.
“They seem to underestimate the effects these layoffs will have,” said Hertel. “Reducing the number of staff doesn’t change the size or needs of the schools. There’s still the same amount of space to clean, for example, and now there are fewer workers to do it.”
The public will vote on the school budget May 21. Hertel
urged community members to vote yes on the budget to avoid further layoffs and reductions
to school district employees.
“We will continue to speak out and take every action we can on behalf
of the hardworking members of CSEA who were sacrificed at the expense of
bad management decisions,” said Hertel.
— Mathew L. Cantore
CSEA members attend a Board of Education meeting to show solidarity.
8 The Work Force
May 2024
Hertel
“We will continue to speak out and take every action we can on behalf
of the hardworking members of CSEA who were sacrificed at the expense of bad management decisions.”
(Photo by Andrea Figueroa.)
West Seneca Central School District Unit Secretary Casey Frank shows her solidarity. (Photo by Andrea Figueroa.)
West Seneca Central School District Unit President Darryl Hertel
speaks at a recent district Board of Education meeting. (Photo by Andrea Figueroa.)