December 16, 2004

NEW YORK - CSEA and Quality Services for the Autism Community have reached an historic first contract that will cover over 400 workers, provide a 10% wage increase over the next three years, 4% retroactive pay dating back to February and includes substantial employee rights and benefits. Both sides ratified the contract earlier this week.

"This agreement is a testament to the courage and determination of the QSAC workers," said George Boncoraglio, CSEA Regional President. "It brings a new era of equality and dignity for the work force there. We also look forward to forging a new relationship with QSAC to support its important mission in serving adults and children who suffer from autism spectrum disorders."

The contract also provides significant contractual protections for employees with respect to seniority, work scheduling, overtime, discipline, grievances and other issues.

"We look forward to maintaining the highest standards of quality care," said Rosetta Muhammed, interim President of the new CSEA Local at QSAC. "This contract will insure that we get the dignity and respect we fought so hard to achieve."

After a year long campaign to form a union and improve quality care, hundreds of workers at QSAC chose to form a union with the CSEA in February by negotiating a neutrality/card check agreement that required QSAC management to remain neutral while QSAC employee chose if they wanted to form a union with CSEA.

A number of elected officials were involved in bringing the two sides together during these negotiations, including New York City Councilman Hiram Monserrate and New York State Assemblymen Michael Gianaris and Jose Peralta.

Other elected officials who were involved include: New York State Assembly members Peter Riven, Audrey Pheffer, Mark Weprin, John Lavelle and Brian McLaughlin; New York State Senators Malcolm Smith and Toby Ann Stavisky; New York City Council members Leroy Comrie, Margarita Lopez, and Speaker Gifford Miller; United State Representative Anthony Weiner, State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, and City Comptroller William Thompson.

Additionally many other allies in the community who supported the workers efforts include the Queens Federation of Churches, New York City Central Labor Council, the Greater New York Labor Religion Coalition, Jobs with Justice and various advocates from the autism community.

CSEA, founded in 1910, is Now York State's oldest and largest public employee union. It is made up of 375 locals and 1,010 units deployed in six different geographic regions throughout New York State and represents workers in five major industries: corrections and law enforcement; health care; waste management, maintenance and infrastructure; social services and other administrative services; education support services. Together with an active retiree contingent, its 265,000 members comprise the largest affiliate, Local 1000, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

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