Page 2 - Work Force October 2025
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Photo of the Month
Capital Region President Shana Davis gets dunked in the dunking booth
at the recent Capital Region Carnival at the region office in Latham. CSEA members and their families came out for an evening of fun, treats and valuable union information. See page 16 for more. (Photo by Therese Assalian.)
When we stand together as one union, we can all ensure that workplace safety and health remains a priority.
Roads dedicated to remember Jake Arcara, Stephen Ebling
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation dedicating sections of state roads in memory of Jake Arcara and Stephen Ebling, CSEA members who died while in work zones.
Arcara, 28, a machine equipment operator at the Town of Yorktown Highway Department, was killed on the job on Sept. 14, 2022, after he was struck by a vehicle in a work zone. A four-year employee
of Yorktown, Arcara was part of a tight-knit family and was engaged to be married.
Under the legislation, a section of Route 118 in Yorktown, also known as Saw Miller River Road, will be renamed “Jake Arcara Worker’s Memorial Highway.”
State Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblyman Matt Slater sponsored the legislation in their respective legislative houses. The law takes effect immediately.
Ebling, 58, a maintenance supervisor at the New York State Thruway Authority, died on Nov. 4, 2024, when he was struck by a car that crossed over hazard markings on the Silver Creek section of the highway.
Ebling, who was married with two children, also served as a part-time police officer in the Town of North Collins in Erie County.
The governor signed legislation
dedicating the bridge over the New York State Thruway along Eden Evans Road in memory of Ebling. The legislation was sponsored by Assemblyman David DiPietro and state Sen. Patrick Gallivan, with state Sen. Leroy Comrie as a co-sponsor. The law takes effect immediately.
There is pending legislation to honor Capital Region activist Robert Bornt, who was killed in a work zone in Rensselaer County in May.
“CSEA was proud to support these bills as a fitting tribute to Jake and Stephen, but we know that more must be done,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “We will continue to advocate for stronger laws and protections to keep workers safe in dangerous roadside conditions.”
Work zone safety will remain
a top priority for CSEA when the State Legislature returns in 2026. Our union will continue to work with Governor Hochul and her administration and state legislators to ensure improved road safety for CSEA members.
“As drivers, we all share responsibility,” said Sullivan. “Please remember to slow down in work zones and move over whenever vehicles or workers are on the side of the road. Together, we can save lives.”
Subscribe at cseany.org/safetynet
The Safety Net is a monthly e-newsletter published by our Occupational Safety and Health Department.
@CSEA_Safety_Net facebook.com/CSEASafetyNet cseany.org/safety
On the cover, Nassau University Medical Center Local 831 activist Kathryn Johnson waves as she marches with our union’s delegation in the New York City Labor Parade. For more, see pages 9-11.
(Photo by Jessica Ladlee.)
cseany.org
OCTOBER 2025 • VOL. 28, NO. 9
Statewide Board of Directors election for private sector seats
After the Sept. 8, 2025, ballot count, private sector members now have three representatives on the Statewide Board of Directors. Heidi Jo Brandt (CSEA/VOICE 100A)
and Nicole Davis (Lifespire)
join Deb Hanna (HRI) as Board representatives for private sector members.
2 The Work Force
October 2025
CSEA STRONG
See pages 9, 10-11
School gun violence: National fight, shared struggle Prevention programs can save lives
Nassau University Medical Center Unit forms own CSEA local Page 8
Page 3 Pages 6-7
Photo by Jessica Ladlee