Page 7 - Work Force November 2020

‘We knew we needed a more powerful voice:’ EMS workers join CSEA
CLAY — Emergency Medical Services workers employed at the not-for- profit, private sector Northern Onondaga Volunteer Ambulance,
Inc. (NOVA) overwhelmingly
voted to join CSEA in an election for representation. The workers provide first response services in several northern Onondaga County communities.
In the recent virtual count, the
24 workers opted to form a union with CSEA to have a greater voice in the workplace, fairness and respect. During the difficult campaign to organize a union in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the employer had hired a union-busting firm, which cost the organization thousands of dollars in an unsuccessful attempt to suppress the voice of the workers.
“We wanted to join CSEA because we were looking for fair treatment
and equality in the workplace, respect, and the right to earn decent pay for the vital work we do,” said Ethan Darbee, a NOVA paramedic. “We knew we needed more a more powerful voice in the workplace and a union was the only way we were going to get it.”
“It was an honor to work with such a great group of first responders
who wanted to build worker power and improve working conditions not just within their own workplace but the field at large,” CSEA Statewide Organizer Adam Pelletier said. “When NOVA brought in union busters,
the workers did not buckle. This is a momentous occasion and it is all because of the workers at NOVA!”
The NOVA victory is a landmark for CSEA; it is now the union’s flagship private sector local in the EMS field. While the NOVA workers
From left, NOVA Paramedics and Organizing Committee members Ethan Darbee and Matt Miller at the moment the vote crossed the majority threshold during the NLRB election. (Photo provided by Adam Pelletier.)
DeStefano uses technology, member outreach to boost membership
NEW PALTZ — Strong leadership doesn’t necessarily require a love of the limelight.
In the case of SUNY New Paltz Local President Fred DeStefano, working behind the scenes is
a better fit with his trademark modest personality. Quietly and methodically, DeStefano took steps in his local that earned him the Membership Achievement Award, which was scheduled to be presented at this year’s virtual Annual Delegates Meeting.
DeStefano attributes the local’s success in signing up members to experience he and other SUNY New Paltz Local officers gained while volunteering on numerous member engagement blitzes across the Southern Region.
“We’ve made sure our local is
represented at orientation when new workers are hired,” said DeStefano. “We make an effort to really welcome people into our union and make
sure they know the perks of being a member.”
In the case of the SUNY New Paltz Local, that means signing up new members on the spot at orientation. New members not only receive a CSEA welcome packet, but also a t-shirt from the local, allowing new members to feel they’re part of the CSEA family.
While signing up new members is nothing new for CSEA leaders, DeStefano said technology has helped him, as well as local officers, improve the process.
“Using the MyCSEA app makes the process so quick,” said DeStefano. “We bring an iPad into
orientation and have people fill out the application, so membership is processed right away. It’s a lot easier than dealing with paper applications. The app has a lot of features for CSEA officers that make it easier for us to do our jobs.”
Another thing that has helped DeStefano is that he is plugged into what’s happening on campus. He sits on the Campus Auxiliary Services Board, serving even before he became a union officer. DeStefano also stays engaged in what’s happening in the greater labor community through his role as president of the Hudson-Catskill Central Labor Council.
“Fred is modest about accepting credit for things, but it’s his work that has gotten the local to such great membership numbers,” said
are the first private-sector EMS employees to join CSEA, our parent union, AFSCME International, represents more than 26,000 other private-sector EMS workers.
When CSEA organizes EMS workers, the new union members will begin to close the pay and benefit gap they see when compared to other first responders like
firefighters, nurses, and police. The Union’s newest members will now continue their fight for fairness, respect, and a first contract.
“We welcome our new brothers and sisters from NOVA into the CSEA family and we are ready to stand with them as they demand the respect they deserve,” said Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf.
DeStefano
Southern Region President Anthony Adamo. “He makes himself available to the members no matter what time of day it is. Whether you’re meeting new members when you sign them up or dealing with them down the road if they have a problem, Fred works to make sure they value being part of CSEA.”
— Jessica Ladlee
November 2020
The Work Force 7