Page 14 - September 2017 Work Force

PEOPLE drive builds momentum
VALHALLA — Sue Fontana
has worked at Westchester Medical Center since 1999, but she wasn’t an immediate union activist.
Like many
who step up
in CSEA, it was
when she encountered workplace challenges that she found her voice to help build a stronger union.
As an activist, Fontana learned the essential role political action plays in building a stronger labor movement.
Advocating for workers by
building relationships with lawmakers was crucial to maintaining the hospital’s public mission, so when another of our members approached Fontana about signing up for PEOPLE — Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality — she realized that a small donation per paycheck could help working people make a big collective impact in Albany, Washington, D.C. and in her community.
“Once I became educated about the threats to working people, I knew I had to do my part,” said Fontana, who eventually became a PEOPLE recruiter and Southern Region PEOPLE chair. “Working in a public
hospital, I realized that the groups waging attacks against average working people are also fighting to eliminate the resources we depend on to treat our patients.”
When CSEA PEOPLE Coordinator Denise Felt asked Fontana to organize a PEOPLE drive at the hospital, it didn’t take much convincing.
Fontana, who has volunteered for CSEA’s member engagement outreach, realized that the same buzz created when CSEA’s member engagement teams visit work sites could boost PEOPLE outreach.
“Just like our member engagement visits, having a PEOPLE recruitment drive allowed us to have one-on-one
conversations with members and really make sure they understand how this directly impacts us as workers and health care providers,” Fontana said. “It’s great to have PEOPLE tables at CSEA events and posters on our bulletin boards, but nothing beats member-to-member outreach. Now people here are
fired up about the constitutional convention vote and they understand how Right-to-Work would hurt us.”
That PEOPLE recruitment drive resulted in 27 new signups, and Fontana hopes to soon hold another drive.
— Jessica Ladlee
Fontana
O’Shea: ‘You are the union’
STATEN ISLAND
— If there’s one major advantage
of working in
the maintenance department at
the South Beach Psychiatric
Center and recruiting for
the PEOPLE program, it’s
that you get around.
That’s how John O’Shea became the PEOPLE Recruiter of the Month for June, when he recruited 25
new members. PEOPLE protects and improves our jobs, benefits and pensions in Washington, Albany and in your community. Your support and participation in PEOPLE strengthens our clout in the workplace, in the legislature, in your community and in the labor movement.
At a recent local event, he sat alongside CSEA PEOPLE Coordinator Denise Felt and was able to personally call and engage members one-on-one on the importance of joining PEOPLE.
“It was easier to have a familiar face and sit with Local President Louis (Del Pozo) and Denise and talk with them about the program,” said O’Shea. “If we don’t support this program, we don’t have a voice when it comes to the politicians.”
O’Shea said members asked many questions about the program and where the money was going.
O’Shea, who also serves as his local’s 2nd vice president, told our member that our contributions improve our access to elected leaders who make decisions about the state work force and our rights as workers.
“My being a rep is not the union,” he said. “You are the union.”
He praised Felt for her assistance and said he would continue to engage members for the program.
He stressed the importance of including our members in decisions about political endorsements, a complaint he’s heard often.
“I’m all about whatever is going to help the union and benefit our members,” he said.
— David Galarza
14 The Work Force
September 2017
O’Shea
For less than $2 a week, you can be part of the political movement.
To sign up, email
PEOPLE@cseainc.org
or visit cseany.org/people.