WEST SENECA — CSEA West Seneca Central School District Unit members are fighting to save public services at the schools, including jobs held by our union members.
In mid-April, district officials laid off 11 CSEA members employed at the district and reduced the salaries of an additional 11 members, in what the district called a “cost saving measure.”
Hertel
When the district had initially announced its budget shortfall that led to the cuts, West Seneca Central School District Unit President Darryl Hertel said he reached out to administrators several times to try to work on solutions.
“We’ve tried time and time again to work with management on solutions to avoid layoffs, but they just refuse to listen or work with us,” said Hertel, who also serves as our union’s Erie County Educational Employees Local 1st Vice President.
Hertel and other CSEA members have attended two recent Board of Education meetings to show solidarity, as well as speak out against the layoffs and reductions as a solution to budget problems the school district claims to have.
West Seneca Central School District Unit President Darryl Hertel speaks at a recent district Board of Education meeting. (Photo by Andrea Figueroa.)
At the April 9 Board of Education meeting, Hertel spoke out against the layoffs, telling board members that he was concerned that CSEA was not being heard.
He also told board members there were other avenues that could be explored to save money and avoid layoffs.
More than 75 CSEA members from several Western Region locals and units attended the packed meeting to show solidarity and support West Seneca School District Unit members.
The following week, CSEA members again attended the Board of Education meeting, at which board members voted on a school budget plan that includes layoffs across the district.
Despite opposition from union members and community members, Board of Education members also voted to proceed with administrators’ plan to reduce salaries.
West Seneca Central School District Unit Secretary Casey Frank shows her solidarity. (Photo by Andrea Figueroa.)
“They seem to underestimate the effects these layoffs will have,” said Hertel. “Reducing the number of staff doesn’t change the size or needs of the schools. There’s still the same amount of space to clean, for example, and now there are fewer workers to do it.”
The public will vote on the school budget May 21. Hertel urged community members to vote yes on the budget to avoid further layoffs and reductions to school district employees.
“We will continue to speak out and take every action we can on behalf of the hardworking members of CSEA who were sacrificed at the expense of bad management decisions,” said Hertel.
— Mathew L. Cantore
