Mid-term Report
Local 830 halfway through first term with Jerry Laricchiuta as President

Talkin’ Labor with Local 830 has informed the membership of CSEA news on a weekly basis over the past 15 months.

Since July 1, 2005 Jerry Laricchiuta has officially been the president of the CSEA Nassau Local 830, representing 10,000 members here in Nassau County. It is now halfway through his first term as union president, and a lot has been accomplished, and there is still a lot to be done in the second half of his term.

Let’s take a look back at some of Local 830’s top accomplishments over the past 2 years:

1. Changing of the guard at NHCC
   Jerry Laricchiuta was very instrumental in creating a changing of the guard for the Nassau Health Care Corporation, as on March 7, 2006 Arthur Gianelli was named Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer of NHCC. Previous CEO Dan Kane left the NHCC in poor financial standing, which created a lot of work for both Gianelli and CSEA. Since that point CSEA has met with Gianelli’s team weekly to work on overall improvements. CSEA is happy to say that NHCC is in far better standing today than it was 2 years ago.
   
2. Keeping Tabs on Job Title Review
   A major issue that has been dealt with over the past 2 years is the problem of CSEA members working out of title. During March 2007, the county workforce filled out questionnaires that outlined exactly what they do on a daily basis at their jobs. CSEA has been very diligent in making sure that the county carries through with this review in a way that will not have an adverse effect on the CSEA membership.
   
3. Focus on Health & Safety
   Local 830 organized a Press Conference at the Juvenile Detention Center for March 28, 2006 where nearly half of the 19 Nassau County Legislators attended along with coverage by many media outlets. After several minor improvements over a year’s time, on May 9, 2007 the legislature approved a motion for a company to come in and examine the concerns so they can go ahead and come up with a contract, and get to work on some major renovations. Local 830 has toured Wantagh’s Cedar Creek Plant on numerous occasions and has publicized the problems there through this Express newsletter, as well as the Long Island Press and various other local publications. As of today, many of the health and safety issues there have been addressed.
   
4. Fight Against Subcontracting
   It’s always a battle when it comes to fighting against the county contracting out to private companies. There are many jobs that our CSEA workers can do, but sometimes are contracted out, costing more money, therefore being a burden to the taxpayer. CSEA has a staff member who works 2 days a week solely on subcontracting cases to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. In April 2007, CSEA won tens of thousands for its members at Old Bethpage Restoration in a grievance over a roof that was contracted out and ended up costing several times more than it should have.
   

   Events such as the annual golf outing builds camaraderie between the membership.

5. Several Big Wins for Part-timers/Saving Positions for CSEA Members
   On December 19, 2005 the County Legislature was set to adopt a living wage bill excluding all seasonal employees. Once Laricchiuta stood before the Legislature and lobbied several lawmakers, the bill was ultimately approved 19-0. In May 2007, CSEA had a big win by clarifying the language in the contract on bonus vacation days for part-time employees, which determined 1 day as being 7 ding for 200 already financed positions in the 2006 budget in order to transhours. In November, the County Legislature looked to remove funfer money over to the police budget line. Laricchiuta stood before the Legislature and said that CSEA supports the hiring of more police officers, but never at the expense of his membership. 4 days later the funding for all 200 positions was reinstated.
   
6. Informing the Public and Calling for Action on High Property Tax Issue
   During Jerry Laricchiuta’s appearance on Cablevision’s Meet the Leaders, and with his discussions with numerous government officials on Talkin’ Labor with Local 830, he has made the public very aware of where your taxpayers’ money really goes. It has become a common theme to inform the public that the county part of your tax bill is only between 14 and 19 percent, with your school taxes taking up the bulk of your property taxes. Jerry has spoken in depth with legislators such as Roger Corbin on solutions to this problem to lessen the tax burden for everyone, especially our hard-working CSEA members.
   
7. Keeping a Campaign Promise
   During Jerry Laricchiuta’s 2005 campaign to become Local 830 President, one of his promises was to improve the handicapped parking situation at 240 Old Country Road. After the Express highlighted the situation in 3 separate issues, CSEA worked closely with the Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged to get something done. In May 2007, 17 new handicapped spots were moved to directly in front of the South side of 240 Old Country Road.
   
8. Much Improved Communication between CSEA and Membership
   With the creation of the Local 830 weekly Radio Show, “Talkin’ Labor with Local 830,” the advertising campaign on Cablevision, advertising with the Long Island Press, and Jerry Laricchiuta’s frequent appearances on News 12, Newsday, and the Long Island Press, and an interview on Cablevision’s Meet the Leaders that ran 50 times in March 2007, CSEA has been more visible than ever. The creation of www.csea830.org in September 2006, made member benefits, news, unique special features, and even archives of the radio show available with the click of a mouse. Through membership website signup CSEA has been able to build an email database that enables Jerry Laricchiuta to inform the membership of any news or updates instantly.
   
9. Focusing on Scholarships for our Member’s Children

   General membership meetings give members the opportunity to voice their opinions.

   
   With the numerous scholarships offered to our member’s children during the past 2 years through the CSEA Women’s Committee, and the past 2 CSEA Annual Scholarship Classics, Local 830 has a new focus on the importance of the education of our members’ children.
   
10. Influx of CSEA Member Events & Generosity to the Community
    CSEA has put on events for its members all year round including the January Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon, July CSEA Scholarship Golf outing, and December Holiday Party. In addition, member informational fairs, and seminars are held on a regular basis both at the Local office and at various departments. This year CSEA donated hundreds of toys to the “Christmas on Jackson Street” event in Hempstead, and gave out four $500 scholarships from the proceeds of the golf outing. Involvement with the United Way, and Toys for Tots in recent years has also been a benefit to the community. The Local 830 Veterans Committee has also engaged in many programs and services this year to benefit vets.

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