Page 12 - Work Force November 2018

Nassau Educational
Local 865 and Suffolk Educational Local 870
both held their respective member conferences, which
were highly attended.
Between the two locals,
more than 1,000 members
were educated in a variety of subjects that will help them
be better employees and activists.
Nassau Local 830 prevented Nassau County from outsourcing CSEA union work in the Assessment Department. In
the process, the local managed to secure $2 million in base salary new hires, over the course of 2 years. The new hires must be CSEA members and the county agreed to never outsource assessment work again, after the current contract.
The Town of Oyster Bay Local 881 is leading the way in coordinating grassroots efforts to strengthen our union. The local board has been encouraging members to re-sign membership applications for over a year, in order to ensure that everyone who wants to be a CSEA member is one and to promote solidarity.
The Town of Hempstead Local 880
12 The Work Force
“I’m proud to report that we were ready, willing and unapologetically determined to say with one powerful voice that we were all sticking with our union.”
2018 Annual Delegates Meeting Officer Reports
NICK LaMORTE
Long Island Region President
We do not give up and we never quit
LESTER CROCKETT Metropolitan Region President
We are all sticking with our union
GLreetings and peace to all.
et me start by mentioning how saddened our region was by the passing of CSEA’s beloved Western Region 6 President Florence “Flo” Tripi; she was a great friend and activist. I think I can speak for us all when I say that I can feel her absence.
As you know, Flo was passionate about CSEA, and unionism as a whole. The best way for us to honor her life is by pushing forward and continuing to make CSEA a force in the labor movement.
As for what is happening in Region One, we have been a beacon of activity since our last Annual Delegates Meeting. Our locals, units and region committees have been working hard to strengthen our union and
to make CSEA’s name more recognizable throughout Long Island. It would be difficult to mention all of our
accomplishments. So, here
are a few highlights.
continues to support higher education with the local’s annual Bill Flanagan Memorial Scholarship. This year, the local awarded $38,000 in scholarship money to graduating seniors.
In Suffolk Local 852, a pair of bay constables in the Town of Brookhaven saved the life of a man that became stranded on
a sand bar. The man had walked to the
sand bar to fish, without realizing the tide was coming in. Within half an hour, the constables arrived at work, got their boat and went out to assist the stranded man. Had it not been for their quick thinking, the fisherman would have had to wait six hours for the tide to go down.
The Nassau County Municipal Employees Local 882 City of Long Beach Unit partnered with city officials to hold a hurricane relief
GIreetings Sisters and Brothers,
t is always a great honor and pleasure to welcome all the delegates and visitors to my home, the Big Apple. I hope you all have a pleasant and fulfilling time while you are here. Please make sure to let me or any one of our Metropolitan Region members know if there is anything that we can do to make your time here memorable.
I’d like to begin my report by first thanking our dearly departed sister Flo Tripi for her friendship and comradery all these years. Even though Buffalo is nowhere near the Bronx, the Yankees have never known
a greater fan than Flo. Indeed, I will always be a fan of Flo’s and I hope to capture her spirit and passion in all I do for our great union. Thank you, Flo. On behalf of our region, I offer our sincerest condolences to her Western Region family and her family and friends.
important task of fighting for the rights of workers everywhere. I urge everyone to visit the church where Dr. King delivered his timeless “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech and the Lorraine Motel where an assassin’s bullet tried but failed to derail a movement that would ultimately grant equal rights to millions of African Americans and helped bring an end to the Vietnam War, among many other contributions.
If anyone knows the legacy and the hard work that went into securing social justice and civil rights for workers, it’s our retirees.
I had the pleasure of joining our retirees at their convention, participating in several workshops and gaining invaluable knowledge about past struggles from our elders.
During the budget cycle, we activated our members to lobby their legislators, in particular about how the Janus decision would impact our members and
“We must keep
that same sense of camaraderie and solidarity to continue along the upward trajectory that made CSEA the largest public employees union in New York State.”
In the spirit of
fighting for the living,
as our dear sister would
have insisted, our region
coordinated several
effective and dynamic
member engagement
campaigns throughout the
region and throughout
the year. Members and
staff swarmed throughout the five boroughs and spoke to members day and night at membership meetings, lunchrooms, and residences. Those we didn’t speak to in person, we reached by phone. In all, we reached thousands of members, some several times, and instilled the message that despite the Janus decision we would all Stay Union and Stay Strong! Special thanks to all who participated in these campaigns.
The timing of these efforts could not have been better timed since this was also the year that we commemorated the 50th Anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s untimely and tragic assassination while he fought
for the rights of AFSCME members in Memphis, Tennessee. I was honored to participate in programs and services under the “I AM” theme and was humbled to join thousands in recommitting ourselves to the
communities. We were
also successful in delaying the closure of the Ella McQueen facility and we’re working with our members to secure a smooth and equitable transition to other agencies.
Continuing to celebrate our diversity and work
in solidarity with communities, I joined
many activists and members at the annual Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) convention. There were many key strategy sessions on the ramifications of the Janus case and there were many opportunities to learn best practices and tactics to beat back the forces that are trying to eliminate the labor movement.
When that dark day of the Supreme Court decision finally arrived, I’m proud
to report that we were ready, willing and unapologetically determined to say with one powerful voice that we were all sticking with our union! We did it at rallies such as the one held in Foley Square, we did it on social media, in our workplaces and in our communities!
Metropolitan Region President, continued on page 16
concert for those effected by the hurricanes in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico.
The unit raised more than $16,000 through donations and the sale of t-shirts, bottled water and snacks the day of the concert. All of the money raised was donated to the AFSCME Fallen Heroes Fund and Florida Keys Strong Hurricane Relief, which
is under the umbrella of the Sister Season Fund.
During inclement weather, we can always count on our DOT Local 508 members, as well as our members working for municipal highway, sanitation and parks departments. It is because of the hard work and long hours they spend clearing our roads, walkways and parking lots that we can quickly go back to our normal schedules, after a weather event.
The Long Island Region Veterans Committee continues to hold a series of annual events to support local veterans in need. Arguably, the committee’s biggest event is their annual car wash, which is held rain or shine. This year, the event raised more than $700.
Long Island Region President, continued on page 16
November 2018