Page 2 - Work Force October 2025

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.
Subscribe at cseany.org/safetynet
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.”
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
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)
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.)
and Nicole Davis (Lifespire)
join Deb Hanna (HRI) as Board
representatives for private sector
CSEA STRONG CSEA STRONGSee pages See pages
9, 10-11 9, 10-11
members.
School gun violence:
Nassau University Medical Center
National fight, shared struggle
Prevention programs can save lives
Unit forms own CSEA local
Page 3 Pages 6-7 Page 8
Photo by Jessica Ladlee
2 The Work Force October 2025