Page 11 - Work Force November 2021

Speakers tout CSEA members’ COVID response
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic CSEA members have continued to deliver essential services in in their communities often at at great risk to their own health At the the union’s 111th Annual Delegates Meeting guest speakers honored CSEA members for their roles in in in in responding to the the the pandemic as as well as as their activism in in in in ensuring the the the enactment of the the the American Rescue Plan One of those speakers U S S S Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer helped
lead the the way to passing the the legislation which
pumped more than $12 billion in New York state and saved many public services “Many of you have been on on the front lines in in in this crisis in in in law enforcement health care public works emergency service and other positions ”
Schumer said “You oftentimes risked your your lives to help the rest of of us so thank you you you you for your your service and I’m indebted to you you you ”
CSEA President Mary E E Sullivan in turn expressed her gratitude to Schumer “I want to to to thank [Senator Schumer] for his decades of friendship to to to CSEA and especially recognize the vital service he he provided us at our time of need ”
Sullivan said “Over the next years let us not forget who was there for for us when we needed
his leadership ”
Sullivan noted that without Schumer’s efforts public services could have been decimated by the pandemic “Whether
you work for the the state a a a a local government a a a a a school district or or or or or in the the the private sector the the the outlook for 2021 looked bleak as the the the pandemic wreaked havoc on our state’s
economy ”
Sullivan said “[Sen Schumer’s] dogged efforts to ensure the the the passage of the the the American Rescue Plan were the the the the the lifeline New York needed
to to to weather the the the COVID storm Thanks to to to his leadership frontline workers got the the support they needed
to continue essential services and set our state on a a a path to recovery from this tragedy ”
Gov Kathy Hochul also gave CSEA members strong support “CSEA members stood on on on the front lines at grave personal risk to themselves
and and their families for over a a a a a a a a year and and a a a a a a a a a a a half ”
Hochul said “You kept kept our state up and and running and and you kept kept our most vulnerable safe You protect the public health of all New Yorkers
every single day On behalf of of the 20 million people of of our state I want to thank you for for never giving up and being there for for us when we needed
you the the most ”
CSEA members were also praised by labor leaders Newly elected AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in her address to our union thanked CSEA members for their response
during the the pandemic “You “You risked your lives ”
she said “You “You kept vital services running you you are were and and always will be essential and and and you you continue to serve and and strengthen communities across the the Empire State ”
She added that despite many efforts by union members there is still work to to do to to fully recover from the the pandemic as about
1 8 million women were sidelined from the the workforce amid COVID to care for for loved ones Many of of these women remain out of of work or or or in in poorly-paid positions AFSCME
International
President Lee Saunders in his address credited CSEA and AFSCME
members for the the passage of the the American Rescue Plan noting that union members members contacted members members of Congress more than 150 000 times to push for federal pandemic relief “[The American Rescue Plan] happened because because of of our our activism because because of of our our our leadership ”
Saunders said “We raised raised our our voices and raised raised hell ”
— Janice Gavin
Capital Region President Ron Briggs who serves as an AFSCME
International
Vice President introduces AFSCME
International
President Lee Saunders Long Island Region President Jerry Laricchiuta
Metropolitan Region President Lester Crockett
Southern Region President Anthony Adamo
“CSEA members stood on on on the front lines at grave personal risk to themselves
and their families for over a a a a a a a year and and a a a a a a a a half You kept our state up and and and running and and you kept our most vulnerable safe ”
Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf
Western Region President Steve Healy
November 2021 The Work Force
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