Ken Crusie: Why I’m Sticking With Our Union
Editor’s Note: Village of Wappingers Falls Unit President Ken Crusie understands the value of our union membership, particularly the many resources our union has to offer our members. He recently spoke with The Work Force’s Jessica Ladlee about why he will stick with our union.
“It’s huge just to have the ability to negotiate what you want. Everything is negotiable. You have a say about workplace safety raises, and terms and conditions of employment.
If someone were looking to quit our union, I would advise them to think about what might happen if they are disciplined at work and no longer have our union there to represent them. All of that money they saved on union dues would go to a private attorney to defend them, plus a lot more because it’s very expensive for lawyers and arbitration. Having our CSEA Legal Department behind us is a tremendous value.
Other unions don’t have the resources we have at CSEA. We have no idea how lucky we are to have them.
I approached our Occupational Safety and Health Department when I found out that a water main replacement we were undertaking was in an area where there was soil contamination. [CSEA Industrial Hygienist] Mark
Stipano told us had the right to know what kind of conditions we were working in. He later helped us monitor the site.
To work in the area, we had to take a 40-hour training course that the village paid for us to take and have an emergency response plan.
If we didn’t have our union, we would have been working in these conditions with no protective gear. Just having our Occupational Safety and Health Department is a major factor in what makes our union such a great value.”
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- “I’m sticking with our union because I have a baby on the way and I know that our union will make sure my benefits remain available, specifically our health insurance, which is so important to me with all the medical costs I will have in the near future.” — Leigh Masker, office assistant 2, Madison County Department of Social Services Support Collection Unit
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- “Now more than ever, we need to stick together for our co-workers, families and communities. Our union has always been there for me. I’m not quitting on my union now or ever.” — Delphine Moultrie, State Insurance Fund Local President and CSEA Metropolitan Region Secretary
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- “I’m sticking with our union because our union sticks with us.” — David Bradley, eligibility examiner 1, Albany County Department of Social Services
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- “I could never turn my back on my co-workers. We have come too far to give up now. I will always support our brothers and sisters and our union. That’s why I’m sticking with CSEA.” — Angel Pride, food service worker and Sodexo at Monroe Community College Local Vice President
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- “Seven years ago after Hurricane Sandy, a group of CSEA members got laid off by the City of Long Beach. CSEA fought for us to get our jobs back. Without my union, I don’t know where my family and I would be today. I thank my unit president, John Mooney and my union for what they did.” — Jose Arroyo, laborer and City of Long Beach Unit member
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- “We know why they are trying to hurt the union movement and we’re not going to stand by and let it happen. I’m sticking with my union and I’m fighting for what we deserve.” — Letitia Williams, Lifespire Local activist
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- “I’m sticking with our union because there is strength in numbers.” — Jaquay Jones, eligibility examiner, Albany County Department of Social Services
