ROCKVILLE CENTER — CSEA Village of Rockville Center Unit members provide many important public services for their community, including critical services for seniors at the village senior center, collecting waste and caring for children at the local recreation center.
Now they are advocating for a fair return on their work.
The unit has reached an impasse in contract negotiations with the village. The major points of contention are employee contributions to health benefits and salary increases.
Village of Rockville Center Unit President Daniel McCarthy, Vice President Christopher Chester and Treasurer Kathy Weber discuss the negotiations.
“We are willing to work with the village and pay more into our health care, but they want us to pay [significantly more than we pay now],” said Village of Rockville Center Unit President Daniel McCarthy. “That’s too big of a jump from what we pay now.”
Unit members understand that they must be open to potential givebacks during negotiations, but they feel that the village needs to do the same.
“If we pay more into our health care benefits, we’d at least like to be compensated with a halfway decent raise,” said Village of Rockville Center Unit Vice President Christopher Chester.
In fact, based on their own salaries, many employees can’t afford to live in the village in which they work.
“They don’t want to give raises, across the board, because it’s not where they want to spend the money,” said unit Treasurer Kathy Weber. “Management calls it ‘management goals.’ We call it an agenda.”
Dedicated to the community
Regardless of issues with the village, unit members continue to give their all when performing their respective job functions.
“We are very accommodating to village residents,” said Chester. “If someone calls up and says that they didn’t put their garbage out in time for pickup, we’ll turn around and go get it.”
CSEA members’ readiness to help residents results in very little lag time in responding to requests for fixed potholes, clearing downed trees or whatever else is requested.
“Our members in the recreation center are so dedicated that they feel bad about taking breaks and time off,” said Weber. “They’re worried about who is going to watch the kids and teach the classes.”
“We have nothing against the residents. We’re sure they don’t know anything about what’s going on,” McCarthy said. “All we want is to be respected and compensated for our contributions.”
— Wendi Bowie
