Insulting Hit on CSEA

To the Editor:

Wayne Bayer's recent letter to the editor attacking the Civil Service Employees Association (Oct. 19 issue) was as wrong as it was insulting to the CSEA membership.

He is, at best, misinformed when he charges that CSEA's membership has declined in recent years. While the CSEA membership does fluctuate at different times, it has been remarkably stable for a very long time. In fact, our state membership is up over the past year and the membership as a whole has grown recently because of our organizing efforts.

But not content with simply spreading falsehoods, Mr. Bayer goes further to make baseless allegations about CSEA motivation in contract negotiations without a shred of evidence beyond his opinion. He also makes gratuitous and demeaning comments about the CSEA membership that are appalling.

Mr. Bayer identifies himself as a Public Employees Federation officer, but we can only hope that he is not purporting to speak for PEF. The fact is, CSEA negotiates in the best interest of CSEA members, and it is our members - not Mr. Bayer - who vote on CSEA contracts. That's what matters to CSEA, and it is why we continue to strive to be New York's leading union.

STEPHEN MADARASZ, Director of Communications, CSEA