Seneca Falls Town Supervisor Frank Schmitter and Councilmember Frank Sinicropi are facing criticism for stalling the recognition of a new union for town workers, leading to accusations of misusing taxpayer funds. The delay has drawn the ire of employees and other board members who say the hold-up is both unnecessary and costly.
The workers, who are pushing for the creation of a Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) union, argue that the town is wasting money on legal fees instead of moving forward with the unionization process. “The amount of town money being thrown at expensive attorneys is unnecessary,” said Shawn Van Gee, a Heavy Equipment Operator with the Highway Department. “Our goal is to expedite this process and conserve town resources as we organize to be a well-equipped workforce that can meet the needs of our community.”
The dispute centers on a 3-2 board decision from August in favor of recognizing the union. Despite the majority vote, Schmitter and Sinicropi have not acted on the decision, prompting workers to file a formal request with the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to certify the union. A PERB conference is scheduled for mid-October to begin the longer, more expensive process of union certification, even though a supermajority of workers have already signed authorization cards.
“It’s disappointing that two of our Town Board members are stalling this democratic process,” said Peter Porcelli, a Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer. “Workers want this, and the majority of the board already voted for it. Now we’ll have to navigate the lengthy PERB process to get our new CSEA union certified.”
The delays have raised concerns about the financial burden being placed on taxpayers. “This money should be invested in our community,” said Aaron Passalacqua, a Building Maintainer in the Buildings and Grounds Department. “Instead, it’s being used to impede the recognition of our union. Town Supervisor Schmitter and Councilmember Sinicropi are spending unnecessary taxpayer dollars, padding the pockets of high-priced attorneys instead of doing what is best for our town.”
The CSEA is one of New York’s largest unions, representing approximately 250,000 state, county, and municipal employees. Founded in 1910, the union has a long history of advocating for workers’ rights across the state and is an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
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