CSEA is mourning the loss of Southern Region President Anthony Adamo, who passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 5. He was 46.
“Anthony embodied what it means to be a union leader,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “He believed deeply in standing up for working people and never hesitated to fight for his members. Anthony was an extremely passionate person and made a lasting impact on our union. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and the countless members whose lives he touched.”
While his passing was untimely, Anthony made a deep impression on our union during his years as an activist and leader.
Born in Flushing, Queens, Anthony later moved to New Paltz. He was just 19 when he took a job at SUNY New Paltz and quickly became a shop steward in the SUNY New Paltz Local.
With encouragement from CSEA leaders, including his stepfather, Ron Bottali, a former local president, Anthony learned the skills needed to serve effectively as an officer and represent his co-workers on campus.
Making his mark
After becoming local president in 2009, Anthony earned a seat on the Southern Region Executive Board and was appointed by former CSEA President Danny Donohue to serve as our union’s Statewide Political Action Committee chair.
Anthony made it a priority to ensure our union members knew which elected officials were labor-friendly and advocating on their behalf. In 2017, he invited state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to SUNY New Paltz to meet with CSEA members and campus administrators. DiNapoli was among a number of elected officials who shared public condolences upon Anthony’s passing.
Anthony stepped up as Southern Region President in 2019 following the retirement of Billy Riccaldo. He was elected to a full term in 2020 and re-elected in 2024.
Anthony was at his best on the front lines, fighting for members facing hardship, including proposed facility closures and fair treatment on the job. He was outspoken in opposing proposed closures in recent years, including Goshen Secure Center and the Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center, fights in which our union prevailed.
Known for his larger-than-life personality, Anthony also had an ability to connect with members and reassure them that CSEA had their backs in the midst of challenges.
He was deeply affected by the work zone crash that killed CSEA Town of Yorktown Unit member Jake Arcara and lobbied strongly for the passage of stronger legislation to protect road workers.
Invested in worker growth
Anthony was part of the first class of state workers to participate in skilled trades classes offered through the New York State and CSEA Partnership for Education and Training. Those classes helped him attain the title of trades specialist — electrician on the New Paltz campus. He often cited that training while encouraging new workers to take advantage of opportunities through our union.
That advancement included furthering his own labor relations knowledge. Anthony believed in a strong working relationship between CSEA leaders and staff and was particularly close with former labor relations specialist Doug Morrison, who passed away in 2021. Morrison, whose field territory included SUNY New Paltz, helped Anthony bolster his skills in member representation and build a stronger labor-management relationship on campus.
Anthony is survived by his immediate family in New Paltz, as well as extended family and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 12 at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Gardiner.
— Jessica Ladlee
