VOICE REPORTER AT ANNUAL DELEGATES MEETING IN ALBANY

Albany, N.Y.--  Your Monroe County Local 828 executive board has been in plenary and workshop events since last Sunday.  You can expect the next post at the Voice Reporter sometime in the next few days. 

At the Annual Delegates Meeting where our union began some 100 years ago, your fellow union members have been working hard to educate ourselves and acquire relevant information to bring back to our workplaces.  Again, you will be hearing from us in a couple of days.

Here is a quick rundown on what's been happening:

On Monday, Oct. 18, the union hosted a health fair in the Empire State Plaza concourse. More than 40 organizations and health care providers provided information tables in the concourse, which was open to the general public.

Later that same day, delegates participated in a program focused on the future of the labor movement by well-known labor and social justice activist Bill Fletcher, Jr. in the Hart Theatre of The Egg, at 2 p.m. Fletcher is currently the director of Field Services and Education for the American Federation of Government Employees.

On Tuesday, Oct. 19, delegates volunteered in a number of community service projects, including an Empire Stroll to raise funds for the CSEA Disaster Relief Fund; hands-on projects at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, the Hudson and Mohawk River Humane Society and the Louise Corning Senior Services Center, in addition to participating in a disaster preparedness program by the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York and a presentation by Special Olympics of New York State.

Today, Wednesday, Oct. 20 will mark a very special program commemorating the CSEA Centennial beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. The program will include an array of multimedia presentations and recognition from a number of elected officials and others. The program will be followed around 3 p.m. by the serving of a commemorative centennial cake baked by Villa Italia Bakery in Schenectady. The cake, which will recognize CSEA's presence across New York, will be on display in the lobby area outside the convention center throughout the day.

Following a business session on Thursday, Oct. 21, the delegates' meeting will conclude with a special program on Friday morning, Oct. 22.

Yours truly,

Bess Watts
Cris Zaffuto
Ove Overmyer
T. Judith Johnson
Sue Newman
Sue Trottier
Joe Tichacek
Caril Powell-Price