BIAS MATTERS
Thursday February 4th Judge DiFiore released a memo “Further Addressing Bias in the Court System.” The Unions were not consulted on this new policy before it was released. Friday morning the Local Presidents of CSEA Judiciary met virtually to discuss this memo and proposed new policy. Following our meeting we also participated in a virtual meeting with the multi-union coalition to further discuss the memo and new policy, which is quite broad in scope. We are currently looking into the parameters of the contractual obligations involved. As we get further information, we will update our members.
GET YOUR FUNNY ONLINE WITH CSEA!
Join us on Zoom for an hour of fun with four New York-based comedians on February 24th @ 7 p.m. To help us all escape the doom and gloom of the pandemic for a while, CSEA is now taking registrations for union members and union staff to attend the free Zoom Comedy Hour. The program will feature four hilarious New York-based comedians, bring your beverage of choice and enjoy the show.
To access the registration link, you must first login to https://cseany.org/ and then visit: https://cseany.org/comedyhour.
STATE BUDGET UPDATE
This week, Fran Turner, Director of CSEA’s Legislative and Political Action Department, testified in front of the New York State Senate and Assembly to comment on the Governor’s proposed budget. CSEA opposed the proposed closures and elimination of services within the Office of Mental Health and Office of Children and Family Services, the elimination of local government assistance, and attacks on the health insurance of retirees. All members are encouraged to contact their region Political Action Coordinator and get involved in stopping these harmful cuts to state and local government programs. CSEA’s complete testimony is available at: https://tinyurl.com/csea-budget-testimony2021
FEDERAL AID UPDATE
The Governor’s proposed state budget is directly tied to President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion aid package. This aid package includes $350 billion in state and local aid that is needed to fill the budget gaps found in NYS and our local governments. This is likely our last shot to get this needed aid to protect services and jobs! We invite you to find out more and how you can do your part. Join our Legislative & Political Action Department’s webinar titled: “Our Last Shot, CSEA’s campaign to help our state and local governments.”
We are offering several different dates and times over the next week to accommodate members’ work and home schedules as much as possible. Please choose one of the following meeting times that works best for you and follow the instructions to register.
- Monday, February 8 – 7:00pm – Register at https://tinyurl.com/last-shot-feb8
- Tuesday, February 9 – 10:00am – Register at https://tinyurl.com/last-shot-feb9-morning
- Tuesday, February 9 – 6:00pm – Register at https://tinyurl.com/last-shot-feb9-evening
- Wednesday, February 10 – 6:30pm – Register at https://tinyurl.com/last-shot-feb10
- Thursday, February 11 – 4:00pm – Register at https://tinyurl.com/last-shot-feb11
ON-DEMAND COVID 19 WEBINAR
CSEA wants you to have all the facts regarding the new COVID-19 vaccines so that you can make an informed decision for you and your family. Our ninety-minute on-demand program will answer the most frequently asked questions regarding how the vaccines work, employee rights, the NYS Roll Out Plan and post-vaccine protocols in the workplace. This free webinar is open to anyone on demand at: https://tinyurl.com/csea-covid-vaccine-webinar
CSEA SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Statewide
It is with great pleasure CSEA announces the 2021 Irving Flaumenbaum Memorial Scholarship Program application period is now open. From now until April 15, eligible children or grandchildren of CSEA members can apply to win one of the 18 Irving Flaumenbaum Scholarships, plus be eligible for the Met Life and Pearl Insurance Awards.
Local 334
It is with great pleasure CSEA Judiciary Local 334 announces the 2021 Lt. Michael D. Carraway Memorial Scholarship Program. Graduating seniors who are a child or legal dependent of a court employee represented by CSEA Judiciary Local 334 and will be attending an accredited institution of higher education are eligible to apply.
*These scholarships are another member-only benefit of belonging to New York’s Leading Union.*
AFSCME SCHOLARSHIPS
Several scholarship programs are available for AFSCME members and their children. A brief description of each scholarship is below. For more information on the AFSCME scholarships, visit the AFSCME Scholarship page or call 1-800-588-0374.