When our union faces a challenge, CSEA members have one of the greatest resources possible to meet the roadblock – each other.
In CSEA, members partner with staff to run our union, determine our union’s priorities and lead the efforts to be successful at whatever we do. I have tremendous pride in that fact.
Our union is strong because of membership, but to grow our power, we must also increase union member involvement.
Remember, it’s not up to “someone else” to build a strong union – we must do it together. Retain the current members, recruit and train new members, and hold on to our Retirees. Members have led the way in CSEA achieving contracts with fair pay and health care, ensuring our workplaces are safe and healthy, keeping guaranteed pensions, helping advance justice for communities of members who are still fighting for equity, working to elect leaders at every level of government who stand with working people and far more.
CSEA members have strong member involvement in our union events. For instance, our union’s Standing Women’s Committee was involved in the planning of every program and event at our union’s recent Statewide Women’s Conference.
CSEA is successful for one central reason – member involvement. Whether you want to run for office, volunteer for a committee or send a letter to your elected representatives on an issue that concerns our union, there is a role for everyone.
Make no mistake, we need all of you. Our union cannot be strong without the inclusion of all of our members’ voices. We need every voice to harness our union’s true power and grow stronger. Our union members come from all different walks of life and our diversity makes our union stronger. No matter what we think, where we come from or who we are, we all strive to have good jobs with fair wages that allow us to sustain ourselves and our families, affordable health care, safe and healthy workplaces, a strong voice in the workplace and a secure retirement.
We must work toward these goals together. As we have seen many times, when we stand together and use our collective voice, there is nothing that can stop us.
In solidarity,
Mary E. Sullivan, President
