(DUNKIRK) – CSEA (Civil Service Employees Association) Unit 6300 President Rose Conti admits “there’s never a dull moment” these days in Chautauqua County as the Public Employees Union that represents 1,000 County Workers continues its battle to stop the privatization of the County Home in Dunkirk, and awaits the involvement of a Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)-appointed Mediator in contract negotiations with Republican Executive Greg Edwards.

During an interview with WNYLaborToday.com, Conti told Your Regional, On-Line Labor Newspaper that CSEA Unit 6300 was scheduled to meet with a number of county-wide supporters who are interested in joining the Union’s battle to keep the County Home open and stop any privatization of the facility.  On another front, Conti says her Union’s Membership “is ticked off, without a doubt” regarding Edwards’ comments in the local media that have incorrectly stated CSEA Unit 6300 was seeking major wage increases in a new contract.

“There’s never a dull moment around here,” said Conti, adding that a General Membership Meeting with Union-Represented County Workers has been scheduled for February 13th so CSEA Officials can advise its Members as to where things stand in the negotiations and where they go from here.  “(The Membership) is ticked off, without a doubt, but we want our Members to hear what we’ve done.  There are some who have more brains to believe (what is appearing in the local press about the negotiations, including negative Union comments made by Edwards).”

Conti said the contract negotiations recently reached an impasse because “you cannot sit there and sit there and go nowhere.”  “When you’ve given everything (up) that you can and you are told (by Edwards) that it’s not enough,” that’s when you reach out to PERB, she added.

The CSEA Unit 6300 President said her Union has no intention of taking part in as many as 63 negotiating sessions that were part of on-going talks that finally produced a contract the last time around.  “We’ve been meeting now since August (on a new contract) and that’s wrong on every level – for our Members, the County and Taxpayers – and we will not do that again,” Conti said.

CSEA Unit 6300 had offered the County what amounted to $1.7 million in overall savings in negotiations on a new contract, but Conti said: “It wasn’t enough for them.”

The previous four-year contract between Chautauqua County and CSEA Unit 6300 expired on December 31st.  Edwards told The Jamestown Post Journal: "(CSEA) wanted five years of five-percent each year increases in their contract, and they wanted more days off.  They wanted an extra dollar-an-hour for what they call shift differentials."  Countered Conti: "For what we believe are purely political reasons, the county is giving up the opportunity to save (nearly two million dollars) over the next two years, plus additional savings that would come from changes to Workers' Health Insurance Coverage.  We want County Residents to know that this Union found ways to reduce costs and offer savings, but the County Executive turned away a chance to save a significant amount of money."

Conti is awaiting word back from PERB regarding the next negotiating session that will now include a neutral mediator.  CSEA Unit 6300 is reportedly one of five Unions representing County Workers that is currently in contract negotiations with the County, including another CSEA Unit 6322 and three Law Enforcement Unions.

Meanwhile, CSEA Unit 6300 Representatives were scheduled to meet with concerned area Business Leaders, Community Groups and County Residents tonight (Thursday, February 9th) who are also upset over County Executive Edwards and the GOP’s push to privatize the County Home.  In late December, Chautauqua County Legislators reneged on a previous vote to table a measure to hire a marketing company to promote the 216-bed, skilled-nursing facility located on Temple Road in Dunkirk for privatization.  Unit 6300 represents 180 full-time Workers at the County Home, along with as many as 80 part-timers and substitute Workers.

During tonight’s meeting, Union Representatives said: A formal Coalition “of all interested individuals” will be created; Those involved will identify “all our partners, agencies and individuals who are helping;” The group will brainstorm new approaches to saving the Home; and Assign duties to Coalition Members in order to minimize duplication and maximize all available talents.

“We’re going to be doing some coalition building,” Conti told WNYLaborToday.com of this evening’s meeting that will take place at the County Home.  “People are concerned about the Home and they want to know what to do.  Everyone who cares is invited.  The goal of the Coalition is to save the Home and we will be asking them to reach out and talk to their Legislators.  Too often people think they just can’t pick up a phone and have a conversation with them.  But we also need to have people talk to their family and friends – talk to people at ballgames – in order to give the Coalition more of a ‘voice.’  We’ll also be talking what it will take, monetarily, to save it.”

Back on November 16th, with eight current members either having lost re-election bids or ready to head out the door, the Legislators - by a tally of 13-to-11 - agreed to table a vote until January on hiring a marketing company to begin the process of privatizing the County Home.  But at their monthly meeting that was held in late December, the Legislators did an about-face, brought the proposal back to the floor and passed it by a 14-to-10 vote, which allowed the GOP-led Legislature to contract a marketing firm to begin the process of attracting a private company to take over the County Home.  The County Legislature’s Human Services Committee had supported the selection of Marcus & Millichap for the "marketing of the potential sale, lease or other disposition of the Chautauqua County Home” and began moving forward on a proposal that it had received from the firm.

People have been so upset by what the Legislature has done that Conti says more than 1,100 County Residents late last year signed a petition not to have the County Home privatized. 

According to information posted on its website, fully-licensed by the State of New York Department of Health and certified by Medicare and Medicaid, the Chautauqua County Home is “Western New York's premier long-term Health Care Facility:” “Our rural setting and our staff provides a home-like atmosphere for our residents.”  The 280-member staff provides around-the-clock medical care as well as physical, occupational and speech therapy.  According to CSEA Unit 6300, the County Home is presently operating at around 97% capacity.