CSEA Dutchess County Unit 6650

06/18/2026

Activism Opportunity

The Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation is organizing a virtual phone bank tonight in support of Tom DiNapoli. All you need is a cellphone and a laptop or tablet, no experience necessary! A brief software training will be provided at the start.

When: Tonight, 6–8 PM
How: Virtual, from wherever you are

If you've been looking for a low-barrier way to get involved, this is it. Two hours, no travel, and you'll be making a direct impact!

Join us as we make phone calls for Tom DiNapoli, Didi Barrett, and Pat Carroll! All you need is your cell phone plus your laptop or tablet! We will provide a quick training at the beginning of the Zoom, before we start calling.

06/13/2026

Early voting for primary elections starts today!
Do you have a plan to vote? To find your polling times and locations and for a list of CSEA-endorsed candidates, visit cseany.org/vote!

06/12/2026

General Membership Meeting: Wednesday, June 17

Join us at the Family Partnership Building, 29 N. Hamilton St., Poughkeepsie from 6:00–8:00 PM, as we spin up some sorely needed committees to help drive our union's work. If you think there are things the union could be doing better then this is your chance to make it happen!

Let's not bury the lede, the ink is barely dry on the 2025-2029 contract and we're getting started on the next one NOW! The Negotiating Committee will be members' most direct way to influence what we fight for in the next contract. Come boss us around and tell us what to do!

Does your work site have unsafe conditions? Not happy with how things are being addressed? We're forming a Unit level Health & Safety committee to start documenting these issues and make sure the priority remains on getting these matters addressed!

Do you think our Facebook messaging could be improved? Do you have better ideas for what people care about seeing in the newsletter? Want to tell Steve what video he should make next? (He won't listen!) We're forming a Public Relations committee for people interested in helping with this side of things!

Do you care about local politics? Are you savvy enough to have noticed that we have a lot of newly elected politicians that have to run for office *again*? Do you want to help track these issues and make sure the union keeps it's attention on matters that are important to the members? The Unit PAC (Political Action Committee) is where you want to plug in!

Are you more a behind the scenes kind of person who just wants to help with the work that needs to be done to keep this thing moving? The Membership Committee helps track new hires and make sure they were all given a fair shot at joining the Union and have all the information they need. If you like organizing and pulling off smaller events the Education Committee organizes bringing member benefits representatives to different departments. If you're not afraid of large documents and have read all the constitutions and manuals and have a head for coming up with rules that cover edge cases and deal with operational problems, the Bylaws Committee could use your help.

We're also looking for more Shop Stewards. Do you like learning all the rules, and what to do when management doesn't follow them? When paperwork goes wrong and a coworker's job is on the line, a steward is the first line of defense. Several departments in the County have no steward at all. Come find out about the process to become a Shop Steward. Get connected with the training and at least come out a better informed union member even if being a Steward is not for you. Stewards meet regularly to learn from and support each other and you get to talk to Matt a lot more. Are you sure you're not ready to be a Steward yourself? Come anyone and nominate a coworker you think would be great at it!

Do you know the County just did a training on the discipline system for all Supervisors? Our Chief Shop Steward Matt will be giving a talk about Weingarten Rights (what to do if you're ever called into a meeting that could lead to discipline.)

Space is limited - RSVP now to jmortcsea6655+[email protected]. (Heads up: it's a working meeting, and venue rules mean no food this time.)

06/11/2026

https://actionnetwork.org/events/zoom-meeting-about-tier-6-changes/

Region 3 members are invited to join CSEA Political Action Coordinator Chris Ludlow next Monday night at 6 p.m. for a Zoom where he will break down the changes to Tier 6.

The Zoom does have a limit on attendees, so please sign up only if you are sure you can attend.

Use the QR code to sign up or the link in the comments 👇

06/10/2026

The deadline to register to vote for the Primary is in 3 days. Don't miss it.

After June 13th, you cannot register or update your registration in time to vote in the June 23rd Primary. That window is closing.

Not sure if you're registered? Check now: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/
Need to register or update? Do it here: https://elections.ny.gov/voter-registration-process

Elected officials pay attention to who votes. Your union representatives talk to them to fight for you, make sure you're counted so they know how many people the union represents.

To register online you will need to use a NY.Gov ID. If you have previously used a NY.Gov ID with another agency, you may use the same login to access the Online Voter Registration portal. If you have not used a NY.Gov ID you will need to create an account.

06/05/2026

BIG WIN for Probation Officers!

Legislation giving counties the option to provide full pay and medical coverage to probation officers injured in the line of duty has passed both houses of the New York State Legislature!

This happened because YOU got involved. You called. You emailed. You showed up. And lawmakers listened.

The bill now awaits the Governor's signature, but make no mistake, this victory belongs to every member who took action.

This is what collective power looks like. This is what CSEA does. The next step in this fight is the Governor's signature.

06/04/2026

The next Breast Cancer Support Group meeting will be Thursday, June 18, at 5:30 PM at the Local 814 Office. Please RSVP if you plan to attend, and share this with coworkers who may be interested.
If you have any questions or would like to RSVP contact Wendy at [email protected] or (845) 656-3547

06/03/2026

Have you checked your voter registration? Here's what to do if something's not right.

The deadline to register or update your New York voter registration is June 13th. That's in 10 days. If your status isn't current, now is the time to fix it.

Your union fights for your wages, your benefits, and your working conditions. Our voice at the negotiation table is stronger when the people we represent are registered voters. Politicians pay attention to those numbers and so do we.

Register or update here:

To register online you will need to use a NY.Gov ID. If you have previously used a NY.Gov ID with another agency, you may use the same login to access the Online Voter Registration portal. If you have not used a NY.Gov ID you will need to create an account.

06/03/2026

You may have received a call from CSEA this week about a possible home visit. Those calls are legitimate.

CSEA Region 3 is conducting a Member Blitz for Local 814, including Unit 6650, through the end of this week. Staff and officers are visiting worksites and (for members who opt in) stopping by homes to share updates and hear directly from you. Topics include recent Tier 6 pension reforms and other issues affecting our members. Home visits are entirely voluntary. If you're interested, let the caller know when they reach you.

Additionally there will be a number of work site member engagement events across multiple Local 814 locations, including the Health Department on Thursday 6/4 from 11am-2pm.

06/02/2026

FINAL WEEK of the 2026 Legislative Session.

Probation officers put their safety on the line every day. When they're injured on the job, workers' comp only covers partial wages, that's not enough.

A.2535 (Paulin) would give counties the option to provide injured probation officers with full pay and medical coverage while they recover. Other public safety personnel already have this protection. Probation officers deserve the same.

Call your Assemblymember TODAY.
Ask them to:
• Support A.2535 (Paulin)
• Urge Speaker Carl Heastie to bring the bill to the floor before session ends
Not sure what to say? Start here:
"Hi, I'm [name], a CSEA member in Dutchess County. Please support A.2535 and ask Speaker Heastie to bring it to a vote before session ends."

Time runs out this week. Make the call, and ask your coworkers to do the same.

Look up your assemblymember here:

News and Information from the New York State Assembly