Nick LaMorte: Thank you for being with me for this wild ride

After serving 27 rewarding years as CSEA’s Long Island Region President, it’s time for me to move on to the next phase of my life.
I want to thank all of the CSEA activists and staff who were with me for this wild ride.
I am so proud to have been a representative for people who may have thought of themselves as underdogs. I fought for their respect, I fought for justice and I fought to make CSEA members count.
It was my own experience with unfair treatment, when I was a custodian for the Farmingdale School District, that led me down the road to become that activist that I am today.
I always did the best that I could, in a job that I love.
I feel the same passion for activism now that I felt back in 1993 when I first became CSEA’s Long Island Region President. I consider being your region president one of the highlights of my life.
I even enjoyed the challenges that I faced, such as working with the Local 430 officers to save Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Center from closing.
We were able to convince politicians to come out and join the picket lines, as well as hold signs.
Through a strong presence and tenacity, we convinced the governor that it would be a terrible mistake to close the facility and strip minors of a major resource to help them with their disabilities.
I have also been honored to protest at rallies alongside members of other unions on the steps of the state office buildings. In those moments, we truly consolidated the power of the public employees on
Nick LaMorte: Thank you for being with me for this wild ride
this island.
Being in this job for 27 years, I’ve seen a lot of union activists and politicians come and go, but in that time, I have been consistent in my resolve to fight for the justice that I felt our members needed, and at times didn’t get.
As I reflect on my time as region president, I remember all of the amazing people who I have had the fortune of meeting in my time as an activist, many of whom have become good friends and some who have passed on. I think of them often.
The negotiating table was another thing that I enjoyed. Watching as the various municipalities witnessed the power of CSEA is a feeling that can’t be duplicated.
Although my region presidency is over, I will remain an AFSCME International Vice President (IVP) until this summer when a new IVP will be chosen.
I also plan on joining CSEA’s Suffolk Retirees Local.
I wish our new region and statewide officers a successful and productive tenure in office.
I want to end my final message by letting you know that being your leader has been one of the great joys of my life. I only hope that I have given all of you the sense of pride that you have given me.

– Nick LaMorte