SENECA FALLS — For Town of Seneca Falls workers organizing their union with CSEA, town management saying one thing and doing another has become a regular occurrence.
Town workers are standing firm, citing ineffective leadership by town officials. Although Seneca Falls Supervisor Frank Schmitter said an agreement was very close at a recent Town Board meeting, town officials have behaved otherwise.
To date, CSEA has filed two improper practice charges for workers being illegally targeted by management. The town’s primary union-busting tactic is its attempt to exclude the town code enforcement officer from the bargaining unit.
Peter Porcelli, the zoning and code enforcement officer, was one of the leaders of this organizing effort that began last summer.
“Not including the code enforcement officer is just another baseless excuse to delay recognition of our union,” said Shawn Van Gee, a machine equipment operator at the town’s Highway Department. “In Seneca County, code enforcement officers and senior code enforcement officers are part of the union.”
“CSEA represents this title in Seneca County and across the state,” said CSEA Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf. “Management is actively trying to stop these workers from exercising their rights by excluding one of the leaders of this organizing effort. This is textbook union busting and we will not stand for it.”
Workers continue to maintain the position of inclusion despite continued attempts to fracture their unity.
At a recent town board meeting on Tuesday, Councilmember Kaitlyn Laskoski publicly defended town workers and acknowledged that Schmitter and Councilmember Frank Sinicropi were stalling the process and wasting taxpayer money.
Laskoski put forth a resolution to recognize all titles, including the code enforcement title, as to not waste more time and money. The resolution failed 2-2 (one councilmember abstained).
The next state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) conference is scheduled for January 7. CSEA believes PERB will rule with the organizing workers and acknowledge the code enforcement title and move this process to the bargaining table.
— Nicholas Newcomb
