Page 11 - Work Force October 2021

Richard Bebo Statewide Secretary
When we we work together we we can accomplish anything
Nicole Meeks Statewide Treasurer
We must continue to empower each other
GAreetings Brothers and Sisters s s s s s s s s s I I I write this report I I I must admit I I I am struggling We’re all becoming so fatigued because of the ongoing COVID pandemic that we all hoped
would have ended long before now Like many of you I I did not not envision
yet another virtual ADM I I I I never imagined when I I I took office that I I I would be spending more time talking to to you all online instead
of in in in in person or or that our handshakes and and hugs would be be replaced with emoji Despite all that that I I remain optimistic I I firmly believe that that our Union will take the necessary actions to make sure we we get through this pandemic I also remain optimistic that we we we will will continue to to to to show we we will will do whatever is is necessary to to to to continue to to to build our Union together Although we have have a a a a a a a long way to to go go my goal is to to have have every secretary trained before our next convention in 2022 Opt-Outs
Since the the beginning of the the year my office has been tracking member opt-outs
to see if any trends have caused a a a a a a a a spike Even a a a a a a a a a single member opting out out is bad but I am encouraged to to report that opt-outs
have continued to to to decrease as as as as the year has has progressed CSEA has has had to to make a a a a a a a a a a lot of difficult decisions recently and it is is impossible to make every member member happy but I believe these numbers prove that even when members are not happy with a a a a a a decision they still understand the the value of membership in our ISisters and Brothers ’d like to to welcome you all to to our virtual 111th Annual Delegates Meeting Although we could not physically be be together in in person I I am am delighted to to to be be be with you you all all all virtually at this convention I I I am am am also honored to to to be be your Statewide Treasurer
and I I am am here to to assist you you all with any issues or concerns that you you may have pertaining to the financial well-being of your Regions Locals and Units I would like to congratulate all newly elected elected and and and re-elected officers and and and thank you all all personally for for taking the the the initiative and and and stepping up to do the the the work of of the the the union for for your members Although this can often appear to be be be be a a a a a a a a thankless job I truly believe that being a a a a a a a a a union officer is is rewarding by providing our members with assistance and representation At the the end of the the day we we can all say that we got involved in in the union to to make make a a a a difference and to to make make our lives better in the long run The more training and workshops I I took the better better union activist I I became This not only made me me me a a a a a a a a a better better person overall but it also gave me me me the the knowledge and guidance I needed to help the the members of my Unit with whatever issues or or or concerns came along There are so many opportunities for us to educate educate one another as union leaders The The more we we we educate educate ourselves ourselves we we we empower not not only ourselves ourselves as as as union activists but also our our our members as as as as as well well I cannot emphasize how important officers’ trainings are as as as as well well as as as as grievance and and discipline and and interrogation trainings trainings These trainings trainings enable us to to represent our our our members to to the best of our our our ability Educating ourselves also provides the the guidance needed to to represent our our members on a a a a a day day to to day day basis Throughout this pandemic we have held numerous Treasurer
training opportunities for officers Richard Condelles from our Internal Operations Department and I I have conducted Treasurer
training via Zoom Although we we prefer an in-person setting for this training we we have developed a a a a a a a a a a a a a virtual version that educates all all Treasurers Treasurer
Treasurer
Treasurer
training is mandatory for all all Treasurers to to to take however I encourage all all all officers to to sit in in in on on this training Essentially the the the entire Executive Board is is responsible
for the the the approval of the the the budget By taking Treasurer
training we ensure that our Regions Locals and and Units are adhering to the Financial Standards Code We also guide Treasurers on how to to fill out the required financial reports
to to receive rebates This training is is essential so that we can guide officers on on spending their rebate money wisely and for the the the benefit of of their members This pandemic has been a a a a a difficult time for all of of us Too many of of our friends and and Treasurer
continued on on page 15
union Kathy Hochul made history when she became the new Governor of New York State This is is is is an historic moment because she is is is is is the the first female governor in the the state’s history New Officers
“I remain optimistic that we we will will continue to show we we will will do whatever is necessary to to to continue to to to build our Union together ” “The more we we we educate ourselves ourselves we we we empower not only ourselves ourselves as union activists but also our members as well ” I would like to congratulate all the newly and re-elected officers I would also like to welcome our our first-time
attendees to our our Annual Delegates Meeting As I have frequently stated during my secretary trainings we are are so much more than just officers and and delegates We are are the first and and last line of of of defense when it it comes to protecting the the rights and benefits of of union members In order for us us to to succeed we we must have the the knowledge and resources we we we need to to do our our jobs as as Union leaders Empowering all of us with information and and and education has been a a a a a a a a a a priority and and and I believe the workshops and and and trainings that are being offered this week will help strengthen each of of us us as leaders thus improving our Union for all members New Governor As you all know the theme of this year’s ADM is is Empowering CSEA Leaders I believe that we we we empower each other
through education and training From my perspective the the the minute that I I got involved in in in in in the the union I I I felt empowered The workshops and trainings that I I took throughout the years helped me to to develop a a a a a a certain skill set for handling issues such as disciplines with with employees or or simply dealing with with management I I have taken numerous trainings over the years that I I received from our many fabulous education and and training training training staff at at CSEA These trainings and and workshops helped to to guide me with the the skills needed to to negotiate several good contracts for the the the members members of my Unit and and their families and and ensure that all members members received decent wages and and benefits such as as health care and and accrued time off For me me it it was a a a a a a a a a a no brainer Meeting Officer Reports
Secretary
Trainings
Secretary
Secretary
training has been a a a a a a a a a a a tremendous success and and 266 leaders have taken secretary training between July 2021 2021 and and August 2021 2021 That said our expectations for a a a a a a a a a a a fair and decent contract remain the the same This state cannot run without the the services we we provide on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a daily basis and and we we expect a a a a a a a a a a a a a a contract and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a relationship that that appropriately reflects that that In closing I’ll leave you with this: 2020 was the the year the the world shut down We all hoped
in in in 2021 it it would reopen again and to to some degree it it has but we continue to to see the the the the dangers of of the the the the COVID variants and the the the the problems they pose for all of of us There is still a a a a a a a very real possibility that we we could see further restrictions and and shutdowns as we we head into the the the Fall and and and and Winter We’re still all all in in in this together and and and so many of our brothers and and and sisters are on on the the front lines every every day We need to remember that and do everything we can to to Secretary
continued on on page 15
October 2021 The Work Force
11