Editor’s note: Women’s Conference attendees told the following stories during the Sunday plenary program, after they were selected among the stories members told during Saturday breakout sessions of “Our Voice, Our Power.”
Curtis
When Wendi Curtis began working for the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, she was excited to join our union.
“I had learned from my father how important it was to be part of the union,” said Curtis.
As a CSEA member, Curtis was also excited to vote in her first union election and meet with her representatives.
However, no one showed up at her office.
When Curtis contacted the unit leadership at the time to ask why, she was told that there were no CSEA members at the Sheriff’s Office.
“I said that there were 12 of us and we wanted to be heard,” said Curtis. “I made a decision that day that I’m never not going to be heard; never will be lost and I was going to make sure everyone is heard. When you see something, say something. We have to stand up for others who don’t have the stuff to do it.”
Curtis soon got involved in our union, eventually becoming unit 4th vice president as part of a new unit leadership team.
Along with that new team and CSEA staff, Curtis participated in a unit member engagement blitz that she called an “amazing” experience.
“People said to me, ‘I’ve been here for (many) years and have never seen a CSEA rep,’” said Curtis. “I told them, ‘I have news for you. I have found you.’”
