ALBANY — During the union’s 110th Annual Delegates Meeting, CSEA passed a series of resolutions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on New Yorkers.
During the virtual convention, delegates from around the state voted overwhelmingly to call on Congress to deliver unrestricted federal aid for state and local governments and school districts to stop public services from being cut.
The delegates also called on the federal government to recognize the contributions and sacrifice of essential workers during the pandemic with hazard pay.
Sullivan
“We need to hold our federal government accountable for delivering aid to our state, municipalities and school districts to preserve the public services New Yorkers depend on,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “They must also recognize the dedication, bravery and sacrifice of our essential workers with compensation for what they had to endure and continue to experience during this crisis.”
Tens of thousands of CSEA members continued to provide essential services throughout the state during the pandemic while many New Yorkers stayed home to flatten the curve.
The pandemic response from the state and local governments, along with lower tax revenue from the closures, has devastated public budgets. Some local government agencies and school districts have cut jobs and services, and more cuts are expected unless the state can get unrestricted federal aid.
CSEA members have been lobbying for months pushing for federal relief funds to make sure New York’s public services do not fall casualty to the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic.
In early November, the U.S. Senate left Washington without taking action on additional aid and the Trump administration has made its support for such aid unclear. President-elect Joe Biden had recently appointed a coronavirus task force and supports federal aid to states and local governments, as well as to working people and small businesses.
AFSCME International President Lee Saunders addresses delegates by video.
AFSCME International President Lee Saunders, during his video address during the 110th Annual Delegates Meeting, praised CSEA’s push for the aid.
“I also want to acknowledge the activism and mobilization of CSEA members on our union’s Fund the Front Lines campaign, fighting for a federal stimulus package that provides robust aid to states, cities, towns, and schools,” he said. The essential work that CSEA members delivered for New York also put workers and their families at an increased risk for contracting COVID-19, with some paying the ultimate price.
During the union’s annual meeting, CSEA recognized dozens of workers who lost their lives to COVID-19, many through work-related exposures.
“We owe a debt to those workers and their families that can never be repaid, and we mourn their losses deeply,” Sullivan said.
For our in memoriam tributes to these members visit https://cseany.org/member-tributes.
